Vintage ARP Solina String Ensemble Analog Keyboard Synthesizer

Description

For sale is a great looking and great sounding specimen of the ARP String Ensemble/Eminent Solina.  This is the most desirable revision, with the heavy steel frame and the modulation on/off switch to the right of the keys.

The ARP String Ensemble was manufactured by the Eminent Organ company in Holland as the Solina String Ensemble, and rebranded for sale in the US by ARP as the ARP String Ensemble SE-IV.  This was the quintessential string synthesizer of the 1970’s, appearing on countless albums of all genres from Disco to Progressive Rock.  The String Ensemble offers 4 polyphonic  preset voices (violin, viola, trumpet, and horn) and 2 monophonic bass voices (cello and contrabass).  The String Ensemble offers crescendo and sustain controls, as well as a volume control to mix in the bass voices.  The String Ensemble is often copied, but never replicated due to the vintage analog BBD delay chips that give the synth its lush phasing sound.  This 2nd revision of the String Ensemble has a switch to the right of the 49 key keybed that allows you to disable this modulation if you wish, for a different set of sounds.

The synthesizer is fully working and in good physical condition (these often have rusted front panels, or dented/cracked cases).  The only items worth noting is an extra connector on the back that was added for a pedal mod that has since been removed.  And sometimes the modulation on/off button will fail to latch or unlatch on the first press.

Please see the attached video for a demonstration of this particular keyboard that is for sale:

https://youtu.be/DQq5QQk5wks

Prospective buyers are welcome to come try it out before purchasing. Local pickup is welcome and encouraged. If being shipped, the instrument will be professionally packed by the UPS store and insured for the full purchase price, but this is a vintage electronic item, so all sales will be as-is and final.  Shipping is more expensive on this item because it is very heavy and needs to be packed extra well to get to you safely.