I just received my Sub 37 today and I was wondering whether those of you, who have received a Sub 37 already got an exemplar on which the gap between the wood side and the left side of the control panel is bigger than on the other side, which eventually causes the light from the display to shine through. I’m just asking because in the most recent demo videos of the Sub 37 this doesn’t seem to be obvious at all.
Mine has the same gap. Looks like the wood warped outwards. Was gonna call Moog and ask them if this is normal. None of my other Moog’s have a gap there.
The wood is alright. It just seems that the width of the panel is a bit too short for the chassis to be entirely closed. Ideally, the aluminium bar at the top would have to be totally covered. What makes it obvious on the left side is of course the light of the display.
I think that is just the impression one gets from the light coming through at the top. I thought so too, but that would have meant that the panel plate was not cut in a square angle on both sides, which is definitely not the case. It’s just more visible on the upper part.
How about your keyboards? Mine happens not to be exactly levelled. There are a few keys that are a few millimeters higher or lower than others. One doesn’t really recognize it immediately, but when I look at it from the side of the instrument and from the same height the keyboard is located at, it becomes obvious that the keyboard look slightly wavy. If the Sub 37 was already 20 years old, I wouldn’t bother, but I have no other instrument in my collection that has this issue.
I’ve attached a photo of that as well. One can see it especially on the lower end of the keyboard.
Wow, for a “handcrafted” instrument, this is pretty unacceptable in my opinion. Makes me worried now for my forthcoming delivery of the Sub 37. My pre-order is supposed to arrive August 8th… crossing my fingers for better quality control than what I’m seeing here.
Both things (keyboard and the gap) would bother me too. My Sub Phatty i received last year was in perfect shape, so the Sub 37 should be in perfect shape as well, especially this is no new caseing, they reused the Little Phatty ones.
I’m currently waiting for Sweetwater and/or Moog to get back to me about the issues. On top of what I described already, I experienced a few quirks when operating the Sub 37. Sometimes, when I switched from preset to panel, the oscillators sounded as if they were set to 2’ although they were set to 8’ on the panel. The problem was solved by setting the octaves to 2’ and back again. And two times the Sub 37 froze when I was changing presets, i.e. the sound continued without being played while no knob or button would respond anymore. Dunno, whether those instances are connected to firmware bugs.
@monokit: I agree with you. Especially since the design of the chassis is nothing new in terms of measurements, there shouldn’t be any design flaws.
I’m okay with necessary OS improvements and such, but when it comes to build quality, I think one can expect a perfect unit. And before I leave the wrong impression, I might add that I really love the qualities of the Sub 37. The modulation routings and its sound are spot on, and the whole instrument is really intuitive to use. I wouldn’t even bother if there’d be no manual at all. It’s that easy.
I wonder whether there’s a way to add an option in a future firmware version to turn off the screen backlighting. That would at least stop the light “bleed” through that gap and some of the surrounding light pipes for the arpeggiator. Also, I think it would look better without the bluish light given the color scheme of the other LEDs, etc…
Someone get this post and or the issues to Moog, maybe they can make adjustments/quality control to the next batch of units… I don’t really want a unit with the left panel like this and or especially uneven keys… I’m really considering canceling my order, and waiting for their next synth…
I’m a design snob, and paying 1500 dollars for a partially used / poorly designed looking synth is kind of unappealing to me…
I hope they can make some changes, but if the past is any predictor of the future, which it usually is, it
looks like nothing will become of any changes because it appears the Sub Phatty had the same key issues…
Regarding the left side panel: All Moog synthesizers are built with tolerances for manufacturing purposes, and so that they can be serviced quickly in the field. There is a small space on all Phatty synthesizer panels for this reason, however the particular LCD on the Sub 37 makes this tolerance much more obvious. In the case posted here, it appears that someone simply tightened the right side of the panel before the left. To fix this, simply loosen the two screws that line up with the presets buttons (there is one screw on the left wood panel and one on the right). Now, tighten the left screw so the panel fits tightly agains the wood, and then tighten the right screw. That should do it.
Regarding the keyboard: There is always going to be some slight variation in key height on a any key bed, but it should be imperceptible while playing. If you feel that the difference in key height on your key bed is more than subtle, please contact our service department immediately and we will address the issue.
Regarding firmware bugs: Most of the issues that users have identified have already been resolved in the latest firmware (v 1.0.1) update which is available on our website now.
We have another firmware (v 1.0.2) update in process which will be available next week. Remember, to be notified about firmware updates immediately register your Sub 37 at http://www.moogmusic.com. We’ve got some fun stuff coming soon!
Regarding bright LED’s: The brightness of the panel will be reduced in firmware update v1.0.2.
In a subsequent update we will add a brightness control which allows users to adjust the brightness level to their liking.
Thank you for all of your feedback regarding the Sub 37 Bob Moog Tribute Edition. We are listening. We are very excited that so many of you are getting your hands on what we feel is an amazing new artistic tool. Everyone at Moog appreciates your patience and support as we work on feature and function updates to maximize the flexibility of your instrument.
Stay tuned, there’s more firmware updates coming very soon.
Wow, seriously, guys? The Sub 37 is a much better design than my old Little Phatty was…every other key was a couple mm off when I got it. The side panels were plastic until I replaced them with wood, and the plastic was really cheap. The wheels were never all that tight, either. The Sub 37 is the highest quality analog synthesizer in its price range I have seen yet. Your complaints about minor stuff really make you look like N00BS. Seriously, do you even analog?
I’m really considering canceling my order, and waiting for their next synth…
