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Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Here's something you don't see every day

From: Chris Dale <unobtainiumkeys@gmail.com>
Date: 2011-03-05

I'm sure I've mentioned this here before, but for those of you new to our list, I'll share it again:
 
Jerry Korb is one of the most knowledgeable Mellotron people on the planet. Personally, he has always been a wonderful source of information and inspiration..
 
Jerry's talents came to the forefront when working feverishly over several days trying to first understand, and then fix the electronics in the Wakeman MKV.
In the original re-build, electronic parts had been moved, tampered with, modified etc. with no easy way to figure out how they were supposed to work together. It would be easier to toss everything out and begin all over again.
 
But it seemed important to retain these electronics if only for it's bizarre-ness and originality.  So using only the original components found in the machine, and trying to make it all work together, we spent some long and frustrating hours with it.
And it was Jerry's 'never give up' attitude that finally solved all the electrical problems and mysteries we encountered.
 
When I contacted Wakeman about it, he told me it was his main Mellotron he liked to use and was on almost all of his 70's output. He said the electronics and re-build were designed to differentiate and improve the sound and operation over the regular 400's, and that it was a success but.... it was still 'a nightmare' from which there was no escape, which was why he funded the Birotron.
 
One problem seemed to be the machine's behaviour on tour because of different voltages in different countries.
 
Anyway, were it not for Jerry, that machine could only ever look nice, but never operate properly to Wakemen/Yes modified specs
 
So I am eternally thankful to him for not giving up, because it was important to retain those original electronics which for better (and worse) - perhaps made it as different as Pinder's electronics did in his own MK IIs. 
 
 
Chris Dale
 
 
 

On Fri, Mar 4, 2011 at 11:54 AM, Bruce Daily <pocotron@yahoo.com> wrote:
Thanks for posting this, Frank.  It's good to see Jerry again.  I've never met him, but his emails were always very gracious.  What a guy!
 
  -Bruce Daily


--- On Thu, 3/3/11, lsf5275@aol.com <lsf5275@aol.com> wrote:

From: lsf5275@aol.com <lsf5275@aol.com>

Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Here's something you don't see every day
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, March 3, 2011, 3:42 PM


Today I had a special visitor. Karen and I were delighted to have Jerry Korb stop by for a few hours to visit. We has a chance to talk Mellotrons and to fool around a bit with the 4-Track. Jerry also got a chance to see a M4000 for the very first time. We noshed a bit and knocked back some refreshing Diet Pepsi.  Jerry shared a very touching video that was a memorial to his mother. She seemed like a wonderful woman. Jerry informed us that he is the last of his kind.
 
I told Jerry that if he dies before I do, I want to collect him. Can you imagine how great it would be to have Jerry in my collection of Mellotron stuff? ...Ok, I was just kidding about that part.
 
I had a great time hanging with Jerry. He's a hell of a nice guy and Karen and I are hoping that he and Mali will come visit us for a few days in the summer.  
 
 
Karen, Jerry and Bear in the kitchen. Bear instantly wondered if Jerry had any food.
Jerry on the left and some fat guy on the right.
I want Jerry to bring his table saw and his soldering iron and move in with us. (With his wife, of course)
Between us we make a pretty good Mellotron repairman.
Mellotron 4-track on the left, Hammond A-100 and Leslie behind it. M4000 on the right.