Christmas Gift Guide 2007 pt 1: Price No Object

Buying Christmas presents for music geeks must be a nightmare. If you're rich and generous, this list might help. The guide continues with more affordable bits later this week.
1. Elektron Monomachine MkII The ultimate all-in one boutique synth, and it will look great on any coffee table. $1440 / €1290 direct from Elektron.
2. Something from Vince Clarke's studio For a long time, Vince Clarke has had the most awesome looking studio in the world. Now he's moved to Maine, and is selling off all his gear. eBay link
3. Recording The Beatles This book is a vast, beautifully-produced labour of love. Comes in a slipcase that looks like a reel of tape. It's $100 plus $52 shipping to the UK (Ouch!). Recording the Beatles.
4. A synth subscription Every month, you'll get a new module to build into a midi-controlled analog synth. The addiction to new modules comes free. $120/month for 12 months from Synthesizers.com
5. DSI Prophet '08 It's black. It's knobby. It's analogue. It's got so many twinkly lights, you won't need a Christmas tree. US: $1999 from Analogue Haven Europe: £1412 from Thomann
6. Tenori On I was a bit underwhelmed, but as a Christmas gift, it's unbeatable... US: Not available. Europe: £599 from Dolphin Music or Rubadub.
7. Little Boy Blue Modular Synth Its a sexy little battery-powered synth built by Jessica Rylan. $395 direct from Flower Electronics.
8. Manikin Memotron A gloriously unnecessary digital Mellotron. Possibly the most stylish synth available (all white lacquer). US: $2,699 from AH Europe: £1412 from Thomann
9. Monome 128 It's a beautiful wooden box, with 128 light-up buttons on top. It's a lot cooler than it sounds. $800, shipping from 14th Dec, Monome.org
10. Dan Armstrong Plexiglass Guitar Imagine finding that under your tree... US $1,399 from Pedal Geek UK £1069 from Dolphin Music
11. Nord Wave Huge, awesome Swedish-made megasynth with wavetables, FM and analog modelling. £1395 from Dolphin Music

Labels: xmas2007

Posted by Tom Whitwell.

Comments:

Vince Clarke moved to Maine?! Where? Wherewherewhere?

# posted by

HA HA HA : 12:37 pm

For those who can't afford a Dan Armstrong, I recently picked up a $150 brand-x plexiglass bass from eBay. Plays fine after some intensive setup work, and looks about as neat. I plan on making a little wooden control cover as a tribute (and because the routing is really ugly).

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:15 am

>Vince Clarke moved to Maine?! Where? >Wherewherewhere?

That was EXACTLY my first thought!!

I bet Bob Ludwig knows...

(I'm currently chillin in Orono, watching the first snowfall)

# posted by

Unknown : 7:16 pm

how in the hell is that Little Boy Blue worth $395?

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:04 am

Thats only the asking price. Who knows if anyone has bought one..

# posted by

Anonymous : 3:26 pm

I'll bet that Little Boy Blue synth is just a modded Ray Wilson Mini-synth design. Moog-style knobs and bannana jacks aren't that expensive...

# posted by

Anonymous : 6:38 pm

Alesis Fusion 6HD being sold at Turnkey for £399 has got to be a must for Crimbo !

# posted by

Failed Muso : 8:54 pm

And I just spied the 8HD version at www.dv247.com at £599 !!

# posted by

Failed Muso : 8:01 am

The Little Boy Blue is worth $395 because it's a really great unique handmade noise synth by a really great noise artist.

I know of numerous people who have really bought one. Home taping legend Hal McGee has a custom black one.

Why do most anonymous music gear blog commenters apparently hate music and music gear?

# posted by

cemenTIMental : 6:21 pm