well I decided to hold off on the Audya for a while. I'm waiting for the pattern edit function to be released. So until then, I decided to bring back the Solton MS60 on stage along with my current yamaha s900. It has been in storage for a few years now. I cleaned it inside and out. Works like a charm and after all these years, it still sounds great for an 10+ year old keyboard. The sound that still brings a smile to my face is the "BlowSax". I like it better that the saxes on the yamaha. I kept it as a emergency back up, but it deserves to be on the front line with all the other big boys.

ME, TOO! I have an SD-5 in the box, and choose, instead, to use two old MS-60's that are at least 12-14 years old. I used one of them 4 nights a week for 14 summers on a patio. It survived rain, drunks, being dropped, etc. Bought the 2nd one for back-up, and ended up using it for my 2nd unit on a two job night.

Still GREAT keyboards. I'm using one tonite at an Italian restaurant.

Blowsax is one of my favorites, too. Supposedly, the SD-5 has all the old MS sounds, as does the Midjay (got one of those, too...you guessed it....used (got it from Don Mason) but still in the box).

Started using Auto Orchastras, which were Solton products, in the 80's. Ketron is my favorite manufacturer. Still have my Auto Orchestra somewhere.

Sadly, I'm NOT a fan of recent Ketron business practices/ethics, customer service or personnel. Until they get their act together, I'm not interested in doing business with them.


MS-60's,...my all-time favorite keyboards!


Russ

Russ are you sure you didn't mean the Crumar Orchestrator?

For what ever reasons you have in not doing business with the new folks at ketron is fine and I remember why you won't. But for me, I would have looked past that only because I love using ketron products. I very happy bring back the ms60, it stills sounds great and for my needs it does a fantasic job. When its time to replace it, I'll either look to a SD5 or an audya(depending if bugs are fixed). Replacing the ms series is getting a little harder now, very few left in great condition and the repair to the buttons/contacts is labor intensive and expensive.

Fran, the Auto Orchestra is what I used in the 70's and 80's...still have it...somewhere. I used it with guitar and a set of bass pedals. The volume pedal had 4 switches activated with your right foot...minors, 7ths, etc. You held the root bass note with your left foot. Always thought it was from the Solton Group. Got it and the first MS-60 from the Petosa Music Company in Seattle at the suggestion of Tony Lovello, one of the original Three Suns. He used accordions and automatic devices supplied by Petosa, whom I understood to be the experts in auto accompaniment field. I plan to try to find it out back and "fire it up". It was working fine when I "retired it" and began using the MS 60's.

It is the one in the photo you attached, plus the pedals.


R.

[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 06-22-2009).]

mc, believe it or not, I have never needed a repair on the oldest of the MS-60's, which is the one I'm going to use tonite.Those things are tanks!

I understand your attitude towards Ketron. I'm "old school" and will not have anything to do with individuals or organizations I assess to be unethical. I'm not trying to convince ANYONE that my opinions and decisions are right for ANYONE but ME.

But, believe me, I'm completely serious about my convictions regarding business ethics. I resigned a communications account with a women's college that paid a monthly retainer of $7,000.00. I was disgusted with the activities of the college president, who was an ordained minister and liscensed investment advisor (read sleasy insurance salesman). The damage this guy has done to the faculty, staff and students of a historic old school is horrific.


At any rate, I do enjoy my MS-60's and will eventually use my SD-5 and Midjay, which I got from individuals I know and trust, not the current distributor.

Russ (grumpy old man) Lay