Mellotronists

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem
<http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150098676295&fromMakeTra
ck=true> &item=150098676295&fromMakeTrack=true

Picture 9 of 12 in the listing shows why one note doesn't play.  The
pad arm is missing (it looks like the high E).  Are missing pad arms
easy to replace?  And to David Jacques - sorry for the emails on this
- it's this damned REPLY/REPLY ALL bit on this list that I have
trouble getting the hang of...
john b



--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "The Franz Family" <franzs@...>
wrote:
>
> I don't think so, but it has a bid!
> 
> Jeff
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Jim & Janet Strauss 
>   To: Mellotron List ; David Jacques 
>   Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 9:09 PM
>   Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Tron on Ebay...
> 
> 
> 
>   Yeah!
> 
>   But does it have Mike Pinder's signature....?
> 
> 
> 
>     ----- Original Message ----- 
>     From: David Jacques 
>     To: Mellotron List 
>     Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 9:57 PM
>     Subject: [Mellotronists] Tron on Ebay...
> 
> 
>     http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem
>    
<http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150098676295&fromMakeTra
>     ck=true> &item=150098676295&fromMakeTrack=true
>

DUh!  Sorry that's probably the low F# as the keyboard is upside down.
 I get there eventually....

john b

--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "john barrick" <astroboy@...> wrote:

>
> Picture 9 of 12 in the listing shows why one note doesn't play.  The
> pad arm is missing (it looks like the high E).

Duhhhh, G#.....eventually (extra stupid today).  Anyway, the tron in 
question is at Echo Park, a recording studio in Bloomington, Indiana and 
has serial number 1221.  Apparently been used on some John Mellencamp 
recordings...
john b



john barrick wrote:

> DUh!  Sorry that's probably the low F# as the keyboard is upside down.
>  I get there eventually....
>
> john b
>
>   
>
>

from one of the pics it looks like an SMS board in there (the big heat sinks)   someone 
should tell the guy (I don't have an ebay account)





--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, john barrick <astroboy@...> wrote:

>
> Duhhhh, G#.....eventually (extra stupid today).  Anyway, the tron in 
> question is at Echo Park, a recording studio in Bloomington, Indiana and 
> has serial number 1221.  Apparently been used on some John Mellencamp 
> recordings...
> john b
> 
> 
> 
> john barrick wrote:
> > DUh!  Sorry that's probably the low F# as the keyboard is upside down.
> >  I get there eventually....
> >
> > john b
> >
> >   
> >
> >
>

charel196 wrote:
> from one of the pics it looks like an SMS board in there (the big heat sinks)   someone 
> should tell the guy (I don't have an ebay account)
>   
I told him last night - going to go see it tomorrow.
john b

So, my ebay skills have apparently slipped.  I bid on this with about 30 
seconds left to go  (crazy money, too - or at least I thought so) and 
had it in the bag until someone that was crazier knocked me out at about 
10 seconds - and the real bitch is when you come in second on ebay, that 
means you lost your Tron by $50.

I inspected the machine on Saturday and even though it was my first time 
to touch a Mellotron, I was both in love and underwhelmed at the same 
time.  Underwhelmed because of the condition the machine was in - the 
seller told me he'd had it for 12 years and had done no maintenance on 
it - and it showed.  Now I know what you guys mean when you say 
wobblies.  Every note on the keyboard was slipping, though I'm pretty 
sure this was easily fixable with the pinch roller/pressure pad keyboard 
adjustment - and even though it had an SMS3 card installed (thanks for 
the ID on that, Martin), it still seemed that I could hear the pitch 
drop when I held down 4 or 5 keys (maybe it was just all the tapes 
conspiring to slip at once).  There were also some odd popping and 
(faint) zinging sounds at the lower end of the keyboard that seemed to 
correspond with the tapes returning to their start position - there also 
seemed to be some friction issue with the tape guides in the frame or in 
the springs, as not all the tapes would go all the way back to their 
start position. 

I was in love with it because despite all the problems, when the notes 
would play, the magic sound was there, especially in the shimmer of the 
Three Violins. Even though the SMS3 was present, there were no other 
signs of the Sound Sales bodge.  The take up box had the brackets on the 
bottom and the wood shims on the sides, no misplaced pinch rollers, the 
pad arms seemed to be unbent, and there was no sticker on the power 
supply. I knew I could fix it up and give it a good home, and I owe that 
to all of you that freely share information on this list and elsewhere.  
Because of that information, Martin's patient replies to what must be 
elementary questions, and Ken Leonard's documentation of Perfessor 
Korb's work in the Moneypits, I was able to walk into the studio, and 
disassemble the machine in such a manner (yes, and put it back together, 
too) that the guys that worked there thought I was some kind of 
Mellotron expert (though I guess it really reflects on their own lack of 
knowledge).  One fellow even asked me how I knew so much about them.  I 
didn't want to lie, but there was no way in hell I was going to admit to 
learning everything off the internets, so my reply was "I, uh, well I 
know some guys that are experts on these".

I had my heart set on this machine, really thought I had it, but now I'm 
left thinking that there's got to be a better way than ebay to get one 
of these.

john barrick

amen! im getting real sick of ebay, straight up

bazz

--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, john barrick <astroboy@...> wrote:
>
> So, my ebay skills have apparently slipped.  I bid on this with
about 30 
> seconds left to go  (crazy money, too - or at least I thought so) and 
> had it in the bag until someone that was crazier knocked me out at
about 
> 10 seconds - and the real bitch is when you come in second on ebay,
that 
> means you lost your Tron by $50.
> 
> I inspected the machine on Saturday and even though it was my first
time 
> to touch a Mellotron, I was both in love and underwhelmed at the same 
> time.  Underwhelmed because of the condition the machine was in - the 
> seller told me he'd had it for 12 years and had done no maintenance on 
> it - and it showed.  Now I know what you guys mean when you say 
> wobblies.  Every note on the keyboard was slipping, though I'm pretty 
> sure this was easily fixable with the pinch roller/pressure pad
keyboard 
> adjustment - and even though it had an SMS3 card installed (thanks for 
> the ID on that, Martin), it still seemed that I could hear the pitch 
> drop when I held down 4 or 5 keys (maybe it was just all the tapes 
> conspiring to slip at once).  There were also some odd popping and 
> (faint) zinging sounds at the lower end of the keyboard that seemed to 
> correspond with the tapes returning to their start position - there
also 
> seemed to be some friction issue with the tape guides in the frame
or in 
> the springs, as not all the tapes would go all the way back to their 
> start position. 
> 
> I was in love with it because despite all the problems, when the notes 
> would play, the magic sound was there, especially in the shimmer of the 
> Three Violins. Even though the SMS3 was present, there were no other 
> signs of the Sound Sales bodge.  The take up box had the brackets on
the 
> bottom and the wood shims on the sides, no misplaced pinch rollers, the 
> pad arms seemed to be unbent, and there was no sticker on the power 
> supply. I knew I could fix it up and give it a good home, and I owe
that 
> to all of you that freely share information on this list and
elsewhere.  
> Because of that information, Martin's patient replies to what must be 
> elementary questions, and Ken Leonard's documentation of Perfessor 
> Korb's work in the Moneypits, I was able to walk into the studio, and 
> disassemble the machine in such a manner (yes, and put it back
together, 
> too) that the guys that worked there thought I was some kind of 
> Mellotron expert (though I guess it really reflects on their own
lack of 
> knowledge).  One fellow even asked me how I knew so much about them.  I 
> didn't want to lie, but there was no way in hell I was going to
admit to 
> learning everything off the internets, so my reply was "I, uh, well I 
> know some guys that are experts on these".
> 
> I had my heart set on this machine, really thought I had it, but now
I'm 

> left thinking that there's got to be a better way than ebay to get one 
> of these.
> 
> john barrick
>

Don't give up John. There's one for everyone on this list. But from 
your description of the eBay Tron, repairs could have brought the 
final cost up to that of a new one.

BTW, nobody went for CMC-10 (?!!)

Bernie


--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, john barrick <astroboy@...> 
wrote:
>
> So, my ebay skills have apparently slipped.  I bid on this with 
about 30 
> seconds left to go  (crazy money, too - or at least I thought so) 
and 
> had it in the bag until someone that was crazier knocked me out at 
about 
> 10 seconds - and the real bitch is when you come in second on 
ebay, that 
> means you lost your Tron by $50.
> 
> I inspected the machine on Saturday and even though it was my 
first time 
> to touch a Mellotron, I was both in love and underwhelmed at the 
same 
> time.  Underwhelmed because of the condition the machine was in - 
the 
> seller told me he'd had it for 12 years and had done no 
maintenance on 
> it - and it showed.  Now I know what you guys mean when you say 
> wobblies.  Every note on the keyboard was slipping, though I'm 
pretty 
> sure this was easily fixable with the pinch roller/pressure pad 
keyboard 
> adjustment - and even though it had an SMS3 card installed (thanks 
for 
> the ID on that, Martin), it still seemed that I could hear the 
pitch 
> drop when I held down 4 or 5 keys (maybe it was just all the tapes 
> conspiring to slip at once).  There were also some odd popping and 
> (faint) zinging sounds at the lower end of the keyboard that 
seemed to 
> correspond with the tapes returning to their start position - 
there also 
> seemed to be some friction issue with the tape guides in the frame 
or in 
> the springs, as not all the tapes would go all the way back to 
their 
> start position. 
> 
> I was in love with it because despite all the problems, when the 
notes 
> would play, the magic sound was there, especially in the shimmer 
of the 
> Three Violins. Even though the SMS3 was present, there were no 
other 
> signs of the Sound Sales bodge.  The take up box had the brackets 
on the 
> bottom and the wood shims on the sides, no misplaced pinch 
rollers, the 
> pad arms seemed to be unbent, and there was no sticker on the 
power 
> supply. I knew I could fix it up and give it a good home, and I 
owe that 
> to all of you that freely share information on this list and 
elsewhere.  
> Because of that information, Martin's patient replies to what must 
be 
> elementary questions, and Ken Leonard's documentation of Perfessor 
> Korb's work in the Moneypits, I was able to walk into the studio, 
and 
> disassemble the machine in such a manner (yes, and put it back 
together, 
> too) that the guys that worked there thought I was some kind of 
> Mellotron expert (though I guess it really reflects on their own 
lack of 
> knowledge).  One fellow even asked me how I knew so much about 
them.  I 
> didn't want to lie, but there was no way in hell I was going to 
admit to 
> learning everything off the internets, so my reply was "I, uh, 
well I 
> know some guys that are experts on these".
> 
> I had my heart set on this machine, really thought I had it, but 
now I'm 
> left thinking that there's got to be a better way than ebay to get 
one 

> of these.
> 
> john barrick
>

In a message dated 13/03/2007 04:26:33 GMT Standard Time,  
franzs@... writes:

John was able to inspect the machine.  How  do you buy these things from a 
long distance?
Jeff



Dear All,
 
You have to assume that the 'tron on offer is NOT in full working  condition 
and just needs light adjustment.  This is  NEVER the case.  When you buy any 
mellotron/novatron you  must expect to invest in it further to get it to peak 
performance and this  almost certainly involves pinchrollers, pads, headblock 
service, tapes, service  to tape frame, service to audio, probably some type of 
servo upgrade and almost  certainly a new motor.  Whether you buy from us, 
Markus or anyone else is  not the issue.  It is naive to think an 
electromechanical device that has  hardly been serviced since it was created 35 years ago is 
going to be anything  more than a total dissapointment in the first instance. 
 
 
To sum up, buy any 'tron you can in the prior knowledge that acquiring one  
is only the first step.  There are many more hurdles before it can be truly  
called a working mellotron.
 
Best,
 
Martin
 
STREETLY ELECTRONICS - All Things Mellotronic


_www.mellotronics.co.uk_ (http://www.mellotronics.co.uk/) 
_www.mellotronics.com_ (http://www.mellotronics.com/) 
US  East Coast Agent - Jimmy Moore _jmoore6397@..._ 
(http://jmoore6397@.../) 
US West  Coast Agent - Paul Cox _pjc56@..._ 
(http://pjc56@.../)

p.s. I wish I had spelt disappointment correctly
 
M
 
STREETLY ELECTRONICS - All Things Mellotronic


_www.mellotronics.co.uk_ (http://www.mellotronics.co.uk/) 
_www.mellotronics.com_ (http://www.mellotronics.com/) 
US  East Coast Agent - Jimmy Moore _jmoore6397@..._ 
(http://jmoore6397@.../) 
US West  Coast Agent - Paul Cox _pjc56@..._ (h
ttp://pjc56@.../)

In a message dated 13/03/2007 00:31:56 GMT Standard Time,  thisisgb@... 
writes:

amen! im  getting real sick of ebay, straight up


Dear All,
 
So am I. The bit that gets me is that it is described as an auction but it  
is closer to being a set of small ads in a "local" paper. I hate it when people 
 don't stick to their word...
 
If I had 30 quid for every duff guitar that gets brought in to the music  
shop that I help in at the weekend that "was a bargain on ebay" I would be rich.  
Hang on I do get 30 quid so something's not right here.
 
Anyway there are quite a few like that.
 
Norm

On 13 Mar 2007, at 21:12, NormLeete@... wrote: 
> If I had 30 quid for every duff guitar that gets brought in to the 
> music shop that I help in at the weekend that "was a bargain on ebay" 
> I would be rich. Hang on I do get 30 quid so something's not right 
> here.

We love you, Norm!

C, E &Ox



http://www.s-club.co.uk
        Sundae Club*
         PO Box 862
         Cheltenham
           GL52 2XT

Hi All

Seems like Ebay is full of 'bargains' but many of them are either 
crap or non-existant.
I can't understand why Ebay permits private listings by people with 
no feedback. You can't even warn the buyers they're about to get 
ripped off.
But I did report an auction for a mini-moog to Ebay today. Seller had 
zero f/b, the photo and some of the text was cloned from a previous 
auction, listing was private, and payment terms money order! Alarm 
bells, or what!?
I didn't expect any action, so was surprised and chuffed when item 
was no longer listed 2 hours later, so maybe I saved somebody from 
being ripped off.
No way would I bid on a high value item. It just isn't worth the risk.

Paul



--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, NormLeete@... wrote:
>
>  
> In a message dated 13/03/2007 00:31:56 GMT Standard Time,  
thisisgb@... 
> writes:
> 
> amen! im  getting real sick of ebay, straight up
> 
> 
> Dear All,
>  
> So am I. The bit that gets me is that it is described as an auction 
but it  
> is closer to being a set of small ads in a "local" paper. I hate it 
when people 
>  don't stick to their word...
>  
> If I had 30 quid for every duff guitar that gets brought in to the 
music  
> shop that I help in at the weekend that "was a bargain on ebay" I 
would be rich.  

> Hang on I do get 30 quid so something's not right here.
>  
> Anyway there are quite a few like that.
>  
> Norm
>