Bob Moog began building electronic hobbyist project with his father, George Conrad Moog, in the basement of their Flushing, New York home when he was only 10 years old. At 15, Bob was building his own theremins, and quickly developed a passion for them. At 19, Bob’s first article, “The Theremin” was published in the January 1954 issue of the hobbyist magazine Radio and Television News.

Anticipating that his article would spark demand for theremin parts, theremin kits, and assembled theremins, Bob and his father filed for a business name and placed their first ad in the same issue where his article appeared. 

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After the article was published, the orders began rolling in for parts, kits, and to a lesser extent, assembled theremins. The $87.95 price for the assembled theremins is the equivalent of approximately $1,000 in today’s money — a considerable investment. Bob once stated in an interview that only 15 to 20 of these theremins, knows as the Model 201, were made. We are fortunate to have one in the Moogseum. 

RAM Co Model 201 Theremin, photo courtesy of the Moogseum

The 1954 Model 201 in its Moogseum case, with a schematic drawn by Bob, and a manual hand-typed by Bob’s mother, Shirley Jacobs Moog. Photo courtesy of the Moogseum.

To read much more about all fo the theremins that Bob developed over the decades, please visit the Moogseum, located in downtown Asheville, NC, or visit our exhibits about the evolution of Bob’s theremins on Google Arts & Cultures Music, Maker’s and Machines exhibition:

The Birth of Moog Theremins 1953-1956

The Evolution of Moog Theremins, 1957-1964

The Big Briar Theremin Years and Beyond, 1978 – 2004