Roland System 700

We are Brokering this instrument for and on behalf of our client

Came into stock: Arrived at RL Music in April 2018

Restoration Status: Kent Spong of KSR completed the full 6-week restoration on 22nd June 2018, so the system now resides with RL Music in Reading, UK.

We probably don’t need to make much in terms of introduction here, but with there only believed to be 40 System 700 ever made, then you will appreciate this instrument was scarce even when it was in manufactured during the period of 8 years from 1976.

As electronic musical instruments go, this is considered by many to be the Holy Grail of synthesizers, and is without any doubt, amongst the very best designed and built analogue modular synthesizers ever made. It’s not for us to sell the virtues of such an outstanding instrument as the worlds most accomplished synthesists have shown the capability of these beautiful creations, so we will just talk here about this particular instrument that’s available for sale.

Provenance

This System 700 has very recently (March 2018) been purchased from its original owner in Japan. The owner purchased it new from Roland and had it kept in their home all that time, and although they could not recall the exact date it was bought, it was certainly around 40 years ago. The incredible instrument has been imported directly into the EU from Japan and is now being offered by RL Music for sale.

Cosmetic Condition

Upon arrival at RL Music, we checked over the system and found it to be 100% intact with all the controls, ancillary hardware (including all lids), knobs, sliders caps, switches, keys, cables and serial plates etc., all to be present and correct.

The condition of the Tolex covering on each and every Block is excellent, and the anodised control surfaces & screen print on each individual module to be superb, with only minimal wear…remarkable! Kent carried out some light restorative re-finishing to the Tolex to bring back its depth-of-colour and lustre. There is a ‘Roland” badge missing off the Block 4 lid, but all others are present on the other lids.

There is a small scuff on the sequencer panel, and some of the anodising on certain modules has oxidised due to age, but otherwise, this is a close to perfection as is possible, and the dream of most of us to own. KSR stripped each panel and deep-cleaned the anodised surfaces (very carefully).

Operational Condition

Kent carried out a 6-week complete overhaul of the system, so every jack-socket, sliders, block-connector, DIN-socket, interconnect cables and switches have been deep cleaned & lubricated. The twin VU meters were replaced with NOS Roland meters as the originals were no longer working.

Each and every Module was removed, tested, deep-cleaned and fully calibrated. A number of the power-regulation capacitors were replaced due to the originals having failed due to age. The PSU has been fully refurbished.

The Keyboard was stripped and fully overhauled.

Every single function and detail of the modular system has been methodically & fastidiously addressed, and after investing over £15K GBP in restoration costs, it now works flawlessly and looks stunning!

Configuration

This is a slightly non-standard configured system, and a manufactured later in the production run of these professional studio systems, from what we could ascertain, so here is a full configuration breakdown:

Block 1-Main Console (sn: 590069)
This is the Heart of the System, and it contains all the basic modules necessary for a professional system. It has 3 x VCO, 1 x Low Pass VCF, 1 x LP/BP/HP VCF, 2 x VCA, 2 x LFO, 1 x Dual ADSR Envelope Generators, Noise, Ring Mod, Voltage Processor, S/H, Envelope Follower, Integrator (Lag Processor), 1 x Mixer, 2 X 5 multiples, Headphone Monitor Module, and an Output Module, which includes Stereo VU Meters, a six-position test-tone, Phase Shifter, Spring Reverb, and voltage controlled Panning. Most common module connections (power, cv, gate) are made internally for easier patching.

Block 2 – Keyboard Controller (sn: 630116):
The 61-key two-voice Keyboard with Portamento and Pitch-bend controls.

Block 3 – Sequencer (sn: 800097):
This offers 3 x 12 step sequencer with Pulse Shaper, Clock Oscillator, and Series / Parallel output sections – considered one of the best analogue sequencers ever made.

Block 4 – VCO Bank (sn: 800002):
6 x VCO, 1 x Dual ADSR Envelope Generator, 2 x LFO, Sample and Hold and 1 x Mixer.

Block 5 – VCF/VCA Bank (sn: 800003):
1 x Low Pass VCF, 1 x LP/BP/HP VCF, 2 x VCA, Noise Generator, Ring Modulator, 1 x Dual ADSR Envelope Generator, 2 x Mixers and 2 x Gate Delay.

Block 6 – Interface/Mixer (sn: 780089):
1 x Frequency-to-Voltage Converter (with VDU) Interface with Envelope Follower & Gate Signal Generator, a VCA, 9-channel Audio Mixer, and a Multimode Filter.

Block 7 – Phase Shifter/Audio Delay (sn: 800001):
A 2-channel Phase Shifter and a 2-channel Audio Delay, Amplifier, Envelope Follower, Integrator (Lag Processor), 2 x Mixers and a Sample & Hold.

What does it sound like?
It sounds incredible and can be huge or beautifully musical and subtle…like any quality modular system, but the System 700 has its own sound and unique character. Kent at KSR actually wrote a short track with the System 700 just after he had completed the restoration work, so if you click the link below you can listen to the piece on his Soundcloud account:

https://soundcloud.com/ksr80/uphill-700

The System 700 is a professional grade instrument, with a price tag to match back in the late 1970s, and recent specialist auction prices ( £110K GBP at VEMIA November 2017) show that these have risen very sharply in price. Demand has always been very high for anything System 700 related, either in the Lab Systems or separate Blocks being sold, but finding a full system is exceptionally rare.

Now the System 700 has been meticulously restored, we are selling it with a full 6-month warranty, and we will ship worldwide. A quote for custom packing (by us), shipping & insurance to get it to you will be produced upon request. Delivery by us (in person) is possible for most UK destinations – prices subject to address.

This beautiful behemoth of a synthesizer runs on 110V. We are not supplying any 1/4” jack audio cables with the sale, and unfortunately, the original owners manual was not supplied to us, but we do have a high-quality version in PDF which we will include in the sale.

This is one serious music machine and words simply can’t describe the power and potential for infinite sound creation possibilities. There is such a lot to say about this legendary and beautiful modular system but we just haven’t enough room here on our website so please call or email us to discuss your requirements.

Price: £70,000 GBP

Availability: This Roland System 700 is now SOLD on deposit, as at 15th february 2019.

Click on the thumbnail for higher resolution photos of the actual (post-restoration) System 700 for sale.

BUY THIS SYSTEM 700

Arp Quadra

We are Brokering this instrument for and on behalf of our UK Client.

Came into stock: Available from RL Music as at 1st June 2018.

Servicing Status: A full service by KSR will be carried post-sale.

Remarks: An really beautiful condition example of one of the best looking and sounding hybrid analogue polysynth of its generation – The Arp Quadra.

Produced between 1978 to 1981, the Quadra was adopted by many of the great bands of that era, probably the most notable being Tony Banks of Genesis – it’s beautiful and distinctive sounds can be heard in many of their albums of that period.

As the name suggests, the Quadra is 4 instruments in one, so a Bass synth, Polysynth, Lead synth, and String synth..all of which it does exquisitely well, and the built-in phase-shifter is to die for. This all adds up to make this ‘must have’ vintage keyboard for any serious fan.

Here’s an excellent demo from a friend of ours – Marko Ettlich, otherwise known as RetroSound. Marko delivers a beautiful demo of the Quadra in this short 3:50 piece:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksuG-f_HsRA

Our client has owned this Quadra for over 15 years and it has been in constant use and serviced regularly during their ownership at their home studio. Cosmetically, this 37+ year-old vintage analogue polysynth is in truly fantastic condition and we would rate this as a Collector Grade – 9 out of 10. The main control surface is in remarkable condition with all the controls (slider/keys) intact and all mylar membrane switches working perfectly. There are 3 slider caps missing, but we will supply & fit vintage original replacement to the synth post-sale. There is also a retaining bolt missing in the left-hand section next to the keyboard, so again, we will ask KSR to fit a replacement bolt post-sale & during the servicing.

The main metal case and leather end-cheeks are in super condition throughout, with just some light wear as you would expect for a device this age.

This Arp Quadra operates on EU 220V. We do have a user manual (in PDF format). As the instrument is being Brokered through RL Music, it will be sold with a full 3-month warranty and can be shipped worldwide.

Demos are available by appointment only.

As with all Brokered Sales, the synth will be fully serviced post-sale before it’s sent to its new owner. We do this to ensure that the instrument leaves us in perfect operational condition, and it is backed up by our full warranty to give the new owner complete peace of mind. The servicing is carried out as a priority once the sale has been completed, and although it will delay shipping/delivery by a short time, we know from experience that customers are happy to wait.

Price: £8,990 GBP.

Availability: This Arp Quadra is now SOLD as at 15th March 2019.

Click on the thumbnails for higher resolution photos of the actual Arp Quadra for sale.

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Elka Synthex Mk2

We are Brokering this instrument for and on behalf of our customer.

Came into stock: Arrived at RL Music on 17th May 2018.

Servicing Status: Full assessment by KSR carried out on 11th May – full service by KSR will commence post-sale.

Remarks: A really super condition example of the Mk2 Elka Synthex, so MIDI utilised and with MIDI sockets installed (retrofitted).

This has to be one of the finest analogue polysynths ever made and was used by all the top artists of the 80’s, especially JMJ. Built-in 4 track sequencer 8 voice polyphonic, twin oscillator 24 dB/octave low pass filter 6 & 12 dB/octave band-pass filters 12 dB/octave high pass filter. The specification doesn’t tell you that this is a silky smooth performer and in the right hands can deliver an almost polyphonic modular experience…just an amazing machine.

The Synthex was very well cared for during its lifetime at the current owner home (16 years), so the cosmetic condition is excellent, as you can see from the pictures. The main control surfaces are in fantastic condition, and the wood cabinet is in well above average condition for its age, so if you are after a really reliable example that works perfectly and looks beautiful, then look no further.

Our own vintage synth restorers – KSR, have very recently fully health-checked the synth as part of the pre-Brokering assessment, so we’re happy it’s fully operational, with all functions/control working smoothly and as you would expect, but the Synthex will be fully serviced post-sale.

This Synthex operates on EU 220V and is supplied with the user manuals in PDF format. As the instrument is being Brokered through RL Music, it will be sold with a full 3-month warranty and can be shipped worldwide.

Demos are available by appointment only.

As with all Brokered Sales, the synth will be fully serviced post-sale before it’s sent to its new owner. We do this to ensure that the instrument leaves us in perfect operational condition, and it is backed up by our full warranty to give the new owner complete peace of mind. The servicing is carried out as a priority once the sale has been completed, and although it will delay shipping/delivery by a short time, we know from experience that customers are happy to wait.

Price: £6890 GBP.

Availability: This Elka Synthex is now SOLD, as at 22nd November 2018.

Pictures of the actual synth below.

Click on the Thumbnails for higher resolution photos of actual synth for sale.


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Moog System 55

We are Brokering this instrument for and on behalf of our UK customer

Came into stock: Arrived at RL Music in April 2017

Restoration Status: A full cosmetic and operational restoration by KSR has already been carried out (completed in 23rd August 2017), so this Vintage Original System 55 is ready for sale now.

Remarks: We have been granted a unique opportunity here as these Vintage Original Moog System 55 (with RA Moog 950 Keyboard & Garage) are super rare instruments, and highly sought after. We weren’t given a lot of detailed background information on this system other than the last owner purchased it from a well known Moog collector in Italy several years ago. The Italian musician/collector used this system as a part of a larger Moog Modular set-up, which explains why the configuration is not quite late 1970s factory stock.

Our client (the current owner) had commissioned KSR to undertake a full system-wide overhaul of the entire instrument, to prepare it for sale. The restoration included refinishing all the cabinets as well, so the fit & finish on this 40+-year-old Moog is sublime, and of course, it works flawlessly.

This is THE mother of all synthesizers and although there are a plethora of analogue instruments in modular format to choose from these days (which is wonderful), nothing will hold the mystique, power and sheer collectability of an original Moog. These Vintage Moogs come with very strong & proven investment potential, so aside from being outstanding music instruments, they keep giving in other ways also.

The System 55 was the last of the great “walls-of-Moog” and this system being from around 1976, represents the most stable and reliable in terms of module build versions. This particular System 55 has clearly been lovingly cared for, for 40+ years.

Notes on the cosmetic condition:

All cabinets and control surfaces on the main synth sections are in excellent and original condition. The RA Moog 950 keyboard & Garage have their original wood cabinets which are also in excellent condition, although all the cabinets do have a few signs of natural ageing and use, however, the keys are undamaged, having an even colour. The module faceplates themselves are in excellent condition (as are the internal circuits) but there are inevitable signs of some wear from around the locating screws, although this is something we would expect to see in a modular system of this age.

The top cabinet did not come with a rear-enclosure board fitted. Many modulars of this age do not have rear-covers, but KSR have offered to manufacture and fit one if the buyer of the system would like one fitted. There would be no charge for this, but the top cabinet would need to go back to KSR to have that carried out.

We would rate the whole system as 9 out of 10 cosmetically – collector grade.

Notes on the restoration:

An IEC socket was fitted as standard on these late 70s systems. The power-supply has been completely reconditioned, it runs on US 110V or EU 220V, although set on EU 220V whilst here in the UK of course.

All the 1/4 inch jack-sockets have been replaced with high-quality Switchcraft® panel mount sockets to improve connectivity. KSR implemented this upgrade with the owner’s permission as 40+-year-old sockets can be very intermittent in connection, regardless of cleaning, and this can be very frustrating for users of voltage controlled/audio systems like these.

Each and every module and been tested, cleaned & calibrated, and where necessary, any decoupling (power regulation) caps replaced. The 950 Keyboard has been stripped and completely overhauled, with every key cleaned, and the key-bed & contacts cleaned.

All Cinch-Jones S-Trig connectors cleaned/deoxidised.
Wiring loom integrity checked.

Other than the items noted above, no components that affected the sound character of the Moog were replaced (or needed to be in fact). We retained the original knobs though as these are a major cosmetic component to the aesthetic of this authentic vintage instrument.

Thousands of pounds have been spent on the restoration work which has taken Kent Spong of KSR, over 3 months to complete.

Module configuration as follows:

Top Cabinet
1 x 914 Fixed Filter Bank
1 x 992 Control Voltages
1 x 904A Low Pass Filter
1 x 904-C Filter Coupler
1 x 904B High Pass Filter
1 x 904A Low Pass Filter
3 x 902 VCA
1 x 993 Trig & EG Voltage
5 x 911 EG
1 x 911A Dual Trigger Delay

Bottom cabinet
2 x 921A Oscillator Drivers
6 x 921B Oscillator
1 x 921 Voltage Controlled Oscillator
1 x 961 Sequencer Interface
1 x 960 Sequencer
1 x 962 Sequential Switch

4 x CP3A Mixer Control
1 x CP2 Multi Func
1 x CP8A Power Switch

RA Moog 950 Keyboard Controller

We were not supplied with any 1/4 inch jacks or cinch-jones S-Trig cables, although Synthesizers.com can supply these from new (recommended) here: http://www.synthesizers.com/qmse.html

Unfortunately, no original user instruction or service documentation provided with this Moog System 55.

This Vintage Original Moog Modular System 55 is sold with a full 6 month (return-to-dealer) warranty covering all T&M.

Price: £45,000 GBP

Availability: This Vintage Original Moog Modular System 55 is now SOLD, as at 29th November 2018.

Pictures below of actual System 55 for sale. Click on the thumbnails for a high-resolution photos.

 

BUY THIS SYSTEM 55

Roland TB-303

We are Brokering this instrument for and on behalf of our UK client.

Came into stock: Available from RL Music as at 6th July 2018.

Servicing Status: A full service by KSR has already been carried out (late June 2018), so the Roland TB-303 is available for sale now.

Remarks: Acid!!! An immaculate and usefully rack-mounted example of the machine that defined a genre of music, the Roland TB-303.

This Roland TB-303 forms part of a larger collection of vintage synths that we are brokering as part of an Estate clearance. The owner of this TB-303 had this bass/seq machine maintained with no expense spared, and at some time in the last 10 years, they had it professionally mounted into the rack-plate you can see in the pictures below. The work was done beautifully but required the original plastic TB-303 case to be screwed into for the fixings. This modification may not bother many people as having the unit racked make a lot of sense in today’s space-limited studios.

Cosmetically, this 34-year-old vintage analogue instrument is in near pristine condition, aside from the mounting screws as mentioned above. We took a picture of the battery compartment as well, just to show has clean everything is on this TB-303. KSR has only just fully serviced it, so it’s 100% perfect operationally – this is a real keeper!

The original external Roland PSU was not supplied to us so we have purchased a brand new external 9V AC PSU for the unit. We also have the original user manual, box and other docs for this (pictured) which are included in the sale. As the instrument is being Brokered through RL Music, it will be sold with a full 3-month warranty and we can ship worldwide.

Demos are available by appointment only.

Price: £1750 GBP.

Availability: This Roland TB-303 is now SOLD, as at 25th June 2019.

Click on the thumbnails for higher resolution photos of the actual Roland TB-303 for sale.

BUY THIS TB-303

Yamaha CS70M

We are Brokering this instrument for and on behalf of our customer

Came into stock: September 2017.

Restoration Status: A full service by KSR has already been carried out (completed on 11th October 2017), so this CS70M is ready for sale now.

Remarks: We’re excited to be able to get hold of this really lovely condition CS70M as they really are quite magnificent synths for a whole number of reasons. These were proper old-school designed hybrid digital/analogue systems made between 1981 and 1984, and it wasn’t long after these came out that the DX7 was introduced, which seems hard to believe really.

The CS70M has for many people been overlooked, or perhaps overshadowed by it’s bigger brother – the CS80, but this instrument has ascended in popularity among aficionados, and we know this synth is highly sought after by those who truly appreciate it.

6 Voice, dual channel (stereo), aftertouch, 30 memories, ring-mod, chorus & Leslie effects, lowpass, highpass, and bandpass VCF, fully programmable and with a 4 channel polyphonic sequencer etc.

Those in the know will already tell you that this is one of the finest analogue polys ever made and a work of audio art in its own right. It shares most of the same technology as the CS80 and many of the characteristics and tonal qualities as well. The other big ‘Hello’ is also the fact you can get really close to the CS80 sound for a lot less money…this makes it even more appealing considering the price.

The UK owner we are selling this magnificent machine for has owned it for over a decade and the synth has been in regular use during that time, with periodic maintenance carried out to keep it in top workmen order. MIDI has already been retrofitted to this CS70M, which adds a lot of value when integrating into a modern studio setup.

The cosmetic condition of this example is extremely good overall with only light user wear & natural ageing to the control surfaces. The faux wood laminate cabinet it in very good order with only a couple of spots where this has been worn. We would grade this is “very good original condition – 8.5 out of 10 cosmetically.’

Operationally, our trusted ‘Yamaha CS Series’ restoration experts – KSR have already carried out a full service on the CS70M, so it’s 100% perfectly working and ready for its new owner.

There are a few demos on YT of these but we like this rather ambient-noodling one from ‘MoreAnalog’ because it demonstrates nicely how the CS70M has the CS80 vibe we are talking about: https://youtu.be/1_jy9ERBTPs

This CS70M is sold through RL Music with a 3-month warranty and can operate on US 110V or EU 220V. Also, we can supply a PDF photocopy of the user manual, and of course, the proprietary Yamaha power-cable.

Price: £6990 GBP

Availability: This CS70M is NO LONGER available for sale – updated on 25th June 2019.

Pictures below of actual Yamaha CS70M for sale. Click on the thumbnails for high-resolution images.

 


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SCI Pro-One

We are Brokering this instrument for and on behalf of our customer

Came into stock: Arrived at RL Music on 10th May 2018.

Servicing Status: Full service by KSR has already been carried out so the synth is ready for sale & shipping now!

Remarks: RL Music is delighted to present you this great condition Pro-One from the classic Sequential Circuits family.

The Pro-One is a superb mono-synth, utilising Curtis CEM chip technology like her bigger brother, the Prophet 5. A really great sounding vintage analogue synth and very flexible modulation routing capability and wonderful built-in arpeggio & 40 note sequencer.

This Pro-One has come to us from a UK customer who has owned it since the 1980s, but in recent years it had become unused, so they decided to let it go to someone else who can enjoy using it again.

The synth is in really good original condition, but this is not a collectors machine as it does show some cosmetic blemishes around the mod-wheels and another under the LFO section. We understand that there was some sticky tape left there some years ago and the residue has left some marks the case. We felt this minor cosmetic flaw needs highlighting to any potential new buyer, but the sales price has been agreed with our client to reflect this.

This is an early model (J-Wire), with the PSU mounted to the PCB. KSR has just fully serviced the synth, which included a new set of neoprene keyboard bushes, full calibration, re-cap of PSU, deep-clean of all pots, switches, a full overhaul of the key-bed and also restored the wood end-cheeks (stained & waxed).

As you can see from the pictures, this Pro-One is looking great and is 100% perfectly working – sold with our normal 3-month warranty.

Runs on EU 220V, and we will supply a copy of the user manual (on PDF).

Price: £1290 GBP.

Availability: This Pro-One is now SOLD as at 11th June 2018.

Pictures of the actual synth below.

Click on the Thumbnails for higher resolution photos of actual synth for sale.

BUY THIS PRO-ONE

Elka Synthex Mk3

Servicing Status: Full restoration was completed by KSR in October 2015 and has just had a full ‘health check’ in November 2017.

Restoration ETA: Ready for sale now!

Remarks: A truly immaculate condition example of the late version (Mk3) Elka Synthex – with factory MIDI.

This has to be one of the finest analogue polysynths ever made and was used by all the top artists of the 80’s, especially JMJ. Built-in 4 track sequencer 8 voice polyphonic, twin oscillator 24 dB/octave low pass filter 6 & 12 dB/octave bandpass filters 12 dB/octave high pass filter. The specification doesn’t tell you that this is a silky smooth performer, and in the right hand,s can deliver an almost polyphonic modular experience…just an amazing machine.

The overall condition of this Synthex is truly outstanding/pristine and comes from our own RL Music Vintage Synth Collection, so has been part of our own in-house catalogue for more a few years. This Synthex has most definitely been treated with love and care throughout its life and the cosmetic condition reflects this.

KSR had undertaken full restoration on the operational side in late 2015, as well as re-finishing the cabinet (strip, stain & wax) – every aspect of the synth was been addressed, including re-capping and deep-cleaning all the controls etc., so the synth plays beautifully. The recent health check found no issues.

Runs on EU 220V, and sold with a full 3-month warranty.

Price: £8500 GBP.

Availability: This Elka Synthex is now SOLD as at 4th December 2017.

Pictures below of actual Synthex Mk3 for sale. Click on the thumbnails for a high-resolution photos.

 

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2 Voice Pro

We are Brokering this instrument for and on behalf of our UK customer

Came into stock: Available from RL Music from 10th November 2017

Restoration/Servicing Status: KSR to service once sold, and prior to shipping to the new owner.

Remarks: Not a vintage synth but it’s a hand-built analogue synth that comes from a strong vintage heritage and masterfully reissued by the original designer – Tom Oberheim. The 2 Voice Pro is a beautiful and faithful recreation of Tom’s classic SEM based synth, but with a modern twist to deliver a cracking little analogue synth.

This Tom Oberheim 2 Voice Pro was purchased new by our client in July 2015 (imported in from the USA from the retailer Analog Haven) and has sat in his smoke-free home studio in the UK since with very little use, hence the decision to sell it to fund new projects.

The synth is in perfect operational condition and is in near mint cosmetic condition, as you would expect for something 2 years old, but it has been in use so it’s not brand new. We will have the synth fully checked over post-sale for prudence, but this is a fully working and immaculate instrument. It will be supplied with the original owners manual and retail box (as pictured), plus IEC power cable and some 3.5mm jacks that came with the synth.

These are a limited production run model and set to rise in value once all production has ceased, so this is a good opportunity to save a considerable sum against the cost of buying a brand new one today.

Sound On Sound magazine featured an in-depth review of the 2 Voice Pro, written by one of the most knowledgeable & experienced synth reviewers on the planet – Gordon Reid. Please click the link below to read the article:

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/tom-oberheim-two-voice-pro

There’s also another fantastic review by greatsynthesizers.com which is also worth a read, plus they include some sound samples at the end of the article, so please click the link below to read this article:

http://greatsynthesizers.com/en/test/oberheim-two-voice-pro-the-analog-dream-synth/

As with all Brokered Sales, the synth will be fully serviced post-sale before it’s sent to its new owner. We do this to ensure that the instrument leaves us in perfect operational condition, and it is backed up by our full warranty to give the new owner complete peace of mind. The servicing is carried out as a priority once the sale has been completed, and although it will delay shipping/delivery by a short time, we know from experience that customers are happy to wait.

This Tom Oberheim 2 Voice Pro is sold with a 3 month RL Music warranty and runs on either 110V or 220V (adaptive PSU).

Price: £3300 GBP.

Availability: This 2 Voice Pro is no longer available for sale – last updated on 8th April 2018.

Pictures of the actual 2 Voice Pro for sale (customer supplied) are below.

BUY THIS 2 VOICE PRO

EMS Synthi AKS

We are Brokering this instrument for and on behalf of our UK customer

Came into stock:  23rd January 2017.

Servicing Status: Full restoration by KSR has already been carried out in February 2017, so this Synthi AKS is ready for sale now.

Remarks: A fabulous opportunity to own your EMS Synthi AKS, and very early model is excellent condition.

We checked the serial number to get the the manufacturing date with EMS, and Robin Wood confirmed the Synthi AKS was made in December 1972.

At some time the past, the Keyboard-Sequencer unit was modified with the vents you can see in the pictures. We did ask EMS about this and Robin said this was not a factory mod, but he acknowledged that the voltage regulators that sit under these vents do get quite warm in operation. The owner honestly can’t remember having this modification done, but it looks okay actually, and obviously does not effect the operation in any way.

These iconic and truly amazing pure analogue music instruments are in great demand by professional users, and prices are being driven up fast on the second-hand market around the world, so now might be a good time to invest in one before they become ‘Vintage Buchla or RA Moog Modular’ prices.

This EMS Synthi AKS did come from the owner with a partial set of worn Matrix pins, which we have used to picture it with, but the pins are in need to replacing to ensure a reliable contact within the matrix panel, so we have purchased a brand new set from EMS which will be supplied with the instrument, and are included in the sales price below.

As this Synthi AKS is 45 years old, and did not have any significant service history, we asked KSR to carry out an extensive ground-up restoration to bring it back to its former glory, whilst ensuring its authenticity is preserved as much as possible. Electronic instruments of this age need a deep level of restoration, but we approach this kind of work sympathetically.

The restoration time & resources invested into this instrument by KSR include:

>Strip-down of panels & Spartanite case.
>Spartanite case deep-cleaned & all hardware cleaned.
>Control Panels deep-cleaned (vary carefully).
>Every control component (potentiometers/switches/matrix panel), cleaned & lubricated
>All three Vernier dials replaced (EMS supplied parts) but original potentiometers retained.
>Power-Supply re-capped & calibrated.
>Brand new Matrix Pin set (from EMS).
>Full system-wide calibration, test & soak-test.

Inevitably, there are some parts that will needed replacement (mostly ageing capacitors). We always work alongside EMS technical guidelines to ensure we can keep the authenticity of these 45+ year old synths intact, so no components that would effect the sound will be changed unless we absolutely have too, and even then, we will only source NOS parts from the same production era.

The above restoration work is the minimum we asked KSR to carry out on the Synthi AKS, but In addition to the above, the following work can also be carried out by request. This is a costed option, so is additional to the sales prices listed at the bottom of this page:

*VCO stabilisation modification implemented in line with EMS guidelines = £400 GBP

This Synthi AKS operates on EU 220V or US 110V (switchable) – it will be sold with a 3 month warranty. Aside the new set of Matrix Pins included, the original Cinch-Jones Synthi-to-KS cable is also included with the instrument.

Sales Price: £12,500 GBP.

Availability: This Synthi AKS is now SOLD as at 21st March 2017.

Click on the thumbnail for higher resolution photo of the actual Synthi AKS for sale.

BUY THIS SYNTHI AKS

Yamaha CS70M w/MIDI

We are Brokering this instrument for and on behalf of our customer

Came into stock: 7th October 2016.

Restoration Status: KSR to service once sold, and prior to shipping to the new owner.

Remarks: We’re excited to be able to get hold of this very nice condition CS70M (with Kenton MIDI) as they really are quite magnificent synths for a whole number of reasons. These were proper old-school designed hybrid digital/analogue systems made between 1981 and 1984, and it wasn’t long after these came out that the DX7 was introduced, which seems hard to believe really.

The CS70M has for many people been overlooked, or perhaps overshadowed by it’s bigger brother – the CS80, but this instrument has ascended in popularity among aficionados, and we know this synth is highly sought after by those who truly appreciate it.

6 Voice, dual channel (stereo), aftertouch, 30 memories, ring-mod, chorus & Leslie effects, lowpass, highpass, and bandpass VCF, fully programmable and with a 4 channel polyphonic sequencer etc.

Those in the know will already tell you that this is one of the finest analogue polys ever made, and a work of audio art in its own right. It shares most of the same technology as the CS80 and many of the characteristics and tonal qualities as well. The other big ‘Hello’ is also the fact you can get really close to the CS80 sound for a lot less money…this makes it even more appealing considering the price.

The owner we are selling this magnificent machine for has owned it since 1990 (original sales receipt supplied – bought from from a music dealer in Bath), and had only ever used it at home since. The owner had Kenton fit MIDI to it in 1992 (sales receipt also supplied)

The cosmetic condition of this example is very good overall but there are signs of user wear & natural ageing to the front panel paint, and along the rear-panel in places. The faux wood laminate cabinet it in very good order with only a couple of spots where this has been worn. The pictures we have taken are honest and represent the condition well, so we grade this is ‘good original condition – 7.5 out of 10 cosmetically.’ It’s not a museum piece for sure, but if it’s the sound that’s important to you then it will deliver this beautifully.

Operationally, our trusted ‘Yamaha CS Series’ restoration experts – KSR will be carrying out a full service on the CS70M, which will ensure 100% perfect operation for its new owner.

There are a few demos on YT of these but we like this rather ambient-noodling one from ‘MoreAnalog’ because it demonstrates nicely how the CS70M has the CS80 vibe we are talking about: https://youtu.be/1_jy9ERBTPs

As with all Brokered Sales, the synth will be fully serviced post-sale before it’s sent to its new owner. We do this to ensure that the instrument leaves us in perfect operational condition, and it is backed up by our full warranty to give the new owner complete peace of mind. The servicing is carried out as a priority once the the sale has been completed, and although it will delay shipping/delivery by a short time, we know from experience that customers are happy to wait.

This CS70M is sold through RL Music with a 3 month warranty, and can operate on US 110V or EU 220V. Also, a photocopy of the user manual in a binder is supplied with the synth, plus the service receipts from Kenton for the MIDI install, and the original shop receipt from the current owner (as mentioned above). Also the Kenton MIDI user manual is included, and of course, the proprietary Yamaha Power-cable.

Guide Price Post-Restoration: £tbc GBP

Availability: This CS70M is now SOLD as at 21st October 2016.

Click on the thumbnails for higher resolution photos of actual synth for sale.

 

RESERVE THIS CS70M

Yamaha CS30

We are Brokering this Yamaha CS30 for and on their behalf of a UK client

Came into stock: Arrived at RL Music in August 2016.

Restoration Status: KSR have already fully undertaken a full service of the synth in early September 2016.

Remarks: We present this pristine condition, rare & mighty monosynth from the classic Yamaha CS series of Synthesizers.

A hugely capable synth with complex routing facilities and the excellent CS filters for real exploration of what electronic music is all about. This is a full-on and proper synth for some serious work and an inspirational instrument with a lot of tools for sound creation.

The built in 8 step sequencer really makes this synth special and is one of only a few vintage synths that featured this very useful facility. There are a useful amount of inputs for control including CV/Gate so you can hook her up easily to a Midi to CV converter. There is also an external-in for running external signals (modulation sources) through the synth. This all just adds up to a beautifully thought out and well executed design.

This CS30 has only just been fully serviced and is sold with a 3 month warranty. This CS30 runs on EU220V.

The condition is up there with the best we have ever seen and is certainly ‘collector grade’ in quality of cosmetic finish, but equally and every-day useable synth for any musician.

Price: Was £1490 GBP

Availability: This Yamaha CS30 is now SOLD as at 19th September 2016.

Click on the thumbnails for higher resolution photos.

BUY THIS CS30

Sequential Pro-One

We are Brokering this instrument for and on behalf of our customer

Came into stock: Arrived at RL Music in June 2016

Servicing Status: Full service by KSR has already been carried out so the synth is ready for sale & shipping now!

Remarks: RL Music is delighted to present for you this fantastic condition Pro-One from the classic Sequential Circuits family.

The Pro-One is a superb mono-synth, utilising Curtis CEM chip technology like her bigger brother, the Prophet 5. A really great sounding vintage analogue synth and very flexible modulation routing capability and wonderful built in arpeggio & 40 note sequencer.

This Pro-One has come to us from a UK customer who has owned it since the early 1980s, but in recent years it had become unused, so they decided to let it go to someone else who can enjoy using it again. The synth is in fantastic all original condition, and we’re very pleased to be able to offer this wonderful synthesizer as a Brokered sale, and selling it to its new custodian with a 3 month warranty.

The only item of note, for full disclosure, is that one of the 1/4″ plastic jack-sockets on the rear-panel (GATE/CLK IN) is missing some of its housing. The socket works 100%, but this is a cosmetic flaw that needs highlighting to any potential new owner – you can see this socket in the picture below.

Runs on EU 220V, and we will supply a copy of the user manual (on PDF).

Price: £1450 GBP.

Availability: This Pro-One is now SOLD as at 15th August 2016.

Pictures of the actual synth below.

Click on the Thumbnails for higher resolution photos of actual synth for sale.

BUY THIS PRO-ONE

Prophet T8

We are Brokering this instrument for and on behalf of our UK customer

Came into stock: May 2016

Restoration Status: KSR to fully service once sold, and prior to shipping to the new owner.

Remarks: The Prophet T8 represents the pinnacle of the Sequential product line and with MIDI implementation and built in facilities like the wooden weighted keyboard and polyphonic after-touch. This Curtis chipset based system is is a joy to use and a high-grade professional instrument.

Our restorers, KSR, are experts at preparing these models, and the example that we are Brokering here has come from a ‘home use only’ UK customer, so it’s in great shape. The synth will go though a full and extensive service post-sale, but the base-line cosmetic and operational condition is very good.

As with all Brokered Sales, the synth will be fully restored post-sale before it’s sent to its new owner. We do this to ensure that the instrument leaves us in perfect operational condition, and it is backed up by our full warranty to give the new owner complete peace of mind. The servicing is carried out as a priority once the the sale has been completed, and although it will delay shipping/delivery by a short time, we know from experience that customers are happy to wait.

This T8 is sold with a 3 month warranty and runs on either 110V or 220V.

Guide Price Post-Restoration: £4200 GBP.

Availability: This T8 is now SOLD as at 19th September 2016.

Pictures of the actual T8 below.

Click on the Thumbnails for higher resolution photos of actual synth for sale.

RESERVE THIS T8

Moog 960 & 962

Servicing Status: Will be fully serviced post-sale.

Remarks: We are offering up for sale, one of our spare Vintage Moog 960 Sequencer and RA Moog 962 Sequencer Switch Modules

Both modules come from the RL Music private collection, and have been in our ownership for several years. These have been in regular use, although we will have them fully serviced by KSR post-sale.

The modules are 100% original Moog manufactured from early 1970s.

We can ship world-wide – packing & shipping costs are not included in the sales price, so please ask for a quote.

Price: £2600 GBP.

Availability: Both items are now SOLD as at 24th March 2017.

Click on the thumbnails for photos of actual modules for sale.

BUY THIS Moog 960

EMS Synthi AKS

Came into stock:  December 2014

Servicing Status: Full restoration by KSR has just been completed.

Remarks: A rare opportunity to own your EMS Synthi AKS in excellent pro-restored condition, and has some great modifications to extend it’s functionality.

This Synthi AKS has a really interesting and genuine provenance as it was purchased new by the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester (UK) from EMS back in the 1970s. The Synthi was used for electroacoustic educational programs right up until the 90s, but then stored. The person we purchased it from was a student there and acquired it from the college when they were upgrading their music department about 18 years ago, and it had remained unused since.

When KSR received the Synthi AKS, and they got on with some preliminary restorative cleaning work, it revealed a really lovely cosmetic condition machine, and the electronics inside were in almost pristine condition. We know that the college had some modifications implemented to the synth, which very nicely extended the functionality, but this instrument was clearly well looked after. As part of the restoration work KSR have carried out, all these mods have been tested and everything checked out perfectly.

There is no documentation on the modifications, but from what we can determine through testing, the following has been implemented:

>VCO 1 assign to LFO mode switch
>VCO 2&3 wave-shape invert switch
>VCO 1,2&3 wave-shape assign switch
>VCO 2&3 extended wave-shape control knobs
>Envelope auto-trigger disable switch
>Reverb dry/wet enable switch
>Multi-turn potentiometers on the Input Level 1&2 controls (very useful for fine tuning).

The Synthi AKS is an extremely powerful synthesizer in standard spec, but these mods can really take the synth to a different level altogether.

These iconic and truly amazing pure analogue music instruments are in great demand by professional users, and prices are being driven up fast on the second-hand market around the world, so now might be a good time to invest in one before they become ‘Vintage Buchla or Moog Modular’ prices.

This EMS Synthi AKS comes with a full compliment of Matrix pins. KS inter-connect cable, and of course the power cable. It can operate on either EU 220V or US 110V (switchable), and it is sold with our normal 3 month warranty.

Sales Price: £9,900 UK Pounds.

Availability: This Synthi AKS is now SOLD as at 22nd April 2016.

Pictures below of actual Synthi AKS for sale, so please click on the Thumbnails for higher resolution photos.

BUY THIS SYNTHI AKS