The Mellotron Group

when I had my M400 I made a plain old black wooden box for it to sit on for live shows. I had an Anvil ATA case for it and sometimes used the bottom of the case.

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, lsf5275@... wrote:
>
> I've done this repeatedly for live performances.
>  
>  
> In a message dated 5/9/2011 2:48:58 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
> ecclesreinson@... writes:
> 
>  
>  
>  
> Has anyone used an M400 flight case bottom as a dolly / platform? It adds  
> about6 inches. Works well with feet off. Ends up about 2.5 inches  higher.
> 
> --- In _newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com_ 
> (mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com) ,  john barrick <barrickjohn262@> wrote:
> >
> > I'm with Gino  on this, Frank. The height of the M400 cabinet is awkward 
> at
> > best.  When I made new feet for mine, I added about two inches, keeping in
> >  mind that I'm probably going to put in on some kind of "furniture  dolly"
> > arrangement, so I can wheel it wherever I want it. I really  look forward 
> to
> > seeing your refinements to the cabinet. When I rebuild  mine (new cabinet)
> > I've been thinking of a number of aesthetic  modifications, many of which
> > involve radiusing and rounding over of  sharp edges with some kind of 
> natural
> > wood finish. The side panels  present the real problem there and may
> > involve some sort of solid wood  construction. I'll get it figured out
> > eventually. I'm a real fan of  the transparent front and back panels, too.
> > 
> > john
> >  
> > On Sat, May 7, 2011 at 10:51 PM, <lsf5275@> wrote:
> >  
> > >
> > >
> > > It is light for plywood and very high  quality. Not inexpensive. I'd go
> > > with solid wood in something  that small.
> > >
> > > In a message dated 5/7/2011 11:49:26  P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> > > wonggster@ writes:
> >  >
> > >
> > >
> > > Sounds bitching. Baltic Birch is  light isn't it? I have to replace my
> > > Afromosia case for my EMS  synthi VCS3 (not the 'A' you saw at Nearfest)
> > > wondering if  stained birch was a good sub.
> > >
> > > On Sat, May 7, 2011 at  11:25 PM, <lsf5275@> wrote:
> > >
> > >>
> >  >>
> > >> The cabinet will be 3 inches taller at the keyboard.  It is being built
> > >> from Baltic Birch plywood and MDF. I may do  away with removable 
> panels and
> > >> go with doors. I'm using the  old cabinet as a platform to experiment 
> with
> > >> different ways  of doing it. There will be several other differences 
> as well.
> > >>  It will still look like a Mellotron.
> > >>
> > >> In a  message dated 5/7/2011 10:18:33 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> > >>  wonggster@ writes:
> > >>
> > >>
> >  >>
> > >> I have always wanted my cabinet "one brick" higher.  Despite my deep 
> love
> > >> for Mellotrons, cabinets have always a  source of conflict for me, too
> > >> 'something ' for both standing  and sitting. Have you thought about 
> making
> > >> your cabinet  taller or shorter ?
> > >>
> > >> best
> >  >>
> > >> g
> > >>
> > >> On Sat, May 7,  2011 at 1:12 AM, <lsf5275@> wrote:
> > >>
> >  >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> Since I brought this  machine home a couple of months ago, aside from
> > >>> stripping  the cabinet and getting the mechanicals into the wood 
> frame, I've
> >  >>> not had the time to even really examine it. All I knew was that  it 
> didn't
> > >>> work and that the cabinet was not worth  repairing.
> > >>>
> > >>> Well, yesterday I finally  got around to finding out why this machine
> > >>> doesn't work.  Every time I restore an old Mellotron I find something 
> unusual
> >  >>> that I've never seen before. This one was no exception. The SMS 2  
> was bad,
> > >>> and though I have several spares, I was able to  fix the one that 
> came with
> > >>> it and it was soon up and  running. Then the surprises started. The 
> keyboard
> > >>> was  beyond horrible. Oddly, the pressure pad adjustment screws were 
> backed
> >  >>> way out. I removed the keyboard and took a close look. All of the  
> felt pads
> > >>> that isolate the adjustment screws were  replaced with new ones that 
> were 1/4
> > >>> inch thick.  Interesting... these thick felt pads were also installed 
> on the
> >  >>> backs of the pressure pads themselves, forcing them to stand off  of 
> the
> > >>> pressure pad rest 1/4 inch, which then  necessitated someone bending 
> it into
> > >>> a bizarre  configuration.
> > >>>
> > >>> I wanted to get it to  run before I started tearing it down and I did 
> get
> > >>> it to  work... sorta. I am happy that the motor appears to be very 
> strong
> >  >>> with little wear on the commutator or brushes. Minor warps in  some 
> of the
> > >>> keys are a quick fix. It has a PML 1 and it  is very quiet. I cranked 
> up the
> > >>> sound dry and got no  humming and no crackling. Amazingly, a check of 
> the
> > >>> heads  revealed zero magnetism on any of them. In fact, aside from a 
> small
> >  >>> magnetic reading from the left bearing block, there was none  
> anywhere in or
> > >>> near the tape path. Hooray!
> >  >>>
> > >>> So far, I have begun kitting a new cabinet.  With any luck, I'll have 
> all
> > >>> of the parts cut within the  next couple of weeks. Since this one is 
> mine and
> > >>> I have  no deadline or expectant owner, the going will be slow. I 
> expect
> >  >>> there will be some surprises when I reveal it. The fun has  begun.
> > >>>
> > >>> Frank
> >  >>>
> > >>>
> > >>
> > > 
> >  >
> >
>