From bruce@ashbysolutions.com Sun Dec 02 14:48:34 2001
Subject:Re: user interface

All,

>Well, before Bruce kicks me off this list, this was a neat little thread.
>BTW, I'm looking at my Hammond and Minimoog as I write this and...Tubes and
>wood and vintage construction will always be special.

Before we get off this topic -- and I think we should; we're way past the
"to a lesser extent" point -- let me share my nostalgia trip into classic
gear. I've owned and/or played all of these units:

Wurlitzer A200 -- I loved the sound and feel of mine, and no clone product
I've heard perfectly duplicates the bark. That said, I used to break 1-2
reeds a week, just by gigging three nights in the rock clubs of Rochester, NY.

Rhodes 73 -- I owned the Stage model, and played a couple of different
suitcase models. A great, expressive instrument. They were never in tune,
though, mostly because precision adjustment of the little springs on the
tines wasn't possible with any tuning gear *I* had. Plus, I permanently
messed up my back from carting the Stage 73 up and down to my third floor
apartment -- usually at 3AM, alone.

Clavinet -- One of the coolest sounds (and feel) around, IF the strings
didn't break, and IF the rubber fulcrums didn't deteriorate, and IF you had
the time to tune it between gigs.

Minimoog -- Probably the fattest analog lead synth sound available that one
person could carry, as long as you didn't mind tuning it up on stage every
10-15 minutes.

ARP/Solina Omni -- A great imitation of a string section -- as long as you
bury it in the mix a little, because it's thin, strident, and screeches in
the middle octaves.

Mellotron -- A classic sound that is very hard to duplicate with clone
gear. Make sure you bring a backup unit, though, because the tapes break,
the heads go out of alignment, and the return mechanisms sometimes DON'T ...

I could go on and on. I'd love to gig again with any of these keyboards,
but I won't, because they all had some big down sides. Considering the
wide range of duties provided as a keyboard player these days, I'd have to
take more keys with me than the six that I used in the late 70's -- Wurli
A200, ARP Quartet, Elka X-50, Roland Juno-6, Yamaha CS-10, KORG MonoPoly.

Tubes and wood are special to me as well. Just don't forget the bad times,
too. Everything is a tradeoff.

Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Design Consultant
Ashby Solutions™ www.ashbysolutions.com
CloneWheel Support Group and HiNote moderator
978.386.7389 voice/fax
bruce@ashbysolutions.com