Mellotronists

Hello Markus,

Regarding your last posting, I would like to clarify our position regarding 
new Mellotron production and other matters, there will be nothing that can be 
misconstrued as a  dig or insult, so I trust the dark one will not cut my 
wires ! 

on "who did what and when" Markus wrote,

"I have never doubted that Leslie and John were repairing old trons in the 
early nineties (and of course way before that, that goes without saying).All 
I am saying is that I was the only one back then (together with Dave) to care 
enough to make NEW Mellotron tapes, frames, parts and doing development work 
for improved products (SMS4 and SMS5).

John's reply,

This is not so, in 1990/91 we (LJB/JB/MS) produced a considerable stock of 
NEW Mellotron tapes for all models (MKII/M300/M400 etc.etc.) using the 
original Mellotron recording equipment, at that time used tape frames could 
be obtained and renovated, and we started to build SMS2 motor boards again. 
Subsequently the full time mellotron restoration business commenced 16 May 
1994,
our own tape production facilities soon following, and in more recent times 
tape frame production (all metalwork being produced in our own workshop).     
  
In short yes we DID care.

 on the MKVI and Mellotron production Markus wrote,

"with way over 30 MKVI delivered we are way beyond the problems of the 
start-up phase"
"One thing that most definitly is a "dig" is to call the delivered state of 
the MKVI "shoddy""
"That MKVI was "shoddy" enough to be used all over the multi-platinum selling 
album"
"all MKVI have been built according to the same basic operating principal 
(extra roller row, stiffer pad springs etc)"
"but said that they ended up using the MA sample CD because the 400:s had 
been too unreliable. The MKVI on the other hand was "incredible" to play and 
sounded "phantastic"

John's reply (taking the above in order),

Kudos where it is due, over 30 machines produced is an achievment to be proud 
of.

As far as "shoddy" goes, your references make it sound like I said all MKVI's 
were shoddy, this is also not so, as I said, I was only referring to the two 
machines in question.
 
One of the Mellotrons present at Tronto MKII was Clay Eccles MKVI (No 019) a 
fine looking machine, ask him what we thought about it.
As I have said before, I do not have an attitude problem with the MKVI,I want 
the MKVI to be good, I want it to be a success, after all it has the name 
Mellotron on it, a name that means alot to me.
  
With Clay's permision we did carry out a small modification to improve the 
playability, one I would (in a humble way) suggest you could incorporate into 
new models.

The green felt supplied with your new keyboards (at least on the four I have 
seen) is considerably thicker than the material used on original M400s, as 
the MKVI pad action is basically as per the Pierre Veilleux fast action 
modification we have applied to some machines, the pad adjustment is much 
more sensitive.  
 Replacing the thick felt with a much thinner strip, thus giving the keys a 
more positive stop works well on MKVI's and M400's.

Yes the extra roller is definitely an improvement.

On the subject of M400's being reliable, clearly a new machine should work 
better than M400's between 17 and  32 years old that have not had the loving 
care they deserve.
We frequently find machines that are supposed to work well actually play and 
sound like crap!

Words like fantastic, incredible etc.etc. have also been used by Mellotron 
players old and new, after we have restored their machines back to full 
health again. 
 
We do have well known customers touring various parts of the world, with 
Mellotrons, without reliability problems.   

And finaly Markus wrote;

"One other thing: So far it seems that I can produce better Mellotrons on a 
half time-time basis than anybody else on a full time basis."
 
John's reply;

In view of the fact we (Streetly Electronics) are the only organisation to 
offer a full renovation service for ALL models of Mellotron, regardless of 
condition, regardless of age (early models now pushing 40 years old), and of 
course as we do not currently produce new machines, I do not think it 
altogether a surprise you win on this one !  
(not to mention routine servicing work, tape frames, bespoke tape sets, 
custom modifications, upgrades and worst of all having to suffer Mike 
Dickson). 

congratulations on your understanding of the English language, the only 
Swedish word I know is ABBA (now were talking).

regards,

JB
STREETLY ELECTRONICS