Mellotronists

Hi David!

Dave and I have been delivering the MKVI since early 1999. But our
commitment to the Mellotron is far older than that (no thanks mr Korb for
omitting this piece of information). In the early nineties David Kean
managed to buy (and rescue) both the American and the English parts of the
Mellotron Tape library and spare parts stock. At that time hardly anybody
was interested in Mellotrons, many calling Dave "a nut" when he bought all
this stuff. His main reason for this was to save this important piece of
music history (as he has also done in later years by founding the Audities
foundation (see audities.org)), before it was lost. This was an obvious
danger especially with the American part of the Mellotron stuff, since this
had been sold in a liquidation to some people who weren't interested at all
in the "old junk" and were about to scrap it.
When David subsequently contacted Leslie Bradley, who still had what was
left of Streetly Electronics, he had the following to say when David
contacted him and told him that he (Dave) was setting up Mellotron Archives:
"The news was very exciting. Having put our own company (Streetly) into
liquidation some years ago, I really believed that the Mellotron was more or
less passe. The news hit me like a triple scotch, WOW, twenty three years of
my life revived!" (from one of the first Mellotron Archives news letters in
'91)

Since the early nineties we have been making tapes, repairing Mellotrons and
supplying spare parts. I have been manufacturing SMS motor control boards,
tape frames, tape frame boxes etc while David has been handling the sales
and made the tapes. For a long time we were the only ones making tapes and
Mellotron parts worldwide. We also own the trade mark "Mellotron" world
wide. So it's definitely a 'labor of love' from our side, since we have done
it during some of the years when Mellotrons were at the lowest level of
popularity. If I wanted to make money, I certainly wouldn't make and service
Mellotrons - my translation business could easily be expanded.

Our website since the mid 90:s is www.mellotron.com
The fastest way to contact me directly is via markus.resch@...

I hope I have managed to give you an overview of Dave's and my involvment in
the Mellotron.

Best regards

Markus

In a message dated 17/1/02 11:11:00 PM GMT Standard Time, rah287w@... 
writes:


> In the early nineties David Kean
> managed to buy (and rescue) both the American and the English parts of the
> Mellotron Tape library and spare parts stock. At that time hardly anybody
> was interested in Mellotrons,

This is an interesting one.  I contacted Les in September 1989 and met John 
at the same time.  If I had been just a little quicker in making contact I 
KNOW that the Streetly stock would most definitely have stayed in England.  
It is presumptuous to assume that DK was the only person interested.  It was 
just a matter of timing.  How appropriate.

Martin
Streetly Electronics - All Things Mellotronic 
MKVI rebuilds a speciality
members.aol.com/tronpage/streetly/streetly htm.
www.vemia.co.uk/mellotron
Tape library: blackcat.demon.co.uk/tron/samples.htm
Toronto and Philly workshops: kleonard.com
US East Coast Agent: Jimmy Moore - JMoore6397@...

> > In the early nineties David Kean
> > managed to buy (and rescue) both the American and
> the English parts of the
> > Mellotron Tape library and spare parts stock. At
> that time hardly anybody
> > was interested in Mellotrons,

In all fairness, I think "hardly anybody" can mean a
handfull of people. I'm sure Markus is only pointing
out the contrast to today's world in which mellotron
interest flourishes once again, thanks to both Dave
and Streetly.
Thanks-
Mitch

> 
> This is an interesting one.  I contacted Les in
> September 1989 and met John 
> at the same time.  

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When conversations like this get going, it helps to keep perspective on the
whole issue.

REMEMBER, John was the walrus. Paul WASN'T the walrus. John was just saying
that to be nice, but he was actually the walrus.

So there!

Rick FSX 10030 (Whose favourite mellotron photo is the one of John Lennon
playing his black MkII. Check out Merb's website)

Mitch Mignano wrote:

> > > In the early nineties David Kean
> > > managed to buy (and rescue) both the American and
> > the English parts of the
> > > Mellotron Tape library and spare parts stock. At
> > that time hardly anybody
> > > was interested in Mellotrons,
>
> In all fairness, I think "hardly anybody" can mean a
> handfull of people. I'm sure Markus is only pointing
> out the contrast to today's world in which mellotron
> interest flourishes once again, thanks to both Dave
> and Streetly.
> Thanks-
> Mitch
>
> >
> > This is an interesting one.  I contacted Les in
> > September 1989 and met John
> > at the same time.
>
> __________________________________________________
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>
>
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In a message dated 1/18/02 7:05:40 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
vairtex@... writes:

> Well Martin It's about time you buy it back! I don't see this Dave Kean? 
> character doing the same wonderful customer support around here like you 
> two! Customer service and tact is everything these days.
> 
WARNING!!  WARNING!!!  DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!!!

Perhaps someone (with more influence than I) should privately make our new 
friends aware of the dangers of opening old woulds (no more pissing contests 
PLEASE) -- and perhaps remind ourselvs of those unpleasant days..

Frank
M400 #908

In a message dated 1/18/02 8:29:05 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
mitch_mignano@... writes:

<< 
 Mellotronists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com >>

In my humble opinion the mellotron was and always will be of English origin. 
This is part of the mystique of this analog sampler that we care about so 
much!!
                                                              jimmy moore#285
going to Ohio soon...... going to be a mellotron tycoon

> Martin
> Streetly Electronics - All Things Mellotronic
> MKVI rebuilds a speciality

'MKVI rebuilds'? Do tell!

Mike Dickson (tron@...) M400 #996
The Official Cynic of Streetly Electronics
Streetly Sample Library http://www.blackcat.demon.co.uk/tron/samples.htm

From: tron@...
   Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 19:44:31 GMT

   > Martin
   > Streetly Electronics - All Things Mellotronic
   > MKVI rebuilds a speciality

   'MKVI rebuilds'? Do tell!

I'm getting more than a little pissed at Streetly's digs at DK.  This
behavior is immature, unprofessional and downright rude and this is
not the place for it.  Any more and they're off the list.

Especially in recent years, where reed-based, tine-based, and
string-based electric pianos, Clavinets, tonewheel organs, and a
number of other important keyboard instruments have been buried by the
"Cultural Revolution" of the computer-based toys from the music
industry, it is vitally important that Mellotron Archives is
manufacturing a Mark VI.  My hat's off to them.

  -- your humble list manager

-- 
Don Tillman
Palo Alto, California, USA
don@...
http://www.till.com

Don Tillman wrote:
> 
>    From: tron@...
>    Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 19:44:31 GMT
> 
>    > Martin
>    > Streetly Electronics - All Things Mellotronic
>    > MKVI rebuilds a speciality
> 
>    'MKVI rebuilds'? Do tell!
> 
> I'm getting more than a little pissed at Streetly's digs at DK.  This
> behavior is immature, unprofessional and downright rude and this is
> not the place for it.  Any more and they're off the list.


while we are on the subject of unprofessional:
do let's discuss dk then.
first send the man $2500 in good faith as a deposit for a new unit.
then shall we mention the unreturned phone calls.
then shall we mention the "it was shipped - you don't have it yet?"
then shall we mention the "oh, my shipping guy told me it went out,
but he was mistaken"

the man is either a flake or a liar depending on which day it is.
then shall we discuss the 4 months to return funds sent in good faith,
and the lies piled upon lies involved in THAT aspect of the transaction.
this is all well documented in a local friend's recent dealings with
him over the span of the last year - he oredered a unit - it was never
delivered - he was told it had shipped - notheng EVER shipped - refund
was requested - weeks of confusion and lies - finally a refund was sent.
the whole time dk claimed either mis-communication or ignorance.

sorry, but the man has a reputation for being fine to deal with for a
couple months, then disappearing and turning into a flake for a few months.

i had a very good experience with him many years ago when i needed
some assistance putting my unit into working order in the early 90s,
but the expereience of another friend over the past 12 months was a
very different one, full of deception, lies and blatant dishonesty.
truth be told, you have no way of knowing which dk you will be dealing
with on any given day, and life is too short to play games like that.

yes - dk kept the mellotron alive, and i did quite well by him a long
time ago, but many in recent times have had a difficult time with him.

can we have some testimony of some dk mkvi owners please?

this should serve to be an open forum, and bashing anyone is in bad
taste, but many of dk's actions of late are indefensible. this is my
own opinion based on my recent experiences. your mileage may vary.
threatening to ban the tronbros from the list reeks of fascism.

M400 #364
Jeff Coulter

> Especially in recent years, where reed-based, tine-based, and
> string-based electric pianos, Clavinets, tonewheel organs, and a
> number of other important keyboard instruments have been buried by the
> "Cultural Revolution" of the computer-based toys from the music
> industry, it is vitally important that Mellotron Archives is
> manufacturing a Mark VI.  My hat's off to them.
> 
>   -- your humble list manager
> 
> --
> Don Tillman
> Palo Alto, California, USA
> don@...
> http://www.till.com
> 
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> Mellotronists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> 
> 
> 
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

From: Jeffrey Coulter <jeffc@...>
   Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002 01:24:58 -0500

   the man is either a flake or a liar depending on which day it is.
   then shall we discuss the 4 months to return funds sent in good faith,
   and the lies piled upon lies involved in THAT aspect of the transaction.
   this is all well documented in a local friend's recent dealings with
   him over the span of the last year 

Well, the claim hasn't been substiated, DK isn't here to address it,
and we can't do anything to fix things, so other then that...

   can we have some testimony of some dk mkvi owners please?

Yes, please!  We have heard some.

   this should serve to be an open forum, 

It is absolutely an open forum, I will never filter or edit anything,
but I will boot off folks who abuse it.  

   threatening to ban the tronbros from the list reeks of fascism.

Ehhh, in a fascist regime you wouldn't be allowed to start your own
email list. 

  -- Don

-- 
Don Tillman
Palo Alto, California, USA
don@...
http://www.till.com