Mellotronists

mark kasian wrote:

> It's not an assumption. It's a fact- ONE guy stepped
> up to the plate with a 50,000.00 investment to rescue
> the tapes from a leaking attic in Sutton Coldfield.
> The main parts inventory was headed for a dump in
> Destin Florida. BOTH of the previous companies had
> gone BANKRUPT trying to support the old instruments.
>
> Woulda, shoulda, coulda isn't worth a shilling, but
> you have to give credit (yes even you Martin) to the
> guy for trying something so risky just for the love of
> the instrument.
>
> He did the same thing for the Gleeman Pentaphonic, ran
> a huge demographic study and supplied the early
> prototypes for the Moog Vogager, financed the initial
> run of 200e modules from Buchla, rescued the Emu
> document archive from a trash heap. Where is the FIRST
> portable synth (EMS Putney)? Calgary. Rolling Stones
> Moblie? Calgary. ALL at a NON-profit studio for ANYONE
> to use.

______________________________________________________________

All this info is well-known , Mark  . Anybody who's chatted with and met
DK in the "earlier" years  knows of his selfless efforts to keep legacies alive
of the misc. intruments mentioned.  But it's good that you inform some
newer members of our List, hopefully without alienating/angering  others .

Important thing to remember is that all that financial outlay of DK's in late
1980's
needs some return on investment .  The free/cheap parts from DK in the beginning

gave way to real monetary concerns .  No way in hell could  I shell-out
$50K and let it languish.   What began as a "hobby" in Moses Lake, WA,
gave-way to an international business of preserving,displaying and now building
Trons.
.....No spin there......

________________________________________________________________

>
> We alienated the wrong crew on this list and if you
> and John had NEVER met or if Les hadn't passed away,
> he and Kean would probably still be friends. And don't
> give me a bunch of grief about "stirring up the pot"
> here kids...JK, Markus and Martin are spinning the
> topic to their own ends, this MY 2 bits. I am saying
> it because DK is sitting on BAGS of red lense caps, MK
> II front plates, knobs, blah blah blah and the guys on
> this list have made that stuff un-available to us with
> such a lack of TOLERANCE, respect, humor and a blind
> disregard of the FACTS.

__________________________________________________________________

I don't see a spin in stating my observations of  loosely threaded
longer MA tapes on older M400 frames .  As mentioned, there
was no inference that anyone in the MA organization was the reason.
....The customers/end-users themselves .

If Dave Kean  is stockpiling those needed parts mentioned,
(add to that all those Bulgin M400/MK-V knobs and M400 front plates
removed during Sound Sales "enhancements") ,  any   RFQ's  should be
answered  from all potential customers/owners.

We're all maxed-out on tape-heads right now.....

________________________________________________________________


>
> Thank God for the stuff that has been written down
> elsewhere because the empirical body of knowledge that
> Terry Kelley, Steve Frothingham, Brian Kehew, Gary
> Hahlbeck, Jim Herbst, Jim Blair, Damon Fox, Ron
> Skinner and DK could have brought to this list will
> forever be lost now. Pity.  --  Mark.

________________________________________________________________

With the exception of Jimmy Herbst and Ron Skinner,
I've had pleasant email chats with all the above in the last
8-9 years. You forgot Robert A. Laughton , who produced some M400
control panels,decals and bronze models back then.  Another dedicated follower
of the Moses Lake gang . And who sold me "Julia" in 1998.
A casual exchange of tech-info,anecdotes, some humorous
tales, etc.  None of the same old banter I keep hearing from the same people.

In fact, I  received a very nice,sincere detailed message
from Dave Kean on March-08-2006.  I respectfully asked about Jimmy Herbst
(who passed-away in 2003) , as I have his MK-II here for some R&R.

No animosity, no barbs, no cynicism, and no spin  whatsoever from Dave.
Quite different from the stuff slingshot from a select  few on this List,
towards people who follow their own paths for decades and will never
have a mansion, Bentley, Learjet (or WANT TO)  for their efforts.
.....One Tron at a time back to life , and maybe a LITTLE thanks of
recognition for all the selfless effort/research , should suffice.

David Jacques'  follow-up summary says it quite well. Many thanks, David.

I see no  need to defend/justify my 38 year love for the Mellotron
any further.   !Viva Mellotron !

--Jerry Korb (w.flak jacket just in case)