Best sounding Theremin question

Posted: 5/24/2012 8:31:52 AM
AlKhwarizmi

From: A Coruña, Spain

Joined: 9/26/2010

If you get a Pegna theremin, you would do many of us a favour if you report your opinion and/or (even better) post a video at some point! Those theremins look very nice but it's difficult to find information about them apart from the official one.

Posted: 5/24/2012 2:49:35 PM
Amethyste

From: In between the Pitch and Volume hand ~ New England

Joined: 12/17/2010

Me too, i've hear the official ones and we are friends on Facebook, i'd love to try one eventually and maybe one day i'll getmy hands on one of them, when I have a little more liquid cash lol. I am just a little apprehensive of the tubes: where do you get them when one decides to bite the dust? That's mainly my set back...

Posted: 5/24/2012 5:16:32 PM
mollydad

From: Nashville, TN, USA

Joined: 12/22/2011

@ Amethyste...There are a couple of vendors in the US that still have a large inventory of tubes...I found them when I was researching tube availability a while back....just do a Google search for vacuum tubes....Some of the other builders on this forum can probably give you the skinny on which vendors have the best products...j

Posted: 5/24/2012 5:35:57 PM
Amethyste

From: In between the Pitch and Volume hand ~ New England

Joined: 12/17/2010

@Mollydad: Are Vacuum tubes something that are no longer made? It would really be annoying to get a tube theremin and then 7-8 years down the road, the inventory is exhausted and you are stuck with a theremin that doesn't work. I know I must totally sound like a novice... ha.

Posted: 5/24/2012 7:22:53 PM
Chobbs

From: Brooklyn,NY

Joined: 12/1/2009

Some tubes are still made, most the ones that are more common in guitar amps though.    Even the one that are no longer manufactured are still relatively cheap and available, (The Keppinger, for example, uses all inexpensive and  common tubes)  Even the "really old" ones are pretty easy to get.  I just built a replica RCA and with the exception ,of the 120, I got everything else "used but tests good" for a few bucks each. (some NOS  can get pricey)  Also, if the rest of the circuit is working properly, tubes last a really long time, usually outliving the capacitors.

   There  are  millions of tubes out there-  I live in brooklyn ,  near Leeds Radio- ... an entire warehouse literally filled floor to ceiling with vintage electronics, mostly tubes but a little bit of everything pre-solidstate.  It is insane.  Worth checking out if you are in williamsburg and like tubes.

Posted: 5/24/2012 8:57:22 PM
Amethyste

From: In between the Pitch and Volume hand ~ New England

Joined: 12/17/2010

THanks Chobbs for the info :)

Posted: 5/24/2012 10:07:50 PM
Chobbs

From: Brooklyn,NY

Joined: 12/1/2009

you bet.

...so what Im saying is ..."build a tube theremin, everyone!"

Posted: 5/24/2012 10:38:03 PM
dewster

From: Northern NJ, USA

Joined: 2/17/2012

...so what Im saying is ..."build a tube theremin, everyone!"

No offense, but I find the solid state types flaky enough, and can only imagine what adding a bunch of hot filaments to the mix does.  I'm not convinced that tubes=warmth (other than the thermodynamic type) or even good tone.

Posted: 5/24/2012 11:39:00 PM
Thierry

From: Colmar, France

Joined: 12/31/2007

When I read dewster's last statement here, I can see the difference between technician and musician...

Posted: 5/25/2012 1:19:27 AM
mickkotter

From: gretna, louisiana

Joined: 8/10/2005

+1 Theirry.

i can hear the difference in that last statement.

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