Electronic Dream Plant - Legacy

Legacy

An internal power struggle in 1981 led to the formation of another company Wasp Synthesisers Ltd by the ousted Adrian Wagner, which produced a very limited run of Special versions of the Wasp and Gnat. This breakaway company lasted less than a year and its products are even rarer.

• Wasp Special

This 'wooden' wasp used the same membrane keyboard as the standard version, but with a new black and gold colour scheme, and the loss of the internal batteries and speaker. An internal mains transformer was added.

• Gnat Special

Again, as with the wasp special, a wooden case, different colour scheme, and the loss of the internal speaker.

EDP stopped doing business in 1982. The designer of the Wasp, Chris Hugget, went on to co-form another British company, OSC, with Paul Wiffen producing the OSCar synthesizer in collaboration with Anthony Harrison-Griffin an independent product designer responsible for the unique look and build of the OSCar. Anthony had previously been responsible for the visual design and build of EDP's "Gnat" version. Anthony's use of the distinctive black rubberized components to protect the controls and main casing has become one of its lasting features. It proved a great hit when touring as you could literally throw an OSCar into the back of a van without the need of a flight case. He even built into the ends a dummy 3-pin main plug to safely store the plug.

Although only 2000 OSCars were made they found their way into much more professional hands because both the build quality and the sound quality were much higher. Many are still in use today.