Finally scored a Mini!

[carbon111]

Sometimes I really hate Guitar Center...usually, they're just pushing crap at me...last weekend was different.



Keybed had fresh bushings, all electronics perfect. No scratchy or rough pots...stays in tune...

Went home, slept on it, played my Moog LP like crazy, then went back again...

I had completely talked myself out of the purchase then I played the Minimoog...for two hours straight! That was the first time I've been able to spend that kind of time with one.

While my Moog LP has more modulation and is pretty FAT sounding, the Mini is positively PREGNANT.

Probably the reason this didn't walk out the door by itself at the price they were asking was that all the F keys, G keys, A keys and the High C key were a dark yellow-brown from age I guess, the other keys were fine. Fortunately I had a broken Moog Satellite in my garage that greatefully donated some keytops. Now I need to find some NOS knobs somewhere.

[synthetic]

Wow, nice! So you traded your LP for it?

Try Kevin Lightner at Synthfool for knobs. Or perhaps Moog has them? You could put Voyager knobs on it, just to hear people scream.

Cool synth and nice photos, congrats.

[theglyph]

Very nice James!! That's a very sexy pose under the Animal.

It looks like you're just missing the silver disks on your knobs. I wonder if they are the same size as those on the Voyager's knobs? I don't think the shape of the knobs are the same but i've never seen a ModelD in person.

I believe Synthfool is closed until at least 2008!

BTW, I hope you didn't ditch your LP!

[thewaag]

Congrats on the Mini. There really is nothing else like them, is there? You have to own one to truly understand that. As nice as the LP is, the Mini is even more. Add some reverb or delay and you are in analog heaven.

Yours looks exactly like mine. It has that lighter finish, rather than the dark stain. I sold my second Mini to finance the LP Tribute and a new mixer. I didn't need two, but I still miss it.

I SWEAR that an electronics/hobby shop that I used to frequent had those little silver disks for the middle of the knobs. My second Mini needed them but they no longer had them at that shop. SOMEBODY must have them.

If Kevin Lightner does not have the NOS knobs, Roger at synthesizers.com says that his knobs are an exact match.

Enjoy your new baby. Mine is still my favorite synth!

[synthetic]

I was also going to recommend .com knobs, but I didn't see a parts link on his site.

[thewaag]

I was also going to recommend .com knobs, but I didn't see a parts link on his site.

Look on the menu at the side, where you plug in the patch cords.

Go to Cabinets, etc. and scroll down.

[carbon111]

Wow, nice! So you traded your LP for it?

Never! I really like the LP

Try Kevin Lightner at Synthfool for knobs. Or perhaps Moog has them?

Tempting, but I think KL's time is pretty much booked up through 2008 based on the looks of his website!
Kevin's an amazing Tech - I've got an Arp Axxe he modded heavily. Very nice work!!!

Looks like I've got a line on knobs now. At this point, I'm just trying to decide on weather to refurb the cabinet or not...I may just leave it as-is to keep some of the "character".

[synthetic]

The cabinet looks pretty great from here.

[rachel]

I got the silver inserts for the knobs by going to an electronics store
and buying a grab bag of knobs for $2 that were the right size for the silver bit.

A little tap with a hammer to release them from their plastic prison (destroying the
otherwise useless knob) and a dab of super glue and you can't tell the difference.

If I could source a bag full of the silver bits, I would've done that, but it only
cost me $2 this way!


rachel

[carbon111]

The cabinet looks pretty great from here.

The finish is rather dirty, there's lots of scratches on it, and there's some slivers missing, notably in front of the wheels.

The photo is rather flattering though

[MarkM]

Congrats, James! It looks great in the photos.

[Kevin Lightner]

Fwiw, I'm closed to incoming synths, but parts are still sold here:
http://www.synthfool.com/store
My wife handles the sales and emails. I just do the synths.

Knobs, keys and tons of other things aren't on that page, but you can always ask.
We generally don't sell new Mini knobs because they're not easy for me to buy and I use them myself.
Used ones are put on Ebay when we get the time.

We also avoid selling the Pratt-Read keytops because they can be very white when new, while used ones can vary in shade.
So a person can buy either replacement and still not have it match perfectly.
Since they're not a huge profit item and in limited quantities, we don't list them either.

Fwiw, Voyager knobs won't fit a model D.
They look the same from the front, but mount differently.

[carbon111]

Thanks, Kevin. good to know about your parts store!

The plastic keytops off a broken Moog Satellite worked great to replace the particular keys that were brown, other than the knobs, everything else looks/sounds to be in good shape.

What a lovely synth! Its so much nicer than I had hoped! My only experience so far was playing a couple of rather "trashed" Minis...so this one was a bit of a revelation.

[dave500]

Play us some songs or just let us hear it.

[Kevin Lightner]

Fwiw, an owner who has never had a mini before may not know what should and shouldn't be sometimes.
I could suggest several things to check that few people know about, but if your mini fails any of these tests, you'd probably be less than pleased knowing.
It's like the Arp filter mod issue to make it go higher in freq- if no one knew, no one would care.
The mini is no different.
But playing it is more important.
Unless something seems wrong, it's just better to play it and enjoy.
They do have some quirks and weak spots though, just so you know.