The Mellotron Group

Okay, just so we don't lose sight of what we're up to here, this is what's happening:

* Everyone should send their list of up to 10 worst keyboards to Frank Samagaio. It can be
in any order. We're going to let the number of votes each keyboard reveives to dictate if it
makes the list and where it's positioned.

* Frank will tabulate how many times each keyboard appears on the list, do the math and
report back to the list.

* How about we meet in the new boardroom on Tuesday evening for The Report? Clay has
promised to have it done by then. Drinkies and hot horse's ovaries will be served
afterwards. (No, Martin, there will not be any Kendal Mint Cake.)

* How about we close off the entries on Sunday at midnight?

As for the 10 Best Keyboards, that's almost too easy. In no particular order:

M4000
Mellotron MkVI
Mellotron MkII
Chamberlin M1
Chamberlin 600
Chamberlin 300
Chamberlin Riviera
Mellotron 400
Mellotron MkV
Mellotron Mk1

Anybody arguing? If so, Mssr. Gallo will be at your home with a few of his boys...

Rick

* How about we meet in the new boardroom on Tuesday evening for The Report? Clay has promised to have it done by then. Drinkies and hot horse's ovaries will be served afterwards. (No, Martin, there will not be any Kendal Mint Cake.)

How about meeting at the pub on Yonge Street (I'm having a major brain fart trying to remember the name despite being there 2x before!).  Rick, help me out here!

* How about we close off the entries on Sunday at midnight?

Sounds fine.

As for the 10 Best Keyboards, that's almost too easy. In no particular order:

Hmmm...Best Keyboards; in theory, or by actual experience?

Frank 1

Check out AOL Money & Finance's list of the hottest products and top money wasters of 2007.

He could persuade me better by sending Chloe Sevigny with a tube of
Chap-Stick...

>
> Anybody arguing? If so, Mssr. Gallo will be at your home with a few of his
> boys...

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

From: MAinPsych@aol.com

To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 2:53 PM

Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Top 10 Worst Keyboards

Almost forgot to nominate the infamous Hohner Pianet.  It was the only thing our keyboard player had in the early '70's and I absolutely hated it, particularly when we played "Won't Get Fooled Again".  Power chords with backing from the neighborhood ice cream truck!

 

Frank 1

Check out AOL Money & Finance's list of the hottest products and top money wasters of 2007.

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, MAinPsych@... wrote:

>
> Almost forgot to nominate the infamous Hohner Pianet. It was the

only thing

> our keyboard player had in the early '70's and I absolutely hated it,
> particularly when we played "Won't Get Fooled Again". Power chords

with backing from

> the neighborhood ice cream truck!
>
> Frank 1
>

I remember playing a Hohner Pianet T a few times, many years ago. The
sound wasn't *too* bad compared to some, but the feel was hideous. I
remember reading somewhere that it had a somewhat Heath
Robinson-sounding 'suction-based' action (suction pads plucking metal
reeds as the keys were pressed), which doesn't altogether surprise me.

And who can forget the Gem (?) foldaway 'Insta-Piano'? Well, I nearly
did - maybe the one I once borrowed was a duff one but that one
certainly had all the character and clarity of cotton wool, only less
well-tuned. Perhaps there might just be better examples of that in
existence but I've yet to encounter one!


Tony S
M400S # 581

I thought those Hohner keyboards (Pianet, Clavinet) were some of the
best ever. They had service issues but they had that expressive
potential that some truly bad ones did not have. They served Van Der
Graaf, Stevie Wonder (on the the 3 good lps) and Gentle Giant very
well. They are standard sound set items.

gw

On 11/30/07, lsf5275@aol.com <lsf5275@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> In a message dated 11/30/2007 8:14:07 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> tonkev66@aol.com writes:
> I remember playing a Hohner Pianet T a few times, many years ago. The
> sound wasn't *too* bad compared to some, but the feel was hideous. I
> remember reading somewhere that it had a somewhat Heath
> Robinson-sounding 'suction-based' action (suction pads plucking metal
> reeds as the keys were pressed), which doesn't altogether surprise me.
>
>
>
> That is so fucking weird. I had the same problem with a Hohner Melodica. I
> finally licked the back of it and stuck it to a window. It's been there for
> going on 12 years.
>
> Me
>
>
> ________________________________
> Check out AOL Money Finance's list of the hottest products and top money
> wasters of 2007.

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

From: Tony Swettenham

To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007 2:13 AM

Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Top 10 Worst Keyboards

--- In newmellotrongroup@ yahoogroups. com, MAinPsych@.. . wrote:
>
> Almost forgot to nominate the infamous Hohner Pianet. It was the
only thing
> our keyboard player had in the early '70's and I absolutely hated it,
> particularly when we played "Won't Get Fooled Again". Power chords
with backing from
> the neighborhood ice cream truck!
>
> Frank 1
>

I remember playing a Hohner Pianet T a few times, many years ago. The
sound wasn't *too* bad compared to some, but the feel was hideous. I
remember reading somewhere that it had a somewhat Heath
Robinson-sounding 'suction-based' action (suction pads plucking metal
reeds as the keys were pressed), which doesn't altogether surprise me.

And who can forget the Gem (?) foldaway 'Insta-Piano' ? Well, I nearly
did - maybe the one I once borrowed was a duff one but that one
certainly had all the character and clarity of cotton wool, only less
well-tuned. Perhaps there might just be better examples of that in
existence but I've yet to encounter one!

Tony S
M400S # 581

A lot of crappy keyboards have served many artists very well. It's because
even though they were crappy keyboards, they were the only ones they had to
use and they had to make them work for them. I'd be quite willing to bet
that most of the artists who used them bitched about how crappy they were
while they were using them, and wished that there was something less crappy
available. Just because some great music managed to be created using them
doesn't make them any less crappy.

>I thought those Hohner keyboards (Pianet, Clavinet) were some of the
> best ever. They had service issues but they had that expressive
> potential that some truly bad ones did not have. They served Van Der
> Graaf, Stevie Wonder (on the the 3 good lps) and Gentle Giant very
> well. They are standard sound set items.

That's a good argument, but you don't see DX7 piano on a basic Nord
Lead sound set. Or look at the Electro series, Expensive, high end pro
oriented gear built wih Roms with the original sounds. Crappy is
relative: Rhodes have heavy action, Vakos have no action, clavs break
strings, electrolytics fail often in Arps. Great is relative: Do
people still want, nay, crave the sound 10, 20 years later.

I used to have this discussion with keyboard players a lot around the
time of the DX7.

gw

On 12/2/07, mellotronist <mellotronist@cox.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
> A lot of crappy keyboards have served many artists very well. It's because
> even though they were crappy keyboards, they were the only ones they had to
> use and they had to make them work for them. I'd be quite willing to bet
> that most of the artists who used them bitched about how crappy they were
> while they were using them, and wished that there was something less crappy
> available. Just because some great music managed to be created using them
> doesn't make them any less crappy.
>
> >I thought those Hohner keyboards (Pianet, Clavinet) were some of the
> > best ever. They had service issues but they had that expressive
> > potential that some truly bad ones did not have. They served Van Der
> > Graaf, Stevie Wonder (on the the 3 good lps) and Gentle Giant very
> > well. They are standard sound set items.
>
>

I'm not quite sure what you mean. Just because people still use a familiar
sound can't be conflated into the instrument being great, and of course
"crappy is relative." A lot of people on this list think Chamberlins suck,
but Mellotronists still use an original Chamberlin sound most of the time.
This entire survey is posited around personal opinion, there have been no
criteria set for the good keyboard vs. bad keyboard determinations to begin
with.

> That's a good argument, but you don't see DX7 piano on a basic Nord
> Lead sound set. Or look at the Electro series, Expensive, high end pro
> oriented gear built wih Roms with the original sounds. Crappy is
> relative: Rhodes have heavy action, Vakos have no action, clavs break
> strings, electrolytics fail often in Arps. Great is relative: Do
> people still want, nay, crave the sound 10, 20 years later.

Point taken, I was tired.
g

On 12/3/07, mellotronist <mellotronist@cox.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
> I'm not quite sure what you mean. Just because people still use a familiar
> sound can't be conflated into the instrument being great, and of course
> "crappy is relative." A lot of people on this list think Chamberlins suck,
> but Mellotronists still use an original Chamberlin sound most of the time.
> This entire survey is posited around personal opinion, there have been no
> criteria set for the good keyboard vs. bad keyboard determinations to begin
> with.
>
> > That's a good argument, but you don't see DX7 piano on a basic Nord
> > Lead sound set. Or look at the Electro series, Expensive, high end pro
> > oriented gear built wih Roms with the original sounds. Crappy is
> > relative: Rhodes have heavy action, Vakos have no action, clavs break
> > strings, electrolytics fail often in Arps. Great is relative: Do
> > people still want, nay, crave the sound 10, 20 years later.
>
>

After a little further reflection, it strikes me that perhaps the whole
topic of conversation would more correctly be thought of "beloved keyboards
vs. hated keyboards" rather than "good keyboards vs. bad keyboards." That
would clarify the subjective nature of the conversation and define it as
opinion rather than empiricism. It's Frank's fault.

> Point taken, I was tired.

Let's get him !

On 12/3/07, Rick Blechta <rick@rickblechta.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Dec 3, 2007, at 9:55 AM, mellotronist wrote:
> After a little further reflection, it strikes me that perhaps the whole
> topic of conversation would more correctly be thought of "beloved keyboards
> vs. hated keyboards" rather than "good keyboards vs. bad keyboards." That
> would clarify the subjective nature of the conversation and define it as
> opinion rather than empiricism. It's Frank's fault.
> I agree completely: it's all Frank's fault!
>
> ;)
>
>
>
>

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

From: MAinPsych@aol.com

To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Monday, December 03, 2007 10:04 AM

Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Top 10 Worst Keyboards

In a message dated 12/3/2007 9:54:37 AM Eastern Standard Time, mellotronist@cox.net writes:

After a little further reflection, it strikes me that perhaps the whole
topic of conversation would more correctly be thought of "beloved keyboards
vs. hated keyboards" rather than "good keyboards vs. bad keyboards." That
would clarify the subjective nature of the conversation and define it as
opinion rather than empiricism. It's Frank's fault.

 

Read my previous posting.  Permeable thinking would accept its simple premise, as opposed to an anal retentive or OCD knee-jerk reaction.

 

I don't need to go on the defensive here.  If you have what you think is a legitimate beef, write me off-list. and I'll be more than happy to discuss it.  I shouldn't need to point out that this is the type of thing that let to mutiny from the old list.  Clay, do you need to step in here?

 

Cheers,

Frank 1

Check out AOL Money & Finance's list of the hottest products and top money wasters of 2007.

Then you can get me. If you catch me. :)

On 12/3/07, mellotronist <mellotronist@cox.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> My, my. The list is a week old and already you're talking about censorship
> and moderating? If you don't need to go on the defensive, why are you?
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: MAinPsych@aol.com
>
> To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Monday, December 03, 2007 10:04 AM
> Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Top 10 Worst Keyboards
>
>
>
> In a message dated 12/3/2007 9:54:37 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> mellotronist@cox.net writes:
> After a little further reflection, it strikes me that perhaps the whole
> topic of conversation would more correctly be thought of "beloved keyboards
> vs. hated keyboards" rather than "good keyboards vs. bad keyboards." That
> would clarify the subjective nature of the conversation and define it as
> opinion rather than empiricism. It's Frank's fault.
>
> Read my previous posting. Permeable thinking would accept its simple
> premise, as opposed to an anal retentive or OCD knee-jerk reaction.
>
> I don't need to go on the defensive here. If you have what you think is a
> legitimate beef, write me off-list. and I'll be more than happy to discuss
> it. I shouldn't need to point out that this is the type of thing that let
> to mutiny from the old list. Clay, do you need to step in here?
>
> Cheers,
> Frank 1
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> Check out AOL Money & Finance's list of the hottest products and top money
> wasters of 2007.
>
>
>

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, MAinPsych@... wrote:

> Clay, do you need to step in here?

Yes I do. The Solina only got one vote on the shit list. How can
that be?

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, MAinPsych@... wrote:
>
> Oops. Big faux pas. That should have been a private message.
> 

My cats have those, too. Oh, sorry!!  

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, "ceccles_ca"
<ecclesreinson@...> wrote:

>
> --- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, MAinPsych@ wrote:
>
> > Clay, do you need to step in here?
>
> Yes I do. The Solina only got one vote on the shit list. How can
> that be?
>

i owned one of those for about a week circa 1982. with Anvil road case,
it was a real bitch fitting it into my poor little Toyota Crowroller.
dumped it and bought an ARP Odyssey.

Steve

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <calyx12001@...>
wrote:

>
> --- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, "ceccles_ca"
> <ecclesreinson@> wrote:
> >
> > --- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, MAinPsych@ wrote:
> >
> > > Clay, do you need to step in here?
> >
> > Yes I do. The Solina only got one vote on the shit list. How can
> > that be?
> >
>
> i owned one of those for about a week circa 1982. with Anvil road

case,

> it was a real bitch fitting it into my poor little Toyota

Crowroller.

> dumped it and bought an ARP Odyssey.
>
> Steve

I rented one for a week circa 1982. I couldn't get a good sound out
of it.


Clay

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, kinchmusic@... wrote:

>

> I don't know, it was a pile of poo.
> BUT, I forgot, and so it appears did everyone else here, to vote

for the

> Polymoog!
> Those who know what I have here will know that I am one of Moogs

biggest

> fans, but imagine my disappointment when I got this baby

home...trouble from day

> one. Bad key contacts, rubbish sound. Yet I remember some the

advertising...

> Imagine a Minimoog under each key. Yeah Right! Top of my list, and

should be

> for every one here.
> Andy K
> My revised list...
> 1. Polymoog.
> 2. Solina
> 3. Vako Orchestron
> 4. Moog Opus 3
> 5. Arp Omni 2
>

Speaking of keyboards left off the list so far, another one I'd add to
both the best AND worst is the Sequential Pro-One. I absolutely *love
it to bits* for its sounds, its power, its versatility, and just about
everything about it BUT with one very big and notable exception: in my
experience the actual keyboard itself is one of the most unreliable
heaps of old tripe imaginable (apparently this is a common problem on
Pro-Ones). All too often when I've used it I've had to take it apart
to put switch cleaner on the key contacts just to stop random notes
from farting and burping (or in some cases almost dying altogether)!

Tony S

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, kinchmusic@... wrote:

>
> Thar's odd, I loved my polymoog and never had a problem with it. I wasn't expecting it

to be a minimoog under each key though and it certainly wasn't. I could get maybe four
really good sounds out of it but I thought it had a pretty rich analog voice. I really liked the
tiny mesh ribbon controller till it wore out. Just goes to show you that this list thing is silly
(but fun).

> In a message dated 03/12/2007 18:47:14 GMT Standard Time,
> ecclesreinson@... writes:
>
> Yes I do. The Solina only got one vote on the shit list. How can
> that be?
>
>
>
> I don't know, it was a pile of poo.
> BUT, I forgot, and so it appears did everyone else here, to vote for the
> Polymoog!
> Those who know what I have here will know that I am one of Moogs biggest
> fans, but imagine my disappointment when I got this baby home...trouble from day
> one. Bad key contacts, rubbish sound. Yet I remember some the advertising...
> Imagine a Minimoog under each key. Yeah Right! Top of my list, and should be
> for every one here.
> Andy K
> My revised list...
> 1. Polymoog.
> 2. Solina
> 3. Vako Orchestron
> 4. Moog Opus 3
> 5. Arp Omni 2
>

On Mon, 3 Dec 2007, Tony Swettenham wrote:

> Speaking of keyboards left off the list so far, another one I'd add to
> both the best AND worst is the Sequential Pro-One. I absolutely *love
> it to bits* for its sounds, its power, its versatility, and just about
> everything about it BUT with one very big and notable exception: in my
> experience the actual keyboard itself is one of the most unreliable
> heaps of old tripe imaginable (apparently this is a common problem on
> Pro-Ones). All too often when I've used it I've had to take it apart
> to put switch cleaner on the key contacts just to stop random notes
> from farting and burping (or in some cases almost dying altogether)!
>
> Tony S

hmmm...

i have had my pro-one since it was brand spanking new [serial 100-1004]
and only once did it fail me - a chip fried and a small puff of stinky
smoke came out of the top... a quick fix and it's been fine ever since,
and that was over 25 years ago. i pretty much use it as a slave via a
MIDI>CV converter, so the keys are rarely even touched.

i had an opportunity to purchase the next consecutive serial number
from my friend that bought his the same day, but i didn't have the
cash at the time :(

my prophet-600 has also been a well-behaved synth since i bought
nearly 15 years ago.

...jeff

Where does the Stylophone fit in to all this?
Silly and charming or
useless toy?

-Jack



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--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, jeffc@... wrote:

>
> hmmm...
>
> i have had my pro-one since it was brand spanking new [serial 100-1004]
> and only once did it fail me - a chip fried and a small puff of stinky
> smoke came out of the top... a quick fix and it's been fine ever since,
> and that was over 25 years ago. i pretty much use it as a slave via a
> MIDI>CV converter, so the keys are rarely even touched.
>

That's a good point about the MIDI > CV converter, I've been meaning
to get one of those for mine, as that would put paid to the keyboard
problems at a stroke. In fact really I'd just get the whole thing
restored if I could. Along with the 'tron...and, one of these days, my
old Wurli EP 200...some serious saving involved for all of that here,
methinks!

Tony S