Synthworld Posted January 3, 2001 Posted January 3, 2001 With vintage synthesizer prices at a premium right now, share your stories about the ones that got away. Either you passed on buying it for some reason or someone else beat you to it...or... A few years ago, I was offered an Oberheim 8-Voice SEM system - with the programmer - for $750 - and I passed on it. (Doh!) I just didn't have the $$ at the time . What did you miss out on? Zon
marino Posted January 3, 2001 Posted January 3, 2001 This is funny. I didn't buy a Yamaha CS80 for about $500, mainly because I didn't have the space, nor a derrick to move it. Also, years ago I saw an ad for a beautiful grand piano at a great price. I called to say I absolutely wanted to buy it, even before I saw it in person. They said okay and gave me an appointment; then when I went there, they said, sorry, someone offered more money, so... (I had driven for 4 hours to get there!) marino
Dave Bryce Posted January 3, 2001 Posted January 3, 2001 Great topic, Zon. I remember working in a music store in Boston in the mid 1980s... we had this stack of this thin sounding dweeby little bass synth that we could not get anyone to buy - we ended up blowing them out for below cost. If I had only known what those little TB-303s were going to be worth...oh well... dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network
x factor music Posted January 3, 2001 Posted January 3, 2001 What a timely thread. I just saw an old analog Korg Poly something or another in a mall music store this evening. It may have been the PolySix, but it was an aluminum case, not black, and had big gray and red buttons all over it. Of course it had no MIDI or anything, had 2 "Tape IN" inputs on the back and a couple of outputs. Does anyone know what this instrument is, and if it's in working order, if it's something I should buy for $150? That's the offer I made... Thanks! jeremeyhunsicker.com
Marzzz Posted January 3, 2001 Posted January 3, 2001 Stupidest thing I ever did- sold my MiniMoog (and it was one of the "good" ones!) in 1980 to help pay for college. For the amount of student loan debt I eventually accumulated it wouldn't have made a damn bit of difference if I had kept it! -Marshall
x factor music Posted January 3, 2001 Posted January 3, 2001 Okay, found it. It was a Korg Poly 61, and I guess $150 is probably about the going price for one right now. So I'm not missing some fantastic deal. Oh well. jeremeyhunsicker.com
Pim Posted January 4, 2001 Posted January 4, 2001 Mid Eightees we were cleaning up the store I still work in. My boss threw something in my direction. I caught it. It was a TB303. I never liked the sound nor the user unfriendly sequencer, so I gave it to a friend of mine. He sold it mid 90's for a huge amount of money... ------------------ www.dancewave.nl My Music I always wondered what happened after the fade out?
dansouth Posted January 4, 2001 Posted January 4, 2001 In 1982, I bought a little silver TR-606, because I needed a drum machine for demos. I couldn't afford the TR-808, and the Linn and Oberheim were out of the question. At the time, Roland was pushing the TR-606 and its sister unit, the TB-303 as a complete rhythm section solution. I turned up my nose at the TB-303. "I'm a bass player!" I exclaimed, beating my chest. "I don't need some little toy to play bass lines for me." I think I'll go take an Advil and lie down for a while...
Guest Posted January 4, 2001 Posted January 4, 2001 Lord, where do I start? Sold my Prophet-10 for $900.00 to get an Emulator II+ Traded my DX5 for a DX7IIFD because it was lighter. Sold my Arp Quadra because it was too heavy to get an Emulator III. And the worst of all: Sold my M1, my D-550, my E-III, my Vintage Keys, my MKB-300, my MX-8, and my amp and speaker to move to Savannah from NY. Now I have to start over...
TomWuoriomsn.com Posted January 9, 2001 Posted January 9, 2001 Originally posted by synthworld@aol.com: With vintage synthesizer prices at a premium right now, share your stories about the ones that got away. Either you passed on buying it for some reason or someone else beat you to it...or... A few years ago, I was offered an Oberheim 8-Voice SEM system - with the programmer - for $750 - and I passed on it. (Doh!) I just didn't have the $$ at the time . What did you miss out on? Zon Zon? from Synthony music? nice store,good people. Years ago,inside Red Bank Music,N.J; I was in front of, all over,inside of,smelled it completely,a Mellotron. AND I had the money,but would have sooner taken the Lincoln Memorial home rather than to have moved the Mellotron from its Holy Place. Yes,to see those tapes slurping-up those few choice categories: organ,choir,strings etc. ....... But you know? I had already envisioned it in my wishful-thinking...created it down to the last noisy tape cartridge.smiled as I reverently withdrew my carcass,(walking backward),knowing there was something better to come along. Seven years ago,having given up drinking and moving to Arizona I discovered the world of midi and PC recording as I am now happily enmeshed. Thank-you,Zon. Warmest regards, Tom Wuorio ------------------
jlahib.no Posted January 9, 2001 Posted January 9, 2001 i have no exciting story.. but my very first synth was a roland D-20... which I sold before I went to study in the USA, even though it's not a cult item like the tb303, i still wish i hadn't sold it http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif
Guest Posted January 9, 2001 Posted January 9, 2001 I used to own a Jupiter-8 back around 1990 (I had owned it since '84). Not realizing what I had, I sold it to buy some other piece of gear. To this day I still miss the strings and brass patches I had on it. I've seen them now go for anywhere from $1500-2200 US. Although I miss the sounds, I can think of better things to spend that kind of money on. I now have a MKS-80 Super Jupiter and a Supernova but they aren't the same. Oh well, that's learning experiences for ya. Nando
steadyb Posted January 10, 2001 Posted January 10, 2001 A mint Prophet 10 that I bought for $450. Unfortunately, I had to sell it (for $2500) to pay bills/eat/etc. during a financially lean time. I don't miss carrying it...but what a big sound.
jay da cop Posted January 10, 2001 Posted January 10, 2001 In the late 80's I played in a house band in southern africa ( I am american) and was given a tb303 and tr505. I didn't like the sound of the tb303, and gave it back. The tr505 became my 1st drum machine, later joined by a yamaha rx7. bummer
marino Posted January 10, 2001 Posted January 10, 2001 I'd like to add a story that (luckily)didn't happen to me, but is to good (i.e. bad) to pass. It was the mid-80s, when it seemed that digital synthesis would have totally replaced analog in a few years, and a store convinced a keyboardist I knew to give them his Rhodes Chroma, PLUS about $500, in exchange for a ROLAND D-550! (The rack version of the D-50). Talk about a bad deal!
Steven Denike Posted January 10, 2001 Posted January 10, 2001 Mr. Rhodes reportedly died yesterday - I don't know if that means that Fender Rhodes pianos will go up in value, but... ... a few minutes before I walked into the local music shop, they had just sold their Rhodes piano. Was it the rumour of his death? Speculation? At least I had $600 CDN, so I can live it out in my dreams.
Allan Speers Posted January 11, 2001 Posted January 11, 2001 Speaking of Rhodes, it doesn't get worse than this: I was a keyboard salesman in 1984 for a rather large retail store near NYC. That year, the Rhodes Mark V came out. According to legend, 3,000 total were made, and only three special units were made with built-in midi (out only) Guess what was sitting on our showroom floor for about a month? -and I could have bought it for dealer cost! If I remember correctly, I told the boss, "no-one buys these things anymore, though the midi is a cool idea." We traded it to some dealer in NYC. I don't know if that's the one that ended up with Chick Corea or with Joe Novello. I assume Steve Woodyard got his direct from the factory. Do I win the prize? Sigh........... This message has been edited by Allan Speers on 01-11-2001 at 01:36 PM
Elfarran Posted March 12, 2001 Posted March 12, 2001 STUPID! STUPID! STUPID! STUPID! Missed purchasing a Memorymoog in mint condition from the original owner for $1500. Just thinking about it makes me think about the need for a valium or a very stiff drink.
ITGITC Posted April 2, 2007 Posted April 2, 2007 Man, I don't know what I'd want if it came up and bit me on the butt. After that discussion of vintage instruments vs. current stuff, I gave it more thought. It's the space that I don't have. I just wouldn't have room to put any vintage instruments. I've pretty much decided not to spend any money getting my K2000 repaired, but I need a smaller board for the occassional blues jam or pool party. I think I'll sit tight. The next cool synth I find on craigslist, I'm going to call my friend BluesKeys or eric. They'll buy it. :grin: "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo
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