Moog Music Forum

Kevin Lightner wrote:To obtain a really nice one today that still plays reliably will take some money.

Or some luck... four years ago I found a very clean very reliable set in a vintaj guitar store. I'm at a loss to explain why a store that sells '59 vintage les pauls for $300,000 lets these Taurus Is go for $1000 (!!!) With original moog fiberglass case.

This place sells the occasional accordian. I spotted the case and said to myself "that's an awful big accordian" Popped the lid and they were inside, they never even put them out on display.

What a beautiful looking synth! Tell me though, unless "perfect" in your view means exactly as it would've been delivered by RA Moog 40 years ago, what was less than perfect about this 55?

My statement was basically a comparative to that auction where the seller stated 4 or 5 times that his was "perfect."
I don't believe anything is really perfect. At least as made by man.
If I can notice screws missing or whatever, I'd call that "room for improvement" and certainly not perfect.
For example, if I replaced the screw that was missing, would it then be "more than perfect?"

On the 55 I showed, there's some minor wood imperfections, a few small scratches and that sort of thing.
I just can't bring myself to declaring any vintage synth as mint or perfect.
I don't believe there is such a thing as a mint vintage synth, period.

Kevin Lightner wrote:I don't believe there is such a thing as a mint vintage synth, period.

How old does a synthesizer have to be to call it vintage? 1985? I have a dead mint Casio CZ-101, that I aquired unopened in it's original box. Including the 6 National Hi-Top batteries (not so mint). Not a scratch, finger print, or dust speck on it. I did fire it up and record it via MIDI just the other day, still sounds amazing.
Here is a pic of the CZ in the oiriginal hardshell case. It actually sparkles.

While I'm not a collector and believe a synthesizer should be played, I have enough CZ-101's to set this one aside.
The original CZ case keeps the dust away nicely!



And the CZ sounds awesome with a Moog Modular. Killer combo!
CZ-101 lead over Moog Modular bass

Nice sounding piece. I just retired my v good condition CZ-101 from service as I found a better than average {has some light marks/scratches}CZ-5000 for $75 this week. Nice to have full size keys and another sequencer. I don't have a mint anything (other than some DI's that are still in box.) in my collection. But almost all of it is in better condition than most. Most is studio only and never gigged. (Except the Vger and JX3-P/Planet S) Just keeping them in this condition is work enough. I'd hate to worry about keeping them mint! (Like the pipe organ and Bosendorfer at the local church.) Closest to mint for me is my modular. It has the least use and wear of anything I've got.

How old does a synthesizer have to be to call it vintage? 1985? I have a dead mint Casio CZ-101

No offense personally, but it appears you're basing "mint" on external visuals.

I'm basing it on the natural aging and wear of electronic components.
24 year old electrolytic capacitors are not like new ones.
Silver tarnishes. Rubber degrades. PCBs flex and can crack connections.
Key pivots and other frictional surfaces can wear.
Metal can fatigue.
Part values can drift.

A person can have broken bones inside, but look fine externally.
Same for synths.

No slam, but we're looking at these synths from two different perspectives.

Just Me wrote:Nice sounding piece. I just retired my v good condition CZ-101 from service as I found a better than average {has some light marks/scratches}CZ-5000 for $75 this week.

Thanks! Those old CZ's sound great. $75 is a steal for the 5000. I started with a CZ-3000, and later discovered they had a battery operated version. Thats how I got into the CZ-101, looking for a portable synthesizer I could play anywhere.
My portable CZ rig.

Here is another short sample of that same Mint CZ-101 with a 40 year old Moog. Something about that sound, must be the vintage electronic parts! The Moog has a build date of August 11, 1969 (Woodstock Synth)
Mint CZ-101 with Moog Modular Bass MP3

It's always a treat to hear you stuff, CZ Rider!

It just struck me that your lead sound and playing at times sounds almost identical to this MOTM-440 VCF demo on the Synth Tech site!
http://www.synthtech.com/demo/440_lead.mp3

Did you create that demo or is it just a coincidence?

JohnLRice wrote:Did you create that demo or is it just a coincidence?

Hey John, good ears, thanks for the compliment! I did that many years back (2001?), my setrup was mostly my Mini-MOTM. That sample has a bit of 410 filter on the sequence and I was still fine tuning my Casio sound with filter combinations.
Still use the MOTM filters, and though subtle, the two samples I posted here, have in different quantities both the 410 and 420 on the percussion track. About 85% straight(Simmons SDS1000), with the MOTM filters mixed in, the hand clap from a Tama TS-204 is straight into the 420 in high pass, with a 390 LFO slowly sweeping, so that part comes in and out. Helps make it sound more alive and less canned. I always used the 410 on sequences, as it sweeps, it emphasises these strange frequencies, making it sound less static.
Here is a sample from back in 2001 when I was using the Mini-MOTM (Minimoog and MOTM) from a live radio broadcast. You can really hear the 410 sweeping and picking out these percussive sounds. Like having a third hand changing the sounds as I open up the Minimoog filter. Scott W. on guitar.

Live on Starsend Aug 19,2001
Seems these days I use that Moog 1P mostly for sequences, and back it up sometimes with the MiniMOTM.
I'm spoiled with that old Moog, that turns 40 years on Aug 11.

I just stumbled across this thread (and board, which I didn't even know existed) while doing a Google search for, of all things, the MG-1. Go figure...

Anyway, I've been trying to watch for Moog modular auctions over the last few years to get a gauge on pricing and this one had slipped by me. I'm not really active on the synth forums anymore so I probably miss many of the sales. The reason I'm following prices is because I have a modular (a Frankenstein IIIC) that I'm thinking of selling sometime. It seems like there are some experts here, or at least people more currently involved in the synth world than I.

My question is this... Is there a better place than Ebay to sell a big Moog modular? I used to use the message board classifieds (AH, Vintagesynth, Gearslutz, etc) but have found over the last few years that Ebay, despite the headaches, seems to be the best place to sell stuff. I don't see a classified section here, are there other specialty Moog and/or Modular boards?
Thanks.

Welcome to the forum!

Ebay, despite it's shortcomings, is still the largest advertising medium you can use for sales of such item, as far as I know.

But if you don't have an established Ebay selling or buying record, people may be hesitant to deal with you. They may think you're a scammer.
Probably the best thing is to list it on Ebay- honestly described and with a lot of good photographs.
I'm sure others here can give you lots of other tips.
There are also some Moog modular owners here.
I don't own one, I'm just a tech.
But I've worked on a lot of them.

Best of luck and again welcome to the forum.

Thanks Kevin. This is pretty much what I suspected but I've been out of the loop for a little bit and wanted to check first.
BTW, you used to have a picture of my system on your website under the title "Norm's Whole Everything", I bought it from him in the late 90s.

CZ RIDER, maybe you are the same spammer that love to write bullshit.
The CEMS was NOT SOLD in parts from me. Was a my bad idea in the past to sell only a part of sequencers to replace with original R.A. Moog modules, BUT I have changed project, I have replyed you many times on other forums...

Also read well the top of descriptios:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0400746531

"NOT SELL IT ANYMORE" this auction was colsed!

And... please understand that I had the maximum respect and BIG economic sacrifice to buy it (at difference from others) and maaaany moneys spent to restore this beaustiful machine.
Maybe the old owner was not careful that has closed for more of 20 years this beast..
I have bought and saved it man.... and you informed well before to write bad of persons on the forums.
The maximum respect is on the people before and after on synthesizers.

BY THE WAY: what I sell in spare modules is the custom MOOG 55 so I don't need of any screws at moment
All the best for every musician and collector in this cool forum.

......................
......................
......................

Moog55 wrote:CZ RIDER, maybe you are the same spammer that love to write bullshit.
The CEMS was NOT SOLD in parts from me. Was a my bad idea in the past to sell only a part of sequencers to replace with original R.A. Moog modules, BUT I have changed project, I have replyed you many times on other forums... .

Welcom to the Moog forum Moog55.
Seem you have me confused with someone else?
Do you have any audio files of the music you make? Would like to hear some. Thanks!

Hello CZ Rider,
I hope you have read well my previous post where I write "maybe you are..."
Why? I am tired to hear that the CEMS was dismantled... it's no true, a false legend.
Is difficult to digest this from me after the very big expense and patience on the restoration.
I have saved from disastre this Moog and now is like reborn.
My intention to sell some sequencer was caused from the fact that I wanted to put in his 4th cabinet other modules that It need ....filterbank, other vco etc.
Anyway I finally decided to preserve it and to put an extra cabinet as expansion: a good reason for use all the eight 960 system.
About my music I'm a Techno Jazz producer (Scienceforce) Irma rec. and Minus Haben records.
or ..If you want to see some my synthesizers and hear some crazy sound experiments, please visit my youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/scienceforce

Nice to meet you Mr CZ
Daniele