Modular stuff in Portugal

[Joe Viau]

Has anyone ever heard of these folks?

http://www.cluboftheknobs.com/

[chris allert]

Has anyone ever heard of these folks?

http://www.cluboftheknobs.com/

it's the first i've heard of them. it is nice to see someone making faithful reproductions of vintage moog modular stuff. their logo looks a lot like the syntesizers.com logo, though. i guess i kind of prefer roger arrick's approach of making more of a "moogish" synthesizer, but adding his own innovations and not feeling a need to reproduce a moog 900 part for part. still, i can understand someone wanting a perfect replica of something that's not made anymore, and i'm happy to see someone trying to serve this market. the more choices we have, the better.

[pelican1]

basically they have a bad reputation of rip off modules, shoddy craftsmanship, and blatantly stealing people's money. So buy if you want, but you've been warned.

[nicholas d. kent]

If you want copied modules, modusonics.com has a much better reputation as to quality and has roots to the original Moog Custom Engineering (not connected to todays re-established Moog Music).

That said someone I've met claims modusonics agreed to build an expensive module for him and after quite a wait he claims modusonics sold it to someone else who might have paid extra to get one asap.

And as mentioned, Synthesizers.com, while not copies, are very popular for their form factor and price especially with people who have wished to someday get a Moog Modular

[eric coleridge]

If you want copied modules, modusonics.com has a much better reputation as to quality and has roots to the original Moog Custom Engineering (not connected to todays re-established Moog Music).

That said someone I've met claims modusonics agreed to build an expensive module for him and after quite a wait he claims modusonics sold it to someone else who might have paid extra to get one asap.

Do you know if Modusonics is still around? I've heard of this company that sells Moog Modular reproductions, but only just discovered their website:

http://www.moogce.com/

[Nick Montoya]

Club of the knobs stuff is built horribly.. They didn't even think to use lock washers on their 1/4 in I/O interfaces.. They fall apart like crazy..

A favorite synthtech of mine contacted them about the possiblity of making their products better.. He offered many great suggestions.. However they didn't listen..

I've heard good things about synthesizers.com though... But nothing will ever beat a modular MOOG !!!

[nicholas d. kent]

Do you know if Modusonics is still around? I've heard of this company that sells Moog Modular reproductions, but only just discovered their website:

http://www.moogce.com/

As far as I know they are still around but they are likely a one man operation. Anyway, while there may be questions regarding waiting for responses and orders, the modules themselves are considered excellent (and fairly expensive), no one slags their quality.

Synthesizers.com use modern professional surface mount manufacturing and apparently good but not the best available components - not that they will quickly fail (or the Moog used the best parts either), though other, more expensive module brands use higher grade parts in many cases. They aren't clones, they are similar in looks and size and features to the original Moog modules. They are popular because they are good and reasonably priced. To me a bit of a downside is they neither have all the "oompf" of a vaguely misbehaving original Moog system or incorporate many synth innovations of later years by other builders. I really wish Mr. Arrick would get together with someone like Grant (Wiard) Richter. Because the former has his building act together but isn't really innovating modular synths and the latter has more ideas than he can be bogged down by tediously manufacturing. Then again Synthesizers.com is making something at a fair price that lots of people who want a modular want. So one can't complain.

[eric coleridge]

Yeah, I was looking at the Modusonics web site and I'm thinking that he makes these modules more as replacements or additions for people who already have a Moog Modular, than for people starting out. For one thing, he doesn't list a power supply for sale. I think Moogs used a very complicated power supply that would be hard for a synth user to re-produce. So, you'd pretty much have to have an older Moog system in order to buy into these newly manufactured Moog modules.

But it's amazing to me that they are still available at any price. They're not cheap, but they seem to be comparable with other manufactures. And the guy who runs it seems to be what's left of the original Moog company. Pretty strange.

[nicholas d. kent]

Yeah, I was looking at the Modusonics web site and I'm thinking that he makes these modules more as replacements or additions for people who already have a Moog Modular, than for people starting out. For one thing, he doesn't list a power supply for sale. I think Moogs used a very complicated power supply that would be hard for a synth user to re-produce. So, you'd pretty much have to have an older Moog system in order to buy into these newly manufactured Moog modules.

But it's amazing to me that they are still available at any price. They're not cheap, but they seem to be comparable with other manufactures. And the guy who runs it seems to be what's left of the original Moog company. Pretty strange.

Of course a power supply will set you back some money but it's by no means a roadblock. He's built whole systems for people. (disproving they are just for replacement purposes) And if for some reason he doesn't want to sell you one, then I'm sure a number of people in the custom synth building or restoring business would have no problem.

No one serious would want to reproduce an original Moog power supply. It's usually thought of as the prime source of a lot of poor performance (instability) and down the road problems. Just about everyone with a serious working system has configured a newer more reliable power supply.


You are probably right that the main market is more likely augmenting an existing Moog system. Then again, remember, Moog went into building fixed architecture synths after the modular, he never made an "entry level" modular like the Arp 2600 or Roland System100M (or arguably synthesizer.com or doepfer today), so the original was quite a plunge as well.

Nothing is really that strange. Bucki has had years of experience, bought out some of Moog Music's parts inventory. He re-used the name Moog Custom Engineering since he had the assets and could legally as far as he knew. The original Moog CE did just that. They'd contract orders to do one-off custom work. Bob Moog as I understand it asked him to stop using the name when he revived Moog Music himself and the name was changed to modusonics. There are a bunch of people making small quantities of modulars, several have been at it on and off since the 1970s.

[eric coleridge]

Good points. Maybe he does sell power supplies seperately, I just didn't see them on the price list. Clearly, all his orders are made custom, so I don't know why you wouldn't be able to buy one... Because I think it would potentially be difficult for someone else to reproduce the whole power supply delivery system (there may be propietary parts, etc.).

Yeah, I didn't mean "wierd" in a bad way. I have read the history of this Modusonics, and they sound like a very respectable company. Also, they're obviously very respectful of Bob Moog and his new Moog Music.

I just thought it was a little strange or unique that with all the renewed interest in vintage synths, Moog products, and even modular synths that there would be a retail source for newly manufactured Moog products and that it could remain somewhat of a secret. Or maybe I'm the only Moog enthusiast interested in modular synths who wasn't aware of Modusonis...

[MrPink]

I don't like how he constantly calls it furniture.

[eric coleridge]

I don't like how he constantly calls it furniture.

who?

[electrical_engineer_gEEk]

Synthesizers.com use modern professional surface mount manufacturing

you obviously do not own a dotcom system....
everything is through hole....

[MarkM]

MOTM is going to go surface mount.