Description
This auction is for a Moog Source synthesizer in excellent condition. It is 100% functional and sounds fantastic.

Functional Condition
This synth is functionally perfect. The membrane panel looks almost new and the buttons respond to a light touch. The keyboard has a crisp, even action with no sticky or dead notes. The knobs, controllers and all “level 2″ functions (e.g. arpeggiator, sequencer, sample & hold effects) also work perfectly.

The oscillators are stable and well calibrated. The second oscillator is in tune at roughly halfway through its range and the fine tuning knob is at concert pitch when it points straight up. The volume knob is noiseless with even resistance throughout its travel and the data entry knob spins freely with a lot of inertia.

Cosmetic Condition
Cosmetically, this synth is about an 8 out of 10. It looks clean, well cared for and much newer than its true age. The membrane panel is nearly flawless – you have to look closely to see that it’s not a brand new replacement. The rest of the synth is in great condition but there are some minor signs of wear. The chassis has a few noticeable scratches and scuffs and there are various small dings and scratches in the wooden end panels. The most noticeable flaws are the scratch on the front panel on the far left side (see the closeup photo of this area) and multiple scratches on the underside (see the photo of the bottom panel).

History
I acquired this synth from a friend in the late 90′s. At that time it had been sitting its case since the power supply went out several years earlier. I kept it for another ten years without having it repaired. So between myself and the previous owner this synth has been unused and stored in its case in an air-conditioned, smoke free apartment for at least 12 years.

I finally brought the synth to Ed Miller of Synthesizer Repair in Hollywood about 18 months ago. He fixed the power supply and replaced one of the DAC’s (used to convert the digital control signals to analog). The replacement DAC is an identical NOS part (i.e. same part number, same manufacturer, made in the early 80′s). I asked Ed to clean and calibrate the synth as well but he said that it “looks like a museum piece” on the inside and that no additional work was required. With the exception of the repairs performed by Ed, this synth is 100% original.

Sound
This synth has that unmistakably fat, warm and punchy tone of a classic Moog. The circuitry is essentially the same as a stripped down Minimoog, so it’s not surprising that it sounds nearly identical to that synth. All of the waveforms sound great and the filter is pure, legendary Moog.

Side by side with a Little Phatty, the Source sounds a little more raw and has more bite in the high end. The filter envelope amount (“contour amount” on the Source) has twice the range of the Little Phatty (at the expense of being positive only) so you can easily create sounds with an extreme attack.

I haven’t had the chance to compare the Source directly to a Minimoog. But Ed Miller, who has owned and worked on plenty of them, believes that no synth comes closer to a Minimoog than the Source.

Additional Items
The original owner’s manual, technical service manual and schematics are included. The Anvil case it’s been stored in for so many years is also included. This a lightweight case that’s not fitted (there is a lot of room for the synth to move around) and the foam is getting old and brittle, so you’ll want to replace it if you plan on transporting the synth on a regular basis. The power cord that came with it is also included (I’m not sure if it’s the original).” Link

Functionally this thing works 100% perfectly and sounds sonically awesome.

Its worth mentioning that this is a US 110v version but that’s ok because we provide everything you need to make this work in Europe and the UK. We have provided a step down transformer which MUST be used in the places of the world which have a 220v electricity supply. Failure to use this supplied step down transformer will damage this synth and if you do that, we are not responsible as that would be neglectful on the buyer’s part.

Some of the purists are concerned that putting in a step down transformer spoil the sonic quality. We don’t believe this is true. Having tested this on a ‘scope’, it makes no difference and sonically to my excellent ear sounds every bit as good so don’t let this put you off. Furthermore, if you are a member who lives in a region which supports 110v as standard ‘game on’.” Link

You are buying from an authorised Moog retailer in Sydney.

Intermusic is a physical shop where you can see the unit prior to purchase, pickup available.” Link

On top of the dual oscillators the SOURCE also offers a programmable (quantized) arpeggiator, 16 user patches and that legendary 24db Moog filter. The incremental control knob on these synths is a little odd in that it has a slight delay in catching up with the amount you turn but it’s not a big deal and you soon get the hang of it. Also please note that this is a US model so you’ll need to be a pro adaptor.” Link

It has never been serviced while in my possession and has been taken good care of.

The first owner made a custom case for it and it is included as seen in the photo.

Comes with the original power cable. ” Link

This is the fourth Source I have owned, so I am fairly familiar with the usual flaws and problem areas. Cosmetically, the most common issue these have is the clear paint separating from the aluminum case creating a crinkly, odd look. There is none of that happening on this Source. The paint is in excellent condition, lustrous and shiny, with no obvious scratches or blemishes of any sort.

The second issue they usually have is chips and breaks in the walnut wood side panels and keyboard surrounds. This Source has perfect wood. I can find one small indent where in looks like something was laid at some point, but aside from that the wood is perfect. There are no chips, cracks, or damage of any sort. The keyboard surrounds are all firmly in place, nothing is loose, and the stain is shiny and looks incredible. The original owner must have kept the wood polished and oiled, because it looks new.

Functionally, you usually hear about the membrane buttons going out, but I have actually never experienced that on a Source, the membrane is far more durable than the internet would lead you to believe. The membrane and all plastic control surrounds on this moog are completely bright, shiny, undamaged, and work perfectly. There is one common issue with Sources, an IC in the LFO circuit that commonly fails, all but one of the Sources I have owned had that happen, and this one was no exception. That IC has been professionally replaced, and the pots and jacks were cleaned and lubed at that time as well. The original, bad IC is included with the auction, so you can bid with confidence that the one failure point I am aware of has already been professionally repaired.

The LEDs all work correctly, the numeric display functions perfectly, the rotary dial functions perfectly, the volume and tuning pots function perfectly with no static. The output has no static. This Moog could probably pass as new old stock, I have owned many, many vintage synthesizers of all shapes and sizes, and this is absolutely the nicest one I have seen. The keys are bright white, evenly spaced, function perfectly… you get the idea, I feel comfortable making the claim that this is as close to perfect as you are going to get in a vintage synth.

Many original Moog extras are included in this sale as well. The original owners manual in excellent condition is included, as is an original Moog factory service manual in the original Moog interoffice manilla envelope (haha), the original Moog cassette tape with the original presets is also included along with the necessary data cable for patch backup… I believe the power cord included is original as well, but I am not certain.

And finally, a high quality hard case from Modern Case in perfect condition is included.

This auction includes everything you could possibly want for a Source, all of it original Moog stuff and all of it in fantastic condition. This is a complete Source collection, and I sincerely doubt a nicer example exists in the world.

And oh yeah, it sounds FANTASTIC. The Source is actually my favorite Moog. I prefer it over the Mini even. ” Link

All of the membrane buttons work perfectly, as do the knobs, rotary wheels, and push buttons. The keys exhibit excellent action and the keys are all uniformly aligned. This particular example is in very excellent condition with no visible wear on the keys, membrane pad, or wood side panels! ” Link

Functionally the synth sounds perfect – all membranes and keys are responsive showing no issues whatsoever. There are two minor functional issues that the buyer should be aware of: 1. the LCD numbers in the “incremental Control” window do not always display correctly (see numbers “64″ and “65″ in the photos to get an idea of what I mean. The other issue is the control wheel is sometimes sticky – it spins fine, but not as smooth as it possibly can. Otherwise the synth is functionally fantastic and capable of incredible basses, leads, and effects. ” Link

I am the original (and only) owner/user of this instrument purchased new in 1983. This Souce is fully functional except for the noise generator source which produces no sound. No repairs have been attempted and the chassis case has never been opened.

This synthesizer was used the majority (95%) of its time in a smoke-free studio environment. It is in very good cosmetic condition except for a minor scuff on the top right which can be seen in the first photo.

Comes with a custom-built Viking Cases flight case purchased at the same time as the synthesizer. Due to the age of the case, the foam has lost some of its resiliency.” Link

Unit powers on, but there is No Audio Output. This has been used in my smoke-free home studio for many years and only recently ceased to function properly.

Completely original, cosmetically excellent.” Link

What’s wrong with it?
This moog source was purchased by me from an eBay seller a few years ago. It arrived to me in a condition other than what was described – it lit up and appeared ok but it didn’t produce any sound. So I paid to have this worked on by someone who had previous experience as a technician of vintage analog gear including Moogs as well as Rolands and Korgs. However, for lack of money, knowledge, or otherwise, the synthesizer is not fully functioning – although it now does play 90% – which I will describe further.

The sustain and/or release section of the ADSR is sustaining the voice forever, and the way I have been playing it is to turn the release all the way down, which allows for playing with no sustain on the patches while remaining quiet when not being triggered. So either the release doesn’t work or something is shifty with the entire ADSR of the VCA.

Furthermore, when played or left on for more than 20 minutes or so, the synthesizer starts glitching out. At that point, the center above the keyboard becomes warm to the touch. The glitching of the instrument sometimes involves it playing itself. I left it on one time and it was in the other room – and all of a sudden it started playing this really tight rhythmic bass line, the kind found on many hit albums. Turning it off and right back on will cause the error to occur sooner than 20 minutes time it seems.

I restored the vintage patches manually; Patches like the clav bass, the flute, and number 14 is my favorite – wind.
Just a nice vintage breeze whispering through time. When creating the patches, I had to tune the 2nd oscillator to an interval of 3 (should be 0) to get it in tune. The interval needs to be adjusted accordingly.

The cosmetic condition is quite nice but I definitely don’t want to over describe it. It has a few marks, and I noticed a little bit of discoloration of what could be oxidation on the corner seams, I attempted to photograph this. Nothing I would call major. The fine tune pot in the back appears to be missing the knob. Also noticeable on the back is the sequencer sync in, which is found on the more coveted later revisions of the Source. I have not used it personally but it’s a very neat feature to someone in the know of such things.

Everything else I haven’t yet mentioned I’m assuming to be functioning after playing it; such as the pitch/mod, oscillators, display, data wheel, keys, sequencer, filter, etc.
The VCA – also known as the ‘Loudness Contour’ – is with the defect of sustaining incorrectly.

I will try to answer any questions to the best of my ability. I usually take pictures of the inside for my ‘parts or play’ auctions but I’ve never personally opened the synthesizer so I do not know what the inside of it looks like. ” Link

Here are the known problems:
1.) The memory does not hold presets. When you turn on the machine all presets are distorted and do not save.
2.) It sends a power surge when turned on an off, shorting other electronics on the circuit.” Link

I’m a little blemished, which is acceptable at my age.
I function quite well. I do have a chip on the bottom of one of my keys.
I’m itchy around my metal casing, so I scratched a bit all over.
I have a weird din connector replacing the original connector for the cassette backup.
My owner thinks it certainly is not a midi upgrade, so please don’t be misled. ” Link

*Guaranteed* to be 100% fully functional. Serial # 1215

Included is owners manual, schematics/service manual, IEC cable, and even the original cassette-tape with the factory patches.

I have restored all the factory patches to their original state, so it’s as close as you can get to getting a brand new unit.

I purchased this unit from Mike Bucki of Modusonics a number of years ago who fully serviced it and added a couple of unique mods for me – an audio input (!) and keyboard-CV output scale.

Cosmetically, it’s in very good condition except for a few very minor scuffs and blemishes. The membrane panel is in excellent condition with no wear whatsoever. All 37 keys work great.

Sonically, apart from a minimoog, there is nothing like it – with the 24dB Moog filter, it’s the real deal. But frankly, my Minimoog gets more use, so I can’t really justify having both.

The Source has 16 memory locations, built-in step sequencer, and very nifty arpeggiator which, of course, are not found on a Minimoog. It’s very east to program and makes a great synth for gigging too. An SKB PS-25 pedalboard case I discovered makes an excellent carrying case (not included). And, while there is no midi, with so many great midi/CV devices on the market today, it should not be an issue.” Link

This model is in pretty good condition. Wood panels look good, with some minor scratching, and the metal casing is pretty good shape. More importantly, all buttons still work, and presets (yes, presets) still hold. Played it tonite, and everything still works (it practically plays the Tom Sawyer lick by itself).

37 keys, monophonic. pitch bend and mod wheels, as well as octave buttons for the left hand.

Serial # 3677. Includes power cord, and the original box (not to be used for shipping any more, but I’m including it because it is kinda cool)

Tuning knob on the back still adjusts. If I had a good use for this in church, I’d be keeping this monster.

Dance, trance, techno, and retro. A must for any keyboardists rig!” Link

RECENTLY TESTED: ALL BUTTONS, KEYS, AND FUNCTIONS ARE WORKING

CONTROL WHEEL WORKS SMOOTHLY AND LIKE NEW

THERE ARE TWO MODIFICATIONS- A SWITCH BY THE PITCH BEND WHEEL THAT CUTS OFF/ON BOTH OSCILLATORS, AND 4 EXTRA 1/4 INCH PORTS ON THE BACK, ONE OF WHICH IS LABELED “VCF” (I ASSUME THESE ARE CV INPUTS THAT CONTROL ASPECTS BESIDES PITCH, BUT DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT TO TEST THIS OUT. I HAVE TESTED THAT THEY ARE NOT EXTRA AUDIO OUTPUTS HOWEVER)

LOOK AT THE PICTURES TO SEE THE CONDITION- THERE ARE COSMETIC SCRATCHES AND MARKS, BUT NOTHING THAT AFFECTS THE BUTTONS OR USABILITY

KEYBOARD TACTILE RESPONSE IS GREAT” Link

This particular example is in extra fine cosmetic condition, and was recently completely serviced. All of the membrane buttons work perfectly, as do the knobs, rotary wheels, and push buttons. The keys exhibit excellent action.” Link

As you can see from the pictures, the keyboard is in EXCELLENT condition if you consider how old this product is!

This was traded in from a professional musician who had this sitting on his shelf for years under special care. This was periodically tested by him to make sure everything is working. I’m not an expert at this but as I tested by myself, all the keys and knobs and buttons seem to be functioning well.

Also comes with Japan made hard case that is specially made for this keyboard to fit.

The case is in great shape as well, strong enough that you can carry it around any where you like!

Power cable included.
No manual.” Link

The previous owner had it serviced just before he sold it to me and functionally it is in amazing condition. If you know how much it costs to get a vintage synth serviced, if you can even find someone to fix it you will understand the importance of buying one with everything working. Vintage analog is going crazy. These have been selling for 2k and north of 2k lately. So if you want one, don’t wait much longer.

Has the same oscillator boards, filter and amplifier as late Minimoog Model Ds but with digital control over parameters, a great sequencer, arpeggiator, patch storage and sync sound that has become famous on New Order’s “Blue Monday” and many other tracks of the 80s. Download the manual online to get an idea of all the features and you’ll learn that after awhile programming with the wheel and membrane can be just as fast and just as fun as programming with the knobby ones. Go hear the numerous awesome demos people have done with this synth on Youtube.

Keyboard is perfectly level and tracks across all octaves, filter tracks, all membrane switches do what they’re supposed to as does the value wheel.

Cosmetically you can see that there are some small scratches, it’s been used but not abused, there is some sticker residue on the metal you can see in one of the pictures that I have not bothered to remove. Flash makes things look worse than they actually are with the naked eye.

I’m selling this only because I already have way too many other synths and I’d like money for other gear. Same old story.” Link

Functionally the Source is good – it takes about five minutes to “warm up” to where the oscillators are stable and in-tune. The control wheel spins well, but it is not perfectly smooth. In addition, the right-hand of the LCD display does not display the numbers 5 and 9 correctly (as seen in photo). This does not affect playability whatsoever. I am not a tech and have never had the Source serviced since I’ve owned it. However, as it is a piece of 30 year-old vintage electronic equipment, it is being sold “as-is.” All membrane pads work perfectly and all keys work perfectly. ” Link