Via this auction.
Details:
"SYNTH WAS PURCHASED ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO, IT WAS PURCHASED USED. IT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED IN MY STUDIO ALL THE TIME, IT HAS SEEN LITTLE USE UNDER MY OWNERSHIP AND I THINK IT’S TIME SOMEBODY ELSE HAVE FUN WITH THIS ONE AND I NEED THE MONEY AS WELL. SYNTH COMES WITH A BUCHLA MANUAL, LOTS OF PATCH CORDS. SYNTH WORKS FINE BUT IT MIGHT NEED CALIBRATING BY NOW.
MACHINE WAS KEPT IN A DUST AND SMOKE FREE ENVIROMENT.
Buchla synthesizers are the classic creations of Don Buchla, a circuit designer who produced synthesizers when they truly were analog beasts. Buchla started making his first synthesizers on America's west coast for the purpose of simplifying the tedious process of creating "Musique Concrete". Musique Concrete can be thought of as the predecessor to Electronic Music. It was a form of music in which recordings of various sounds on tape were cut, spliced, distorted, and manipulated in various ways before being spliced back together into something that should sound like music...almost like super old-school sampling & sequencing! This concept was the driving force behind almost every Buchla synthesizer made - an electronic device that can create some basic sound, manipulate it, tune it freely, and sequence it into organized sound, hopefully something musical! With that in mind, Buchla synthesizers were among the first to use indivudally tuneable keys for limitless micro-tuning possibilities, analog sequencers, and complex waveforms other than basic sine, sawtooth, and square waves.
The first major synthesizer by Buchla was the modular 100-series (one of which is pictured above) produced from about 1963 to the early 1970's. The system usually consisted of a large wood case with room for a bunch of modules (up to 25 modules on a single power-supply). Although the modules consisted of your basic collection of voltage controlled oscillators, filters, etc. the unique keyboards on this and other models to follow were flat capacitance-sensitive touch-plates. Although they may feel awkward to play, they are pressure sensitive and individually tuneable. There were also 8- and 16-step analog sequencer modules available. Patching and programming a Buchla 100 was a monstrous task since lots of patch cords as well as synthesizer knowledge were a requirement to even get a sound to be heard, and the oscillators usually drift out of tune! These are extremely rare systems but they can make some awesome and unique analog music, if it still works! About the only places where Buchla 100's can be found nowadays are at the The Audities Collection and a few scattered Schools and Universities across the US.
Modules for the Buchla Series 100 (Module# - Description)
* 101 - wooden case for 25 modules, dimensions are 24" wide x 24" deep x 31" high.
* 106 - Two 3-channel mixers with both separate and common outputs and level controls
* 107 - Two voltage-controlled 5-channel mixers
* 110 - Dual Voltage-controlled Gates
* 111 - Dual Ring Modulator
* 112 - 12 touch-controlled voltage sources (capacitive keyboard)
* 113 - 20 touch-controlled voltage sources (capacitive keyboard) consisting of four circles, each of which is divided into five segments (1 central and 4 peripheral)
* 114 - 10 touch-controlled voltage sources (capacitive keyboard)
* 115 - power supply
* 120 - Distributor - a cross mixer with four inputs and five outputs.
* 123 - Sequential Voltage Source (8-step sequencer)
* 124 - patchboard - 24 miniature audio jacks
* 130 - Dual Envelop Generator
* 132 - wave-form synthesizer
* 140 - timing pulse generators
* 144 - Dual Square-wave Generator
* 146 - Sequential Voltage Source (sequencer, 16 step X 3 layer)
* 148 - Harmonic Generator
* 150 - Frequency Counter
* 156 - Dual Control Voltage Counter to mix, compress and invert control voltages.
* 158 - Dual Sine / Sawtooth Oscillators (VCOs)
* 160 - White Noise Generator
* 165 - Dual Random Voltage Source
* 170 - Dual Microphone Amplifier
* 171 - Dual Instrument Pre-amplifier
* 175 - Dual Equalizer / Line Driver
* 180 - Dual Attack Generator
* 185 - Frequency Shifter
* 190 - Dual Reverberator - two spring reverbs
* 191 - sharp cut-off filter - Voltage controlled 24 dB/oct highpass & lowpass filters
* 192 - dual low pass filter
* 194 - 12dB/oct bandpass filter
* 195 - octave formant filter
* 196 - phase shifter"
that particular 100 seems to pop up on ebay every 6 months or so. I know its had at least 3 owners in the last 5 years. that one really gets around.
ReplyDeleteLet me be the first to ask if it can do good banjo sounds.
ReplyDeleteanyone know who wavstudios is?
ReplyDeleteguy sells some seriously good kit.
Yeah, last time it was up for sale I asked the guy what the multi connector thingy on the 107 mixer was. Before I could get an answer he took it off the market. Incidentally, the envelope follower (third row down, 2nd module from the left) used to be mine.
ReplyDeleteBeware of anything from wavstudios. He likes to mis-represent the condition of his gear.
ReplyDeletehow can you have a dust free environment?
ReplyDeleteThis would be a nice beast for with my Serge "Tower of Power".
ReplyDelete:)
100 Series? yawn....
ReplyDeleteNot a very exciting synth compared to, say, spending the same amount on a serge, modcan, or even a plan b. Not to mention a 200 or 200e
"Beware of anything from wavstudios. He likes to mis-represent the condition of his gear. "
ReplyDeleteAlso beware of anonymous people making harmful statements like this. If it's true, let everyone know who you are and your experience with this seller.
"how can you have a dust free environment? "
ReplyDeleteWow, you're so smart! :)
Why is there a list of every module in the 100 series rather than the 18 or so in actual system being sold?
ReplyDeleteHere ya go. Check this out -
ReplyDeletehttp://www.toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/negs?User=wavstudios
"Here ya go. Check this out -
ReplyDeletehttp://www.toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/negs?User=wavstudios "
Gee, how resourceful you are! You're Net Nerd NUMBER ONE now! All bow down to Net Nerd NUMBER ONE!
Anonymous pussy(s), what's YOUR personal experience with this seller? And how come you're staying anonymous? Are you jealous he's got things you wish you could afford? Or are you trying to get people not to bid so you can bid on it yourself? Maybe this person is a bad trader, but have some frickin' BALLS and tell everyone who you are and why you're so interested in this seller's auction.
I think we just heard form the wavstudios guy.
ReplyDeleteJudging from the writing style, it must be him.
Many people have bought stuff from wavstudios, and it was okay. I'd make sure to call him and get the condition. There have been incidents in the past. I don't get a sense the guy is trying to screw people, but he is a little goofy.
ReplyDeletewavstudios is a crook. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. note how many previous usernames he has had on eBay. also, he is cherished by eBay and PayPal because of his high volume business so don't even bother trying to file a claim or complaint against him. another waste of time. he is a gear broker, too, and has likely never even turned these instruments on nor knows how to use them or test them.
ReplyDeleteI love how wavstudios is attacking anonymous comments as an anonymous commenter! Too funny.
ReplyDeleteThe Buchla 100 is a beautiful sounding system, with the ballsiest sounding oscillators & filters of the entire legacy. Knocking it on a feature-per-dollar basis kind of misses the point.
ReplyDeleteBecause "Silver Apples of the Moon," "Touch" and "The Wild Bull," the 3 top-selling Buchla albums of all time, were done on a 100, (not to mention some beautiful work by Pauline Oliveros, Douglas Leedy & the Columbia-Princeton gang) one could argue that it is the system most people in the world associate with the Buchla sound.
just checked the archives of analog heaven and there are a number of threads that reference wavstudios and bad experiences. bummer that i'll never buy anything from this guy, he's got some amazing stuff. i got a kick out of the forat 9000 with the serial number of 'el debarge' now that is dope.
ReplyDeleteOn second thought don't buy anything from wavstudios, I want to get this shit cheap!
ReplyDeleteThis wanker must not have any mirrors in his home.
ReplyDeletewavstudios is a crook.
ReplyDeleteperiod.
the 100 is totally overlooked (overshadowed perhaps) by the 200 series.
ReplyDeletecompare the 100 to something like the Moog Modular or other more straight forward systems and you will find its actually quite different and interesting.
another great 100 series album is "in mid air" by Charlemagne Palestine.. or listen to the track Oak of the Golden Dreams by Harold Budd.. great stuff. The Wild Bull is my favoirte Buchla 100 record.
I love how this wavstudios dude derides the anon posters but posts anonymously. I read all his negative ebay feedback and the tone is the same. It would be scary if he wasn't such a coward. Instead it is just funny (and sad). Thanks for the laughs, Wavy.
ReplyDeleteHey wavy. enjoying the exposure? I told you I'd tell everyone what a dishonest and rude businessman you are. You think you can carry on like this forever? Someone should've told you business (and your life) would be better if you treated people with respect and didn't act so arrogant and self-important all the time. It's a shame you've deluded yourself so much. You could've had friends. You could've been successful.
ReplyDeleteYou anonymous flamers really should sign your names so we know who we really should avoid.
ReplyDeleteMatrix,
ReplyDeleteif you are going to allow anoymous posting I suggest that people's IP address are visable.
I suspect we would see a lot of trolls if we turned on a few lights.
Oh yes, Long Beach California is well known for its dust free environment.
ReplyDeleteI wrote wav once.
He insulted me and said I must be jealous of his gear.
Now he's selling it all though, so he must be jealous of my money.
FYI, wav made his money in renting apartments.
He's a landlord.
That's almost as bad as a thief in my book.
Great mod idea, and, as you mention, there's tons of room in there to affix the extra board.
ReplyDeleteThe bigger issue in day-to-day use is the lack of voltage scaling (and of course adding) on each module... kind of a Moogish problem. That's why most patches need as many voltage processors as you can get your hands on. Of course every Buchla voltage processor from the 156 on up has a DC offset pot, which in essence replaces the big knob on the oscillator or filter. After a while you just start pretending those pots don't even exist.
The manual (by Hugh, ummm, Queens College guy, oops, it's at work) dances around the issue by boasting that the system is calibrated so that when you flip the switch, the pot on your sequencer or whatever can be set to the exact same physical position as the big knob on your oscillator was, and, presto, it's as if nothing ever happened.
it seems this system has no filter modules, is that a big drawback in a configuration like this? does anyone know what oscillator modules it has? [i tried asking wavstudios for the module list, no reply yet]
ReplyDeletereed - you say one of the modules used to be yours. do you know anything else about this system?
As for oscillators, it looks like there are two 158 (dual sine-sawtooth) and one 144 (dual square). The 158's on this one in particular are pretty fancy-pants because they have a couple features that aren't found on most: VC input for waveshape, and separate toggle switches for each oscillator in the pair.
ReplyDeleteFilterwise, it's hard to tell if one of those modules is a 192 lopass filter with an extra VC input or just a dual gate. Once again, a lot of 192 filters out there don't have any voltage control, they're just basically high-rolloff knobs. Voltage control on a 192 doesn't really give you much... the optical mechanism inside takes a couple seconds to go between two points, so a lot of garden-variety envelope modulation is out of the question.
Buchla 100's are so warm & fuzzy sounding, filters are kind of optional.
So, from top to bottom, it looks like...
mixer, eq/line driver, reverb, noise, phase shifter
158, 158, 144, 107 mixer (which is internally the same as five dual gates)
ringmod, env. follower, envelope, voltage processor, gate (?)
pulser, 146 sequencer
...and a 112 keyboard
Half of a decent system.
thanx reed!
ReplyDeletei have a buchla 100 and a modcan/cynthia rig and i can tell you they are SO different from each other. And imho , one of the neatest things about the 100 , apart from its huge , organic sound , is that because it's simpler than the more modern stuff , it makes you think more to get more out of it. its very "alive" and to me it feels more like a musical instrument than the modcan....my two cents...
ReplyDelete