Bottom Ten Worst Synths of All Time

[Walter Ego]

For the Holidays...

We like top ten lists. How about a bottom ten? What is that synth that if someone gave it to you, you would leave it on the street? How about ten of them?

I checked the forum archives...unless I'm mistaken, it doesn't look like anyone has done a worst synth list in a few years.

For clarity, DON'T include run-of-the-mill ROMplers (unless they're hilariously badly engineered), but DO include strange home keyboards and experiments. How about some genuinely awful analog synths--yes, they do exist. This is also not about finnicky or temperamental synths that are great but have fatal flaws; this is about all around mediocrity and crappiness.

I don't even have a suggestion--this is more out of curiosity than anything else.

[tim gueguen]

My smartass answer to questions like this is always "The broken one." People make all sorts of interesting music with c**p gear. And context also counts. The Davolisint is limited and crude, but it was pretty much the cheapest thing going in the early '70s for musicians who wanted a synth and didn't have the money for an ARP or Moog.

[nvining]

A random sampling of the worst keyboard and synthesizer instruments on Vancouver Craigslist this morning:

- The Wurlitzer Funmaker Grandma Organ (and its ilk; various Lowreys, Allans, Baldwins, etc., none of which are actually cool)
- "Casio SA65 Electronic Portable Piano Organ $40 Takes"
- The Korg i30 Interactive Music Workstation
- "Microkorg Synthesizer Needs Repair $400"
- Bontempi Keyboard (basically, a reed and blower organ)
- "Do-it-yourself Leslie Kit $500 OBO" (the owner has taken one of the styrofoam integrated Leslie drums out of, say, the Wurlitzer Funmaker Grandma organ, possibly with a hacksaw, and put it on Craigslist)
- Panasonic Keyboard SX-KC211
- The Korg X5 interactive music workstation (which might actually be okay, I dunno)
- "CS60 sold, futon is still available"

[synthroom]

Not sure I've run across the worst synth of al time, but there are certainly a lot that I have no interest in even turning on. Nvining's list is a great start at that list.

[bochelli]

My smartass answer to questions like this is always "The broken one." People make all sorts of interesting music with c**p gear. And context also counts. The Davolisint is limited and crude, but it was pretty much the cheapest thing going in the early '70s for musicians who wanted a synth and didn't have the money for an ARP or Moog.

I have a davolisint in perfect order with user book and case i think they are ok, some prog rock bands use one or did , looking at its shape i wonder from where did korg invent the looks of the ms range ???

[commodorejohn]

- The Korg X5 interactive music workstation (which might actually be okay, I dunno)

It is, actually - it's basically a keyboard version of the 05/RW module. Not a world-shattering classic, but a decent little AI² ROMpler with some nice sounds. "Workstation" probably isn't the right word for it, though, since it doesn't have a sequencer.

[Z]

Roland JX-1 and the stupid-a*s advert that went with it
Kawai PH50

[Alphacode]

Look at this Polish Funk band from the 70's /early 80's the famous Polish Key player J.Skrzek is using the Davonlist amongst moogs and other expensive synths , must be worth something to have it around in such company

[ppg_wavecomputer]

Roland JX-1 and the stupid-a*s advert that went with it

Was that the one featuring the perm-and-spandex guy with buckles to set off airport metal detectors with?

I hate things like Roland D-50, Yamaha YS-100/200, Korg M1, Casio CZ101, or Siel Cruise (or Mono, or Opera) but this probably couldn´t count.

Stephen

[Psy_Free]

This thread will descend into one massive fight.

[tamla]

Kawai KC10 (Spectra) / XS-1 below the PH50 / PHm
Akai SG01k
Yamaha DX9
Evolution EVS1


Really like Siel synths, just parted with my Orchestra and I loved it.

[Aaron2]

What about all of those shitty combo organs from the '60s? Do they count? (I'm excluding, of course, the magnificent Vox Continental and other high-end machines.)

[synthRodriguez]

Worst ever? No question:

Monotrons DUO/DELAY
SH-32
MicroKORG
AX-80
RS-09
MT-68 / SK-1 / VL-1
ER-1 mk II
DR-110 / DR-220A
SR-120

lol:

[griffin avid]

Bontempi Keyboard (basically, a reed and blower organ)

Awesome! I was going to post and describe a synth that had, like 6 categories of sound and they sounded the same.
A nasal cheesy horn sound.
It was a dull tan color- as drab as its sound. The worst ever. I spray painted it silver, glued some doo-dads on it and and used it in a video as a prop. But I couldn't remember the company name- that's it!

[Darkseid]

I don't think anybody will agree but the roland Gaia is the most disliked synth I have ever owned and would certainly be bottom of my worst 10 synths.