Mellotronists

I never thought I'd find a picture of a real Meowotron!

(...now I know what to do with an abundant natural resource at my 
house!)


Keep Mellotrons simple and electromechanical.  The moment you start 
adding in digital gadgets, it becomes a box ripe for obsolescence.  
One reason they survive and are even on an upswing is that they are 
all they need to be just the way they are.  Personally, I'd like a 
nice Hammond-type spring reverb on-board, but that is the only major 
addition I would install.  Built-in volume pedals a la Hammond would 
be nice too, I suppose...

Forgive me if this has been mentioned before....

I wonder, has anyone tried to make a MIDI controlled
mellotron?

The tapes and heads would be in a compartment, when
receiving a MIDI note-on command, the sound would
start.  A note-off command would release the key.

Probably more expensive than a standard, keyboard
controlled 'tron.

With a few of these babies and a decent MIDI
interface, you could trigger several 'trons at once -
each with a different set of tapes!

Something like that could sit in a rack, especially if
you had front and rear rack rails, place the
instrument horizontal.

On a different note, I picked up an 88 key Rhodes last
night.  In excellent condition for only $200...  now
if I could just get a similar deal on an M400...

Maybe I could take my 73 key Rhodes and experiment
with it as a MIDI module.  Hmmm, MIDI controlled
Rhodes, MIDI controlled Clav, ...I think I'm on to
something....

-jh

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "John Hofmeyer" <j_hofmeyer@...>
To: <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, March 12, 2004 1:18 AM
Subject: [Mellotronists] Additions / mods


> Forgive me if this has been mentioned before....
>
> I wonder, has anyone tried to make a MIDI controlled
> mellotron?
>
> The tapes and heads would be in a compartment, when
> receiving a MIDI note-on command, the sound would
> start.  A note-off command would release the key.
>
> Probably more expensive than a standard, keyboard
> controlled 'tron.
>
> With a few of these babies and a decent MIDI
> interface, you could trigger several 'trons at once -
> each with a different set of tapes!

Sounds like an updated version of the Chamberlin remotes. I heard a rumour
that ZZ Top used one around '76, controlled by some sort of pedal system,
for sax parts. Anyone know any more?

> On a different note, I picked up an 88 key Rhodes last
> night.  In excellent condition for only $200...  now
> if I could just get a similar deal on an M400...
>
> Maybe I could take my 73 key Rhodes and experiment
> with it as a MIDI module.  Hmmm, MIDI controlled
> Rhodes, MIDI controlled Clav, ...I think I'm on to
> something....

Do you know how much a Rhodes costs over in the UK? Usually 700 UKP+
($1200+). How much would one of those cost to send over, I wonder?

Andy T.

--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, John Hofmeyer <j_hofmeyer@y...> 
wrote:
 Hmmm, MIDI controlled Rhodes, MIDI controlled Clav, ...I think I'm 
on to something....

-jh

John:
Just get a sampler with some good Rhodes, Clav and Mellotron samples.
Why would you go through all of that mechanical stuff to end up with 
the same results?

Raymondo

Yeah, 
but what would it do when it received a 
System Common "F6" byte for "TUNE REQUEST" ...? ;-)

Probably a voice would blart out "cannot compute!
cannot compute! emergency!" and red light would 
flash and all smoke would come out of it and stuff.

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "John Hofmeyer" <j_hofmeyer@...>
To: <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: 12 March 2004 01:18
Subject: [Mellotronists] Additions / mods


> Forgive me if this has been mentioned before....
> 
> I wonder, has anyone tried to make a MIDI controlled
> mellotron?
> 
> The tapes and heads would be in a compartment, when
> receiving a MIDI note-on command, the sound would
> start.  A note-off command would release the key.
> 
> Probably more expensive than a standard, keyboard
> controlled 'tron.
> 
> With a few of these babies and a decent MIDI
> interface, you could trigger several 'trons at once -
> each with a different set of tapes!
> 
> Something like that could sit in a rack, especially if
> you had front and rear rack rails, place the
> instrument horizontal.
> 
> On a different note, I picked up an 88 key Rhodes last
> night.  In excellent condition for only $200...  now
> if I could just get a similar deal on an M400...
> 
> Maybe I could take my 73 key Rhodes and experiment
> with it as a MIDI module.  Hmmm, MIDI controlled
> Rhodes, MIDI controlled Clav, ...I think I'm on to
> something....
> 
> -jh
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
> 
>  
>

----- Original Message -----

----- Original Message -----

From: Mattias Olsson

To: Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com ; Andy Thompson

Sent: Friday, March 12, 2004 7:53 AM

Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Additions / mods

Hey hey

I found a Fender Rhodes 73 at a back alley at Coney Island for 60 US-dollars last summer.

A very annoying time to have maxed out your flight weight...

// Mattias

This is really painful. Are Rhodes/Wurlies really that cheap in the States? What about console Hammonds?

Andy T.

> From: "jonesalley" <jonesalley@...>
> Date: 2004/03/11 Thu PM 08:04:43 EST
> 
> I never thought I'd find a picture of a real Meowotron!

Sort of reminds me of Monty Python's "Mouse Organ." I've seen that picture before, and couldn't help wondering why, if there are only a half-dozen cats, there seem to be a couple of dozen keys. 


James Bailey
host: Electric Storm / A Missing Sense
CKLN-FM 88.1 Toronto www.ckln.fm
electricstorm@...

In a message dated 3/12/2004 11:25:50 AM Eastern Standard Time, jimab@... writes:

> Sort of reminds me of Monty Python's "Mouse Organ." I've 
> seen that picture before, and couldn't help wondering why, 
> if there are only a half-dozen cats, there seem to be a 
> couple of dozen keys. 

Well, James, it's pretty simple.  Different keys apply different voltages to the electrode implants resulting in different pitches from the original 6-feline sound source.  I'm sure you could change pitches easily with such a device stuck up your...well...you know!  Just ask Mike Dickson.

Frank Samagaio
San Diego CA
MkII #134 / M400 #908
author, "The Mellotron Book"

In a message dated 3/12/2004 6:44:16 AM Eastern Standard Time, andy.thompson@virgin.net writes:

> This is really painful. Are Rhodes/Wurlies really that 
> cheap in the States? What about console Hammonds?
>  Andy T.

Having recently been in the market for a Hammond, it basically comes down to this:  B3's and C3's with a Leslie 147 or 122, in good to excellent condition, typically sell in the $3500-$10,000 range (no shit).  Occasionally, I was able to find a CV, C2, BC, BV, or B2 as low as $650., upgraded with percussion and/or vibrato, $1200-$3000.  A-100's, generally in a range from about $1200-$2000.  D's and RT's vary.  With all of these, while the base price of the organ/Leslie may have been reasonable, they were in locations where the shipping charges made them unfeasible to pursue (Don't people in SoCal own Hammonds, or are they all located in places like Colorado, Florida, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts?).  I scored an M-111 (same model used on "Whiter Shade of Pale" and Matthew Fisher's solo albums) a few weeks ago in magnificent working condition for a whopping $26.00!!!  (I have decided to sell it in favor of my Korg CX3 -- something I can gig with and not break my back or my bank account!)

Frank Samagaio
San Diego CA
MkII #134 / M400 #908
author, "The Mellotron Book"

Sorry to go off topic here...

I had my Hammond M organ modified with a leslie
adaptor.  I'm afraid that I've not paid enough
attention as to which wires to tap for the mod.  It
works quite well, though the organ needs to be
re-capped.

The 88 key Rhodes that I landed for $200 was a score. 
I've seen 73 key Rhodes going for $300-$400 on a
fairly regular basis, here in the San Francisco / Bay
Area.  I had Wurlitzer in my studio but I gave it to a
friend of mine - I prefer Rhodes over Wurlie
(...aaahhh shit, let the flames begin...)

Since I don't have a 'tron, yet - and am in the middle
of a recording project, I may take a cue from 10cc and
'create' the sound.  I have a good friend who is a
professional violinist.  I'm going to ask him to come
out to the studio and record him playing his violin -
several times with the same note to create a natural
chorus effect.

So, I'd create my own 3-violins, by tracking his
violin part, 3 times.

..Now if I could only herd those 6 little kittens into
my studio...

-jh



--- MAinPsych@... wrote:

> In a message dated 3/12/2004 6:44:16 AM Eastern
> Standard Time, andy.thompson@... writes:
> 
> > This is really painful. Are Rhodes/Wurlies really
> that 
> > cheap in the States? What about console Hammonds?
> >  Andy T.
> 
> Having recently been in the market for a Hammond, it
> basically comes down to this:  B3's and C3's with a
> Leslie 147 or 122, in good to excellent condition,
> typically sell in the $3500-$10,000 range (no shit).
>  Occasionally, I was able to find a CV, C2, BC, BV,
> or B2 as low as $650., upgraded with percussion
> and/or vibrato, $1200-$3000.  A-100's, generally in
> a range from about $1200-$2000.  D's and RT's vary. 
> With all of these, while the base price of the
> organ/Leslie may have been reasonable, they were in
> locations where the shipping charges made them
> unfeasible to pursue (Don't people in SoCal own
> Hammonds, or are they all located in places like
> Colorado, Florida, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts?).
>  I scored an M-111 (same model used on "Whiter Shade
> of Pale" and Matthew Fisher's solo albums) a few
> weeks ago in magnificent working condition for a
> whopping $26.00!!!  (I have decided to sell it in
> favor of my Korg CX3 -- something I can gig with and
> not break my back or my bank account!)
> 
> Frank Samagaio
> San Diego CA
> MkII #134 / M400 #908
> author, "The Mellotron Book"
> 
> 
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> 
>  
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
>      Mellotronists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> 
>  
>

Frank,
 
No one in So Cal has Hammond B3's cause I bought them all (at least
that's what my girlfriend says....)

-----Original Message-----

(Don't people in SoCal own Hammonds, or are they all located in places
like Colorado, Florida, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts?).

On Thursday, March 25, 2004, at 02:40  pm, David Jacques wrote:

> Frank,
>  
> No one in So Cal has Hammond B3's cause I bought them all (at least 
> that's what my girlfriend says....)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> (Don't people in SoCal own Hammonds, or are they all located in places 
> like Colorado, Florida, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts?). 

Well, the Sundae Club is in Rural Gloucestershire. (England....Not 
Gloucester Mass.) We're proud to own a Hammond A102 c/w French 
Provincial casework. One Richard Goodsell who appears to be one of 
those tossers who converts anything which has tonewheels and an octave 
of reverse coloured keys into an ersatz "Model-B3" considers it to be 
Hammond's "Most Hideous Creation".  In terms of performance it beats 
the B3 in that it has a splendid tube amp set-up with quality Jensen 
speakers and a dedicated reverb amp and speaker so what does HE know!!? 
It's also very cheap to buy and since that casework was usually only 
bought by careful Senior Citizens and the most effeminate members of 
the homosexual community most are one-owner instruments in perfect 
condition. Add a Leslie and the B3 sound is there.....

He he he!!

C
http://www.s-club.co.uk
        Sundae Club*
    [there ain't no party]

On Thu, 25 Mar 2004, Colin Crawford wrote:

> Well, the Sundae Club is in Rural Gloucestershire. (England....Not 
> Gloucester Mass.) We're proud to own a Hammond A102 c/w French 
> Provincial casework. One Richard Goodsell who appears to be one of 
> those tossers who converts anything which has tonewheels and an octave 
> of reverse coloured keys into an ersatz "Model-B3" considers it to be 
> Hammond's "Most Hideous Creation".


richard goodsell?
down in georgia? [southern us, not russia...]
i bought my minimoog from him almost 10 years ago.
his company was... "numerous complaints music" or
something like that?

...jeff

On Thursday, March 25, 2004, at 07:54  pm, Jeff Coulter wrote:richard 
goodsell?
> down in georgia? [southern us, not russia...]
> i bought my minimoog from him almost 10 years ago.
> his company was... "numerous complaints music" or
> something like that?

the very same!

http://www.s-club.co.uk
        Sundae Club*
    [there ain't no party]