via this auction
Update via Georg in the comments: "This is the B30 Microsynth from a company called CLEF PRODUCTS LIMITED from Bramhall, UK. It was sold as a kit as well in 1982.
I first thought the design looks like an BME, but I was wrong...
Georg."
Update via Hodgheg in the comments: "I used to sell these! Clef Products was a seriously weird place to work, I was there in the early 80's & left before they went bust. The Microsynth was the only instrument not designed in house; the designer was Allan Bradford MSc, at the time a lecturer in electronics at B'ham Uni. Good synth for the money, (£129 in kit form, £199 built) amazing variety of sounds but 1/3rd volt per octave meant tuning problems so bad that we used to put silica gel in the demo model to keep the humidity stable! I sold 30 bare pcb's to GCHQ (the listening spies) who wanted them for 30 new apprentices, presumably to teach them about soldering and/or interaction of waveforms. So I imagine somewhere there are a few Microsynths that stay in tune due to using military grade components:-)
If anyone wants to sell me one, contact me at hodgheg hotmail.com"
This is the B30 Microsynth from a company called CLEF PRODUCTS LIMITED from Bramhall, UK. It was sold as a kit as well in 1982.
ReplyDeleteI first thought the design looks like an BME, but I was wrong...
Georg.
I have the synth, built it myself from kit. It was designed when a whole new bunch of CMOS chips were brought out, allowing a lot of functionality for the price, but having to run at .35V /octave.
ReplyDeleteSomewhat similar to the small Jen synth around at the time.
I used to sell these! Clef Products was a seriously weird place to work, I was there in the early 80's & left before they went bust. The Microsynth was the only instrument not designed in house; the designer was Allan Bradford MSc, at the time a lecturer in electronics at B'ham Uni. Good synth for the money, (£129 in kit form, £199 built) amazing variety of sounds but 1/3rd volt per octave meant tuning problems so bad that we used to put silica gel in the demo model to keep the humidity stable! I sold 30 bare pcb's to GCHQ (the listening spies) who wanted them for 30 new apprentices, presumably to teach them about soldering and/or interaction of waveforms. So I imagine somewhere there are a few Microsynths that stay in tune due to using military grade components:-)
ReplyDeleteIf anyone wants to sell me one, contact me at hodgheg@hotmail.com
A little update from Hodgheg: I've just acquired the designer Allan Bradford's own demo model B30 which I've got working. Would be VERY interested to hear from anyone who has the Clef String Ensemble (AKA the P.E. String Ensemble) and wants to sell. This 4 octave string machine was only available as a kit due to being complex to assemble. Contact me at hodgheg@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteI had a CLEF CMS back in '86 (I think) which connected to a BBC micro but I was very, VERY unimpressed with it so sent it back shortly after. Saves up for 6 month for that thing too.
ReplyDeleteSeems I could have had a now classic Elka Synthex for a similar price at the time.
DOH!
I just uploaded my homage to this forgotten masterpiece. :-)
Deletehttp://www.lemontiger.co.uk/clef.html
Awesome. I put a new post up here: http://www.matrixsynth.com/2013/10/an-homage-to-clef-cms-synthesiser-for.html.
Delete