MOOG MUSIC MINIMOOG MODEL D - muSonics spec

They are simple enough that a novice can swiftly achieve gratifying results, yet so deep and versatile that one can happily spend a lifetime coaxing gently-nuanced sounds from Bob Moog’s most famous creation. From bass with enormous bottom end, searing and soaring leads, delicate brass/woodwind/bell tones, to fat house stabs, tech bleeps and percussion, the Minimoog excels. It strides effortlessly across musical genres and transcends time and place, sounding as immediate and relevant today as it did when it was first unleashed onto the world in 1970. In its modern incarnation as the Moog Voyager, the Mini is still very much front and center on stage for today’s professional musicians, offering patch memory, Midi control and greater stability, but increasingly at the expense of the uniqueness and warmth of its forebears.
As studio-bound noisemongers, we’re particularly-enamoured of the earlier Model Ds which, though harder to track down and sometimes less stable than later incarnations (well-maintained examples such as the one listed here perform very well), ooze with charm, character and individuality. Ensconced in a studio and removed from the pressures of live performance, the sheer joy to be had from the sound and feel of an early Mini is well-worth the additional tuning adjustments necessary as the operating temperature change. Using a guitar tuner reaffirms the sense that an early Mini is more ‘acoustic’ than other synths – more like a guitar than an electronic keyboard – more ‘alive’.
It is analogue from an era when electronic instruments were truly manufactured (in the original sense of the word – ‘made by hand’) for quality rather than machine-built to a price-point.
It is all about passion and pleasure – heart ruling the head, the tactile joy and aural bliss – the absolute antithesis of a computer running software. A real instrument that rewards the player with inspiration and speaks with a unique voice. We love Minimoogs.

The last two Minis we sold went to Adrian Utley (for use with the Will Gregory Moog Ensemble) and Mike Crossey.

Adrian had these kind words to say: “thanks guys for this beautiful minimoog, sounds really good and was a great pleasure dealing with you..and hanging out talking about old gear..obviously a passion of yours..cheers, Adrian.”

1972 MINIMOOG MODEL D

This early Minimoog Model D from 1972 is in excellent cosmetic condition and superb working order.

Serviced by a top engineer and in superb operating condition, including recapping the power supply, replacing the later oscillator board with a period-correct early board, and re-bushing the keyboard. It’s just had another tune-up and recalibration with our tech and is ready for action – it sounds superb.

The filter is very sweet – this has most of the hallmarks of a muSonics Mini and appears to be a transition unit: it’s sonically pretty much indistinguishable from a muSonics Mini we recently sold. The boards are marked RA Moog (apart from the replaced osc board) and it has the smoked perspex pitch/mod wheels usually found on muSonics Minis. There are some old mods which have been left in place, including internal/external oscillator control switch on the front panel and a mystery mod with two holes on one side; the S-trig has been converted to ¼” jack input. There’s been some damage to the wooden case in the past – hairline crack on the front and rear corner – some internal bracing has been added (see pics below for details). There are the extra holes in the rear panel for calibrating the later oscillator card which has now been replaced. 

It sounds as rich, silky and creamy as an early Mini should.

It’s a 110v USA model.

All hardware looks to be original (aside from the osc board). 

This Mini sounds and plays every bit as good as it looks: a practical classic and solid investment.
The filter is smoother and creamier than later Minis – sonically it has that unmistakable larger than life presence that sets it apart from run of the mill instruments.
If you’ve only played soft synth emulations of a Minimoog, this will blow your socks off.

There are no known operational faults with this unit.

(Please note: it is always possible with vintage equipment that some crackly pots/sliders may develop over time when equipment has not been used – even during a short delivery period – this can usually be easily rectified either by use or with Caig Deoxit spray).

Shipping discount available for bank transfer.