can the guy get some photos of the machine taken and post them to the group or to Dave
Kean or Martin? Is Harry Chamberlin's son Richard still around?
--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, NormLeete@... wrote:
>
>
>
> Dear All,
>
> Any comments from the Chamberlin experts on the list?
>
> Norm
>
> In a message dated 21/02/2007 04:01:57 GMT Standard Time,
> egdon@... writes:
>
> > Hi Norm
> >
> > I was checking out your site and wondered if you might be able to point me
> > in the right direction.
> >
> > I have what I think is a Chamberlin Music Master Model 600 or 660. I've
> > had it for probably about 20 years. I'm pretty sure it does not have a
> > serial number plate, but it does have a date stamped on some of the keys
> > [I think it was Aug 1965].
> >
> > The guy I got it from told me a few things about it, but that's really all
> > I have to go on. It was not well taken care of - had a lot of junk in the
> > back when I first got it [like spider eggs], and by looking at them I
> > think at least some of the cabinet sides has either been replaced or
> > stripped of their covering and painted. Definitely needs some work in
> > that area, but I think it was an instrument that saw a lot of time on the
> > road. He said that it toured with Godspell in the early 70's, and that it
> > was the "original Mellotron", that it was actually before the Mellotron,
> > which is what makes me think it is a 600 or 660. Not sure what the
> > difference was between those two anyway.
> >
> > He also said it originally had pedals - it does not have pedals now. He
> > gave me some pedals with it, but they don't look quite like the pedals
> > I've seen in pictures. It has two keyboards, with the row of 6 LEDs above
> > each and the two selector 'levers' between the keyboards. Each side has 6
> > banks of sounds, making 36 sounds total, counting the two keyboards and
> > the 3 positions on the selectors.
> >
> > The motors that roll up to the next bank are not connected, so I would
> > roll them up manually with the chain. He told me that the switches would
> > roll the chains up to the next bank, where a trip switch would stop it at
> > the right spot. In fact, not much is actually connected in it, except
> > that it did work well - I used to play it quite a bit, and adjusted the
> > whole thing many times, mostly after moving to a new apartment. The
> > sounds were great, but it always needed some kind of tweaking. It has a
> > 1/4" out for plugging into a board or amp. The belt finally snapped one
> > day, and at the time I could not find anyone with belts for it in NY. I
> > have not played it since then - many years. It has been sitting in my
> > basement for 8+ years. I would have to give it a good bit of work at this
> > stage, even with parts readily available, but I am sure it is still
> > essentially playable.
> >
> > The reason I am not sure what model it is, is that it doesn't look
> > ∗exactly∗ like any of the pictures I have seen on the web. It has volume
> > knobs, but they aren't in the same location as they are in the photos I've
> > seen. Also, pretty sure there are only two knobs, and I always assumes
> > that the third one in photos was for the pedals, so who knows what model
> > it really is, or what has been done to it over the years.
> >
> > Very long story short - do you have any idea what would be a good next
> > step in finding out what I have?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> egdon
>