-----Original Message-----
>From: Roddenberry <robertda@...>
>Sent: Oct 1, 2007 9:44 AM
>To: Mellotronists <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
>Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Re: some photo osf 386
>
>Definitely a fixer-upper! LOL!
>
>Inside looks nice, but the outside is pretty garish!
>
>My suggestion would be to strip it to the wood, repair
>the dings and scratches, and then repaint it with several
>coats of your favorite color (white, of course)... ;-)
>
>Robert
__________________________________________________________________________
Greetings Gang, I just completed FULL restoration of
M400 #203,the earliest M400 I've encountered to-date at the
Mellotron Ranch.
Formerly dubbed, the "Ugh-Ly" Tron , it too had horrible
black paint applied with roller on the outside, and
apparently the "artist" left his schmutzy fingerprints
within , touching the wet paint....Rocket scientist, NOT !
#203 was orig. an eBay Tron purch. sight-unseen by my
client. Will be unveiled during Nov. MONEYPIT gathering.
Just about everything that could go wrong was found wrong.
Apparently, alum. channel frame (front-to-rear) was replaced long ago,
and all corners were unsquare . Repaired with aircraft fasteners.
Lower headblock channel was refitted 2mm rear than orig .
position, requiring all pad arm mounting slots to be elongated .
This , and many more "enhancements"
were performed by the kindly folks at (un)Sound Sales
way back whenever.
I cannot provide any photos of #203, since the owner
hasn't seen it yet. Only KL/I are aware of its "before"
state . Yeccch !
It now is a sparkling white jewel, with the BEST key action
and response I've encountered so far on an M400. Eclipsed only
by my fully-restored Mark-I "Julia." The keys will respond
as fast as the fingers can play. Got it on video as proof.
Makes me happy indeed to revive yet another Mellotron
from the dark oblivion of barns,sheds,moldy road-cases.
Regards, -- the "Mellotron Professor" in New England
(....more work currently underway & in the queue....)