Those 80s/New Wave keyboard-guitar things...

Factual Questions
1

Anybody have any idea if they have a specific name?

I need one, a name would make looking for one easier. My new band is gonna rule.

Sorry if this is CS material.

Thanks.

2

Could you be more specific? What does it look like? I recall seeing a guitar/keyboard in a twin-neck configuration in the Stacey Q video “We Connect” (don’t even ask how I know this :D). It featured a Strat-styled guitar part on top and a keyboard with a neck on the bottom. Unfortunately, the camera is never on the guitarist long enough to see a name. There was also contraption that got little popular use in the mid-80’s. Perhaps that’s it?

3

Keytar

the group
http://www.tprs.com/spotlight/keytar.htm

keytar madness
http://www.hinchliffe.org/jon/wakey6.shtml

4

Strap on keyboard, remote, there are several names. The moog liberation was the first popular one, but they are heavy, not midi, and are limited in use. Sequential made a really ugly one to control the prophet five.

I have a Lync Ln-1000, which was one of the more popular ones, but unfortuneately, mine is broken beyond repair, or Id sell it to you. The best current one is the Roland

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ex/shop/home/011009011810024017137145241332?pid=700015

Damn I wish I hadnt broken my Lync…no parts available.

5

black455, bdgr has already beaten me to it w/ the link to the Roland AX-1. I’ve had mine a year & a half & love it. Email me for my thoughts on it. Be prepared, though - guitar boys are gonna tease you for having Axe-envy & needing a strapon.

6

We have the Roland unit in our studio. Ah, the glory days.

There are three units currently up for bid on Ebay.

Here’s one of them.

7

Thanks everybody. The Roland is exactly what I’m talking about… looks like I’m gonna have to start hitting the flea market for vintage versions, as I can’t float the 400-500 at the moment.

From Mr. Blue Sky:

Woah. That’s a little far-out for me, which is saying something.

bdgr: Honestly, I’d probably go with the Moog if I could afford it. Style before substance.

From audient:

I’m not too worried. This is supposed to be a synthpunk band in the early Devo/Screamers/Wire/Warsaw vein. I don’t care waht the guitar guys say, because I plan on getting all the girls.

Thanks again y’all.

8

Well, I have had the pleasure of playing the Moog a time or two. Unfortuneately, they just dont have the balls of the other Moog synths. And they are heavy…real heavy. Ad that to the fact that old synths like this are kinda squirly. If it is a major part of your act, and some part shits itself that they hadnt made in 20 years, you’rs in trouble. I used to own a Prophet T-8, and I wish I had never sold it. But I would never gig with it anymore, because parts are just too scarce.

If I were you, I would get a Roland AX-1, and a Waldorf Microwave XT rack mount. I have one of these, and it does the whole analog synth thing very well. I have also heard good things about the Korg MS 2000 rack. It doesnt have near the power of the microwave, but it does have a vocoder built into it(which would be helpful for the type of stuff your talking about.
As for the older stuff(I just noticed the comment about the hitting the flea market)

Roland made an earlier version called the Axis that was pretty cool. Anything that says lync on it is kick ass. There was a Jan Hammer signiture model that was really great, but good luck finding that. Korg and Casio both made one, (Casio did make pro gear for a while, and it was really good stuff, but I have never gotten to play thier strap on). Yamaha made a controller with smaller keys(and an input for breath controller). I got to play one of these once and really liked it. Once I got used to the smaller keys, I could play really fast. Other people I know hated it.

For the absolute budget minded, there is the Siel DK-70. This was a horrible little analog synth, that had as an option a handle that bolted on so you could wear it like a guitar. The sounds were just kinda weak, and while it recieved velocity info, it wouldnt send it. I used to have one I would use to control my Korg DW-6000. If you get one of these, get a couple of sets of rechargable batteries…

Note: all of these(except the siel) dont make any sound on thier own, they just control another midi synth.