Crumar and elka bits and pieces....

[kslight]

As for Crumar, I have a collection going on, I think they are all pretty cool for very specific things...however none of them (that I have anyway) are incredibly flexible. I have:

Crumar Orchestrator
Crumar Performer
Unique DBK
Crumar T1


The Orchestrator is sold as a string machine but really I like the "brass" section, which runs through a Moog-ripped filter (or so I've read) and has an LFO/envelope controls. It is pretty cool for doing some bass wobbling IMHO, and I like to run the string output (separate outputs) simultaneously and process that through an external filter for a more complex sound. The Performer is more or less a more portable Orchestrator, it doesn't have the "orchestrator" instruments but it still does the brass and string thing. Way overpriced if you pay eBay prices for it FOR SURE, but I paid $33 for my Performer and it is well worth that at least. The Orchestrator is really complicated inside with huge bundles of wiring and mine definitely needs some work, got some funky chips going on and just been sitting on the shelf for a year. The Performer seems easily serviceable but I haven't bothered yet.

The Unique DBK (aka Crumar Bit 99) is kind of interesting, I haven't spent much time with it but its a 2 oscillator poly synth, though is definitely lacking in terms of hands on control (kind of like the JX-8P without the programmer), and has bizarre placement of the mod and pitch wheels (possibly the STUPIDEST placement of them I have seen implemented). Seems better suited for pads than for aggressive sounds. Another synth I paid peanuts for.

The T1 is a cool sounding organ synth with built-in case (kind of like the Orchestrator). Also has bass features, drawbars...I bought mine exceptionally crusty ("relic'ed") and not functioning...I have brought it up to semi-functioning, but haven't spent a lot of time with it yet. Again I paid next to nothing for it.



I don't think they are worth the eBay price that they sometimes command, which is pretty much how I feel about many analogue synths...but if you can find a Crumar that works for a couple hundred bucks or less its worth it... All that I own I think are pretty cool in a specific way, and certainly wouldn't be my only synth...but may just be the ticket for a certain track. They were however budget synths at the time so they probably will need work and be in relatively poor shape.