Soundgas Diary 17th September
Written by Tony Miln
It's been an exciting week here at Soundgas with some monster arrivals and other monsters getting ready to depart.
James Walker has finished servicing the reissue Moog System 55 that we sold on behalf of the original owner. It is one of only 55 produced by Moog at an original price of $35,000, but required a great deal more work than you'd hope or expect from a recent synth at this price point. While the overall build quality and attention to detail is striking, there were several issues from factory that took some tracking down. We've seen this in a previous modern Moog (System 35). I doubt I'd have ever noticed the issues James identified, but it's one of the joys of working with such a great technician: I know when he says a synth is good to go, it really is.
It's shipping with a complete Roland System 100 (also overhauled by James) plus a Cwejman S1 Mk2 for good measure, and heading over to the US for a customer who asked us to locate System 55 for him.
If ever there was an example of one man's meat being another's poison, then this lovely early EMS Synthi HiFli (complete with stand and pedals) which we are selling on behalf of the owner is surely it. The current owner acquired it about 8 years ago and had it serviced by Robin Wood at EMS but never got on with it and it's lain unused since.
My love affair with the HiFli goes back a long way and I've been fortunate to play a fair few over the years. Like EMS synths, they seem to all have individual character, but I've never met a HiFli I didn't like. At one point I had three in my studio - one of the ten original prototypes, a mid period unit and one of the last units to come out of EMS Cornwall but could only keep one (poor you, I hear you cry).
. It took some doing. They were all three brilliant and very different. In the end the prototype (on the left) was the first to go as it was more than I could afford to keep it. The choice between the other two was agonising - both very different and very interesting in their own way. I ended up keeping the late one in the orange wooden case (Robin had run out of the 'toilet seat' cases by this time so the last ones came in shed-orange wooden cases).
It remains one of my favourite effects of all: unlike the owner of the one we are now brokering, I could never tire of the delights of the EMS Synthi HiFli.
The September Soundgas Auction went live on Friday and is the result of a great deal of hard work and dedication by auctions main man Job Gregory and all the team at Soundgas.
Once again it's a mixed big of synths big and small, studio gear, tape machines, and all manner of weird and wonderful things for all tastes and budgets - there's some lovely old ribbon mics and even some test gear on offer.
We all really enjoy putting these auctions together and once again we have a mix of items from the Soundgas shelves, more amazing gear from the studio of Lincolnshire's Dex 'Tape Noise' Wright (whose breadth of knowledge and taste in old/weird gear was astonishing) and from other customers and estates. There really is something for everyone in this month's sale.
Aside from the joy of sonic adventure and discovery we encounter checking and testing (as much as possible) everything, one of the real pleasures of Soundgas Auctions for me is that it allows us to source interesting and inspiring gear for musicians on any budget.
The recent move to new premises has revealed that the Soundgas shelves are in need of a great deal of thinning out so we've entered some nice pieces like a working (unserviced) Roland RE-201 Space Echo, Fender Rhodes 73 and the star of the auction, a stunning Roland System 100 Model 101 and 102 that I'd really like to have kept for our studio.
Speaking of big synths - watch out for the next Soundgas Auction at the end of October which will be a synth-heavy selection!
We are all looking forward to Synthfest UK in Sheffield (Synth City) on Saturday October 5th which is organised by the wonderful team at Sound On Sound magazine.
This year we're doing something a little different - as well as bringing a selection of Soundgas gear for people to check out, I have somehow been persuaded to host a mini live Soundgas Auction in the auditorium as described below on the Synthfest UK site. We're aiming to run the auction online as well for anyone unable to make it to the event. I've been selecting a few choice items with the emphasis on affordability and portability (so expect some tasty small synths in original carry cases rather than any CS80s for sale!)
2:00pm - Soundgas Live Gear Auction
Tony Miln from Soundgas will auction a selection of vintage analogue synths, drum machines and effects live on stage at this 'grab a bargain' event with most lots being offered with no reserve. Win the bid and walk away with the gear on the day!
Auction lots can be viewed on the Soundgas site a week before the event and you can see the gear on the Soundgas stand on the day. Many items will be at very affordable prices plus a few unusual pieces for the keen collector.
So even if you don't fancy bidding on a bargain synth or effect, do come along and marvel at my inaugural attempt to impersonate an auctioneer...
I'll leave you with this - a Noise Of The Day with the Oberheim OB-1 and Soundgas LFOmo and Type 636P making filthy sounds together...