skip to main |
skip to sidebar
For some time now, well since I sold all my analogue and modular synths back in 2007-8 - a moment of madness I'm still trying to live down - I've been hankering after another EMS Synthi... specifically a Synthi AKS, or Synthi A. I used to have an EMS Synthi VCS3 back in the mid-late 70s' and I loved it, but had to sell it just before we started TG (that's another story).
But since selling much of my old analogue gear last decade I've been looking to buy a self-contained analogue synth that I could travel with and the Synthi AKS would be ideal for my purposes. I've come across a few over the years, some utterly knackered (technical term), some pristine and some outrageously overpriced but I've always missed out in some way on a sale. The market value of EMS synths has risen exponentially over the last 10 years and some currently go for crazy prices, usually in bidding wars on eBay. Where frankly these things can get totally out of hand in the heat of the moment. Which is typical of most auctions I've attended, virtual or not. When I was in LA a couple of years ago my friend Lustmord mentioned that he was selling his Synthi AKS but at the time I wasn't in a position where I could make a decent offer for what was a really nice unit. As is happened he sold that AKS last year for $7k, on eBay. Like I said, some sell for outrageous prices.
Well I think i've waited long enough now so I'm putting the word out there that I'm 'seriously' looking to buy a Synthi... though I can't go to $7k and I don't really want to bid on eBay but I will consider most sensible proposals for a decent unit. Also I'd rather buy from the UK, or maybe Europe, but no further.
Update: I’m no longer actively looking for an AKS. See this post:
http://chriscarterchemistrylessons.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-little-synthi-aks.html
I've been getting concerned emails and comments on the interweb about my 'gear sales' on eBay.
Basically saying: "are you mad?, why?, please don't, are you short of cash?, they should be in a museum, keep them, don't sell them" and so on and so on. I'm sure you get the drift.
They are all valid points, and yes I can absolutely see where these concerns are coming from and no I'm not doing it for the cash, well not at the moment at least. I have kept back some 'unique'ish' TG items: the Gristleizers, some other hand-made fx units, a Bolex movie camera, a 'blood-stained' microphone and a couple of battered TG flight-cases. But I have a history of 'off-loading gear and moving on' every 5-10 years or so and previously I'd sold (my personal) TG and C&C gear to private collectors and through specialist auction houses. This time it's through eBay and it's generated a certain amount of interest and forum chatter. I'm not going to attempt to justify what I'm doing, I don't need to but I will explain my reasoning.
Well, apart from (the not inconsiderable) space considerations, I just don't use some of this gear anymore and I'd like other musicians to 'take up the mantel', so to speak and carry on using it while it all still works (and hopefully in new and interesting ways). One of the main reasons I started selling my old gear 10-15 years ago was that much of it was failing, malfunctioning or broken and I was spending a small fortune trying to keep it all going. So I sold it to buyers who could afford to repair, cherish and use it to make music for a few years more, as it deserved. I'm not the only member of TG who's passed on 'retired' gear so that others can get something else out of owning it either.
Also one of my morbid fears is that Cosey and I (or even all TG) will die in a plane crash and our TG and C&C archive, which even apart from the gear is MASSIVE (it literally fills a whole room in our old 'school' house) will be dumped in a land-fill never to be seen or used by anyone ever again. Irrational and possibly quite improbable I know... but hey! that's me.
Now... if someone from a museum or gallery wants to take this lot off my hand's I'm sure we could come to some arrangement but they'd better hurry.
I mentioned last month that I was intending to put my unsold gear (below) on eBay but try as I may I've yet to creat a 'Seller' account. I must admit that a year ago I was very anti eBay, as I'd been ripped-off (twice) some years ago. But I gradually got drawn back in during 2007 and ended up with some really good buys last year, mainly effects units and pedals.
But here I am still trying to set up a Seller account but ebay won't play ball (after 4 weeks!). Various eBay technical departments have tried to reassure me that there shouldn't be a problem setting up my account to sell stuff BUT it basically boils down to this: they are aware of a problem, they don't know why there is a problem and they don't currently know how to fix the problem.
So in leu of finally (if ever) setting up an eBay Seller account I am putting ads in various places with a link to my 'Gear Sale' page and a PayPal 'Buy Now' button.
UPDATE:
OK I've managed to set up a temporary eBay account that will let me sell stuff for the time being: this is the link.
I've also added a few more items for sale.
I'm selling my Monome 40h USB controller (actually now sold) and my DS Evolver desktop synth as I just don't use them quite as much as I'd like to anymore. If anyone is seriously interested in making an offer for either unit then please drop me a line. But if no one does I'll be putting them up on ebay next week (4th or 5th Feb).
Posts
