Moog Products launches $1,500 Little Phatty analog synth
By Evan Blass 
posted Mar 29th 2006 7:00AM
posted Mar 29th 2006 7:00AM
Musicians everywhere have reason to celebrate
today -- Moog Products has just
announced a portable analog synthsethizer, which pays tribute to the company's founder, and perhaps just as
importantly, will finally bring professional quality synths down to prices that amateurs can afford. Music Thing's Tom
Whitwell had told us to be on the lookout for
a new product from Moog -- the first one following Bob Moog's untimely death from a
brain tumor -- and although the legend might not approve of calling this tribute edition "Little Phatty," he
would certainly appreciate the style and reasonable $1,475 price tag. The Little Phatty features a 37-note keyboard, 2
ultra-stable oscillators, a Moog low pass ladder filter, and 4-stage analog envelope generators, all wrapped up in an
attractive package. Initially Moog Products will only be releasing 1,200 special edition LIttle Phattys, which come
with decorative side panels, the signature plate that you see above, a CD-ROM of the Bob Moog
Memorial Celebration Service, and a special poster for your studio to inspire you as you lay down those crazy
electronic tracks.[Thanks, James G]
Honestly, I'd love to have one of these in my little "studio" if I had $1500 laying around. Alas, I do not, so I'll just sit here and salivate.
I'd love to have one, but I've always see Moog as being unobtainable, but I've spent $1300 on gear I use less than I would one of these so it doesn't seem too far fetched to own a Moog anymore.
Odd to suggest that a $1495 synth will 'finally bring professional quaility synths down to prices that amateurs can afford'. Cheap (sub-$1k) electronic music instruments have been commonly available for at least a few years. Moog instruments are associated with uniqueness and quality, both of sound and construction, but they're hardly a great choice for the average cash-strapped hobbyist or amateur.
This is a collector's item that happens to make cool noises. If you're going to spend money on an analog synth (which in the age of cheap general computing power should be a really big if), you should spend the extra $400 and get one of these:
http://www.zzounds.com/item--ACCVIRUSTIDT
Yeah, except the access virus ti is NOT an analog synth...duh. The fact that the new Moog is all-analog (VCOs nonetheless) is the big draw here.
Check out some of the other coverage on the Little Phatty. This is the collector's edition version. There's supposed to be a 'Studio' version that's not as pretty (plastic endcaps instead of wood, different color LEDs) for ~$1k.
http://www.createdigitalmusic.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1234&Itemid=44
According to a post on the Moog website by their CEO, Bob actually thought the name was pretty funny. I'm sure there will be plenty of owners putting Moog stickers over the "Little Phatty" label.
Which is another thing...where's the big sexy MOOG on the back?
It does look very cool, and I wonder how it sounds. However, for the 'amateures', a good midi keyboard and moog emulation software is a much better choice!
As much as I really want this its hard to pass up the Creamware Minimax which (although its a DSP modelling job) actually has the full Mini front panel plus polyphony for $600 less. And it sounds sweet.
Hmm, I bought up big on analogue synths at the start of the techno boom in the early '90s and have amassed every keyboard Moog ever made except for the giant room-filling modular jobs. The whole lot together cost me less than $US1500 :) You guys lack initiative.
This little Phatty is £900 in the UK and only 73 are making their way here. Hey it not cheap, sounds cool and looks so 70's don't you just wanna give it a hug. seriously, it woud make a beautiful addition to any setup and worth selling the wife for I'm number 26 on the list.