Unsung: Travel back to the ’80s to get the best deal on synthetic beats

In the last several years, the resurgence of the synth-driven lead has made Moog,… In the last several years, the resurgence of the synth-driven lead has made Moog, manufacturer of popular analog synths through the 1970s and early 1980s, an indie-rock staple.

Musicians have returned to the retro synths for several reasons, including the higher level of control with analog sliders and knobs, the affordability of older synths and the genuinely fat sound that most digital leads cannot stand up to. However, now that bands such as The Get Up Kids and The Anniversary have popularized the retro analogs, prices on these once hidden gems have soared and their availability has decreased. So before you shell out your $800 for a Moog Prodigy on eBay, consider the Concertmate MG-1, released and sold by RadioShack in 1979 – it may be the unlikely answer to your analog dreams.

So let’s define who this synth is for. If you’re a seasoned musician with a need for features such as in-depth programming, drum sounds and hundreds of patches, look past anything RadioShack has ever sold, and look into companies such as Waldorf and Clavia. But for those of you looking for a great deal on a great lead, here are the meat and potatoes.

The Concertmate MG-1 is a 37-key monophonic analog synthesizer. Actually, it does come with a polyphonic slider that allows you to play multiple notes, but the voice sounds like a cheesy organ. It comes with a max of two oscillators per voice, two audio outs (excluding headphones), and its most impressive feature: the brilliant Moog 24db filter. You heard right, it’s a Moog … kinda!

You have to look at the MG-1 with an open mind because it’s constructed like it’s a toy, but can sound like the real deal. The best sounds you’ll get out of the MG-1 are the ferocious bass lines it’s capable of, but don’t overlook the treble as this unit has all-around warmth to it.

With the high demand for retro analogs, the MG-1 has been selling for around $250 to $400. But because of its toy-like design and the fact that it’s an instrument from RadioShack, the MG-1 is frequently found at garage sales and pawnshops for around $20 to $40. So skip ahead to the classifieds and see if there’s someone out there who doesn’t know what he’s selling.