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About 8 years ago, I bought this unit made by Bent-It on Ebay. It's served me well (easy to learn and play) but now it's having trouble staying on. It's sealed into a wooden box - to repair, I'd have to cut the box open. So I may be in the market for a different unit. Here's the current unit, with a description by the builder. Since there's often very little new stuff (just variations and expansions on other ideas) maybe there are other units which have similar features and footprint? Using it for drones of course, plus bass rumbles, high screeches, retarded siren sounds, etc.



Builder description:

This synth contains two oscillators, with one acting as an LFO. The controls are easy to learn and strait forward. The knobs are used for sweeping the pitch of both oscillators up and down, controlling modulation of the oscillators plus controlling tone and volume of the synth. As for the switches they are basically like keys on a keyboard/piano/synth, being that each switch creates a different tone and you must either flip a toggle switch or push one of the push button switches to create sound from this piece, so it can be played rhythmically or you could even attempt to play the piece like a keyboard (but it's not gonna sound or play like your standard keyboard/piano/synth). Also this synth has a 1/4" output, so you can plug it into an amp or your favorite effects racks, pedals, boards and so on and so on...

Has very basic "step" capabilities in some settings.

Anything like this available, or is there a similar unit better than this one? I poached this on eBay (sigh... the good old days) for well under $100. I realize I might need to pay more now.

Or should I try to get this one repaired? Besides the power issue, a couple of toggle switches are frozen up (probably just need to be adjusted from below) and the push buttons are wearing out. I did get a LOT of use from this unit. I have no idea where the seams of the box are, to get inside.

Dimensions are roughly 7.5" x 4" x 2.5" (or 19 cm x 11cm x 4 cm)

Top view:

http://www.electrofaustus.com/ef109-drone-thing/

http://www.boutiquepedalnyc.us/skychord ... l-ringmod/

First two suggestions off the top of my head.

That box looks intense! I would recommend checking Michael Rucci out. The maximal drone box has like 8 oscillators or something, and a filter. Very simple but sounds droney as dicks

Oh nice! I was blanking on the dude's name but yeah the maximal drone sounds pretty ideal for what you want and for the price point.
http://www.handmadeelectronicinstrument ... mal-drone/

Honestly that thing looks so cool and if you've gotten used to the workflow of it, is it work just getting it fixed up? Maybe rehoused in an enclosure you can actually access next time something goes wrong? Like for what you're going to be spending on something comparable it would surely work out cheaper.

If however you're looking for something in the same field but will open up some new sounds or whatever, I still think Trogotronic does the most unique stuff in this area. Snap something up before they go fully modular.

edit: much pricier than the other stuff offered though. That Maximal Drone thing looks rad.

seems super rad, I say try and get it fixed. the trogotronic 669 does some insane shit, but is pretty pricey. rucci's stuff is cool and cheap, but I found the drone thing from electro faustus more full sounding. that thing is my jam. white noise washes, dial up sounds, intermodulating static, etc.

I'd look into getting it fixed as well, know anyone with a band saw? Wooden enclosures pose little challenge to proper tools.

The description kind of says "permutation on the APC theme" to me, I'd guess you're looking at a 556 and spaghetti wiring to tuning resistors hanging of the switch bank. Don't fear opening it, it'll probably look worse than it actually is.

I have the Maximal Drone and it's really fucking cool but it's not going to do as much as I imagine those push buttons will. I tend to use mine for steady drones mainly but you can definitely get clicks and white noise out of it easily.

Get it fixed! You could mount it in a cigar box after you crack it open. If the current enclosure doesn't survive the opening. Then it'll be in a box you can open for repairs. Looks like a cool drone box.