Really Vintage MiniMoog

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Sceptreman55
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Really Vintage MiniMoog

Post by Sceptreman55 » Fri Jul 01, 2016 5:16 pm

I am the owner of a minimoog model D which I purchased used in 1974. The s/n is on a handwritten tag inside. It is 1051. It was made at the Trumansburg "factory". I have tracked it through the moog site and found that Walter Sear was the original purchaser. We know that walter bought and resold a lot of mini's back then. I purchased it from a great music store in northern NY. It has gotten very light work for the past 20 years. Prior to that, I used it constantly. It is in excellent condition. Now I am not saying that I am ready to sell it, but what sort of interest do you think there is a MiniMoog Model D NUMBER 51? And....Let the discussion begin! Thanks.

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HookedOnSonics
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Re: Really Vintage MiniMoog

Post by HookedOnSonics » Fri Jul 01, 2016 8:15 pm

Sooooooooo, i just purchased a new Model D from Moogfest. I always thought the D(SOUND) should have been the flagship. It was a common person's affordable keyboard < then $150,000.00 ... :-) with that modular sound

The Voyager is cool, but it takes a little more jumping through the hoops to get close to that D sound.

Price wise we're paying $3499.00 USD for a new electronic keyboard with that same D infamous sound. I think that's way more then fair.

I've never been one to chase the assembly line to see if it was the fourth one made

For a D that's 40 years of age, i don't have a sense of worth for an old electronic parts/piece. To me something like a Antonio Stradivari hand craved Stradivarius is what we vision as a collectors piece, but that's just me.

When it comes to electronics ... Parts & warranty are a major factor with me, i feel more comfortable with something brand new, rather then vintage, especially if the sound is exactly the same.
Last edited by HookedOnSonics on Fri Jul 01, 2016 11:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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MC
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Re: Really Vintage MiniMoog

Post by MC » Fri Jul 01, 2016 11:02 pm

Owner of #1053 here 8) Bought it in 1992, just before the vintage craze.
Gear list: '04 Saturn Ion, John Deere X300 tractor, ganged set of seven reel mowers for 3 acres of lawn, herd of sheep for backup lawn mowers, two tiger cats for mouse population control Oh you meant MUSIC gear Oops I hit the 255 character limi

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bichuelo
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Re: Really Vintage MiniMoog

Post by bichuelo » Sat Jul 02, 2016 1:51 am

MC wrote:Owner of #1053 here 8) Bought it in 1992, just before the vintage craze.
How much did you pay for it?
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Sceptreman55
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Re: Really Vintage MiniMoog

Post by Sceptreman55 » Sat Jul 02, 2016 9:19 am

MC - have you ever had a value attached to yours? I have had people tell me very wide ranges from 7,000 to 14,000. I paid 800 for it in 1974 which was a lot of money for a struggling college musician. I am also told that these first 100 mini's are the prize catch in vintage synths.

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Re: Really Vintage MiniMoog

Post by luckynerd » Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:49 am

Sceptreman55 wrote:I am the owner of a minimoog model D which I purchased used in 1974. The s/n is on a handwritten tag inside. It is 1051. It was made at the Trumansburg "factory". I have tracked it through the moog site and found that Walter Sear was the original purchaser. We know that walter bought and resold a lot of mini's back then. I purchased it from a great music store in northern NY. It has gotten very light work for the past 20 years. Prior to that, I used it constantly. It is in excellent condition. Now I am not saying that I am ready to sell it, but what sort of interest do you think there is a MiniMoog Model D NUMBER 51? And....Let the discussion begin! Thanks.
Oooh, a metal panel with clear wheels! :mrgreen: Got any pics?

There will always be people interested in getting an early Mini. Either a collector or a musician. The latter will care more about the reliability of the Mini than the former.

Personally, if you're looking to get top dollar for it, get it (properly) restored.
Bare minimum: The capacitors and some carbon resistors should be replaced to increase reliability. The keyboard bushings could use replacing and perhaps even the buss bars polished.

The value is whatever someone will pay for it. $7k seems about right for a Mini of that age that plays well.
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Sceptreman55
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Re: Really Vintage MiniMoog

Post by Sceptreman55 » Wed Jul 06, 2016 8:18 am

Thanks for the info. I used to have it worked on at the Buffalo factory (I had a friend who worked there). More recently I had a cleaning and check up by a reputable NY guy. I have attached some pics. Yes clear wheels. Note the toggles instead of rockers for glide and decay. Herb Deutsch once told me that in the early days they sometimes ran out of parts and used what they had available which could account for that.
Attachments
Serial No. 1051
Serial No. 1051
The Trumansburg tag
The Trumansburg tag
Note the R A Moog tag.  Also, clear wheels
Note the R A Moog tag. Also, clear wheels

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MC
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Re: Really Vintage MiniMoog

Post by MC » Wed Jul 06, 2016 10:46 am

Sceptreman55 wrote:MC - have you ever had a value attached to yours? I have had people tell me very wide ranges from 7,000 to 14,000.
Well, it's the one and only Minimoog I ever owned and I really like it. I modified it so it would stay in tune, and the modifications left the vintage audio path untouched. I installed a Lintronics MIDI retrofit to it, works great.
I paid 800 for it in 1974 which was a lot of money for a struggling college musician.
I paid a little more than that, right before the vintage craze. Good timing :shock:
I am also told that these first 100 mini's are the prize catch in vintage synths.
The first 100 were built in the original factory in Trumansburg NY, 45 minutes from where I live.
Gear list: '04 Saturn Ion, John Deere X300 tractor, ganged set of seven reel mowers for 3 acres of lawn, herd of sheep for backup lawn mowers, two tiger cats for mouse population control Oh you meant MUSIC gear Oops I hit the 255 character limi

Sceptreman55
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Re: Really Vintage MiniMoog

Post by Sceptreman55 » Fri Jul 08, 2016 12:26 pm

The inside.
Attachments
Side view
Side view
Side View
Side View
Most recent
Most recent

luckynerd
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Re: Really Vintage MiniMoog

Post by luckynerd » Fri Jul 08, 2016 2:38 pm

The oscillator board was upgraded to the latest one with the resistor arrays. Standard practice when getting a Mini serviced back when they were in production. Some über purist collector would balk at that, but a Mini is an instrument, not a bragging right. :mrgreen:

Filter board is vintage, that's for sure. The caps are stock and it's filled with carbon resistors. :wink:

In the not so distant past, I'd have loved to help restore this Mini. I'd never attempt it nowadays.
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Rob Smith
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Re: Really Vintage MiniMoog

Post by Rob Smith » Fri Jul 08, 2016 8:25 pm

Herb Deutsch has serial # 1094 , He also had the updated oscillator board done to his ..... So don't feel bad.

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Re: Really Vintage MiniMoog

Post by dougt » Sat Jul 09, 2016 6:29 am

luckynerd wrote:The oscillator board was upgraded to the latest one with the resistor arrays. Standard practice when getting a Mini serviced back when they were in production. Some über purist collector would balk at that, but a Mini is an instrument, not a bragging right. :mrgreen: .
Yeah unfortunately that ua726 VCO board "upgrade" cuts its value by at least half... :(

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