Dave Bryce Posted February 13, 2001 Share Posted February 13, 2001 The title of the thread says it all... Here's a funny-looking little thing - the Korg 707 This little pre-M1 looking synth was a result of the alliance between Yamaha and Korg in the late 80's. The kicker was that it was available in this shade of pink that looked like someone had had their way with it with a bottle of Pepto-Bismol. Oh, yeah - it had strap locks so you could strut your stuff on stage with this bad boy hanging around your neck proclaiming your good taste for all to see.. ...of course, it was the 80's... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alon Posted February 13, 2001 Share Posted February 13, 2001 Yeah, I had one of those back in the day. It looked a lot better than it sounded, which says a lot ! Current worst looking Synths : Triton,Trinity, all those metallic looking ones with those screens (Ugh..) !!! I know MANY Heads will disagree with me, but that's just my personal taste. Many years ago, I used to own an Akai S1000Kb, which just about everybody thought was Butt-Ugly. I thought it looked really cool. Almost the same color as my Atari+Monitor that used to sit on top of it. Alon Cohen . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic_dup4 Posted February 13, 2001 Share Posted February 13, 2001 I didn't care all that much for the looks of the Casio CZ series of synths and the sampler (FZ1?). And as I mentioned in another thread, the Yamaha S80 is on my shopping list right now but it sure didn't make it onto the list because of how it looks and feels - I find the buttons and knobs feel a little cheap. Maybe it was just the demo unit I was testing? Would appreciate feedback from any who've got experience with the S80. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic_dup4 Posted February 13, 2001 Share Posted February 13, 2001 oh and about strap locks and strutting your stuff on stage ... I used to have a Yamaha DX100 and a nifty neon guitar strap http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif (blush) ahhh the 80s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted February 13, 2001 Share Posted February 13, 2001 I have an S80 & I think Yamaha wanted to keep the price down, and no doubt it's reasonable at ~$1500. I also think that they assumed you had a computer and could do most of the editing that way--because using the knobs and so forth can get a little tedious to say the least. Other than that, it feels great action-wise to me and the sounds are top-notch. And it doesn't look THAT bad--the Kurzweil PC2 at $600 more looks downright nasty. Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic_dup4 Posted February 13, 2001 Share Posted February 13, 2001 Thanks for the info re: the S80. To be fair, it doesn't look _terrible_ - I just find it a little plain-looking. For some reason, at first glance I thought it was merely a digital piano or a keyboard controller. Well, if I do wind up buying one for my setup, I'll have lots of room on top for my mouse pad, computer keyboard, and telephone http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joegerardi Posted February 13, 2001 Share Posted February 13, 2001 Worst looking: Mini Korg Jupiter 4 Poly 800 AX-60 Moog Source Polymoog Arp Odyssey Sequential Six-Track OB4 Setup: Korg Kronos 61, Roland XV-88, Korg Triton-Rack, Motif-Rack, Korg N1r, Alesis QSR, Roland M-GS64 Yamaha KX-88, KX76, Roland Super-JX, E-Mu Longboard 61, Kawai K1II, Kawai K4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dansouth Posted February 14, 2001 Share Posted February 14, 2001 Ugly synth alert! K2000 (sounds so much better than it looks) Arp 2600 (messy and cheap looking) Arp Axxe (not messy but totally cheap looking) Taurus II Bass Pedals (looks like it fell off a flying saucer and got lost) Oberheim polyphonic (with SEM modules - the definition of bland) Proteus (all versions) 01W Honorable mention: they're not synths, but just about every product ever released by Fostex is dog ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyman Posted February 14, 2001 Share Posted February 14, 2001 My list of the baddies: 1) Ensoniq Mirage. "GOOD; BAD & UGLY": - GOOD innovation - BAD for the user friendliness - UGLY look. 2) Roland XP-10- Cheapo. 3) EMU Proteus MPS. - Another cheapo. 4) Yamaha DX7 ...Don't flame me yet! Indeed it deserves to be in the Hall of the Fame, but as for the look ? Nah.... 5) Juno 1 and Juno 2 - In matter of fact, any keyboard with membrand switches. 6) Voce V5 - I know it is not a synth and it is not a keyboard, but the design and the color is way too "Dee-Lite" for me. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif This message has been edited by Keyman on 02-13-2001 at 06:32 PM Hooked on Keys... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiggum Posted February 14, 2001 Share Posted February 14, 2001 I'll carry over my previous list, and add a few more: 1) Roland A90 (nothing redeeming except the action) 2) Roland XV-88 (doesn't look professional - maybe it's the D-beam) 3) Roland JV1000 (this is what happens when departments don't communicate) 4) The silver Korgs (too loud -- they don't fit in with other gear) 5) Anything Ensoniq (cheap looking) 6) Kurzweil PC2X (awful color -- front panel looks too General MIDI) A few more: 7) Roland JW-50 (designed like an aspirin bottle - ten pounds of cotton with 1 pound of content) 8) Anything Casio (nuff said) 9) Anything Fatar All the best, Wiggum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pim Posted February 14, 2001 Share Posted February 14, 2001 1. Yamaha DX-7. The color brown doesn't inspire me at all. (the factory presets either) 2. Yamaha YS-100. Don't place it in the sunshine, it will definitly melt. 3. Siel Expander 80. A cheap grey plastic box with a Korg Poly-880 engine. Cheapest looking plastic synth ever: Roland XP-10. ------------------ -- Pim -- www.dancewave.nl My Music I always wondered what happened after the fade out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepD Posted February 15, 2001 Share Posted February 15, 2001 As a gigger in an 80's band, I'm offended by your references to the "synths of the day" http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif I do have an AX-1, and I'm thinking of having it re-painted...any ideas on something to make it very "80's"? Peace, and have a GREAT day! DeepD ------------------ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted February 15, 2001 Share Posted February 15, 2001 I think I've got the winner: The Micor Coupland had the worst looks in the history of musical instruments. Also a good candidate for worst name. Fortunately, it never went into real production! Honorable mention: Jupiter-4, or any other Roland synth of that period. marino Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted February 15, 2001 Share Posted February 15, 2001 Almost forgot: ANY rack-mounted module. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venntnetzero.net Posted February 15, 2001 Share Posted February 15, 2001 the ugly, the ugly, and the ugly: Korg, Korg, and Korg... as well as anything that looks like it swallowed a bus (sorry Kurzweil) except for Ensoniq's ESQ-1. I'm gonna have to disagree with keyman. The Mirage is very simple looking but I love it's industrial chic brushed-black look. Also lucky enough to make this list: Akai, Kawai, Yamaha, Novation except for the Bass Station kb... love that little thing. I'm not going to include Casio because those toys aren't synths. best looking: Roland's JP-8000. I miss mine... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/frown.gif Waldorf also makes some nice-looking stuff, namely the XTk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyman Posted February 16, 2001 Share Posted February 16, 2001 Originally posted by Wiggum: I'll carry over my previous list, and add a few more: 1) Roland A90 (nothing redeeming except the action) ..................................... 4) The silver Korgs (too loud -- they don't fit in with other gear) ................................................................. All the best, Wiggum Hey Wiggum, The Silver Korgs to be too loud ... What does it mean? what have to do to the looks ? Do you mean it looks lousy ? Let me know.. Hooked on Keys... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinopop Posted February 16, 2001 Share Posted February 16, 2001 OK you vintage heads forgive me if I get the name wrong, but this is going back a ways.I believe it was the Emulator I (or was it the Emulator II). You know the EMU sampler with the blue case and the big bulging disk drive. They were ugly but I sure wanted one back in the day. I was really pissed that Ferris Bueller had one and I didn't http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif - Layne - Layne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joegerardi Posted February 16, 2001 Share Posted February 16, 2001 dinopop: That was the EII. And just to show how "One man's trash is another man's treasure" I listed that as one of the BEST looking synths! ..Joe Setup: Korg Kronos 61, Roland XV-88, Korg Triton-Rack, Motif-Rack, Korg N1r, Alesis QSR, Roland M-GS64 Yamaha KX-88, KX76, Roland Super-JX, E-Mu Longboard 61, Kawai K1II, Kawai K4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiggum Posted February 18, 2001 Share Posted February 18, 2001 Keyman, When I say the Korg's look "loud", I am using the word the same way that one might describe someone's necktie or outfit. In other words, they draw a lot of attention (which some people may like). The reason I DON'T like the silver finish is that it doesn't match the majority of gear. If you're playing one synth on stage, then the silver might be great. But if you have other boards nearby, the Korg's stand out like a sore thumb. All the best, Wiggum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve44 Posted February 20, 2001 Share Posted February 20, 2001 ...unless of course you have all silver gear... (which I don't but I dream of it: add an MP9000 to my K5000s, then a platinum supernova, a virus indigo and of course my Sherman Filterbank2) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synthfoolsynthfool.com Posted February 20, 2001 Share Posted February 20, 2001 Of the older stuff, the JX-8P. But there's some wonderful ugly happening for most of the entire Casio line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve44 Posted February 21, 2001 Share Posted February 21, 2001 I finally thought of some really ugly stuff: Any Akai Keyboard ever made: check out this piece o' junk. Also the Akai S02.. blah! And the Emu E-synth Dance Keyboard. I can't find a picture of it anywhere, but it was this nasty looking shiny grey thing with an ugly "E-synth" emblem on it. What were they thinking? No wonder the rackmount looks like a regular E-IV and they stopped making keyboards. I also couldn't stand the Rave-o-lution 309, the Raven, or the Sirius by Quasimidi. The 309 just looked icky, the Raven's blue made me want to puke and though the Gooseneck mike was cool, the Sirius just looked dumb and kinda foreboding. Now that I've checked out their pages they look like they were decent synths.. but I couldn't stand the look of 'em. I also agree that most of the old Roland stuff was rather repulsive.. I hated all the blue and orange colorings and the use of so many faders instead of knobs. Strange, blue's my favorite color.. but they keep getting it wrong on keyboards. The new "Oberheim" (Viscount) is even more guilty: check out this piece of work . Luckily, the OB12's blue color is not nearly as offensive, but it' still not as nice as the Supernova II. I guess blue is hard to do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 I'll probably be flamed for this, but I find nearly every Kurzweil synth to be horrendously ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABECK Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Originally posted by Lord Jeebus: I'll probably be flamed for this, but I find nearly every Kurzweil synth to be horrendously ugly.I always liked the K250. It was just a big beast. The K2000 was kind of slick in a DX-7 kind of way. But everything else (especially the newer stuff) leaves a lot to be desired. Very bland indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP3 Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Here's a few - http://www.vintagesynth.org/misc/buchla/bme.jpg http://www.vintagesynth.org/misc/wasp.jpg http://www.vintagesynth.org/misc/vermona.jpg http://www.vintagesynth.org/misc/sieldk80.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssian Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Here's one that's reminds me of a pair of Nikes I once saw in a department store. I still want one though! http://www.vintagesynth.org/misc/oscar1.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Tinder Arts: Whats the synth on the very top with the multi colored patch cords. I want one. My four year-old wants one too. Should fit in nicely with his rescue-hero toys. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP3 Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 It's a Buchla Music Easel. Good luck finding one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankieP Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 http://www.synthman.com/korg/Html/Images/304901.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coyote Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 The Korg MS2000 always struck me as strange. I mean, it's awfully big for 44 keys, some small knobs & sliders, and 4 voices.... wouldn't all the writing on it have been better left in the manual? You certainly can't read that tiny print under average stage lighting conditions. They made it waaaay too big to fit comfortably on another keyboard. I used to think I was Libertarian. Until I saw their platform; now I know I'm no more Libertarian than I am RepubliCrat or neoCON or Liberal or Socialist. This ain't no track meet; this is football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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