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Rating: 
Summary: Retread
Review: I already have most of the chapters in the book via articles published in Keyboard Magazine in the late 80's and 90's, so the majority of the info was redundant and just re-printed from those articles. There are some glaring omissions, such as leaving Roland out of the book except for a few pics!(?) Also, Korg received short shrift as well. I preferred Keyfax Omnibus Edition from Colbeck, although it had it's own errors as well. If you're a novice or didn't have access to those earlier Keyboard articles, this isn't a bad place to start.
Rating: 
Summary: Everything You Need - Almost
Review: This book has information on almost every old synth and related piece of equipment in the history of electronic music. The segments written by Mark Vail, Bob Moog and company are very enlightening and informative. Perfect for those who know a little about vintage synth history and want to learn more. One problem, though. It could have used a couple of schematics and information on the workings of the gear. (I also would have liked to see an interview with Moog colaborator Herb Deutsch.) Otherwise, a real find.
Rating: 
Summary: This is a must have!
Review: This book is an outstanding resource for musicians who are more or less purists or who have that fever that leads you to seek out fine vintage instruments like Moogs. A great read and a really cool history of the instrument... plus it gives you the current value of all of the instruments!
Rating:
Summary: This is a must have!
Review: This book is an outstanding resource for musicians who are more or less purists or who have that fever that leads you to seek out fine vintage instruments like Moogs. A great read and a really cool history of the instrument... plus it gives you the current value of all of the instruments!
Rating:
Summary: Lots of good background and historical info.
Review: This books tells the story of a few of the synth maker pioneers: E-Mu, Moog, PPG, ARP, etc. Many of it's chapters are written by those who created the original instruments, others are written by Vail from a mostly interview Q&A style. A nice insight in what was what and who did who.
Rating:
Summary: A really good book. Almost.
Review: This is a book with good timing. The interest in older synthesizers is at an all time high. Synthesizers that used to sell for $50 can go for a few hundred thanks to the revival in that analog synthesizer. So this book is a great resource for those with more than a passing glance in older synthesizers. The piece written by Bob Moog is the highlight of the book and well worth the price. The book as some great colour photos and a lot of B&W photos. Strangely the book is almost barren of any good information on synthesizers made in Japan. Korg, Yamaha and Roland are almost totally ignored with a few Spartan paragraphs. Considering this book has and entire chapter on Keith Emerson custom Moog (it had a fake TV in it ha ha) you would think it would have space for more information about Japanese made synthesizers. European synthesizers are given slightly more coverage but only one chapter. The rest of the book is basically information on US based synth makers. While US synth makers were important I am not sure they warranted the real estate they got in the book. I think some of that space could have been spent on the rest of the world. A rather large section on keyboards that were never made but it's not as interesting as it sounds. The book rounds off with a massive selection on non-synth keyboards is included. I think some people may find this interesting but I am a fan of synthesizers so I found it more than a little boring. This is a great book but it's not all it could be. If your a fan of music or just the gear, you should pick it up. Just skip the boring parts.
Rating:
Summary: Where is Roland?
Review: THis is a great book for lovers of synthesizers,drum machines, and the history behind synth inovators.The only downside is that it doesn't cover much on Roland and Korg. If it did I'd give it a 5 stars.Maybe an update is due in the secondhand section as when I first bought this book the prices were near enough, but since the Techno DIY ethic prices have skyrocketed.Well worth an investigation
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful trip down memory lane
Review: This is one serious book. A comprehensive technology guide about all those vintage synthesizers we love. CleverJoe is a keyboardist and long time analog freak, and this is truly a good resource for all you genuine analog lovers out there (you know who you are, lurking in the shadows...). Lots of pics, chapters on Moog, ARP, Korg, Yamaha, Buchla, many more. Of course there will inevitably be some grumbling from a few people who don't see their fave synth covered, but the book is not meant to be a complete price or synthesizer reference guide. Instead it is a wonderful trip down memory lane, with extensive background information on the evolution of synthesizers, insights into the business side of the builders, and the history of some of the most amazing synthesizer built.
Rating:
Summary: Ahh the Memories!
Review: What a FUN book! If you were around when these synths were king, then this is a true trip down memory lane! Tons of pictures, including a color section, and chapters on Moog, PAiA, Buchla, Korg, Yamaha, ARP etc (Roland could use more coverage, and my beloved Yamaha CS-60 is not mentioned, though the CS80 is well covered). Most of Mark's information is fun and non-technical. This is not a how-to book, but more of a capsulation of the technologies, companies, and people surrounding the synthesizer revolution. A few factual errors and street prices that seem low since the analog synth resurgence are the only reasons I give it a 4. Also great pics of extremely rare synthesizers and lots of background stories on the companies. Highly Recommended (but dont believe the prices listed)
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