How much would you pay for a Roland SH 101?

Sibanger · Post by **Sibanger** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:37 am

Just been looking for an analog synth and these have caught my eye/ear.

It seems that they are going for around $700 to $950 USD in Australia if they are in good condition or modified, but I'm sure I could do better.

I was also a little bit interested in the Korg R3. It sounds pretty good and the Vocoder looks like a lot of fun. A little bit toyish, but fairly cheap.

I'm sort of wondering, do I wait and save up for something more decent?

I don't really need the keys. A desktop type would suit me better.
Something like an MFB Kraftzwerg or Prophet '08 synthesizer module, or maybe a Studio Electronics ATC-Xi QUAD. Moogs are a bit too pricey for me atm.

Yes, I'm going through synthesizer envy. Help!

RhythmSickness · Post by **RhythmSickness** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:14 am

they're nice, I paid about £300 for mine when I had one, but if you want to sequence it, then you will need either a kenton kit or a bassstation or a pulse plus, (assuming you don't have lots of analogue gear) also you can't sync the onboard lfo, the solution to which is to get the kenton midi to cv thingie that has a midi controllable lfo in it, but is about £100 as well. Also its only made out of plastic and is getting quite long in the tooth as well, so YMMV

Sibanger · Post by **Sibanger** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:34 am

Thanks RhythmSickness,

Thats some mighty good advice. If I could get one at bargain price, I would consider. One I was watching just went for $615 USD. Not bad.

They are getting old though. Hmmmm. What did you replace your SH 101 with RS?

XPM · Post by **XPM** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 10:18 am

The SH-101 is a fantastic little mono-synth, mine was about £300, but I'm currently thinking of getting the Nova mod done on it, which will expand it's sound palette. As was previously said, I'd also get a Super Bass station, which I also have, to use it's in built midi/cv converter (not the standard bass station, which doesn't have it). It gives you an extra synth for about the same price as a midi/cv converter on its own.

XPM

RhythmSickness · Post by **RhythmSickness** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 11:03 am

Sibanger wrote:Thanks RhythmSickness,

Thats some mighty good advice. If I could get one at bargain price, I would consider. One I was watching just went for $615 USD. Not bad.

They are getting old though. Hmmmm. What did you replace your SH 101 with RS?

At the time I just sold it for the cash, these days I just have a bassstation at the mo. There are also very good emulations of it, The TAL one and there's another one for reaktor. Personally I am looking to get a pulse for my monophonic needs.

Also all rack bass stations have the cv / gate converter. It's the waldorf pulse plus that also has it where the normal pulses don't

logic_user99 · Post by **logic_user99** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:13 pm

Just buy Reaktor 5 - there's a FANTASTIC SH-101 build in the legacy library. It sounds EXACTLY the same (bar a few analogue tuning things that you'll only get from 'proper' synth).

It's cheaper, and you know it's going to work!

leisuremuffin · Post by **leisuremuffin** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:40 pm

I got mine for about $450 back in 96 or 97. That was considered a lot for one in those days, but it was perfect. I've had to get mine serviced just twice since then, and it sounds great.

There is more to this synth than just how it sounds. It is the control that makes it so great. I'm sure software can get the same sounds, perhaps even, "better." But you'd have to spend quite a bit of time to build a controller that gave you the same level of playability. There is something to be said for an intelligently designed physical interface for every single parameter.

It was my first analog synth, and still my favorite monosynth.

.lm.

thelike5 · Post by **thelike5** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:58 pm

I remember just a few years ago literally, like 2005, you could still score a grey SH-101 for around $400 or so. I came close to winning an auction but someone beat me at the last second and won it for around $425.

Now, it seems they go anywhere from around $600-$900 depending on the color.

Let's not forget, the SH-101 was released over 25 years ago. If you are crazy enough to spend $800 on a well worn, plastic, monosynth why not just spend $1200 and buy a Moog Little Phatty?

XPM · Post by **XPM** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 1:14 pm

I must echo the sentiments of leasuremuffin as regards to the 'tweakability' of the 101, yes you could spend a bit more and get alittle phatty, but many of the paramaters have to be switched between, so it can't be as instantly teaked and played as the 101.

Let us also not forget the fact that the 101 can have the mod grip attatched for the coolest of keytar's (barring perhaps the moog liberation, which is far harder to get hold of).

Apologies to RhythmSickness, I thought it was only the super b-station that had the cv/gate, thanks for the clarification.

XPM

thelike5 · Post by **thelike5** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 1:29 pm

XPM wrote:I must echo the sentiments of leasuremuffin as regards to the 'tweakability' of the 101, yes you could spend a bit more and get alittle phatty, but many of the paramaters have to be switched between, so it can't be as instantly teaked and played as the 101.

Let us also not forget the fact that the 101 can have the mod grip attatched for the coolest of keytar's (barring perhaps the moog liberation, which is far harder to get hold of).

Apologies to RhythmSickness, I thought it was only the super b-station that had the cv/gate, thanks for the clarification.

XPM

Yeah, synth vs. synth I'd probably be hard pressed to pick a winner if they were both brand new. My claim is that $800 + is absurd for a 25 year old synth. In my opinion the SH 101 doesn't fall under the essential, hall-of-fame category that the TR-808, 909 and the TB-303 fall under. Lets all consider that the SH-101 actually has keys and after awhile those keys really get beat up, lose there "springy feel" and lay flat in the case. I'd also venture to guess that the build quality was never really considered back when the SH-101 came out; it was a budget beginners synth back then. With the above mentioned Moog Liberation build quality was right next to sound quality in terms of importance.

Just sayin'. The SH-101 is a phenominal weapon if you still ahve one from the 1980's or if you got lucky and picked one up for around $300 -$400 or so. Otherwise, you may have a $800 synth that is going to require some serious TLC at any given time and may not always "play well" ith your existing gear. If I had to pick an $800-$900 classic vintage monosynth I'd gladly jump all over a Sequential Circuits Pro One any day of the week over a Roland SH-101

leisuremuffin · Post by **leisuremuffin** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 1:45 pm

i haven't touched the keys on mine in years.

that's what midi to cv is for.

it's a pretty tough synth. Like i said, i've had it serviced twice in over 10 years and i've beat the shit out of the thing. It's been on the road with me all over the place. Build quality isn't that bad in my opinion.

.lm.

koneko · Post by **koneko** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 2:19 pm

payed €500 for mine over a year ago.. but its because i lost my sanity for a second and push "buy" in ebay. nevertheless, its my only both hardware and analogue synth. no emulation sounds quite the same, but sometimes i trade all the goodness of the 101 with the automation, preset saving and all the other ease of using softsynth. it does make me feel good to have it there on my side and provide those rocking subs... nothing comes close to it.

consider the mc-202 though. they're a bit cheaper, catch less space . . . arguably sounds the same

oh, and do buy reaktor

leisuremuffin · Post by **leisuremuffin** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:02 pm

i really like the 101 as a lead instrument more than bass.

i usually sequence my part for it, and then record several passes while double handing the controls and slightly detuning for each pass. pretty sick. 2 hands on the controls while playing gets therer faster for me than automation.

.lm.

TITBAG · Post by **TITBAG** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 4:59 pm

very overrated. i'd pay £50 tops

siliconarc · Post by **siliconarc** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 5:09 pm

sure you all know about this by now, but as the reaktor 101 .ens was mentioned...

http://kunz.corrupt.ch/?Products:VST_TAL-BassLine

its a corker