Classic 1973 version 1 ARP String Ensemble (Eminent Solina)

via this auction

"If you are reading this, then you know what it means to have a real ARP/Eminent Solina in your setup instead of settling for "Solina" samples or "String Ensemble" patches on your other synths... The organic, lush, animated washes of sound that come from a genuine Solina are like no other instrument before or after, and quite simply defy sampling because of the "living" quality achieved by its raw oscillator tones passing through the wonderful triple-stage analog chorus with vintage 1970s TCA350 BBD chips. In fact, how many clones of the Solina chorus have we seen over the years attesting to the desirable sound of this effect?

But did you know that there were 3 versions of this famous instrument?

The original 1973 model (this one for sale) is the closest electronically and sonically to the fabled Eminent 310 Unique organ made famous by Jean Michel Jarre's Equinox and Oxygene albums. Very few of these original (ver.1) Solinas were made compared to the later versions, and it is widely accepted that with each revision the build quality and sound suffered due to cost-cutting and inferior circuit redesigns. You can identify an original 1973 model because it does not give the player the option of turning the chorus effect off. Later units have an extra red button either to the right side of the keyboard (ver.2) or on the front panel (ver.3) labeled "modulation" which toggles the chorus on/off. Frankly, the chorus is such an integral part of the Solina sound, I don't know why you'd ever bother turning it off. So don't be mistaken thinking that the original ver.1 Solina doesn't have that signature chorus just because the red button isn't there...it most certainly does, and sounds perhaps even better than late models because of those original warm TCA350 chips.

In the 1970s the Eminent Solina was imported by ARP for the US market and stickers for "String Ensemble SE-IV" were simply stuck over the original logos on the instruments. So if you are on the hunt for one or the other, it's the exact same instrument....in real life you can even see the original "Solina" logo raising slightly through the thin "SE-IV" sticker on the instrument.

So enough history...let's talk about this specific unit for sale:
This ver.1 Solina is in truly outstanding shape inside and out. Electronically is it 100% with the exception that the lowest G# key is not triggering. I've opened it up, and I can see that there is a tiny bit of corrosion on one of the circuit traces associated with that specific key, and I believe that flowing a little solder across that trace (or adding a centimeter's worth of jumper wire) will solve that issue..."