OSCar monophonic/duophonic synthesizer

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated. SN 0639 via this auction

"OSCar - Best of British vintage monophonic/duophonic synthesizer
* 'As new' condition - 25th anniversary next year but one owner, never gigged, lightly-used, carefully stored
* Incredible sounds - fattest bass, wild leads, amazing special effects
* Instant response tactile knobs, performance wheels and buttons - no hard-to-use menus
* Fully-programmable with 36 User Patch Memories, arpeggiator and step sequencer
* Factory-fitted MIDI In/Out/Thru
* Serial number 0639 one of the last produced after February1985 with final firmware revision 'M2'
* Original Operation Manual included*
* Original factory patch data cassette tape included
* Data CD on which I have included factory presets**, images, and interesting OSCar web addresses
* Stand apart from the crowd with unique sounds - and the look!

OSCar is now regarded as a classic in the synthesizer world. OSCar is a highly-versatile vintage workhorse, suited to many musical genres, but more recently has found particular use in Dance, House, and Electronica. It is an analogue-sound digitally-controlled synth using the classic subtractive but also additive synthesis models to produce its sounds. The OSCar is also a performer's synth, direct and immediate access to its sounds makes playing an intuitive dream

If you've lusted after a vintage MiniMoog synth - don't bother! The OSCar has absolutely stable oscillator tuning, massive programmable dual-oscillator sound with separate modulation LFO, and has been built to take on the road if needed.

This OSCar is 240V 50Hz (but can be internally set to 110V) and doesn't require a separate power supply. The rechargeable internal memory battery may need to be replaced soon (but currently is working OK).

*Operating manual - the cover has come loose from the pages through age (but this is an easy fix), my name is stamped in small font on the front cover, and there is some highlighter on some of the text. Also, my name is written in ink in small discrete font on the OSCar's lacquered wooden base (this can be easily sanded off by the new owner).

**Factory presets - currently not stored in memory. I have put around ten of my own sounds into memory and the rest have been left 'blank'. You can load the factory sounds in if you want to, but I recommend that you make your own sounds and store them in memory, it's very easy to do.

Note that if sounds are 'lost' from memory (through memory battery failure), it is possible on power-up (depending on the random position of the control knobs) to have no apparent sound, or at least a 'nonsense' sound, on key-press. This is not a fault and is resolved by setting the control knobs to appropriate positions and saving patches, or loading-in a set of patches - check the manual for details.

http://www.airburst.co.uk/oscar/ (plenty of detail about OSCar specifications and operation, also sound samples, even hand-drawn schematics)

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep99/articles/oscar.htm (fantastic more recent muso's article "Life of OSCar")"