Who wants to win a Minimoog?

Updated Dec. 8, 2014: OUR WINNER

Please join us in congratulating the winners of our 2015 Minimoog raffle! Our grand prize winner of an absolutely gorgeous vintage Minimoog is Danny Hagan of Statesboro, Ga., USA! Congratulations, Danny. Here’s what he has to say:

On Monday December 1st I received a call from Michelle Moog-Koussa telling me that I was the Minimoog raffle winner, much to my complete surprise and disbelief. In all the years of buying raffle tickets I had only won a cake, a pair of bolt cutters, and a ceiling fan. The cake is long gone, the bolt cutters are almost like new, and the ceiling fan keeps me cool at night.

What: The Bob Moog Foundation 2014 Minimoog Raffle

When: October 16, 2014-November 25, 2014

How much: Tickets are $20 each or 6 for $100; all proceeds benefit our projects

PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS HERE!

Your purchase helps kids learn the science of sound with the magic of music! Learn more about Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool here.

The History

A musical and technological revolution occurred in 1970 when R.A. Moog Inc. introduced its compact, simplified, and portable keyboard synthesizer: the Minimoog® . This musical instrument was the perfect intersection of convenience, effective interface, useful functionality, great sound, and Bob Moog’s legacy.

Thanks to the efforts of Bill Hemsath, Jim Scott, Chad Hunt, and Bob Moog, arguably the most iconic synthesizer of all time was created and introduced to the world. Used, embraced, and lauded by musicians for 44 years, the Minimoog holds a permanent place in history as one of the most loved and best sounding synthesizers ever created.

Because of this history, and how Bob’s inspiration and design is woven through it, the Bob Moog Foundation has chosen the Minimoog as the focus of its raffle again this year.

Purchase your raffle ticket here.

The Instrument

We have been on the lookout for a quality Minimoog since our last Minimoog raffle, and we finally found an excellent specimen for this year’s raffle: A Williamsville-era (built on 7/28/73) Minimoog, serial number 3479 with lighter-color wood, in good shape and fully functional.

This unit would be fantastic on its own, but its previous owner invested in Kevin Lightner’s recent “OptoKey” modification. This modification is extremely desirable for several reasons:

1. Kevin Lightner was largely considered the foremost Moog-related technician in the world. Often called “Synth Tech to the Stars,” Kevin’s work was so highly regarded that many very famous artists and composers hired him to fix their vintage Moog synthesizers. His years of devotion to Moog products gave him a tremendous understanding of these devices, and his design included high quality, thoughtful functionality, and a love of Bob’s legacy.

2. The Minimoog’s key design is prone to corrosion and degradation over time. Minimoog owners are increasingly forced to have the original mechanics frequently cleaned in a time-consuming fashion. No Minimoog will escape the need for this process over time. Kevin’s OptoKey modification is the solution to this problem.

YOU WILL NEVER NEED TO CLEAN THE KEY CONTACTS OR BUS BAR… EVER.

3. The OptoKey is a very carefully and thoughtfully designed infrared optical system which delivers digital precision and accuracy in note triggering without affecting the analog functionality or sound of the Minimoog. It has no effect on the Minimoog sound, but definitely and permanently improves your ability to trigger that sound with keys.

4. Increasingly, musicians seek to integrate their musical instruments with their computer and DAW. This particular OptoKey design includes MIDI integration. This means that the Minimoog being raffled is a MIDI Minimoog that can be controlled by other MIDI devices. Its MIDI implementation is restricted to note on and off, but that’s enough for you to be able to include it in your computer-based system.

This unit has been tested and calibrated by a skilled technician, and is guaranteed functional at the time of the end of the raffle.

Don’t miss your opportunity to acquire one of the most desirable icons of synth history from the stewards of the history of synthesis at the Bob Moog Foundation.

Purchase your ticket here.

At $20 per raffle ticket, you can’t afford to miss participating in this raffle. If you win, you are a person who paid a mere $20 for an authentic and iconic vintage Minimoog! And even if you don’t, your money will go to support the promotion of Bob Moog’s legacy through the educational and historic preservation efforts of the Bob Moog Foundation. As always, it’s a win/win!

Please make sure to review our rules and regulations prior to purchasing a ticket

Please note that the Minimoog raffled here was purchased for the purposes of a fundraiser, and is not a part of any archive associated with the Bob Moog Foundation.

Minimoog® is a registered trademark of Moog Music, Inc.  The Bob Moog Foundation is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) dedicated to promoting the legacy of Dr. Bob Moog, and is not affiliated with the companies referenced above.