Mellotronists

--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "Andy Thompson" 
<andy.thompson@...> wrote:
>
> Dear all
> 
> The MusicMaster 300 on eBay reminds me:
> 
> Is there a decent (preferably pictorial) guide to the Chamberlin 
models up on the 'Net anywhere? 

Not really in one place but.....
http://egrefin.free.fr/eng/mellotron/chamberlinE.html
http://www.mellotron.com/photos.htm
http://www.mellotron.com/chamanu.htm
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/studio/7846/mtron_stats.html

...and The 300 on Ebay looks just like the one on this website in 
France...
It is the same one!  How strange is that!
http://egrefin.free.fr/eng/mellotron/chamberlinE.html

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

From: "ceccles_ca" <ecclesreinson@...>
To: <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 2:07 PM
Subject: [Mellotronists] Re: Chamberlins


> --- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "Andy Thompson" 
> <andy.thompson@...> wrote:
> >
> > Dear all
> > 
> > The MusicMaster 300 on eBay reminds me:
> > 
> > Is there a decent (preferably pictorial) guide to the Chamberlin 
> models up on the 'Net anywhere? 
> 
> Not really in one place but.....
> http://egrefin.free.fr/eng/mellotron/chamberlinE.html
> http://www.mellotron.com/photos.htm
> http://www.mellotron.com/chamanu.htm
> http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/studio/7846/mtron_stats.html

Thanks Clay - not every model covered, but beggars can't be choosers...

Cheers,

Andy T.

A 300 is NOT half of a 600. It is remotely operated
with NO keyboard. The sounds are from the right side
of a 600. This same remote with TWO station selectors
and the sounds from the LEFT side of a 600 is a 350
and they are a NIGHTMARE to keep working. Just ask Jim
Blair.

100- Drum tapes. 3/8ths tapes. 3tracks.

200- 1/4 in. tape. Single track. Multistation like a
MKII.

300- 3/8ths tape, 3 tracks, multistation. Remote
operated and looks like a cloth's hamper.

350- same as 300 but TWO multistation selector systems
with left side 600 sounds.

M-1- One keyboard. Tabletop. 8 trk tape. Stereo
outputs. NO multistation.

M-2- Same, but with two keyboards

M-4- Same, but with 4 keyboards.

Riviera- Same but in and organ style cabinet to the
floor, built in amps, 4 keyboards AND a foot operated
tape unit.

Mark

--- Andy Thompson <andy.thompson@...> wrote:

> Dear all
> 
> The MusicMaster 300 on eBay reminds me:
> 
> Is there a decent (preferably pictorial) guide to
> the Chamberlin models up on the 'Net anywhere? I
> know I should be able to search for it myself, but
> just in case anyone knows... Info about Mellotrons
> is (relatively) ten a penny, but Chambys have a
> yawning information void - I had no idea until today
> that the 300 was half a 600 - the Mellotron model
> that never was.
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Andy T.
> M400 #1145
> http://www.planetmellotron.com
> 
> 


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

From: "mark kasian" <easle12@...>
To: "Andy Thompson" <andy.thompson@...>; "Mellotronists"
<mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 3:34 PM
Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Chamberlins



Mark

> A 300 is NOT half of a 600. It is remotely operated
> with NO keyboard. The sounds are from the right side
> of a 600. This same remote with TWO station selectors
> and the sounds from the LEFT side of a 600 is a 350
> and they are a NIGHTMARE to keep working. Just ask Jim
> Blair.
>
> 100- Drum tapes. 3/8ths tapes. 3tracks.
>
> 200- 1/4 in. tape. Single track. Multistation like a
> MKII.
>
> 300- 3/8ths tape, 3 tracks, multistation. Remote
> operated and looks like a cloth's hamper.
>
> 350- same as 300 but TWO multistation selector systems
> with left side 600 sounds.

What would you control a 300/350 with? A 100? Presumably a 200 wouldn't
work, as it's only single-track tape itself. Or is that the thing that sits
under an M1? Any truth in the rumour that ZZ Top used one in '76 for
foot-operated saxes? No idea what they'd have used for triggering.

> M-1- One keyboard. Tabletop. 8 trk tape. Stereo
> outputs. NO multistation.
>
> M-2- Same, but with two keyboards

With the left manual only being 25 notes?

> M-4- Same, but with 4 keyboards.

Ditto left manuals?

> Riviera- Same but in and organ style cabinet to the
> floor, built in amps, 4 keyboards AND a foot operated
> tape unit.

Of Three Dog Night fame?

> Mark

Brilliant - thanks for that! As I said, Chamby info is thin on the ground...

Andy T.

My old band Magik Dayze, in 1980-81, recorded at Skip Konte's IAM 
studio in Irvine California. I got to see Skip's (3 DOG NIGHT) M4 unit 
(pictured in the photo section here), and they also had a warehouse in 
the back for storage where there was a Riviera and an M200 ( I don't 
know who owned those) as well as Stevie Wonder's Yamaha GX-1.
 Unfortunately none of the Chamberlins were fired up so I didn't get 
to play them. I did get to play an M1 which was used in the prog band 
ETHOS, from Ft. Wayne Indiana, and owned by Mike Ponzcek.Also played 
an M2 which was in the Ann Arbor MI studio of legendary 60s band SRC. 
I saw another guy who performed under the name APE in the 70s who was 
a solo drummer but had several Chamberlins and remotes around his drum 
kit. Michael Iceberg used Chamberlins extensively at Disneyland/Disney 
World in his one man band shows.
 I wonder if the 300 model was ever used on any well known recordings? 
You'd think they might have shown up on film soundtracks back in those 
days as well.

--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "ceccles_ca" <ecclesreinson@...> 
wrote:
>
> ...and The 300 on Ebay looks just like the one on this website in 
> France...
> It is the same one!  How strange is that!
> http://egrefin.free.fr/eng/mellotron/chamberlinE.html
>

Good catch, Clay. Right down to the lone Fender amplifier knob.

In a message dated 23/03/2006 15:37:04 GMT Standard Time, easle12@...  
writes:

100-  Drum tapes. 3/8ths tapes. 3tracks.



So the single manual keyboard, non remote, six station Chamberlin we  have is 
one of these as I'm sure it says 300 inside the cabinet?  
 
Martin

STREETLY ELECTRONICS - All things Mellotronic
_www.mellotronics.co.uk_ (http://www.mellotronics.co.uk/) 
www.mellotronics.com

US East Coast  Agent - Jimmy Moore _JMoore6397_ (mailto:JMoore6397) @...
US West Coast Agent - Paul  Cox _pjc56@..._ 
(mailto:pjc56@...)

mark kasian wrote:
> A 300 is NOT half of a 600. It is remotely operated
> with NO keyboard. The sounds are from the right side
> of a 600. This same remote with TWO station selectors
> and the sounds from the LEFT side of a 600 is a 350
> and they are a NIGHTMARE to keep working. Just ask Jim
> Blair.
>   

> 300- 3/8ths tape, 3 tracks, multistation. Remote
> operated and looks like a cloth's hamper.

Mark, I'm confused. The photos from the ebay listing show a Chamberlin 
nameplate that says 'Model 300' as well as a keyboard that extends into 
the business area. Also visible is the station selection mechanism. Sure 
looks like half a 600. Clearly not a remote only unit.

Bob S.

And your dead sure that Harry built it?

It's not in any of the catalogs and I have personally
seen 3 of the NON keyboard models that ARE without
keyboards. 

Maybe there are both and Harry just kept that fact to
himself. At any rate, they're junk. The tape hangers
are too heavy to work properly, the slotted station
selector tape hangs up, fouls or otherwise just misses
at least half the time. Not for the feint hearted OR
cowards.

Mark.

--- TRONBROS@... wrote:

>  
>  
> In a message dated 23/03/2006 15:37:04 GMT Standard
> Time, easle12@...  
> writes:
> 
> 100-  Drum tapes. 3/8ths tapes. 3tracks.
> 
> 
> 
> So the single manual keyboard, non remote, six
> station Chamberlin we  have is 
> one of these as I'm sure it says 300 inside the
> cabinet?  
>  
> Martin
> 
> STREETLY ELECTRONICS - All things Mellotronic
> _www.mellotronics.co.uk_
> (http://www.mellotronics.co.uk/) 
> www.mellotronics.com
> 
> US East Coast  Agent - Jimmy Moore _JMoore6397_
> (mailto:JMoore6397) @...
> US West Coast Agent - Paul  Cox
> _pjc56@..._ 
> (mailto:pjc56@...) 
> 


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> 
> What would you control a 300/350 with? A 100?
> Presumably a 200 wouldn't
> work, as it's only single-track tape itself. Or is
> that the thing that sits
> under an M1? Any truth in the rumour that ZZ Top
> used one in '76 for
> foot-operated saxes? No idea what they'd have used
> for triggering.
> 
The remotes, including Kean's M-1R unit, are fired
from a contact strip under SOME keyboard. I called
Dave this afternoon and asked him about it and he says
his M1-R came from a guy named Ron Rose who used it in
a one man band show in Lake Tahoe NV. The whole story
was pretty entertaining! Anyway, Ron had this unit
controlled from a Hammond of some kind and hid the
remote behind a curtain...wowing his fans with the
"magical organ". Much like Michael Iceberg's schtick
with Disney.

> > M-1- One keyboard. Tabletop. 8 trk tape. Stereo
> > outputs. NO multistation.
> >
> > M-2- Same, but with two keyboards
> 
> With the left manual only being 25 notes?

Correct.
> 
> > M-4- Same, but with 4 keyboards.
> 
> Ditto left manuals?

Right again. The bass unit was 25 as well.

> 
> > Riviera- Same but in and organ style cabinet to
> the
> > floor, built in amps, 4 keyboards AND a foot
> operated
> > tape unit.
> 
> Of Three Dog Night fame?

Pinder's was an M-4, not a Riviera likewies with Three
Dog Night.

> 
> > Mark
> 
> Brilliant - thanks for that! As I said, Chamby info
> is thin on the ground...
> 
> Andy T.
> 
> 
> 


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In a message dated 24/03/2006 06:49:17 GMT Standard Time, easle12@...  
writes:

And your  dead sure that Harry built it?



Oh yes.  It has a plate that tells the entire horror  story.  God it's naff 
but intriguing by degrees.  One day we'll give  it a go after a seession on 
Abbotts Ale.
 
Martin
 
STREETLY ELECTRONICS - All things Mellotronic
_www.mellotronics.co.uk_ (http://www.mellotronics.co.uk/) 
www.mellotronics.com

US East Coast  Agent - Jimmy Moore _JMoore6397_ (mailto:JMoore6397) @...
US West Coast Agent - Paul  Cox _pjc56@..._ 
(mailto:pjc56@...)

There's a pretty good shot of the Chamberlin M-1 and
M-1R here:

http://www.audities.org/audities/studio/21.html

Looks like they finally revamped the
website...finally. Also a nice shot of the MK-VII in
the "collection" gallery. I'm not sure, but I think
that's the prototype. 

Mark.

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Nice living room. Maybe a small kitchenette, a cot and a port-o-
potty, and there'd be no reason to go anywhere else.


--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, mark kasian <easle12@...> 
wrote:

>
> 
> 
> There's a pretty good shot of the Chamberlin M-1 and
> M-1R here:
> 
> http://www.audities.org/audities/studio/21.html
> 
> Looks like they finally revamped the
> website...finally. Also a nice shot of the MK-VII in
> the "collection" gallery. I'm not sure, but I think
> that's the prototype. 
> 
> Mark.
> 
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
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>