Mellotronists

Markus Resch wrote:

> 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.

___________________________________________________________________

Greetings Everybody,

I stand by my statements about manufacturing of the MK-VI begun in 1998 by
Dave Kean. The question was about choosing a source of Mellotrons,new or
restored.   Here again is what I wrote originally:

<<The MK-VI commenced in 1998-1999 time-period with Dave Kean in California,
now in Calgary,CDN. Markus Resch in Sweden produces the mechanical parts and
assembly of the MK-VI,strongly based upon the original M400 from 1970s. >>

It was/is not my intention to provide a long history lesson to answer a simple question.
True, DK was a "maverick" in 1989 when he purchased the remains of Mellotron
in the USA . The Mellotron name was part of the deal which Sound Sales in 1978
had acquired.  Again  I stand-constant with my statement that the MK-VI is not
older than 1998. Misc. boards and pieces have been supplied by Markus Resch
from early 1990s' to present time. But that was NOT the question asked on the List.
_________________________________________________________________

> 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

__________________________________________________________________

The MK-VI is a bold testimony to the love of Mellotrons. No doubt here. And I salute
the efforts made from Mellotron.Com and its people to satisfy as best as possible the
interest in Mellotrons.  But any new customer MUST have a choice to decide for himself.

This is why I attempt to indicate a balanced perspective of two organizations that each
provide its unique type of Mellotron parts,service,advice,etc. without open bias on the List.

Choose Mellotron.Com for the new MK-VI and all associated parts/tapes, or Streetly
( http://members.aol.com/tronpage/) (http://www.blackcat.demon.co.uk/tron/samples.htm )
for all models of perfectly restored-original Mellotrons from the family which brought the world
the Mellotron FIRST in 1963. Streetly has also organized three Mellotron Workshops from
2000-2001 in Toronto/Philadelphia and welcomes any/all people/instruments from ANY
source,without pretense or attitude issues.  Choose wisely ,David in Belgium and welcome to
the Mellotronists List!....JK