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JULIEN*S
"THE FLORIAN SCHNEIDER COLLECTION
Auction to be held at Musician's Hall of Fame & Museum, Nashville, on November 19
An incredible collection of more than 450 artifacts from the life and career of Florian Schneider, co-founder of the pioneer electronic band Kraftwerk."
Pics and videos featuring some of the gear below, and his Lederhosen for good measure (thanks greg!).
Update: the post has been fully updated with all the synth related gear. This may just well be the longest post to be featured on the site. I wanted to capture all the pics for all of the details including notes, scuffs, and of course serial numbers. It's an interesting look into what he used, the condition he keped his gear, in some cases, how he actually used his gear. Note the phonetics on the keys of the Casio CZ-101 and DX-100. Note the Midi Switch Box with a built-in speaker? What's that about? Note the camouflage key strap on the Korg RK-100 Remote Keyboard. Did he pick it out himself or did the keytar just come with it? Note the repeat midi controllers and the MIDI saxaphones. Wind was his primary instrument. You'll find a ton of the acoustic gear he used in the other listings. This is a fascinating insight into both what and how he used his gear.
Side note: there is no affiliate compensation for this post. The note at the top automatically shows for all posts with the Auction label.
Rack Mount Sennheiser VSM-201 Vocoder
Starting Bid
$5,000
Estimate
$20,000 - $40,000 USD
A late 1970s Sennheiser VSM 201 Vocoder with no serial number from the personal studio and collection of Florian Schneider of Kraftwerk (see images). While it’s said that only a few dozen of these Vocoders were produced, a few examples made it into the hands of forward-thinking musical artists including Herbie Hancock, Daft Punk, and of course, Kraftwerk, who used a VSM-201 like this on their albums Man Machine (1978) and Computerworld (1981). The VSM-201 has an intelligible sound that has not yet been bested by modern gear. Includes power cable. This VSM-201 has been removed from its wooden enclosure (which bears the serial number plate) and modified with a metal rack mount casing, presumably for live use. Requires 240v, IEC power cable not included.
Dimensions: 19 x 9 x 9 inches
Category: Kraftwerk, Equipment
Provenance: PROVENANCE From the Estate of Florian Schneider
"Here's the original orange AXXE from my ARP collection — now enhanced with powerful and unique upgrades that set it apart from the rest, tailored by synth guru and ARP specialist Saint Eric. The keybed has been equipped with aftertouch - stepping into a Pro Soloist's territory! - easily one of the most expressive we've experienced on many synths we've had in our hands. It's really a joy to play: internally routed to the VCA and/or VCF, the AT pressure mechanism can be tastefully dialled using three front panel controls and has its own CV output too, for further control of external synths and modern-day modulars. This unit has a really characterful VCF which received the 4075 Timothy Smith filter upgrade. In addition to the external audio input for routing outboard signals to the VCF, on the rear panel you'll find a CV mix output which sums the keyboard, the sensitive PPC pads, the portamento and octave switches for controlling outboard synths. And you have a special variable CV output with two dedicated attenuators to adjust the scaling response, all controllable from the main panel, turning this synth into a powerful and unique analogue keyboard/CV controller. There is also a separate LFO CV output, very useful as the synth is modded to use the internal LFO and Sample & Hold in free-run mode just using a selectable switch. More useful and common modifications to this synth apart from the upgraded VCA and clean-audiopath improvements, are three different ADSR response modes: Fast, Normal & Slow via a three-position switch, A rich, powerful and extremely versatile analog. Cosmetics are just outstanding. Really impressive when you have it in front of you! It’s like travelling back through time: see the pics - notice on the left of the keyboard the nice touch that the original ARP badge imparts. It’s hard to let it go, but I know it deserves a new home in good hands. As a bonus, an ARP 70's logo T-shirt is also included on this listing. You'll provide the IEC power plug. [ If you’re purchasing from outside the EU, please be ready to provide any details that might be needed — thanks for understanding! ] Will be packed thoughtfully."
"Restored and upgraded by noted synth tech and Alan R. Pearlman Foundation supporter, Alison Cassidy. Tested and working. Some surface scuffs here and there, particularly on the wooden end cheeks. Orange LED slider upgrade installed.
"Another item from the ARP collection: Here's the original vintage Black and Gold-finished Mk I ARP AXXE model 2312 - with unit's serial number 2312 ! - at an affordable entry-level point. It has original ARP upgrade PPC kit yet installed replacing the rotary pitch bend knob. A white overlay is provided for the signal flow diagram (see pictures). Optionally, as the original front panel graphics are gone, we’ve given it a nice touch with hand-painted gold detailing. Like its sibling the Odyssey, the AXXE has its own unique voice: while you’ll get that unmistakable ARP analog character, it also can opens the door to a variety of sounds — from thick, punchy basses to bright, sizzling leads — all for a fraction of the cost. Plus, it’s got a few fun tricks up its sleeve that you can appreciate on this explicit video from Starsky Carr: https://youtu.be/-6NHVLVJgpA?feature=shared . In working condition overall, though there’s a bit of crackling here and there, so a good cleaning is recommended - sold as is. As a great bonus are the connections on the back allowing an external synth or signal to be processed along with CV, Gate and Trigger inputs and outputs plus a control pedal input for the filter. Standard IEC power lead not included. [ If you’re purchasing from outside the EU, please be ready to provide any details that might be needed — thanks for understanding! ] Will be packed thoughtfully."
