Teisco 60f Vintage Analogue Synthesizer SN 5235

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Note the signal flow LEDs.

"This is the highly regarded and quite hard to find Teisco 60f monophonic synthesizer dating back to 1980 and this one is in rare raring-to-go full order. We've checked it over very carefully, left it on 'soak', wasted time moving faders and twiddling knobs trying to get something to go wrong. We failed. Everything works just fine. When fired up it takes about a minute for the pitch to fully stabilise but once it has, the pitch is totally reliable.

For a single oscillator synth it has very full tonal variety thanks to the inclusion of sound bending peripherals such as a highly sophisticated LFO section, a self-oscillating controller, variable vibrato, assignable ADSR section, a couple of deep filters and adaptable pulse wave modulation options.

Another remarkable option is its ability to work with an external audio source: you can route your digital 'virtuals' through very real analogue synth filters and envelopes [envelope trigger from keys or gate or just use ‘hold’ mode for real time fun] - hook it up to an MP3 for amazing remixing and re-filtering on the fly.

The control panel has more than a hint of Roland styling but at the time of manufacture Teisco was wholly owned by the synth division of Kawai. A label makes mention of an APR license but the word is that this only applies to the quirky but functional touch pad pitch controller.

Nope, it doesn't do MIDI [not yet even a twinkle in anyone’s eye when this was launched] but if you are adept with control voltages and gates and have the right interfaces you can use it in conjunction with other gear. Provided, that is, you read up a lot and have a cupboard full of the right converter boxes and leads.

This instrument is in fine shape; cosmetically it has a few very light scratches and tiny knocks to edges of the wooden end cheeks [I've seen year-old synths in much worse condition] and it is hard to believe that this keyboard is due its 33rd birthday cake. Audio wise, it is a real and special treat.

Look at the photographs [noting illuminated green arrows that show the signal flow]"