The Group 128 P800 Buffalo Contact Pickup is a rare vintage piece of gear from 1977, hand-built in the USA. Designed as a contact pickup system for acoustic guitar and other acoustic instruments, it came complete with a miniature belt-worn preamp featuring a gain control unit and a Hi-Z phone jack output for direct connection to amplifiers and recording gear.
This particular unit (serial number 6328) is missing the original contact pickup, but it remains a fascinating vintage collector’s item. Back in the day, the P800 Buffalo carried a surprisingly high price tag of $99.50, making it a serious investment for acoustic players looking to amplify their instruments with precision and clarity in the late 70s.
Even without the pickup element, the belt-clip preamp alone represents a unique snapshot of early amplification technology, when companies were experimenting with portable preamps and direct outputs for stage and studio use. For collectors of rare vintage audio equipment, the Group 128 P800 Buffalo stands out as both an innovative and quirky piece of gear from a pioneering era.
Please review the photos carefully to assess the signs of use and included accessories. All photos are of the actual products. No accessories are included unless photographed and/or named.
