Posted on SonicState.com
http://www.sonicstate.com/news/2010/11/17/keith-emmerson-and-the-big-moog/
Enjoy!
WOW!
His lawyers are busy as of late. Why be so upset, it doesn’t say it’s Keith Emerson, it says it’s “Keith Emmerson”. But it’s him! Ha!
Yeah, noone else can pull off the old Leather Jacket/Mullet Perm look like he can lolo.
That is not Keith in that video
Actually it’s a customized IIIC not a 55 
The video is a clip from the Keith Emerson / Greg Lake Tour back in the spring early summer. That’s how Keith looked and sounded when I saw him So I’m 99.99999999999999999999 % sure it’s him . For those that don’t know, Keith and Greg had a question and answer section of the show. Pretty cool. Wish someone had asked that question at our show,
AFAIK, Keith started out with a Ic, and built it up from there (sequencer complement, even a row of dummy modules on the bottom), so it’s inaccurate to call it a 55. Mark Vail’s Vintage Synthesizers has a nice photo of it. He even shows the middle section of modules and says he got it in 1968–several years before the 15/35/55 systems were released. It must be KE in the video, because if for no other reason, his keyboard setup is identical to other videos from different tours/performances.
EDIT: I think the System 55 currently on eBay (allegedly Will Alexander’s) has the original 907 FFB that was in KE’s Ic. In photos of both, there is a modded toggle switch with some old Dymo labels on the module.
From what I understand Keith had one of the preset model 1C’ s that was used by Bob and Co. back in the “Jazz in the Garden” concert. Keith’s Moog was a custom 1C with 3 901 a/b oscillator pairs for the preset unit, and an extra 911 EG. Other than the presets and asssociated wiring, was pretty much a stock 1C config., with three oscillators, two mixers, two VCA, three EG’s, fixed filter bank, noise, reverb. Don’t recall ever seeing Keith playing a seven oscillator model 55 or a ten oscillator model 3C, although it was listed on one of the albums as a Moog IIIC. It was expanded over the years and extra tiers added, and custom modules like the S&H and I think a VC reverb. At one time went back to Moog for the 921 oscillator upgrade. But for the most part it was always a three oscillator Moog model 1.
Interesting patch Keith used is he ran the output from the cp3 mixer into the 905 reverb then into the 904a VCF. Tried for a while to get that Emmo sound on my 1P, and noticed a photo with the magic patch shown, and there it was.
According to Moog Archives, Keith’s first system was a I-CA, built on 7-10-1970.
Also a I-C dated 10-27-1971.
I don’t think he had one as far back as 1968, but might have used one earlier belonging to someone else.
I think that IS Keith in the video.
Not sure where the legal threat text came from, but have doubts that’s real.
Even if it is from a lawyer, I have doubts one could sue someone given what I’ve seen so far.
Never know, of course.
As far as 907FFB (and 914’s), I’ve seen a bunch of these with such switches.
Tangerine Dream had some, as well as others with one added.
Usually it’s a bypass (dry) switch. A common mod.
Just to be clear, I wrote that as a parody of the last 2 Moog system auctions where names had to be changed due to misrepresentation of the product.
Keith Emmerson…This is like Gallagher’s brother, Gallagher Too.
I saw the “Emmerson” stuff on Sonic State, but had no idea where the quote came from.
So you wrote the quote yourself, then commented on it too?
Yeah, thanks for clearing that up. 
The Gallaghers - hahahahahaha
That’s some funny stuff. Aren’t they suing each other, too?
Who knows lol.
Anyway… it sold for $25,100.
I think the new owner has the initials HZ… 
From what I’ve read over the years,
Keith first used a Moog on stage with the Nice in the late 60’s. This Moog belonged to Mike Vickers and had him hide next to the Moog to change patch cords as the concert went on (London’s Festival Hall). I think it was around the time of the formation of ELP that he acquired the IC which as posted before was built and used for the Jazz in The Garden Concert. It appears around the time of Trilogy he added the second cabinet with additional oscillators and other modules. The sequencer cabinet was added around the time of BSS.
There are several version on the Lucky Man solo, all agree that it was improvised on the first take and KE thought he could do better but Greg and the engineer agreed it was the perfect solo. Where things differ are if it was the IC or if it was a Modular Moog the studio owned. Keith has said in many interviews and his autobiography that when his IC did arrive Mike Vickers helped him figure out how to use it and more important figured out how to “program” the preset Modules. If you look close at the preset Modules today, they still have labels on them for” Tarkus”
He pretty much uses the Modular as 3osc MiniMoog patch with a lot of modulation ability. I’m pretty sure the additional osc’s are routed to the sequencers.
It wasn’t Keith’s ,check his Nov 9th post on facebook to get it removed from the listing.http://www.facebook.com/#!/KEITHEMERSON