I thought I'd let the list know that I am going to sell my beloved
Mark V Serial # 5/117.
I've had to part with some very special synths and keyboards over the
years but this will be the hardest and one I know I will regret the
rest of my life.
This is a Mellotron Mark V not a Novatron Mark V and as you all know
there were only about 33-35 or so of this model made. Who knows how
many are still surviving.
All logos, name plates and serial numbers state mellotron and
mellotronics.
You can get a look at it on my MySpace page if you go to the "PICS"
section of the page and look at my studio pics. (No the Minimoog and
Moog Source synths are not included with the Mark V....)
http://www.myspace.com/johnbezjian You can also have a good laugh and see what I looked like when I had
hair since the main profile pic is one of me on stage at a live gig
with my keyboard/synth rig from 1976 with my original Mellotron M400.
I'll have other pics available soon but this at least gives you a look
at it.
It's in very good condition, I'm the second and longest owner from
1979 to the present. There's a few rips in the black tolex covering
but it plays and sounds great.
All controls and both reverb tanks work. The only thing that doesn't
work is the left rear audio output. Both sides are present in the
stereo headphone jack but for some reason there's no signal present at
the left audio out.
It's been this way since I got it and i've always just panned the left
keyboard to the right and run it out of the single right audio output
for both keyboards.
It's completely stock except for a custom dual Morley Volume pedal
that the original owner had installed. In many ways this is much
better then the original Colorsound/Sola pedals the Mark V shipped
with since these pedals are photoresistor/light based so there's no
scratchy analog pots in the pedals to cause problems.
I have the original Cripple Creek aluminum covered flight case for it
with the big yellow "M" Mellotron Logos on the case and it's in very
good shape as well. This has always been in my climate controlled
recording studio being used. Never left sitting in a barn, garage,
etc. I use it all the time so it's adjusted and played. I owned a
Mellotron M400 before I got my Mark V and have been playing and
recording Mellotrons since 1973.
The amazing thing about the Mark V is that the tuning stability is
superiour to the M400 I owned as well as all other M400's I've played
all over the US for years.
As most of you know, the Mark V has the really long capstan bar that
helps make the unit's pitch so incredibly stable regardless of two
handed playing on a single or both keyboards.
The other great thing about the Mark V is that the cabinet is really
industrial strength and solidly built as compared with the lighter
M400's but more easily moved than the original Mark I and II series.
The unit has both of the original tape frames in it which sound great.
The tapes in the two tape frames are:
My Mark V has the following tapes:
Left Keyboard:
Track A is Male Choir-4 voices (just the male half of
the mixed 8 Choir)
Track B is Flute
Track C: 1st 6 keys are BBC Sound Effects then remaining keyboard is
the St. John's Wood Pipe Organ
BBC Sound EFX are the first few keys instead of the
lowest few notes of the Pipe Organ (not sure why the
original owner did this)
EFX on this track are:
Key 1/G-Jet Taking off sound (from The Beatles "Back in the USSR")
Key 2/G#-Train going down the railroad tracks
Key 3/A-Laugh Track
Key 4/A#-Louder more excited Laugh Track
Key 5/B-Applause track
Key 6/C-Louder more aggressive Applause track
Keys 7-35 Pipe Organ
Right Keyboard:
Track A is Female Choir-4 voices (just the Female half of the 8 Choir)
Track B is 3 Violins
Track C: BBC Sound Effects and Tubular Bells
BBC Sound FX:
Key 1-Gong
Key 2-Wind
Key 3-Rain
Key 4-Birds Singing/Chirping
Key 5-Surf/Waves
Key 6-Pigs Grunting (Sounds like FX in The Beatles song "Little Piggies)
Key 7-Cuckoo Clock
Key 8-Breaking Glass
Key 9-Big Ben Chiming on the hour
Key 10-Brass Fanfare Part A (Beginning) (I heard this on "Tales from
Topographic Oceans for the first time when listening with headphones a
year ago! I'd no idea Rick had this SFX on that album)
Key 11-Brass Fanfare Part B (Ending) Rest of fanfare from prev key
Key 12-Fog Horn/Tug Boat
Key 13-Machine Guns firing
Key 14-Air Raid Siren
Key 15-Synthesizer "Ray Gun" space effect
Key 16-Synthesizer Sawtooth Modulation type sound EFX
Key 17-Sped up voices (think Alvin & chipmunks.I need to sample this
and slow it down to find out what the hell is being said.)
Key 18-Race Cars passing by
Keys 19-35 Tubular Bells
Obviously I need to get as much as possible for this unit. While I
know Markus is selling a "new" dual keyboard version as well as the
Streetly dual cycling machine I've heard about, this one does have
historical value as one of the few remaining Mark V models left on the
planet.
If there's no interest from anyone here on the list I will be putting
it up on ebay but I wanted to let everyone here know first.
I do have a 100% positive feedback rating on ebay and have sold many
vintage synths and keyboards over the years. I'm a long time
keyboardist/synthesist and have used this instrument constantly as
well as lovingly taken care of it.
This is a Mark V you can buy and immediately begin using as soon as
you get it. Or....since I am in Massachusetts you could also easily
take a lovely trip to Vermont to the Mellotron Ranch and I'm sure
Jerry Korb could get the one audio output that's not working going for
you, it's new owner might want that done before they take it to it's
new home.
Playing the St. John's Wood organ with your left hand and Tubular
Bells with your left is a wonderful combo.
As are the other possibilities like male choir on your left hand and
Female choir with your right.
Please contact me off list with any questions and offers.
Regards,
John