I like to think of my synth the same way that someone might think of having an old Steinway.
Every one is a little different. There are a whole lot of intangibles that go into determining value.
Ultimately the value is what someone is willing to pay.
Another definition of value would be replacement cost - what you would insure it for.
I really do not want my synth sold ever. My hope would be that if something happened to me one of my sons would keep it and play it.
So future value is not an issue for me. I'll mod the heck out of it if I can improve the sound or function.
Or make it more user friendly, or improve the looks of it.
Possibly it might be worth more in the future, but I doubt it. There are too few people who would know what to do with it.
And as good an engineer as Paul Schreiber is, it is doubtful that he will become an almost legendary figure like Bob Moog.
So it will likely never have the name value. Possibly someone on this list might be a famous musician.
Is Roger Powell's synth worth more? Is Joe Walsh's?
How much is a CS80 worth today? Or a Prophet 5? Or a DX7 compared to original cost?
To me, what matters is what is your synth worth to you?
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2005 7:17 PM
Subject: [motm] Panel Discussion: predicting the future .... ooooo... spoooooky
On 3-Dec-05, at 5:47 PM, Robert van der Kamp wrote:
> It really depends on just how fine an edge we
> could get with the etcher burning through the Polan
> finish.
I see! That could do the trick alright. Too bad though I
have the 'damage' the panels. No way back then. But I'd
seriously consider it yes.
- Robert
"Damage". Here's the thing. It's big, it's expensive and, hey we admit it, it's damn sexy. Will collectors of the future be buying our MOTM modulars based on the criteria that it's original equipment?
Does adding a Tellun daughterboard potentially decrease the resale value of this beast? I sure hope not. If is does, a lot of us will have DIYed the value right oot of our synths.
I hope and pray that collectors of MOTMs in the future (by collectors I do not necessarily mean effete New York intellectuals with money to burn, it could be the "Return of the Synth Geek III" in 2040.) base their purchase decision based on the modules and the condition of the unit and that it was somehow consistent.
Let me ask this: who owns the big Moog modulars now? What are they worth? What determines that value? Can we look to what has happened to this famous family of synths and extrapolate to MOTM?
I have no clue .... BFG