via this auction
Details:
"There doesn't seem to be much information about Godwin keyboards available online, except that they're good, and they're not very common. Here are a couple of the mentions I've found on the String Concert series:
"Logans and other string machines that use this system (such as the Hohner String Performer and the Godwin String Concert) are, in my opinion, vastly superior to more famous paraphonic designs such as the Solina, the Rolands, and the Omnis."
Sound on Sound
"A very beautiful and appealing early string synthesiser, warm, sweet and dirty. The chorus and tremolo swirl and make every sound beautifully analogue. Beats the Solina and that says something."
Sonicstate
A Godwin 249 String Concert recently sold on Ebay for £530 (see past listings for Godwin Synth.) This is its big brother, the Godwin 849 String Concert (Symphony). But unfortunately, it's not working. The string sounds are all so quiet as to be practically inaudible, though if you turn the volume on the amplifier fully up you can hear that the controls and sliders do have an effect. The volume slider doesn't do anything though. In the past I seem to remember wiring up an amp to some part of the circuit-board and getting full volume, and concluding that some component might have gone in one of the effects sections, but I don't really know anything about electronics or vintage keyboards.
There's also a brass section which currently doesn't seem to be working at all, though it has worked intermittently in the past, churning out the odd punchy analogue brass sounds.
One of the selection buttons is broken, and I've dismantled another to see how it worked, but that shouldn't be too hard to put back. All the other keys and buttons seem to work, insofar as they light up, make faint noises, etc. Cosmetically, it's not too bad really, with no broken notes, and the sheet-holder still tucked into a clip inside the case. (These things come built in to the bottom of the carrying case. They're fairly chunky and heavy, and look quite cool in a retro way.)
Controls are: String Volume, Brass volume, Cello, Viola, Violin, Organ, Brass 1/2/3/4/Wah/Woh, Cello level, Violin level, Viola level, Bass, Treble, Chorus, Tremolo, Envelope Attack/Sustain/Volume, Vibrato Depth/Speed/Delay, buttons for Classic/Concert/Brass/Vibrato/PolyTrig/Octave, Expression pedal input, High/Low output.
The internal circuit boards are all present and it hasn't been raided for spares. In the right hands, this could be restored into a collector's item. But since it's not presently working, it's £15 with no guarantees and no reserve."
via Rob.
This is my old 849. It was originally given to me in it's dead state by a friend of mine who was going to throw it away, along with his DX27 which was also dead.
ReplyDeleteThe DX27 was no great hardship to get back up and running, but the Godwin was a whole other matter. I spoke to my engineer who said it could be done but at a considerable cost. As it was taking up space, I decided to sell it. A local guy took it off my hands for a small sum and said he would give it a good go at fixing it. However, it proved too much for him as well and he now has it for sale. The brass sounds do work, but only with about 90% functionality. The strings are working but there is something wrong at the amplification stage that means that with volumes thrown right up, they are only barely audible.
It's a shame as this is one of the best string synths out there.
Whoever gets it will have a fantastic bit of kit if they can restore it.
Well, it just sold for about 5 times as much as I sold it to him for !! LMAO !!
ReplyDeleteHa MY old 849! I'm the guy that gave it to Failed Muso with my old DX27
ReplyDelete