What was the cheapest Synth you ever bought?
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- V301H
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A girl who came to see my band a lot came up to me about 5 or 6 years ago and told me she had some keyboards that her uncle left at her house in the 80's when he moved to Florida and would I be interested in seeing if there was anything I might want to buy.
So I went to check them out and there was a Yamaha CP-25, Korg Poly 61, Roland RS-101, and a little black Korg synth I didn't recognize. They thought it was broke because they could only get out-of-tune noises out of it. At the time most of these keyboards were worth at best maybe $100 each so I passed on buying anything. As I was leaving she said "Why don't you just take that little black keyboard". So I did and that's how I discovered the MS20, which worked perfectly, BTW.
Another good deal was a non-working Yamaha CS70M I bought last December for $300. Had a power supply problem which I got fixed for under $100.
So I went to check them out and there was a Yamaha CP-25, Korg Poly 61, Roland RS-101, and a little black Korg synth I didn't recognize. They thought it was broke because they could only get out-of-tune noises out of it. At the time most of these keyboards were worth at best maybe $100 each so I passed on buying anything. As I was leaving she said "Why don't you just take that little black keyboard". So I did and that's how I discovered the MS20, which worked perfectly, BTW.
Another good deal was a non-working Yamaha CS70M I bought last December for $300. Had a power supply problem which I got fixed for under $100.
Prophet 5 rev.2, Pro-One, Juno 60, Jupiter 6, Matrix 12, OB8, MS20, Poly 800, CS70M, DX-7, CP35, Casio PX-5S, Hammond C3/M102, Vox Continental/Super Continental, Gibson G101, Farfisa Compact, RMI 300A, Pianet N, Combo Pianet, S770, S760, S50, NS3C
- neandrewthal
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wryjuwyj
Casio SK-1 for $0.25
It doesnt get much cheaper than that(besides free)
It doesnt get much cheaper than that(besides free)
What happens at fondue stays at fondue!
- Phollop Willing PA
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Bonus double plus points!gcoudert wrote:Actually, it did. I still have it in the garage!!!Phollop Willing PA wrote:That's pretty cheap considering what they sold for when they first came out.gcoudert wrote:Yamaha DX7 last year. £27 (33.9 Euros / US$53.1 at today's rate).
Gilles
Did it come with a hard shell case?
MOOGSig: Voyager/Theremin, ROLAND: JP8000/MC505/MC50/SH1000/Octapad1/RE 20, CASIO VLtone, KORG: Prophecy/MS2000R/Kaos Pad2/D3200/D888/SDD4000/M3, BOSS SP202/DR110, YAMAHA:CS40M/QX7/WX7/QY10/Reface DX, ARP Exp, MACBETH M5, FR ORB, SONNET, ALESIS SR18
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Not a synth, but my Baldwin studio piano was free. A voice teacher had bought a new little spinet, and I came to tune it. When I was finished, he asked if I knew anyone who could haul away a piano. I thought he was talking about one of those tall old uprights so when we went to the garage and he showed me I quickly made arrangements.
Ok one more, a lady called and asked if I'd be interested in buying a grand piano. I came out to have a look; it was built in 1889, rosewood and even in it's sad state I thought it looked beautiful. The lady asked if I'd give $100 for it and I nearly fainted.
Korg 01/Wfd pro with hard case $200. I'm using this with my band now, and the weight of the thing is truly a drawback.
But I love the touch of the keyboard .
Ok one more, a lady called and asked if I'd be interested in buying a grand piano. I came out to have a look; it was built in 1889, rosewood and even in it's sad state I thought it looked beautiful. The lady asked if I'd give $100 for it and I nearly fainted.
Korg 01/Wfd pro with hard case $200. I'm using this with my band now, and the weight of the thing is truly a drawback.

- Alex E
- Synth Explorer
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Okay-ish Juno-106 (working on it) for $30 from my High School and later
a Univox Univibe (
), CS01, Casio SK-1, and a ton of other random c**p from them for $18!
I sold the Univibe for $1050 and bought my 20" first gen iMac G5 + M-audio midi interface and logic express 8.
I traded the CS01 to C1t1zen for an MS2000br.
So technically I got a Casio SK1, MS2000br and a music ready iMac G5 with Leopard OSX for $18.
I also almost bought a CZ-1000 for $50 but I had the D-110 and programmer idea in my mind at the time and bought those instead. I used to have a CZ1k and think the D110 will be better for what I do anyways. I'll probably call the person who was selling it someday and see if anyone bought it.
a Univox Univibe (

I sold the Univibe for $1050 and bought my 20" first gen iMac G5 + M-audio midi interface and logic express 8.
I traded the CS01 to C1t1zen for an MS2000br.
So technically I got a Casio SK1, MS2000br and a music ready iMac G5 with Leopard OSX for $18.
I also almost bought a CZ-1000 for $50 but I had the D-110 and programmer idea in my mind at the time and bought those instead. I used to have a CZ1k and think the D110 will be better for what I do anyways. I'll probably call the person who was selling it someday and see if anyone bought it.
soundcloud.com/vectron
Cheapest? Akai AX60 for $150.
I never get good deals.
But it's better than not having them. The other guy used it to pay rent or whatever and that money's gone.
I never get good deals.

I am no longer in pursuit of vintage synths. The generally absurd inflation from demand versus practical use and maintenance costs is no longer viable. The internet has suffocated and vanquished yet another wonderful hobby. Too bad.
--Solderman no more.
--Solderman no more.
- TrondC
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I think the by far best deal I've ever gotten was a brand new MC808 for 3900 NOK = 780 USD..
now this may sound very expensive to you US guys, but the original price was 11000 NOK = 2200 USD....
I also scored a CR-68 last summer for $99 + shipping, but other than that it's all been expensive..
Tyler: you got Electribes for $50 each? that's agood find indeed
I mean, I can understand why some people throw out 20-30 year old equipment for close to free, as they obviously don't know what they have, but newer, modern gear, people must have a clue as to what they have?
I'm still waiting for my turn to get a really, really good deal sometime, please let me find a 606 tomorrow for 40$ yes?
now this may sound very expensive to you US guys, but the original price was 11000 NOK = 2200 USD....
I also scored a CR-68 last summer for $99 + shipping, but other than that it's all been expensive..
Tyler: you got Electribes for $50 each? that's agood find indeed
I mean, I can understand why some people throw out 20-30 year old equipment for close to free, as they obviously don't know what they have, but newer, modern gear, people must have a clue as to what they have?
I'm still waiting for my turn to get a really, really good deal sometime, please let me find a 606 tomorrow for 40$ yes?
- Tyler2000
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...and one for free. From friends, mind you. The kinds of friends I have just aren't into money. They knew it was the kind of thing I was into and just like to be nice, i guess. The person who sold me the EA-1 and ER-1 also threw in a Korg AG-10, which is pretty neat for what it is. This thing.TrondC wrote:Tyler: you got Electribes for $50 each? that's agood find indeed
I mean, I can understand why some people throw out 20-30 year old equipment for close to free, as they obviously don't know what they have, but newer, modern gear, people must have a clue as to what they have?

so what do I put down here now?
- cornutt
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Picked up a Hammond A100 a few years ago for $225. A guy who restored antique furniture had it, and I was going through his shop and I found it buried under some other stuff. The guy had acquired it as part of a lot at an estate sale. I asked him what he wanted for it and he said it wasn't for sale; he was going to give it to his granddaughter. I made him take my phone # just in case.
A couple of weeks later, I got a call. The granddaughter didn't want anything to do with it (what a surprise, huh). He told me that it was advertised as working, but that he had not been able to get it to play. He named the price; we dickered just a bit, and then he said he'd let me have it for that provided that I removed it from his premises that day. Uh oh...
I had to borrow a truck and two friends to help me move the thing. I think I have two fewer friends now.
Got it home, did the necessary maintenance, found a cord to plug into it, tried to start it -- no start, just a rattling noise. I looked in the back and found the start motor wasn't engaging the shaft. A bit of Hammond oil later, I was in business. It played OK -- the bus bars were a little dirty, but it just needed regular playing. It's fine now. Other than some damage to one (non-supporting) front leg, it almost looks like new. It probably set in some little old lady's living room for decades. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm only the second owner.
A couple of weeks later, I got a call. The granddaughter didn't want anything to do with it (what a surprise, huh). He told me that it was advertised as working, but that he had not been able to get it to play. He named the price; we dickered just a bit, and then he said he'd let me have it for that provided that I removed it from his premises that day. Uh oh...
I had to borrow a truck and two friends to help me move the thing. I think I have two fewer friends now.

Switches, knobs, buttons, LEDs, LCD screens, monitors, keys, mice, jacks, sockets. Now two joysticks!
Not the greatest deal in the world, but I got an EPS 16+ for $100. The same guy who sold me that one also offerd me a Polysix for $200, which I passed on, because I really didn't need it, although it was in a very good condition. Perhaps that was a bad decision, but I already have a polysynth I'm happy with (D-50) and also I have run out of spaces to put them.
Art is not a copy of the real world. One of the damn things is enough.