Help a guitar player make up his mind?

[**drb**]

Ok, so here's the deal...

I've wanted something that has said "Moog" on it since I got into having studio gear back in the early 2000's. I had a deposit on the 1st Phatty when it was announced in 2006 (I think). Well, life,job, twin boys since and my studio and all its gear is long since gone... I have no intentions of having a full studio again, but got back into music last year with a guitar and amp and want to start to make music again. I'm a guitar player, not a keyboard player or pianist.

What I want is a compact setup of a Moog mono synth, ( Sub 37 or Sub Phatty ) perhaps another compact analog synth module and a software type drum software ( maschine perhaps ) with the goal of creating constructing loop based jams for my own entertainment.

I'm not a rock star, I'm not going on tour, I just want the enjoyment of creative music again.

My question is, as has probably been asked before.... Sub 37 or Sub Phatty? I was really set on the Sub 37, but like I said I'm not a keyboard player... I've owned synths in the past but they were all analog modeling. With the current sale price on the Sub Phatty of $720 it makes it very attractive.... Heck for that price I could get a Sub Phatty, a Minitaur and a DSI Mopho (is that ok to soapy on this forum?). Or I could get a Sub Phatty and a Mother 32...

What do you think? I really like the complexity of the sequencer and arpegiator in the Sub 37 and the screen and rounding possibilties really make me smile... But there's something intriguing about being able to get some extra character with a few different synths for the same or less money that has me stuck

[jsharpphoto]

I would get the sub37. It has a built in sequencer that will be very handy, and is completely self contained.

[Bald Eagle]

I would get the Sub 37. It should fit your needs quite nicely. I have both and I can say that the Sub 37 is a huge step up in terms of functionality over the Sub Phatty.

I keep the Sub P for use as extra oscillators but it's no where near as nice to use as the Sub 37. It's no fun menu diving on the Sub P without having a screen. And as you said, the Sub 37 has the sequencer and arp. It's paraphonic, has dual modulation buses and the list of features goes on.

.... Heck for that price I could get a Sub Phatty, a Minitaur and a DSI Mopho (is that ok to soapy on this forum?). Or I could get a Sub Phatty and a Mother 32...

That's a lot of keyboards for a non-keyboard player

[KincaidDesigns]

drb,
I too am a guitar player, of 52 years, and never played keyboards. Similar story to yours, I recently got back into music. I have more guitars than anyone needs and faced the same 'need' for a different outlet. I went for the sub 37 and never looked back. No doubt it has everything I want in a Moog and will satisfy your itch. I don't tour or play out but I'm having so much home fun with this instrument! I would recommend the sub 37, it has a decade of fun built into it. Make sure you get a proper amp/speaker for it, do not play it through your regular guitar amp as there are wide ranging tones with this beast and a guitar amp is not up to the challenge.
Steve

[mmarsh100]

I am mainly a guitar player, but have been into synths since my Arp Odyssey in the seventies I have both the Sub P and the Sub 37 - love them. Get the 37, it's a lot more instrument!

[**drb**]

C'mon guys your supposed to tall me I will be perfectly happy with the Sub Phatty I can get for under $700 and I'll never need anything else!

Yes, I'm not new to this game, I hear you guys and I'm not surprised... I hear the Sub Phatty and I say , "wow that sounds amazing" and then I hear the Sub 37 and watch the ease of routing and seq / arp and I say "wow that thing sounds amazing, and looks to be a lifetime of learning how to extract every ounce of power, tone and possibilities out of it"

I know what I really want, I was just hoping you guy were going to talk me into a Sub Phatty!

[MRNUTTY]

TBO, the Mopho is a pretty nice little keyboard, and more fun than the Sub Phatty. But I would pick the Sub37 for all the extra goodies. The Mother32 also looks nice is you want to go euro-rack.

[Bald Eagle]

C'mon guys your supposed to tall me I will be perfectly happy with the Sub Phatty I can get for under $700 and I'll never need anything else!

Yes, I'm not new to this game, I hear you guys and I'm not surprised... I hear the Sub Phatty and I say , "wow that sounds amazing" and then I hear the Sub 37 and watch the ease of routing and seq / arp and I say "wow that thing sounds amazing, and looks to be a lifetime of learning how to extract every ounce of power, tone and possibilities out of it"

I know what I really want, I was just hoping you guy were going to talk me into a Sub Phatty!

Ok ... Get the Sub Phatty

If you take away all the extra features it sounds the same as a Sub 37. There are a few extra goodies implemented as hidden functions but they are a pain to access from the keyboard. They are more accessible using the editor if you don't mind using a PC with it.

If you don't really need the features of the Sub 37 and you can be content with the control surface and the 25 keys (no after touch either) then perhaps the Sub P is a better choice. It's a very good basic synth given its feature set.

But saving money on the Sub only to spend it on another synth to supplement it is probably not a good choice.

I take back my first comment ... Get the Sub 37. It can do things that the Sub P is just not capable of.

[**drb**]

I'm about to pull the trigger.... A kind dealer has offered me good prices and easy terms to put it on a layaway that will make it nice and easy to do either synth...

Just to ease my mind, you guys really believe the Sub 36 is twice the synth as the Sub Phatty (because that's what it is price wise). Would you guys consider the 37 as "enough" synth to keep you happy if you could only have 1 and built good enough to last until they re issue it 20 years from now?

[Bald Eagle]

I'm about to pull the trigger.... A kind dealer has offered me good prices and easy terms to put it on a layaway that will make it nice and easy to do either synth...

Just to ease my mind, you guys really believe the Sub 36 is twice the synth as the Sub Phatty (because that's what it is price wise). Would you guys consider the 37 as "enough" synth to keep you happy if you could only have 1 and built good enough to last until they re issue it 20 years from now?

As I said I have both the Sub P and Sub 37 side by side and I can tell you that the Sub 37 is far more than twice the synth than the Sub P.

And given a budget within the price range of the Sub 37 there is nothing else in that class of synth that I would rather have.

[DaveBee]

I say get a synth that will give you the most enjoyment and exploration over the long term. That one being the Sub 37. I doubt you would regret it but if you get a Sub Phatty based on cost you will always be wondering. Then ... when you recover financially you start getting mother-32s to add to it ... like I am now doing

[**drb**]

Ok, you guys talked me into it.... I ordered the Sub 37 through Alto Music. Will be a bit until it comes home, but I'm sure I made the right choice

[Bald Eagle]

Congrats on your purchase. Be sure to let us know how you like it when it comes in. You won't be disappointed.