Farfisa is a manufacturer of electronics based in Osimo

Osimo

Osimo is a town and comune of the Marche, Italy, in the province of Ancona, 15 km south of that town by rail. It is situated on a hill near the Adriatic Sea.Silk-spinning and the raising of cocoons are carried on.-History:...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

.

The Farfisa brand name is commonly associated with a series of compact electronic organ

Electronic organ

An electronic organ is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally, it was designed to imitate the sound of pipe organs, theatre organs, band sounds, or orchestral sounds....

s, and later, a series of multi-timbral synthesizer

Synthesizer

A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...

s. At the height of its production, Farfisa operated three factories to produce instruments, in Ancona

Ancona

Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....

 in the Marche

Marche

The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...

 region of Italy. Farfisa also made radio

Radio

Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...

s, television

Television

Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

s, and other electronic items.

Today the Farfisa brand mainly produces intercom

Intercom

An intercom , talkback or doorphone is a stand-alone voice communications system for use within a building or small collection of buildings, functioning independently of the public telephone network. Intercoms are generally mounted permanently in buildings and vehicles...

 systems with the company Aci Farfisa which makes and distributes systems for video intercoms, access control, video surveillance and home automation.

The Bontempi group owns the keyboard division Farfisa brand name.

The Farfisa brand name is an acronym for "FAbbriche Riunite De FISArmoniche", which translates to "united factory of accordions".
With several compact, easily portable and inexpensive models available, as well as their distinctive sound, Farfisa organs became popular among rock bands and other combo groups during the 1960s.

The Farfisa organ was rarely used before the mid-60s, but it was seen as early as 1962 in the song "Ginny In The Mirror" by Del Shannon

Del Shannon

Del Shannon was an American rock and roll singer-songwriter who had a No. 1 hit, "Runaway", in 1961.- Biography :...

, with the remainder of the song's arrangement having a typical 50s rock and roll sound.