E-70 j) demo CS80 heart

[decatlon14]

all right thanks for that information again.

[decatlon14]

how much did you sell it for?

[FlametopFred]

@decatlon14 - - pretty close to what I bought it for - - meaning that I broke even, and I stayed true to keeping this cheap for everyone. You know what I mean? I think analogue gear should be cheap. Besides .... these are heavy. It's almost doing me a favour just to have guys come over to move it ... so, breaking even on the deal is fine by me.

[decatlon14]

by any chance are selling it?

[FlametopFred]

@decatlon14 - - sorry, already sold. Moved from larger place to small. Had to sell this and the E-75. Broke my heart! Now into the EL-40 and that 1990's range of Electones. Aiming for ELX-1 or ELS or EL-900 .... great instruments with MIDI. Cheers though . . and happy hunting!

[decatlon14]

@FlametopFred all right thanks for answering that

[Elhardt]

I thought you were going to get a Galaxy. The Galaxy goes beyond the Yamahas in many areas. It's got a full programmable drum machine with battery backup with features that in some cases surpass a TR-808. It's got a full auto auto accompaniment unit that generates it's own bass, chord, and lead parts, in addition to an arpeggiator. All that stuff syncs to each other. There are two full tone sources, so you can have independent vibrato and glides on different sounds or stack and detune voices.

[FlametopFred]

There is a Galaxy locally - - but I just moved and seriously, do not have the space. Otherwise ... yes, I would have. One needs tonal variation ... and a warehouse.

[FlametopFred]

I've been looking at GX-1 photos, manuals and video. The E-type Electones share so many of the GX design elements. And by adding a bank of pots to control parameters, you're getting closer to the GX Heart. Only thing missing on this is the Solo synth .. but then remove the music rack and stick a SY-1 up top the console or something. The world is an oyster. Oceans swirl. Mermaids they cluster. Electone is pearl.

[FlametopFred]

The addition of a separate analogue bass synthesizer makes this better than the CS-80, I think - - for those into really laying down the funkalogue groove in the back room. Two 61-note keyboards. Stacked sounds. Hammond Clone. 4-way amp and speakers. Drum machine. Bass synth. Priceless.

[Farksisten]

$150?! Are you shittin me, or am I missunderstanding?

[GreyThing]

There is one for $150 right now on the San Francisco craigslist.

[FlametopFred]

That's correct. And about the right value considering the investment in friends, van, back ointment and trips to massage therapist. Electone E-70's should sell or be bought for less than $500 and more likely around $200 or less. That's part of the deal and the lifestyle.  Part of the communal karma flow. Keep them flowing into the hands of players for little investment - - - in exchange they provide hours of dazed hypnotic music making.

[FlametopFred]

An updated thought: that the E-70 is in many ways like having a Polyphonic ARP Pro-Soloist. Or maybe more like having a Polyphonic SY-1. Something like that. Still having fun and very much in love with the instrument.

[FlametopFred]

This is probably as close as I'll ever get to playing or owning a GX-1. I see that every couple of months one of these (or a similar model) come up for sale somewhere. Keep you eye out !

[FlametopFred]

Note: the E-70 is the same electronically as the EX-2. The E-50 is another similar model, with a few less features. The E-75 is a later model, with extra sounds (Electric Piano, etc) shared by the D-85. In the US, it's the 7000 model number.

[Elhardt]

Since nobody seems to have any videos of the mighty Yamaha EX-1, your E-70 videos are the next best thing for showing the features of that series and its variants.

[FlametopFred]

There is a lot to learn, to be sure. But I am finding a lot of interesting history. The EX-2 of course is the same electronics as the E-70. The EX-1 would have added the mono-synth. This discovery means that it will be possible to add (couple) a Yamaha mono synth of that era to the Upper Keyboard of the E-70.

There are no doubt, a lot of great Electone finds hidden in churches, funeral homes, family basements.

[FlametopFred]

It is our job, our mission, to seek out and find these analog synthesizer organs of musical fire. Go! Now! Find the Electones where they may be !  Hark! I hear the drum beat already. Bossanova,!

[Elhardt]

Several years back I searched out a Wersi Galaxy organ. It's the biggest and most impressive home organ with 3 keyboards and synth effects and so forth. They used to be about $30,000 organs in the late 70's early 80's. Lately, used ones have been going up in price to between $4500 and $5300. I have one with a number of minor problems that I'm hoping to get $2500 for. Yamaha EX-1's are also selling in the thousands range. Guess people still want the top of the line models.

[FlametopFred]

I was looking at some of the Wersi Galaxy information and videos. It was hard to say how good that was in comparison. I think the Wersi was ... big. But I think the Electones are more efficiently designed. That is only one person's opinion.

[Elhardt]

More Galaxy: Organ setups can be stored into electrically alterable ROM patch memory. You can remove those memory SIMMs to bring your patches to another Galaxy, or copy somebody elses patches onto them. There are two chorus/rotary speaker circuits, two special effects units, and two guitar units. The sinewave drawbar organ units go beyon a B3 with percussion drawbars, switches for different attack and decay rates, keyclick, not to mention a couple of extra drawbars, and 3 manuals. Galaxy rules!

[vagro2006]

Take care of it. It´s a piece of art. Not even the best modern organs compete with its beauty and I don´t think there are many in the world.

[FlametopFred]

Thanks. I don't know how many either. There are many, many variants - with 2 x 61 note keyboards and "the basic" CS80 engine. Made from 1977 through 1982. Think: churches, funeral homes, families. Talk to grandma. See what she knows . . . but no waterboarding. She'll spill her guts over a cup of tea.

[thedivinechemical]

Wow. Glad to see somebody else saw the potential in this machine. I found one of these at a pawn shop for two hundred bucks. Naturally, once I figured out what it was, I went apeshit and purchased it on the spot. ...unfortunately two problems arose: 1.) I never found anybody who had a truck so I could take it home and 2.) It wouldn't fit through the front door anyway. Gotta love that little slider panel hidden underneath the left side in a drawer, though!

[FlametopFred]

It will fit through a front door. All Electones (and even a B-3, suprisingly) are less than 32" wide ... which is pretty much the standard door width across North America. The E-70 is 30" wide.

You do need a truck and some buddies, or simply hire a Piano / Organ moving crew .. worth the $100 to get a $200 CS80.

Is it still for sale?

It took me a while to figure out (exactly) what these things were or are. Now that I know, no church is safe :^)