Elka x705 on Ebay

This interesting item came up on Ebay. It's an Organ with string ensemble, analog brass, mono-synth for bass or higher notes, and 16 analog rhythms. Some info on harmony-central. It was used by Jean Michel Jarre live: JMJ kit list.

Elka x705 on Ebay:

Some pictures of Jean Michel Jarre playing the Elka x705 live off of jarreography:

Ever wonder what chips your old analogs use?

I was wondering if the Prophet 5 Rev 2 and Korg Mono/Poly and Polysix all shared the same SSM (Solid State Music) filter, so I shot an email to AH. But then I remembered, duh, it's probably on synthech. The Rev 2 used an SSM 2040 while the Mono/Poly and Polysix both used the SSM 2044. If you are wondering what your synths might be using or if you are just curious what synths had what chips in common take a look at the list. You'll be surprised to find out different synths used the same Curtis chips. Note that the design of the synth and implementation of the chip made a huge impact on the actual sound of the synth, so two synths like the Prophet 5 Rev 3 and Oberheim OB-Xa which used CEM3320 VCFs will sound different. Other synths that used the CEM3320 were the PPG Wave 2.0, PAiA Proteus, Elka Synthex, Crumar Trilogy, SCI Pro One, SCI Prophet 10, Lindrum, and CMI Fairlight II. Pretty versatile chip. : )
NOTE: Synthtech is also home to the MOTM modular. Check em out.

Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 Rev 2

Gorgeous Prophet 5 Rev 2 for sale on AH. It has some nicks, but it still looks beautiful to me. There were three primary revs of the Prophet 5, Rev 1, Rev 2, and Rev 3 which was followed by Rev 3.2 and 3.3. The Rev 1 was notorious for tuning problems, with the Rev 3 the most stable; however, the Rev 2 had and SSM filter chip while the Rev 3s had Curtis chips. Most say the Rev 2 sounds warmer. I haven't had the luxury to A/B the two myself but I have heard SSM filters on a Korg Mono/Poly and Polysix and they definitely sound different than most Curtis filters I've heard - much more liquid or bubbly with some resonance.

Simmons SDS6

Recently saw a picture of this and wondered what it was. It's a Simmons SDS6 drum pattern programer with 8 rows of 32 steps. Unfortunately no midi. Click here for more pics as well as other Simmons gear. Great Simmons site. Thanks to GG for link.

DSI Evolver OS 3.0 Update

http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/support/rev2-0.html

From the PDF:
Evolver Version 3.0 Update
The following changes have been made to the Evolver as part of the update. In general the changes were
made to make the it compatible with the Poly Evolver Keyboard.
1) A number of MIDI CCs have been added (see list at bottom of page); these are active for MIDI input
only; only the sysex parameters are transmitted.
2) Auto-sequence implemented; for some trigger modes, such as MIDI gated, the sequencer will
automatically turn on when the program is selected. This means you no longer have to first hit the Start
button for programs with these modes when playing from a keyboard.
3) LFO sync feature has been added; just turn the LFO amount over 100, and LFO sync will be on.
4) There is a quick reset of the Main parameters; just hit row 1 and 4 buttons at the same time, and the
Main parameters will be re-initialized.
5) Two MIDI clock modes, Ext In Step and Key Step, have been moved from Main parameters to
Program parameters, so there are now two additional Trigger Modes available.

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Yamaha VL1 and VL70-m Guitar Samples

Some good Yamaha VL1 and Guitar Samples in via the-gas-station.

VL1 guitar.

VL70-m guitar.

Nice track.

Hans Zimmer and Wife advice

In via Music Thing. Click through to read. Too funny!

Buchla Music Easel for sale

You don't see these come up for sale too often. Guido Welsch of Guidotoons is selling is Easel pictured below along with a Wiard modular. He is only accepting serious offers only, so don't inquire unless you are serious. These things are highly coveted and usually go for quite the pretty penny, and this one is in pristine shape.

Bergman Tubon & Klavinette

The Tubon (to his right) is a sort of tube shaped keytar manufactured in 1966 with contrabass, saxaphone, electric bass and woodwind. No one had any information or pictures on it until the following popped up from Mikael Lindgren. The Klavinette is also featured.

Here's a picture of the Bergman Tubon and the Klavinette organ:

"As a matter of fact, the 'Tubon' was made in Sweden starting in 1966 by a company named Joh Mustad AB. This early strap-on keyboard is shaped like an oblong tube with a 2 1/2 octave keyboard at one end and controls for the voicings (Contrabass, Saxophone, electric bass, woodwind) at the other end. It ran on batteries and came with a built-in speaker.

Joh Mustad AB were probably most known for the Bergman Klavitron (circa 1964), a small 2-manual spinet organ utilizing vacuum-tube technology. They also came out with a couple of cool portable tube-organs like the Bergman Klavitron and Klavinette, in 1965 and 1966 respectively.

P.S. the Tubon, the Klavitron and the Klavinette were used by numerous Swedish (and Finnish) rock & pop acts during the mid to late sixties."

Update via Frederic in the comments: "Check out the tubon up close! The first keytar?"

Update via Anonymous in the comments: "http://vstforum.clubcubase.net/viewtopic.php?t=17787"

Be sure to see the comments below for more updates.

[Note: this post originally linked to http://hem.bredband.net/linmik/Bergman_Tubon_&_Klavinette.jpg which appears to no longer be online]

See Kraftwerk with the Tubon here

Update some pics of the Klavitron via the comments, via this listing:

"Joh Mustad AB Klavitron (type: IE-40 C), portable tube organ 60s [SN 691]

Swedish made electric tube/valve organ from the 60s in great condition. Portable with a cover that can hold the legs, original tele cable and the music stand.

All original tubes are working and it tunes up nicely.

Same manufacturer as the Tubon keytar but this has full polyphony a optically actuated volume knee bar and a lot more sound options.

It is like a museum piece but with a great sound."

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Bob

I almost didn't post this. Someone on AH posted for help on a Moog Micromoog. Mark Pulver replied back with two links, one of which was this. Click through for the link and a bigger picture. Read the last cursive paragraph - the bill. Whenever I hear about Bob Moog or see him in film, I hear two things, one his passion for bridging the gap between technology and the human condition through musical instruments, and two his sense of humor. That "bill" just reaffirms what a great person Bob is to me. Mark, you are one lucky man. I wish I had the good fortune to have met him.