Neumann USM69i
Neumann U89i
Neumann U87AiProduction Room: Mellotron M400
Here at Production Room we love innovation. Our Analogue Collection has been growing over the past few years and now we are very pleased to announce a new addition to our classic analogue collection an original Mellotron M400.
The Mellotron M400 was the fifth model of the Mellotron Mellotronics produced, previously part of a private collection the Mellotron M400 comes with its original documentary and has received a full service from Streetly Electronics, run by John Bradley, son of Les Bradley, M.D of Bradtronics, and Martin Smith, a Mellotron enthusiast and specialist.
Production Room Analogue Collection
Production Room was founded in 2008 and has quickly become one of the UK's leading Music Technology Suppliers. The 6,000 square foot showroom in Leeds has one of the widest ranges of Recording Studio Equipment in Europe giving customers the opportunity to get their hands on all the latest equipment in the music industry.
As well as offering all the latest products on the market Production Room have brought together a selection of the finest keyboards and synthesizers from the past 40 years. The Analogue Collection represents a love for technology and innovation regardless of age or style.
Mellotron - a very brief history
In 1946 Harry Chamberlin decided to record himself playing his home organ for some friends. After he finished the recording he had an idea, if he could record himself playing a whole piece he could record himself playing single notes, then if he could produce a machine to play back these single note recordings he could reproduce the sound of virtually any instrument. Harry had created the first sampler, which lead to the creation of the original Chamberlin keyboards.
Then in 1962 a salesman for the Chamberlin Company, Bill Franson, contacted Bradmatic Ltd., an electro mechanical engineers, run by Les, Frank and Norman Bradley, to see if they could supply them with 70 matched replay heads. When the brothers learned how they planned to use the replay heads they were immediately impressed, and knew that this machine had massive potential.
The Bradleys endeavoured to build their own version of the machine; they received backing from Eric Robinson who formed Mellotronics. The original prototypes of the new instrument were called the Franson, the name change to Mellotron was Bills idea, a hybrid of the words melody and electronic.
Mellotron M400
In 1970 the Mellotron M400 was released, this model was a single manual 35-Note Mellotron with one sound bank on three-track 3/8inch tape. Smaller than the Mellotron 300, the M400 was much simpler and more reliable, there was also a larger range of tapes available, including: Violins (from solo to full orchestra section), Viola, Cello, Flutt, Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon, Brass, Church Organ, Electric Guitar, small and large Choirs, Percussion and Sound Effects.
The M400 had a simple set of controls: Volume, Tone, Pitch, and a three position switch to select which sound you wanted. The 400 was also the most portable Mellotron yet, with no built-in amp and speaker, which made it perfect for the gigging musician.
There were around 2,000 Mellotron M400 series units manufactured between 1970 and 1986, including a batch of 100 made under license by EMI. The Mellotron M400 is not only an innovative machine in its own right; it helped to make the Mellotron simpler and more accessible.
For more information contact Production Room on 0845 539 3000 or email info@production-room.com.