Vintage Novatron Brochures

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via this auction

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Sunday arpeggiator fun ;-)

YouTube Published on Jul 22, 2012 by JampyKey

"Live performance fun ;-)
Today is a quiet, boring Sunday.
Triggered simple arpeggiator and played around, live.
Moog Little Phatty: arpeggiator
DSI Mono Evolver: sequencer.
DSI Prophet 08: pad
Roland Alpha Juno 2: fx
Novation X Station: lead
MFB 522 Drumcomputer: rhythm
Sound directly from the mixer"

Mellotron / Novatron T550 + 2 original custom made tapeframes

via this auction

Playlist
Vako Orchestron Vocal Choir - Mellotron 8 Voice Choir
Vako Orchestron Violins - Mellotron MKII Violins
Vako Orchestron Flute - Mellotron MKII Flute
Vako Orchestron Cello - Mellotron Cello
Vako Orchestron Pipe Organ - Mellotron Church Organ
Vako Orchestron String Ensemble - Mellotron String Section
MELLOTRON / NOVATRON T.550 / T550 / T 550 / / ORGAN / HD


via this auction

"It is one of the rarest Mellotrons in the world, as only 3 or 4 were ever made. This particular instrument was shown on the Frankfurt Musikmesse in 1982 but wasn't sold there. The story of the first owner (I am the second) is that he bought it when the Musikmesse was just finished. He bought the instrument in Frankfurt for quite a low price, as the makers didn't have to transport it back to the UK then. From 1982 until 2010 when I bought it it has hardly been used and was stored in a smokefree, clean and dry room. This explains why this instrument looks and sounds as it is a brand new one.

The first picture shows the instrument from above
The second picture shows the crate which I made for transport - with foam on the inside (yes, it is already in a flightcase but the flightcase is part of the instruments value, so I don't want scratches on it
The third picture shows an original ad for the T550
The last one shows my rehearsal room with the Novatron in the far right corner (the black flightcase)

I have also made some recordings and videos of the instrument during the short period I had it: [above]
Church Organ: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7j1g04BAYU
8choir: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gLZaFPNocc
MKII Flute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9W2b88iPbQ
Cello: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0Vh-_tOYvs
String Section; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOkkd8kwHOs
MKII Violins: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1xlmN8QKIU

And this is a demo video of this Novatron T550: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHUpRIrFngI

In these videos, the first instrument you'll see is not the Novatron, but my Vako Orchestron. Don't mix these two up! A Mellotron uses tapes, an Orchestron uses discs with waveforms on it.

In this auction, apart from the instrument itself, you will get the two original tapeframes who were sold with the instrument (and presumably used to demo the instrument in Frankfurt)
Frame 1 = Church Organ, Male/female choir, Male choir/Oboe mix
Frame 2= Cello, Flute, Choir mix.

You can also bid on the two other tapeframes I am selling (search ebay for Mellotron tape frame)
You'll also get the original swell pedal, and original manuals and ads."

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MELLOTRON / NOVATRON T.550 / T550 / T 550 / for SALE / ORGAN / HD

YouTube via novatron4sale | August 28, 2010
NOVATRON T.550 for sale
NEAR MINT ORIGINAL CONDITION
WORLD WIDE SHIPPING POSSIBLE
LOCATION: GERMANY
Details in the description here.


Update: more pics here

NOVATRON & nord wave

YouTube via kaizokuhousou. "Compared to novatron&wave."

The ARP Ensemble Organ

There was some discussion of the ARP Ensemble Organ on AH.
From Ivan:
"I finally found the photo!? Took me a few hours of digging through back copies of Musical Merchandise review.? It is from the August 1974 issue and was shown at the June 1974 NAMM show: link [pictured]

So what David has is the same unit that was called the "Arp Ensemble."? Evidently it was sold with a Pro Soloist to make it a three-manual organ per the letter I got from a dealer ages ago: [link]

While searching for this info I also found a pic of the rare double-keyboard Mellotron: [link]"

Previously from Dave Hillel Wilson of the New England Synthesizer Museum had to say:
"It helps to remember that the ARP String Ensemble IV was really the Solina, manufactured by Eminent and rebadged by ARP. I bought a Pro Soloist a few years back from someone who told me it was the top keyboard on an organ. I played this organ and it sounded amazing, so I bought it for the Museum. It is called the Eminent 310, and is similar to the 310 U used by Jean-Michel Jarre."

images mirrored here

Update via Milo Johnson in the comments:
"That "double keyboard Mellotron" looks to be the Mellotron/Novatron Mark V prototype, and the year would be correct for it. There were 28 or 30 units made before the company finally folded. The Mellotron Mark I, Mark II, and SFX Consoles were all double-keyboard models as well, and there were an approximate total of 500 two-manual Mellotrons made in the early days. Fast forward to nowm when both Mellotron and Mellotronics are offering or developing new two-manual Mellotrons."