I tracked down and bought back the original Ministry Moog Source that cost me every penny I could scrape together back in early 1982, about $2200, IIRC. It’s featured on nearly all the early recordings and shows. Sold it to my brother around '85 or so and it changed hands a couple of times.
It’s missing the high C key, but otherwise works great.
Really fortunate and happy to have been able to get it back after all this time.
Cool.
Can you replace that key?
Can you replace that key?
Apparently, since that key tended to break more than the others put together…it’s hard to find.
I might be able to find a similar synth that used the same keyboard manufacturer and get one that way.
That’s what I was thinking. It’s more cyberpunk that way anyhow.
I’m sure you have probably already searched and seen this, but if not this looks like maybe a promising source:
I’m sure you have probably already searched and seen this, but if not this looks like maybe a promising source:
http://sounddoctorin.com/synthtec/parts/key.htm
I love the note that applies to the Source…
“Price $9.00 each except C, F, A, D and G are 14.00 and $22.00 end ones when available.”
The $22 “end one” which is hard to find is the one I need.
The keyboard itself is a Pratt-Read I think. They made keyboards for many different synths. I’ve got the cover off now and am cleaning it out then I have to work on some of the pitted lacquer covering the brushed metal. I don’t want to change it too much…I just want to get it clean and install fresh foam in the flightcase…which is original.
Thanks for checking around.
Man, if you take pictures of the guts, I wanna see 'em! I cracked open my Micromoog about a year ago for a couple mods (the low end filter fix and swapped the odd sized modulation jack for a 1/4"). Probably should give the old girl an all around tuneup one of these days.
Man, if you take pictures of the guts, I wanna see 'em! I cracked open my Micromoog about a year ago for a couple mods (the low end filter fix and swapped the odd sized modulation jack for a 1/4"). Probably should give the old girl an all around tuneup one of these days.
Good idea. I’ll remember to before I button it up but there’s not a whole lot to see actually. Most of the business end is kinda under the keyboard. The power supply is along the back…and the controller wheel and pitch/mod wheels are about the only thing interesting. You can’t even see the underside of the membrane panel. It’s just two 6 conductor ribbon cables that plug into the main board and that’s it. I found the service manual online so getting it open wasn’t too difficult.
Congrats on getting your baby back, Wemp. I’m curious . . . did you go on a hunt for it and start tracking it asking people who it got sold/transferred to, or did it just pop up somewhere and you bought it from whomever had it?
Either way, that’s pretty cool.
Congrats on getting your baby back, Wemp. I’m curious . . . did you go on a hunt for it and start tracking it asking people who it got sold/transferred to, or did it just pop up somewhere and you bought it from whomever had it?
Either way, that’s pretty cool.
I was visiting an old friend in California last week, and I noticed a familiar looking flightcase in the corner of his studio. About 10 minutes later he reached for it and said to me, “Remember this? It was yours.” He was the third or fourth owner and the synth hadn’t really ever left my circle of old friends…but I didn’t know that.
He hadn’t played it in 15 years but when we got it out and cleaned it off and powered it up it worked just fine. So I insisted he sell it to me and he agreed.
I shipped it home and it got here yesterday. I’ve been toying with it ever since.
Cool. I know that is cool to get it back. Do you get a good deal on it?
I paid a little more than it’s worth to anybody else…but they don’t have the same attachment to it. Besides…my friend is a starving artist and he could use a little extra $$.
That’s great, Wemp! And aside from the missing key it looks brand new now in the photo.
I think this demands a YouTube video of you (RR) playing it once it is back together.
Seems appropriate somehow.
[reply]I think this demands a YouTube video of you (RR) playing it once it is back together.
Seems appropriate somehow.[/reply]
Maybe demonstrate some Ministry synth lines? [cool]
Congratulations!
I agree that a live demonstration video on YouTube would be cool.
I’m inspired to dig my Roland Juno-60 out of the garage and fire it up.
Holy shit, how can you just keep a Juno 60 in your garage?! I have one and play it everyday! Such an amazing synth. And Wemp, definitely make a video of you playing it!
Congratulations!
I agree that a live demonstration video on YouTube would be cool.
I’m inspired to dig my Roland Juno-60 out of the garage and fire it up.
If we could find a Jupiter 8, a Pro-One and an Opus 3 (I think) and add them to the Juno 60 and the Source…then we’d have something.
How about Simmons drum-kit? [crazy]
Holy shit, how can you just keep a Juno 60 in your garage?! I have one and play it everyday! Such an amazing synth. And Wemp, definitely make a video of you playing it!
Good point. I allowed my man cave to get overtaken awhile back and somehow the synth wound up in the garage. Time to change that. [;)]
