Will EMS be properly back in business soon? (Hope so!)

One of the most tantalising websites in the world is ems-synthi. demon.co.uk. It's the official page of EMS, the company co-founded by Tristram Cary, makers of the VCS3, and - at the very least - the British Moog. Anyway, that demon.co.uk page is tantalising because it says "Original Synthi As, VCS3s and Vocoders are still in production", and offers a price list quoting £1800 for a brand new VCS3. Unfortunately, it also says "Last updated: 8th August 1998". I've never heard of anyone actually buying one. Now I've got a mail from Chris: "You might be interested to know I had an email from Robin at EMS. I was after a vocoder and wanted to know if he still had any lying around. He said that EMS has lain dormant for the past 6 years but that he was considering getting things going again and that email inquiries like mine served to propel things along a bit. I for one would love it if they started churning out the old gear again. He's a way off yet but I will keep you posted." Robin is Robin Wood, who was recruited to EMS as back in the late '60s and has been with the company ever since. Those prices are very unlikely to stick, given that - for starters - VCS3-style pin matrixes are made in Switzerland and cost around £300 each wholesale...
Then there's EMS Rehberg, a German spin-off founded by Ludwig Rehberg, who assisted with the Synthi AKS on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. EMS Rehberg sell the Virtual Synthi for €350, but also claim they can make a new/reconditioned Synthi 100 for €55,000.
The full story of the decline and fall of EMS is told in this wonderful piece by Gordon Reid from Sound on Sound. (Image via Easement)

Posted by Tom Whitwell.

Comments:

this is great news. i emailed them last month but haven't gotten a response yet. the thought of buying a brand new vcs3 is too cool, especially if it sounds just like the original.

# posted by

tj milian : 3:19 pm

EMS must come back. With their reputation they would have no problem selling new gear.

Hope they make a new thing or two as well. Now i just need to find a way to afford a VCS3...

# posted by

Internet luser : 5:24 pm

The old icons are all sort of crawling back into the light these days. It's not surprising given how the used market has skyrocketed in the past couple of years. The original manufacturers must be seeing this and realizing there's a new market to tap.

# posted by

Dave : 7:25 pm

Production apparently starts later this summer.

According to Robin, EMS has enough original briefcases to manufacture 40 Synthi A to original spec.

I'm no 35 on the waiting list :-)

I've been waiting since 2004 and with an anticipated lead time of 18 months once production starts, it will be at least 2010 before I receive a new Synthi A.

Perhaps it will have been worth the wait.

# posted by

Unknown : 10:03 pm

Those of you lucky enough to have Eurorack modular systems to hand can buy a genuine Synthi filter, and a Trapezoid Generator, from Bob Williams at Analogue Systems in Cornwall.

They're quite wonderful - like miniature sonic bubble machines.

# posted by

Mark Pilkington : 9:45 am

Anyone managed to get a response recently by emailing the sales link from the website? I'm keen to get on the waiting list if possible.

# posted by

Unknown : 7:30 pm