First manufacturer to put name on back of synth?

[David Vandenborn-3]

Ok, totaly useless topic. But I was wandering which manufacturer was  
the first to put it's name on the back of a synth?
Totaly brilliant from a marketing point of view. Having your name on  
stage like that.

All of my keyboard synths have their manufacturer's name written on  
them on the back, except for the Solina. So, it must have been an  
analogue synth manufacturer. But which one?

David
http://dvdborn.blogspot.com

[Christopher Winkels]

Granted they aren't strictly synths, but some of the European combo organ
manufacturers like Farsifa were quite blatant in their branding too.

It definitely didn't originate with Moogs and ARPs.

On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 10:43 AM, David Vandenborn
<fairlight.iix@...>wrote:

> Ok, totaly useless topic. But I was wandering which manufacturer was the
> first to put it's name on the back of a synth?
> Totaly brilliant from a marketing point of view. Having your name on stage
> like that.
>
> All of my keyboard synths have their manufacturer's name written on them on
> the back, except for the Solina. So, it must have been an analogue synth
> manufacturer. But which one?
>
> David
> http://dvdborn.blogspot.com
>
>
>
>

[Tim Parkhurst]

VOX?

Could have sworn I'd seen that on the back of a combo keyboard waaaaay
back in the day (probably in some cheesy rock n' roll monster movie).

Tim (working on my screenplay for "The Haunted Rock n' Roll Dragster
of Go-Go Party Beach!") Servo


On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 7:43 AM, David Vandenborn<fairlight.iix@...> wrote:

> Ok, totaly useless topic. But I was wandering which manufacturer was the
> first to put it's name on the back of a synth?
> Totaly brilliant from a marketing point of view. Having your name on stage
> like that.
>
> All of my keyboard synths have their manufacturer's name written on them on
> the back, except for the Solina. So, it must have been an analogue synth
> manufacturer. But which one?
>
> David
> http://dvdborn.blogspot.com
>
>
>
>

--
"Sire, the church of God is an anvil that has worn out many hammers."
- H.L. Hastings

[LucidSounD]

Just think, if the VCS3 had 'EMS' emblazoned on the back, they could have
been bigger than Korg.  Typical of the English to have some reserve ;-}

Lucid.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Parkhurst" <tim.parkhurst@...>
To: "David Vandenborn" <fairlight.iix@...>
Cc: "Analogue Heaven Heaven" <analogue@...>
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 7:40 PM
Subject: Re: [AH] First manufacturer to put name on back of synth?

> VOX?
>
> Could have sworn I'd seen that on the back of a combo keyboard waaaaay
> back in the day (probably in some cheesy rock n' roll monster movie).
>
> Tim (working on my screenplay for "The Haunted Rock n' Roll Dragster
> of Go-Go Party Beach!") Servo
>
>
> On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 7:43 AM, David Vandenborn<fairlight.iix@...>
> wrote:
>> Ok, totaly useless topic. But I was wandering which manufacturer was the
>> first to put it's name on the back of a synth?
>> Totaly brilliant from a marketing point of view. Having your name on
>> stage
>> like that.
>>
>> All of my keyboard synths have their manufacturer's name written on them
>> on
>> the back, except for the Solina. So, it must have been an analogue synth
>> manufacturer. But which one?
>>
>> David
>> http://dvdborn.blogspot.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
> --
> "Sire, the church of God is an anvil that has worn out many hammers."
> - H.L. Hastings
>

[Howie Shen]

Fun topic. Got me thinking about when I was a teenager growing up in the 1980's first becoming interested in synthesizers. I remember thinking it was SO cool to have keyboards on an A-frame stand with "YAMAHA DX7" and "Emulator II" facing the camera in music videos, photos, or on stage. Mostly because back then there was no way I could ever realistically afford those instruments. Fast-forward to many many years later, that stuck with me so much that when I picked up a DX7IIFD and EII the cosmetic condition of the names on the back really mattered to me!

Howie



--- On Thu, 7/2/09, David Vandenborn <fairlight.iix@...> wrote:

> From: David Vandenborn <fairlight.iix@...>
> Subject: [AH] First manufacturer to put name on back of synth?
> To: "Analogue Heaven Heaven" <analogue@...>
> Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 7:43 AM
> Ok, totaly useless topic. But I was
> wandering which manufacturer was the first to put it's name
> on the back of a synth?
> Totaly brilliant from a marketing point of view. Having
> your name on stage like that.
>
> All of my keyboard synths have their manufacturer's name
> written on them on the back, except for the Solina. So, it
> must have been an analogue synth manufacturer. But which
> one?
>
> David
> http://dvdborn.blogspot.com
>
>
>
>

     

[Jason Proctor]

i've always been obsessed with synth back panels -

http://redfish.net/backpanels/

crap collection right now but i hope to expand it.

it used to really bug me that TV shows like Top of the Pops etc would
put black tape over the graphics to prevent advertising on the BBC. i
thought they should carve guitars into basically the same shape and
put black tape over their heads too! it's only fair.

what's everyone's favourite back panel? i think the first Emulator
has a rad one. also Moog Source and... Prophet VS.

>Fun topic. Got me thinking about when I was a teenager growing up in
>the 1980's first becoming interested in synthesizers. I remember
>thinking it was SO cool to have keyboards on an A-frame stand with
>"YAMAHA DX7" and "Emulator II" facing the camera in music videos,
>photos, or on stage. Mostly because back then there was no way I
>could ever realistically afford those instruments. Fast-forward to
>many many years later, that stuck with me so much that when I picked
>up a DX7IIFD and EII the cosmetic condition of the names on the back
>really mattered to me!
>
>Howie

[Christopher Winkels]

Nice to see the Mk.3 ARPODYSSEY in your collection.  I love the run-on text
(it seems so 21st century, not late '70s).  That oen is my all time fave,
though I do have a soft spot for pre-DX Yamaha analogue instruments that
didn't bother mentioning the instrument, only the manufacturer in that
hyper-legible Yamaha typeface.

To anyone who thinks these things don't matter, a slightly off-topic story.
My uncle used to race cars back in the early '80s.  One of his sponsors was
Sony.  He might have two dozen decals on his dash viewable from the interior
camera, but only one was legible given the rather primitive in-car video
technology of the day.  The power of clean graphics.

On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 3:13 PM, Jason Proctor <jason@...> wrote:

> i've always been obsessed with synth back panels -
>
> http://redfish.net/backpanels/
>
> crap collection right now but i hope to expand it.
>
> it used to really bug me that TV shows like Top of the Pops etc would put
> black tape over the graphics to prevent advertising on the BBC. i thought
> they should carve guitars into basically the same shape and put black tape
> over their heads too! it's only fair.
>
> what's everyone's favourite back panel? i think the first Emulator has a
> rad one. also Moog Source and... Prophet VS.
>
>
>
>
> Fun topic. Got me thinking about when I was a teenager growing up in the
>> 1980's first becoming interested in synthesizers. I remember thinking it was
>> SO cool to have keyboards on an A-frame stand with "YAMAHA DX7" and
>> "Emulator II" facing the camera in music videos, photos, or on stage. Mostly
>> because back then there was no way I could ever realistically afford those
>> instruments. Fast-forward to many many years later, that stuck with me so
>> much that when I picked up a DX7IIFD and EII the cosmetic condition of the
>> names on the back really mattered to me!
>>
>> Howie
>>
>
>

[Peter Forrest]

Not synths, but analogue: early cinema organ manufacturers like Compton
sometimes used to put their names very prominently on their instruments.
Like these nine-inch tall gold capital letters:
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~organ/pages/gifs/Compton2.gif  - and before you
say 'but that's on the front', the organs were the star, not the performer,
so that is the side that faced the audience.  (I guess the player also
needed to see the screen.)
Peter Forrest
PS They sound pretty sweet too.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jason Proctor" <jason@...>
To: "Analogue Heaven" <analogue@...>
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 8:13 PM
Subject: Re: [AH] First manufacturer to put name on back of synth?

> i've always been obsessed with synth back panels -
>
> http://redfish.net/backpanels/
>
> crap collection right now but i hope to expand it.
>
> it used to really bug me that TV shows like Top of the Pops etc would put
> black tape over the graphics to prevent advertising on the BBC. i thought
> they should carve guitars into basically the same shape and put black tape
> over their heads too! it's only fair.
>
> what's everyone's favourite back panel? i think the first Emulator has a
> rad one. also Moog Source and... Prophet VS.
>
>
>
>>Fun topic. Got me thinking about when I was a teenager growing up in the
>>1980's first becoming interested in synthesizers. I remember thinking it
>>was SO cool to have keyboards on an A-frame stand with "YAMAHA DX7" and
>>"Emulator II" facing the camera in music videos, photos, or on stage.
>>Mostly because back then there was no way I could ever realistically
>>afford those instruments. Fast-forward to many many years later, that
>>stuck with me so much that when I picked up a DX7IIFD and EII the cosmetic
>>condition of the names on the back really mattered to me!
>>
>>Howie
>
>

[John Neilson]

>
> it used to really bug me that TV shows like Top of the Pops etc would
> put black tape over the graphics to prevent advertising on the BBC. i
> thought they should carve guitars into basically the same shape and
> put black tape over their heads too! it's only fair.
>
> what's everyone's favourite back panel? i think the first Emulator
> has a rad one. also Moog Source and... Prophet VS.
 
My favorite was the synth doctored with a piece of electrician's tape
to say "Poland".

I guess some people are sensitive about unpaid endorsements on stage.

----------------------- Tear Along Dotted Line -----------------------
John Neilson                                           jneil@...

    this message brought to you by 'e-mail' -- safe, clean, Modern!

[Christopher Winkels]

I think I remember that footage - it was from the prison concert scene in
"Roger & Me".

A-ha masked out the "Yam" from their DX-7s, and I recall the B-52s featured
a synth that said "ola" on the back.

On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 4:47 PM, John Neilson <jneil@...> wrote:

> >
> > it used to really bug me that TV shows like Top of the Pops etc would
> > put black tape over the graphics to prevent advertising on the BBC. i
> > thought they should carve guitars into basically the same shape and
> > put black tape over their heads too! it's only fair.
> >
> > what's everyone's favourite back panel? i think the first Emulator
> > has a rad one. also Moog Source and... Prophet VS.
>
> My favorite was the synth doctored with a piece of electrician's tape
> to say "Poland".
>
> I guess some people are sensitive about unpaid endorsements on stage.
>
> ----------------------- Tear Along Dotted Line -----------------------
> John Neilson                                           jneil@...
>
>    this message brought to you by 'e-mail' -- safe, clean, Modern!
>

[soundcollector]

Just a  longshot but if any of you have a vcs3 lined up for sale sometime
sooner or later please keep my mail address We also have cash ready for a
arp 2600 .We can provide great references as buyers and also from our music
business.

[Dave Manley]

And then there's this mod on Kurzweil:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kennymathieson/2903486794/

Christopher Winkels wrote:

> I think I remember that footage - it was from the prison concert scene in
> "Roger & Me".
>
> A-ha masked out the "Yam" from their DX-7s, and I recall the B-52s featured
> a synth that said "ola" on the back.
>
> On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 4:47 PM, John Neilson <jneil@...> wrote:
>
>>> it used to really bug me that TV shows like Top of the Pops etc would
>>> put black tape over the graphics to prevent advertising on the BBC. i
>>> thought they should carve guitars into basically the same shape and
>>> put black tape over their heads too! it's only fair.
>>>
>>> what's everyone's favourite back panel? i think the first Emulator
>>> has a rad one. also Moog Source and... Prophet VS.
>> My favorite was the synth doctored with a piece of electrician's tape
>> to say "Poland".
>>
>> I guess some people are sensitive about unpaid endorsements on stage.
>>
>> ----------------------- Tear Along Dotted Line -----------------------
>> John Neilson                                           jneil@...
>>
>>    this message brought to you by 'e-mail' -- safe, clean, Modern!
>>
>

[Doug Terrebonne]

Another mod for Kurzweil I've seen is "U ZWEI". :)

For made up back panel names there's "MORG" from I think a Simpsons episode.

Doug

--- On Thu, 7/2/09, Dave Manley <dlmanley@...> wrote:

> From: Dave Manley <dlmanley@...>
> Subject: Re: [AH] First manufacturer to put name on back of synth?
> To: "Analogue Heaven" <analogue@...>
> Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 2:07 PM
> And then there's this mod on
> Kurzweil:
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/kennymathieson/2903486794/
>
> Christopher Winkels wrote:
> > I think I remember that footage - it was from the
> prison concert scene in
> > "Roger & Me".
> >
> > A-ha masked out the "Yam" from their DX-7s, and I
> recall the B-52s featured
> > a synth that said "ola" on the back.
> >
> > On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 4:47 PM, John Neilson <jneil@...>
> wrote:
> >
> >>> it used to really bug me that TV shows like
> Top of the Pops etc would
> >>> put black tape over the graphics to prevent
> advertising on the BBC. i
> >>> thought they should carve guitars into
> basically the same shape and
> >>> put black tape over their heads too! it's only
> fair.
> >>>
> >>> what's everyone's favourite back panel? i
> think the first Emulator
> >>> has a rad one. also Moog Source and... Prophet
> VS.
> >> My favorite was the synth doctored with a piece of
> electrician's tape
> >> to say "Poland".
> >>
> >> I guess some people are sensitive about unpaid
> endorsements on stage.
> >>
> >> ----------------------- Tear Along Dotted Line
> -----------------------
> >> John Neilson         
>                
>              
>    jneil@...
> >>
> >>    this message brought to you by
> 'e-mail' -- safe, clean, Modern!
> >>
> >
>
>
>

[Kerry Bradley]

I guess Emu didn't initially figure that their SP-12 would make it to the stage, so they didn't boldly
label the back.

That was left up to certain belligerent owners:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/crash-1972/869473358/

[Benjamin Ward-3]

Ron Mael of the LA band Sparks changed what was written on the back of  
his Jupiter-8 to say 'Ronald' instead of 'Roland'. Clever.

Arp are definitely the coolest looking synths IMO, especially the  
'orange' period.

Ben
www.korganalogue.net

[Howie Shen]

That reminds me of the story about E-mu Systems being mad at Genesis because as a joke in one of their music videos they put a strip of white tape on the back of Tony Banks' EII so that it now said "Emulator III". The story goes that potential buyers of EII units backed out of their orders because they saw the video and thought a new sampler was about to hit the market, when in reality the real EIII was still a few years away!

-Howie


--- On Thu, 7/2/09, Christopher Winkels <cwinkels@...> wrote:

> From: Christopher Winkels <cwinkels@...>
> Subject: Re: [AH] First manufacturer to put name on back of synth?
> To: "John Neilson" <jneil@...>
> Cc: "Analogue Heaven" <analogue@...>
> Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 1:51 PM
> I think I remember that footage - it
> was from the prison concert scene in
> "Roger & Me".
>
> A-ha masked out the "Yam" from their DX-7s, and I recall
> the B-52s featured
> a synth that said "ola" on the back.
>
> On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 4:47 PM, John Neilson <jneil@...>
> wrote:
>
> > >
> > > it used to really bug me that TV shows like Top
> of the Pops etc would
> > > put black tape over the graphics to prevent
> advertising on the BBC. i
> > > thought they should carve guitars into basically
> the same shape and
> > > put black tape over their heads too! it's only
> fair.
> > >
> > > what's everyone's favourite back panel? i think
> the first Emulator
> > > has a rad one. also Moog Source and... Prophet
> VS.
> >
> > My favorite was the synth doctored with a piece of
> electrician's tape
> > to say "Poland".
> >
> > I guess some people are sensitive about unpaid
> endorsements on stage.
> >
> > ----------------------- Tear Along Dotted Line
> -----------------------
> > John Neilson           
>                
>            
>    jneil@...
> >
> >    this message brought to you by 'e-mail'
> -- safe, clean, Modern!
> >
>

[david lacey]

I did exactly that to my K-2000 when I played with Phone Job in Minneapolis in the 96/97.

 

My other idea was to change KURZWEIL to LANGWEILE... too much tape for that one.

 

----------------------------------

To: Analogue Heaven analogue@...,
From: Dave Manley dlmanley@...,
cc:
Subject: Re: [AH] First manufacturer to put name on back of synth?
Date: Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:07:14 -0700







And then there's this mod on Kurzweil:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kennymathieson/2903486794/BR>

_________________________________________________________________
Windows Live™: Keep your life in sync.
http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_BR_life_in_synch_062009

[a p]

My favourite, has to be my Korg MS10. It just has such a chunky look to it. Either that or my Emulator II. I like em big! (wow that sounded so wrong)

alexP


www.myspace.com/twitchcraft



      __________________________________________________________________
Ask a question on any topic and get answers from real people. Go to Yahoo! Answers and share what you know at http://ca.answers.yahoo.com

[DWilSynth]

I believe it was the ARP Odyssey, followed by the Oberheim TVS Two Voice  
Synthesizer.  

The New  England Synthesizer Museum    "We're a Resource - Use Us!  (tm)"
David Hillel Wilson, Curator
DWilSynth@...
_www.synthmuseum.com/nesm_ (http://www.synthmuseum.com/nesm)


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JulystepsfooterNO62)

[Jason Proctor]

i think it was OMD who changed KORG to read ORC on the back of an MS20.

also A-Ha changed the back of their DX-7 to read AHA.

heehee

>My favourite, has to be my Korg MS10. It just has such a chunky look
>to it. Either that or my Emulator II. I like em big! (wow that
>sounded so wrong)
>
>alexP
>
>
>www.myspace.com/twitchcraft
>
>__________________________________________________________________
>Ask a question on any topic and get answers from real people. Go to
>Yahoo! Answers and share what you know at http://ca.answers.yahoo.com