Ever been tempted to sell everything and buy a Korg Poly800?

[Synthetech]

.....
the cs01 may top out higher, but there seems to be more of an active scene around the 800. A fella was putting out a new os for the 800 a year or two ago.

I have that new OS in my Poly 800.
Turned my synth into an entirely different animal, that's for sure!


a recording of my new OS Poly800


He still sells the kits for around $100.

[calaverasgrande]

.....
the cs01 may top out higher, but there seems to be more of an active scene around the 800. A fella was putting out a new os for the 800 a year or two ago.

I have that new OS in my Poly 800.
Turned my synth into an entirely different animal, that's for sure!


a recording of my new OS Poly800


He still sells the kits for around $100.

I feel remorseful because I was one of the ones on the Yahoo group for Poly800's that encouraged him to go through with the kit, and even promised to fork over the $100.
Then I picked up a Moog MG1 and lost all interest in my 2 poly 800's!
I might buy an EX800 on CL and circle back around to get one of those kits.
What did he call them?

[Walter Ego]

What did he call them?

HAWK 800 kits. And the newer modification the AtomaHAWK.

I've been tempted by this too...4 LFOs as opposed to one "MG".

[Infrasound]

Are you crazy?

The Poly 800 is probably my least favourite synth I've owned. I have heard it programmed well, but I always regarded it largely as one of the worst synths ever.

[calaverasgrande]

The poly 800 is pretty flat sounding, but it does have a couple redeeming features like the SH101 style sequencer, and the single filter for all voices which is a curse and a blessing.
I'm also a big proponent of working within the constraints of limited devices. So I actually enjoy archaic offbeat gear like the Poly800 and KPR77.

[Aaron2]

If I could go back, I'd tell myself to get the DSS-1 and DDD-1 and be done until the MS-20 mini comes out. In fact, some poor soul was trying to sell his DSS-1 with a bunch of floppies on my local Craigslist a while back (didn't want to ship that monster).

Too late now.

I've got one of these monsters that I'd love to sell (with tons of floppies). If you're interested, PM me.

And isn't the Alpha Juno now the cheapest real analog poly you can get?

No way, it's still the Poly 800. I've owned about a half-dozen of 'em. I've gotten them as cheaply as $75 locally and about $100 on the Bay. It doesn't get any cheaper than that! Alpha Junos still go for about $200 in so-so shape, and as much as $300 (and up) if they're in good shape.

[Bitexion]

The cheapest one on ebay right now is $299

[calaverasgrande]

yeah, but that doesnt mean it will sell!
The last two Poly 800's I owned were less than $100.
I'm holding out for a EX800 or Poly 800II now.
There is something about it's warts that I like.

[Aaron2]

The cheapest one on ebay right now is $299

That doesn't mean that a Poly 800 has never sold for less than $299, does it? Besides, that one's a Poly 800 II and they tend to fetch a few more dollars because they're rarer. The first-gen Poly 800s are plentiful and cheap.

[dawnmist studio]

Hi. Have just come back onto the forum after 2 years so sorry if this reply is out of date.

I have just sold my Korg Poly800 after about 30 years. The only reason I have parted with it is because my partner designed and built a modern copy of it so I could still create the same sounds I like so much.

What I want to know is why there is so much interest in this keyboard on e-bay these days? I have seen several sell for about 150-250 USD recently. They seem to be in high demand but why?

Reason I ask is because I am wondering if I can launch our product in software which emulates the Korg Poly800 but also does a whole lot more. Knowing what people want from the Korg would help me to understand.

Having said all that I just bought a Roland JP8080 which is a dream and is my perfect piece now!

[calaverasgrande]

I think the poly 800 (along with the JX3p and the radio shack MG1) were victims of being the cheapest vintage analog you can buy. After a while ebay takes it's toll and synths that are limited at best are suddenly desirable.
I loved my old Poly 800 at $120. But who would pay $300 for that when you can get a Mopho for $399?

[Alex E]

Sell everything and buy a V-Synth.

[thehighesttree]

The cheapest one on ebay right now is $299

That doesn't mean that a Poly 800 has never sold for less than $299, does it? Besides, that one's a Poly 800 II and they tend to fetch a few more dollars because they're rarer. The first-gen Poly 800s are plentiful and cheap.

Try $4 at Frenchy's for a mkII The battery was dead so it was full of wheezy-gurgley-then-RANDOM MAX RES FILTER BUBBLING patches made of random digits. I did an ugly-looking moogslayer mod on mine but used 2 different types of pots, plus one of the keys got busted, so I'll probably keep it around as an intermediate lesson in teaching myself how to solder and mod.

So yeah, never say never.

[meatballfulton]

I got one about 3 years ago for $75, mint condition...the seller still had the factory AC adapter and patch tape! Bought some batteries on the trip home and fired it up. Everything worked, but I couldn't think of a good reason to keep it and sold it a few days later.

[Walter Ego]

What I want to know is why there is so much interest in this keyboard on e-bay these days? I have seen several sell for about 150-250 USD recently. They seem to be in high demand but why?

I think it's mainly because of how popular the mods for it are now. It's created a bit more demand for the synth, and eBay has done its inflation, hence upward spiral in prices. It also has the magic "analog" tag, so it sells.

As for me, I'm waiting to get my newly modded PS-800 back from a tech. I'll always be a fan. I don't delude myself that it's an amazing keyboard, but it just has a certain character and endearing ugliness that I just can't bring myself to get rid of. It was my first synth--I got it for $100 over a decade ago.