British firm Victory Amps has produced a one-off Braille tube amp for a blind guitarist – believed to be the first of its kind – and it’s brought him to the verge of tears.
From Stevie Wonder to Blind Willie Johnson, many musicians have proved that a lack of sight needn’t be a deterrent from writing bangers.
Now, blind guitarist and skateboarder Anthony Ferraro is continuing that trend – with a little help from the amp makers championed by Guthrie Govan, Mastodon, Ritchie Kotzen, and Graham Coxon.
In a reel posted to his Instagram, we see Ferraro unboxing the package and going through a range of emotions – from sheer surprise to understanding the scale of this heartwarming gesture.
“I’m blind, what’s in this box?” he first asks, before later shouting, “It’s an amp!... Is this Victory?”
Then, after running his hands across its top-mounted control panel, he exclaims, “Oh my gosh, there’s Braille on an amp!” It even came with a Braille letter detailing how Victory challenged themselves to come to his aid.
Braille, a tactile writing system of raised dots, was invented by French educator Louis Braille in the 1820s. Here, it's used to signpost the amp's various dials, from its volume and gain to its three-band EQ.
As Ferraro’s caption explains, while he knew that something was headed his way from Victory’s English factory, he didn’t know what exactly the company was up to.
“Around the end of last year, I was looking to switch up some of the sound on my electric, and Victory Amps offered to make me something special,” he says. “I had no idea what I was about to open. Quite truly one of the greatest things I have ever been given. To say I cried when I opened it wouldn’t be a lie.”
Moreover, the Braille-laden amp has improved his autonomy when it comes to dialling in his guitar tone.
“I’ve been blind my whole life, and music was one of the only things that made it feel like I wasn’t blind, until I felt my gear, or had to ask someone to help me adjust a knob or tune my guitar,” Ferraro expands.
“When I felt the Braille on this amp, my whole world changed instantly. I was free to do it on my own for the first time, ever. Advocating for Braille has become one of my biggest passions in life. I can’t believe this is real. Someone pinch me.”
Ferraro has been an advocate for Braille’s presence in the music industry, and what appears to be the first-ever Braille guitar amp can be seen as major progress.
As reported by The Guardian in 2010, research found that 48% of blind children demonstrate significant interest in everyday sounds compared to 13% of those with full sight. Music, for many, is a powerful tool for coping with their blindness, socialising, and exploring their creativity.
Five years later, another study found that music was a major part of the lives of people who are blind or have low vision, showcasing its value.
It's a wonderful move from Victory, and a step forward for inclusivity.
Jeff Healey is arguably one of the world’s most successful blind guitarists. In a Guitar World interview, Healey explains how being permanently blind forced him to adopt a unique approach to the instrument and prove defiant against the odds.
