eBay of the day: Six Keyboard Musitronic MKS-470

And people say there are no bargains left on eBay. Item #7359649845 is an incredible thing. Six seventies electric pianos in a huge beige case that folds up like a table tennis table. It's in Tampa, currently $75 with a day to go. Why is it a bargain? Well, Musitronic is a pretty cool company - they're the people who made the Mutron Biphase. But more importantly, Musitronic seem to have licensed their piano mechanisms from Wurlitzer (there was at least a Wurlitzer/Musitronic Model 101). So, possibly, what you're bidding on in this auction is six Wurlitzer electric pianos in a big ugly box. Why would you care about that? The last Wurlitzer EP200a piano on British eBay went for... £821! So, if you buy this, rip out the pianos and put them in boxes and sell 'em on for $400 each, be sure to post me one for giving you the idea... Alternatively, you could form a cool six-piano band, or... this stuff could be junk. (Thanks, Randel)


Comments:
I'm willing to throw down $50 with 5 other people to bring this thing to NYC for some righteous (possibly) musical activities, or keyboard drinking games.
 
maybe this is what Steve Reich had in mind?
 
I've played on the light up board units at two different colleges. Great fun for the late 80's.

I am sooo tempted since i have a brother in law who could possibly pick this up, but my lady will KILL ME if i bring this monster home.
 
i have one of these sitting in my shed. it's in pretty shabby conditon though it works. i've sampled all the sounds and use them all the time. if i was skilled enough i would rip each board out and put them in new housing. any of you oakland or s.f. circut bender, electric heads synth builder types that want to help can have one or two for the help. also any one know how to identify the Wurlitzer models.
 
Every other year in my town located in Northwestern Illinois there is a day where everyone can throw away anything for free. On that day most people in the town go to everyone elses trash piles to see what they can find. Like a big swap meets of sorts. On that fateful Day, April 28, 2006 I found a musitronic. It's delightful. I love it. It sounds like an old commador 64 video game.
Me and the kids have big plans for it
Travis
TravX259r@msn.com
 
In honor of piano musitronic, I made a blog with lots of information about music:
www.musitronic.blogspot.com

I hope you like it.

Thanks
 
Being the owner of one of these contraptions (the one that used to belong to commenter "cleftone"), I thought I should clear up a few misunderstandings for posterity's sake, since Google still brings up this post when searching for "Musitronic".

First, these 6-person keyboards were made by Musitronic, which was located in Minnesota, and NOT by Musitronics Corp. of New Jersey. The two companies, for their maddeningly similar names, were unrelated. These have nothing in common with the Mu-Tron range of effects units.

Second, they are transistor organs with 6 different voices, NOT electric pianos. The voices are pretty standard brass, flute, organ, and 3 others that would be instantly recognizable to any Farfisa owner.

Third, the Wurlitzer connection is interesting, but not exactly as suggested. Musitronic did indeed make some keyboards for Wurlitzer; their student training keyboards such as the "MLM" (Music Learning Module) model 101. So, although they were badged and sold as Wurlitzers, they were in fact Musitronics.

Having said all that, these are ridiculously cool and rare devices. Alas, size constraints require me to sell mine. If you're curious (and happen to be looking at this comment during the first week of 2011), search for it on eBay.
 
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