OptoKey Minimoog D contacts now in production

[Kevin Lightner]

Donimoog =The Minimoog made by Don Martin's Moog Music of Ohio circa 1995/96.

Don Martin basically decided that since the trademark had elapsed for the name Moog Music Inc, he'd start up a new Moog Music himself.
He did successfully make many Moog modules and their quality wasn't all that bad.
He also sold several Minimoog clones which were close copies of the original Mini.

However Don was understaffed, underfunded and too inexperienced as an engineer and businessman.
He bought many goods and services on credit and defaulted, not paying his bills.
Delivery times slowed down, promises were broken and the public grew impatient and critical.

For example, while he engineered his own Model D Mini, several key issues of the Mini had problems.
I used to have a web page up comparing a real Mini to a "DoniMoog."
He got about 95% of it right, but failed in pulling it off perfectly.

He also insulted many hardcore Moog fans by using the famous "We're the ones who started it all!" slogan.

Since Bob Moog wanted to start up his company again and name it Moog Music, a lawsuit emerged.
Bob won the case and Don could no longer call himself Moog Music and by this time was broke.
(I helped in a minor way by providing some evidence for the trial, which Bob paid me for.)

I also have some original price lists and a personal letter written on "Moog Music Inc" letterhead.

The ironic thing about all of this is that if he had simply called his company something else, he'd likely have been a success.
He definitely did some good work and delivered some instruments, but failed in the assumption that one could just become "Moog Music" and everyone would just go along with it.
As a comparative, if someone wrote and performed a bunch of great songs that sounded like the Beatles, they could likely be successful.
But to have the audacity to also call yourself "The Beatles" is an insult both to the originals and their fans.
The same thing happened here.

[Voltor07]

Wow...just...

[Kevin Lightner]

Yep.

But take a moment to consider this...

Don's FIRST offerings were well-crafted Moog 900 series modules.
Something Moog Music today still doesn't offer.

Consider if Don prevailed and co-existed or merged with Moog today.
What if Bob hadn't sued him (and won), named his own company something else or came to an agreement?

Don called his modules the 9500 series.
The range of modules wasn't yet complete, but I have no doubt he could have duped full Moog 55s in time.
They're still the the closest copies I've ever touched, seen and heard. 99.5% perfect.
Had he stayed in business and perhaps not split his time up trying to remake Minimoogs, he could have made perfect duplicates in every regard.
Things could be very different today for a lot of people.

Anyway.. consider... that's all

[Logodave]

Kevin,

I bought one of those Donimoogs and I think it was pretty well done. The silkscreen on the control
board was my issue, but that was cosmetic. He was very evasive as time went on but I finally got mine in 1997.

I would love to see some pics someday of the 900 series modules. And I can't find my catalog, price sheet and
letter from him anyhwere. I do have his business card with that Mailboxes addy though.

Dave

[Kevin Lightner]

I know the panel problem- the white paint bled badly and the letters aren't crispy defined.
I was disappointed too.
You might want to replace yours with those ones on Ebay nowadays.
They're much better than the Martin ones.
I believe the new ones are made by Hernan Baldi.

If yours stays in tune, you might have received one with either an original Moog VCO board or real uA726 chips installed in a Martin board.
Don later ran out of uA726's (or couldn't afford more) and tried making his own.
A big failure.
But some Minis were made with real 726's and shouldn't have any big issues.
The pins from the transformer can break off on the rectifier board tho if roughly handled.

I actually have some of those Martin pitch wheels here.
They're not like a real Mini, but feel pretty good and are solid nylon.
Pretty strong.

I have pics of various modules here, but the only ones I could find quickly were taken by someone else.
(possibly Cary Roberts- if so, thanks!)
At least two owners have posted pics of theirs in the past if you can find them.

Here's two pics of a 9505 (905 reverb copy):

[Logodave]

Kevin,

Thanks for posting those pics. Those modules do like look well built. I have had this theory that I thought
the Donimoog was built from NOS Moog parts, I guess the metal work of the case, etc...

It just something I always thought about over the years.

Again TNX for the post.

Dave

[Voltor07]

AFAIK Mike Bucki was the only one making modules/rack gear from NOS Moog parts.

[Logodave]

Yo Voltor,

I just found pictures of the Moog modular 9500 series from the 90's.

<www.moogmodular.com>

They look well built.

[Voltor07]

Yo Voltor,

I just found pictures of the Moog modular 9500 series from the 90's.

<www.moogmodular.com>

They look well built.

Sure. But are they made from NOS parts? There's a difference between well-built using Chinese components and well-built NOS parts. Mike Bucki used original AB pots, original Moog boards, and etched aluminum panels. Don Martin obviously did not use original Moog boards, and he poorly silkscreened the panels. Not sure of the components used, though the jacks are obviously Switchcraft, and the knobs look original.

[Kevin Lightner]

Don actually did assemble the boards with new components that were either exact or extremely close to originals.
The pots were high quality and the trims were the same wirewound types.
I'm not even sure how he found or ordered some of those parts, especially in the mid 90's, but he did.

The boards really weren't too bad.
From all I can tell (and from memory), the main differences between 900 and 9500 series were:

1. 9500's used slightly thicker wires.
2. No gold plating on edge fingers. (Though even early Moog originals used either bare copper or were tinned like the 9500s.)
3. The graphics say 9500 instead of 900.

I'm probably forgetting a few more details, but they really were pretty close.

I also have an Ohio Moog Music Minimoog power supply board available for sale. (board #3)
It contains the power regulators, the noise source, headphone amp and the modulation mix amplifier circuitry.
Tests fine and no wear or corrosion on the trims or connectors.

So if someone needs a head start in duping a Mini, I'll sell that board.
I also have an original Moog Music board #2 (envs and key interface) I want to sell.
Also tested, recapped, etc.
Say $350 and I'll sell 'em both together.
I was about to put them on Ebay, but can hold off a little while if someone here wants them.
These would save a LOT of time if DIY'ing one's own model D.
Time that could be spent making the other two boards- VCOs and Filter/VCA board (Boards 1 and 4.)

Also, I was correct about the origin of the pics I posted above.
They were taken by Cary Roberts.
Same ones are on his site.
He owns the "www.moogmodular.com" domain.

[Voltor07]

So, how did he screw up on the Minimoog clone? If the modules were close to spot-on, what's the differences between Minimoog and Donimoog?

[Logodave]

Voltor,

When I said that I had a theory about Don using Moog NOS parts, I meant the metal work, as in the
minimoog chassis/cabinet. I could be wrong but damn he got that part right on if he made his own.

Also I read on some other board regarding Moog history that when Moog when out of business,
he bought alot of their inventory and Bucki got the rest.
I will try to find where I saw that and post it up here.

And Kevin congrats on the OptoKey!

Dave

[Voltor07]

I know the panel problem- the white paint bled badly and the letters aren't crispy defined.
I was disappointed too.

Logodave, I'm guessing Bucki bought the panels from Moog stock, unless, and this is also possible, Bucki got the etched panels and Don got the blank ones. Not sure though. I DO know that before Bucki disappeared, he was offering one-of-a-kind authentic Moog modules, with 900 labeling, which tells me that the panels Don Martin was using were either A) blank when he bought them, or B) not NOS at all.

And yes, only Kevin would be as awesome as to build something as amazing as the OptoKey contacts. Kevin, I hope you continue to do well with that product.

[Kevin Lightner]

So, how did he screw up on the Minimoog clone? If the modules were close to spot-on, what's the differences between Minimoog and Donimoog?

A lot of small details.

I used to have a page detailing most of them with photos and if I get a chance I'll upload it, but it's too many things to recall off the top of my head.
I can say offhand that Don forgot a board mount (standoff), used a Fatar keyboard, different wheels, had unwelded, unanodized rear covers and several other differences.
But it's really hard to say anything definitely because he made such small numbers and was changing details as he went.
Just like with real Minimoogs, not all are the same because they changed details through production.

Voltor, the panels you quoted me about were Mini front panels, not modulars.
As far as I know, both Mike and Don did their own modular panels from scratch.
Don may have bought some real Moog NOS stuff from Fred, but there weren't any finished panels as far as I know.
I once had a Bucki sample and hold module here for evaluation and as far as I could tell, it was all Mike's work.
I have pics of that also and if I find the time, will upload them too.

Of the NOS stuff that Don bought from Fred, I think there were some original Minimoog wiring harnesses and connectors.
Likely some components too.
I believe this because I bought out all of Fred's synth parts years ago and these Minimoog harnesses were included.

Thanks for the kind words on the OptoKey, Dave.

[Voltor07]

Oh...oops. Good info, as usual Kevin. I suspected that Don made his own panels, but had no idea Mike made his, too. Mike's panels look identical to Moog's original panels, at least, as far as I could tell.