# Vintage Instruments



## Python Blue (Jun 13, 2013)

Any other musicians into vintage equipment, or at least a vintage sound?

Personally, most of my stuff may be software (exceptions being a Roland JV2080 and a Korg TR-Rack), but a lot of it consists of samples and recreations of vintage gear. For instance, anyone who's listened to my music has likely heard Emulator II samples as of late. Don't actually have an Emulator II, but I do have legal copies, thanks to Q-Up-Arts, of two out of three sample CD's made for it back in the mid to late '80s.

But I do not intend this thread to be just about synthesizers; feel free to contribute with thoughts about acoustic and electric instruments as well.


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## Seekrit (Jun 13, 2013)

My vintage Soviet balalaika gave me some sweet sounds. Hard to believe it was probably made in a gulag by a democrat.

When it broke though I had a hard time finding replacements, seeing as the SSR it was made in doesn't exist anymore. Gave it to my housemate to dick around with.


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## cause the rat (Jun 13, 2013)

http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/jazzbluerat/media/IMG_0760_zpsfa8f17b8.jpg.html

This is a Banjo-Lin. Manufactured sometime between 1930 to the 60's. They were sold door to door. You played them by using a violin bow to sound the strings along the edges. Cords were done on the center set of 4 strings. Absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to play. You would need ninja skills to keep the violin bow jumping form string to string to play a simple melody. 

Most of the tuners are froze up. The wood is in really good shape. Unfortunately I don't have the original bow. But do have the leather case it was sold in.


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## Kalmor (Jun 13, 2013)

My teacher let me play her professional violin from the early 1900s once. It was really awesome. Though it depends on how you define "vintage".


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## Demensa (Jun 17, 2013)

All of my instruments and equipment are cheap and new... 
I'm not much for vintage equipment, although I wouldn't mind an older electric guitar to play some jazz or classic rock.



cause the rat said:


> http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/jazzbluerat/media/IMG_0760_zpsfa8f17b8.jpg.htmlThis is a Banjo-Lin.



Very interesting, even though it looks a little impractical. I'm interested in hearing how it sounds.


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## Python Blue (Aug 20, 2013)

Apologies for bumping an old thread. In my defense:

a) I started this thread,

b) This forum has died a bit


Anyway, I purchased a Roland XV3080 this weekend.  Somewhere inbetween vintage and modern, in my opinion: it allows both SRX expansions and the SR-JV80 expansions of the '90s. Should arrive sometime this week with an additional SmartMedia card for storing user patches.


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## DMAN14 (Feb 22, 2014)

I would love a mark VI tenor sax, im looking to get an older yamaha 62 though


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## sniperfreak223 (Feb 22, 2014)

i like the older "short horn" BC Rich Mockingbirds, and I absolutely love older Martin acoustics (but not the price tags that come along with them).

But due to the style of music I play, "Vintage" tone doesn't work out, so most of my gear is new, aggressive and pointy.


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## Picea (Feb 22, 2014)

cause the rat said:


> http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/jazzbluerat/media/IMG_0760_zpsfa8f17b8.jpg.html
> 
> This is a Banjo-Lin. Manufactured sometime between 1930 to the 60's. They were sold door to door. You played them by using a violin bow to sound the strings along the edges. Cords were done on the center set of 4 strings. Absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to play. You would need ninja skills to keep the violin bow jumping form string to string to play a simple melody.
> 
> Most of the tuners are froze up. The wood is in really good shape. Unfortunately I don't have the original bow. But do have the leather case it was sold in.



I've fixed a couple of those,  and they are a pain in the ass to work with.   The body is constructed out of thin plywood, with a small head and tail block to create a gluing surface.  Of course you use a few packs of strings and single strings to restring one, and the bows that came with them were weaker than the horse hair that was glued onto them, which is not as secure as violin bow wedges in the tips and the frog, beneath the sliding plate...    Slab cut bows?  A real sham of an instrument, kleenex boxes with rubber bands worked better, for longer.  I mean, 250 lbs. of string tension being held together with thin plywood isn't going to stay in tune, or be playable with a bow which requires a curved bridge.  
  I'm doing a neck reset on a 1939 Gibson L-00 right now, and i can't wait to hear it after it is set up with a new saddle and nut.  It's been re finished, which  is a shame.  Don't refinish your instruments folks, no matter how bad the wear and tear.     Unless you have a 1921 o style that has mostly disintegrated, there is no need.


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