Hohner Electronium - a vacuum tube synth from the 1950s

[@AlexBallMusic]

Accordion to this video, it's actually a synth.

[@AndersEngerJensen]

Hainbach! Send it to Alex, so he can make a funky song with it! :D

[@AlexBallMusic]

@@AndersEngerJensen Umpah funk

[@projectz975]

wait a minute... YOURE TELLING ME WE COULD HAVE BEEN MAKING DUBSTEP ALL THE WAY BACK IN THE '50s!?

[@Hainbach]

The tools were there!

[@VJFranzK]

Tuba, Didgeridoo. ; - )

[@malfattio2894]

A few musicians back then weren't even that far of, just listen to this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqmYZKOdadGmaqs

[@Chris-vr8cd]

@@malfattio2894 Woah thats amazing! That sounds like something a modern day indie producer would make. Do you have any more examples of modern music from the 50s?

[@malfattio2894]

@@Chris-vr8cd Sure, Raymond Scott made a bunch of stuff like this in the 50s. Tom Dissevelt was also super ahead of his time: kzbin.info/www/bejne/foiQn2l9jKt0rKs If you go back even further, the Soviets were making stuff like this in the 30s: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3q1ZKN5nNaVa9E

[@iskandertime747]

You know, I try hard to avoid the thought "I've seen it all". If I ever think that again, I'll just remember the day I saw an accordion-shaped, vacuum tube synthesizer from the 1950s. And saw a man play it! Gut Yule!

[@extralifedisco]

Holy smokes, that "preset roll" is pure atomic age genius. Jumpers on a wheel!

[@DerpRulesAll]

Hohner really was a lab for instrumental experimentation.

[@frien_d]

"Welcome to hell, here's your accordion"

[@i_never_asked_for_an_alias]

I repaired a Roland SH-101 by simply resoldering the dried out connections (it affected the controlvoltages which have to be very exact to make the oscillator in tune). Also, as someone already mentioned here in the comments, it is very likely that the electrolyte capacitors (specially the big ones) are dried out. In your case i think the vibrations from the transport might have broken one or several of the solderpin connections. Without a schematic and some reference voltages it will be quite difficult to narrow down the failure, i fear. Best solution i see right now is to resolder pretty much EVERYTHING and hope for the best (use kolophonium based flux for it, it cures fast and works good with the old solder).

[@matthewchism3733]

Polktronica. I am here for it.

[@ConwayBob]

Thank you, Hainbach! A very merry Christmas to you and your family. 🌲

[@Hainbach]

Thank you Bob!

[@auronoxe]

Hohner once was such an inventive company. A pitty they did not have enough sales world wide. Great early electronic instruments, great organs and later a very unusual keyboard called ADAM (that solved the problem of manual drawbars that never fit to your stored presets by rotating cylinders).

[@williamgeorgefraser]

I played accordion as a kid and had a Hohner 120-button instrument that cost £124. Fortunately for my parents, I never heard of this until today, as I would have been asking them to buy me one. This was an amazingly advanced instrument for its time and its a pity it isn't known to a wider public. Thanks for the video and Merry Christmas!

[@marsmediapro]

What a fantastic gift! Thank you for sharing this with us!

[@Niven42]

Me: Sees Hainbach playing an accordion and laughs at the "vacuum tube synth" description that I think is supposed to be a joke... Hainbach: Plays an actual early vacuum tube synth!

[@Hainbach]

Jokes only allowed on first of April!

[@jabelsjabels]

ohh man I would love to see Mr. Carlson's Lab repair this!

[@NihilQuest]

I played with a regular accordion few months ago and it had a similar mysterious knob like yours. It turned out it was for adjustment of the belt or something like that (nothing musical). By the way, even though it was just a regular accordion I was amazed at how synthy it could sound when trying weird stuff. I obviously did something right, because during the recording session, owner of the instrument came to the house from the garden, thinking something has broken and she didn't expect it was accordion making those noises.

[@Bloodstone_DC]

Great. Now i want one.

[@dundamusic8026]

This could be my next beautiful xmas gift!!!

[@echodelta9]

I once did a cleanup and fixed a bad wire or two in a 2 rank reed full 120 bass accordion that had something like 50 wires and an office telephone cable connector that fed a Lowery tube organ in the suitcase sized rack of tubes. This was full polyphonic left and right hand. Only electronics on board were filter formant stops everything all the keys and 24 notes on the left hand had a wire to offer to the "head" the cable was like a garden hose! Of course the reeds were miked. The Octal plug would be cinch to reverse engineer. Ground, 6 vac, one or more B+, audio out.

[@davidpetersonharvey]

Hainbach, fantastic! My mother was an accordion player and remembers these. You've also inspired me to sample her accordion and use it in projects. Thanks!

[@TRIPPLEJAY00]

What a beautiful machine. So clean and has a steampunk vibe to it. If I had a big house and owned this wonderful synth I would have it in a glass case as a centre peace.

[@duon44]

the mechanism of that lever is awesome

[@JakHart]

I really think Look Mum No Computer should play with this.

[@monsirto]

I think I'm in love. What a beautifully expressive tool!

[@brianspenst1374]

I cannot wait until you get it fixed so that you can make more tracks using it. I would love to hear a bass line that uses a constant tone that swells in and out. That swelling bass line with a midrange clean kick on top to give some definition to the beat.

[@baleinerenard7629]

Sounds and looks beautiful ! Great job :)

[@gregoryscanlon3794]

This synth is awesome! I love this era of electro-mechanical invention. Such rich, unique sounds. This has got me on the hunt for rarities that I can find where I'm located. Maybe a Clavoline, or some old Wurlitzer invention. Hope you can bring the beauty back to life.

[@falschnehmung]

5 Thunbs up for sharing this !!! ... the mechanics inside - amazing !!! Unbelievable ... ! German engineering !!! The guys back then (before I was born and I'm > 66 ...) were not aware what they were anticipating ... crazy !

[@zawmaciek]

The wheels are there for strap length adjustment :)

[@Hainbach]

The second wheel is connected to the circuit board - it might a vibrato circuit I read about but could not hear.

[@thebkstank2095]

I want Electronium acid

[@MrCucumber416]

I am a simple man. I see Stockhausen in thumbnail, I watch video.

[@thevoidinclusive]

glad to see you taking advantage of your new video processing power :D beautiful visuals in the performance piece! and, of course, a great piece as always.

[@pieterv224]

I'm getting one next week!! So excited

[@PPYTAO]

Even the signal noise is beautiful 😍

[@VJFranzK]

The Rotating Thingie! very clever, it's airless steampunk. The Robo-Accordion must rise again!

[@HitmanJenkins1]

This is such a cool instrument! It's wild to think that there was a synthesiser as expressive as this back in the 50s.

[@nicolausala]

Missing your videos so much Thank you :)

[@TaswcmT]

Where you at, Look Mum No Computer - you need one of these!

[@nixonkutz3018]

Almost sounds like when the bellows are extended, you get more volume but also like a resonant filter sound. Would love to see the schematic for this beauty

[@Hainbach]

I too would love a schematic.

[@HiEnergyMusic]

This is just amazing. I heard about the Electronium earlier from my ex-boyfriend who was an accordion orchestra conductor, but never saw one of those in action.

[@tonystephen6312]

2;45 that sounds wonderfully retro - rich waveforms!

[@benatomgrinder5134]

This is great! Have a happy new year.

[@jeremyn.4753]

beautiful videography !

[@adamcisney6682]

well, that did some stuff. thanks for the knowledge drop!

[@spurioustransients]

Quite wonderful. I hope you get the Electronium fixed.

[@MetaHoudini]

So cool! You always find the best gear dude! Shame that an instrument that rare makes it more difficult to find someone who knows how to fix them. Good luck!

[@BessetteMusicRepair]

I’ve watched many of tour videos, I would love to repair your vast array of musical instruments and beyond. Distance would likely be an issue. Cheers and thanks for posting!

[@RCAvhstape]

You have more courage than I opening such an ancient device; tubes = high voltages. Very cool instrument, hope you find a tech and get it fixed up!

[@Chris-mc2dt]

Holy cow that opening

[@kermitttt]

Amazing mechanicly and sounds so awsome! Play terminator theme on it!

[@niknayme3754]

'That sounded a bit like Autechre', said Stockhausen

[@craigbrowning9448]

A Line out could be Connected to the loudspeaker. With a circuit similar to a Mini Headphone Jack and a DI Box. Did you check if Hohner might have a Service Manual or Schematics in their archives? Someone with Analog Synthesizer or Electronic Organ backgrounds should be able to figure it out. I used to have a Hohner Combo Organ from the Early 1960s, so it might have similar Electronics. I did see litterateur that they built Home Electronic Organs as well.

[@SqueezeboxOfDelights]

There’s an interesting item on eBay at the moment. It’s a Hohner ‘Bassophon’ which seems to be pretty much an Electronium, but with less synthesis controls, and designed just to play bass. If it wasn’t out of my price and distance range, I’d be tempted by it!

[@Hainbach]

It is absolutely a simpler Electronium! Lovely

[@willemkossen]

Another one on the wishlist....

[@NickT6630]

I've just bought my first micro cassette dictaphone. Looking forward to trying out your recording techniques 👍😃 That Hohner sounds great!

[@brainndamage]

I'd be more than happy to do a restoration if you can get it to Slovenia. I've worked on Hohner gear of this vintage in addition to other tube gear.

[@Momiyama808]

Dude, Metasonix needs to make a module emulating this tone. Eric Barbour could definitely get close to this vintage sound. Make it happen internet!

[@Hainbach]

I posted it in the Metasonix user FB group

[@Momiyama808]

@@Hainbach Awesome herr Hainbach. The Metasonix R-55 VCO has a simliar quality. I wonder if that new CHRT synth can move as much air as the Hohner.

[@query1527]

Lots of the sounds remind me of close encounters of the third kind.

[@kgbstudio]

excellent stuff

[@expandingknowledge8269]

HAINBACH, this is pure steam punk my friend. Make a sci/fi soundtrack with this thing !

[@arbautimusic]

Amazing instrument, shame it stopped working. I would start with testing the oktal cable for continuity and then send a tone to the amp. The end music is a real treat!

[@FraJa1980]

Wow! I have the power amp of this kit! Not the synth or the original housing... just the amplifier part that's in the speaker cabinet. I bought it as a guitar amp project with a cool 1950's singer sewiwgmachine case as a combo cabinet someone else started and i wanted to finish in a videoseries by building a pre amp based on that accordeon for it but sadly due to circumstances the project and the series stagnated. Didn't know what it was other than it was a Hohner and it took a shitload of research just to find out what it was. I traced the schematic and compared it to a couple of Hohner schematics i found on the internet and it was the same as the Electronium. More research led me to exactly this kit you have right there! Sadly no schematics of this specific accordeon/synth could be found nor do i know the name of the parts like that cable and the plugs it uses to connect the accordeon to the amp. (dangerous system btw.... 150v dc coming from the amp trough something you hold in your hands.... yikes!) I'd give my left nut just to have that accordeon and the plug here for a week just so i can trace that schematic and make sense of some certain things i have a hard time wrapping my head around. I do have the schematic for the power amp so if you need it say the word and i'll email it to you if you like! Sorry i'm all over the place rambling about everything, it's because i'm exited to actually see one of these working! Haven't seen the entire video yet but i couldn't hold my comment any longer so i'm going to watch th rest of the video now. Thanks for posting! Hope i can persuade you to make a video solo on the innards, i'd love to know the tube compliments and other fun facts about that accordeon! Best wishes from holland, Frans

[@FraJa1980]

Ok i watched the video! Loved it! Sorry it broke down on you but i loved the entire video none the less! I think we can help each other out somewhat, i could give you info on what the cable and plug does and which pin would be the signal out pin but i don't think the problem is in there as there is sound coming from the slide when you moved it so that should be ok. It could be that the signal out pin on the plug is corroded or bent but there shouldn't be any sound at all even when moving the slide one would think but it's possible. The problem is more likely to be in the Accordeon/synth itself. Have you checked behind the first panel you took of on the key side of the instrument before you went to record it? Maybe there's a plug or something there you accidentally knocked loose but also it's well over 60 years old .... it could just be some component finally failed. It's sad that we live fairly far apart but i'd love to take a look at it for you but i don't think you'd be willing to drive down to Holland from Germany (i presume) to bring it to me. I would however be willing to try and help the best i can trough e-mails and pictures or maybe even a video on the insides of this thing so i can try and see what's wrong from a distance. Best wishes and again thank you very much for posting this. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGrYmHR5jNGYY9U That's my project with the power amp of your kit, maybe you'l find it interesting.

[@geraldgoodiii6993]

That actually sounds dope

[@autumnmatthews3179]

OMG! I want one!

[@genepozniak]

Seems awfully advanced for the 1950s as far as the size. Were equivalent keyboard synths that small at the time?

[@MmostlyRandom]

keyboard synths didn't exist in the 50's. the 1st ever electronic synth (which didn't have a keyboard) didn't come out until 1955. the 1st ever portable synth with a keyboard that is roughly the size of this instrument was the minimoog (prototype in 1969 released in 71) tbh calling this a synth is pushing it a bit... it's electro mechanical a bit like a hammond organ and nobody would call a hammond a synth. (the sound is generated mechanically and modified/amplifield/filtered electronically.)

[@Hainbach]

@@MmostlyRandom the sound is not generated mechanically, what gave you that idea? The preset wheel? It's a vacuum tube osc with a VCA and filter.

[@daccrowell4776]

You had a number of small "auxiliary" monophonic keyboards that began appearing in the post-WWII 1940s...the most famous of these, natch, was the Jenny Ondioline. But there was also the Hammond Solovox, the Selmer/Gibson Clavioline...and then, the Hohner Electronium. As a rule, these were designed to fit on top of or beneath a piano or organ to function as a lead voice, and there was a version of the Electronium (the "Pi") that also did this. For the most part, these qualify as preset monosynths, although many users modified these to allow for more programming flexibility; probably the best-known example of this was the Musitron, a heavily-modified Clavioline which makes a very notable appearance in the bridge of Del Shannon's "Runaway". But as for "small"...about the only one that could be described as such was the Ondioline, as the others were multi-part affairs with separate keyboards and tone cabinets.

[@SylvainPoitras]

@@MmostlyRandom Hugh Le Caine created the electronic sackbut in the 1940s

[@graxjpg]

DAC Crowell sun ra’s use of the clavioline is wonderful to hear.

[@Derpy1969]

This Harry Potter Spell-named device is cool.

[@janiviitamaki3775]

beautiful instrument:)

[@prosperlost4046]

Team Zissou member Hainbach playing the Hohner Electronium down in the Belafonte's cargo hold.

[@TheCometCE]

I really hope you can get this fixed, that's a really interesting instrument I'd love to see run through an effects chain in real time I kinda want to hear it run through a low pass pedal or maybe a talkbox, and a lil overdrive for some nice spice

[@nunofernandes4501]

Awesome! Now a Kometenmelodie 1 cover version from the Autobahn LP using that, please.

[@horowizard]

Are you certain that the Electronium is used in Telemusik? I never saw or heard it mentioned with respect to that piece. However, it is heard in Kurzwellen and other works of Stockhausen. Moogerfooger MF-103 12-Stage Phaser at 13:50!

[@Hainbach]

According to this source it's in the piece, I would say likely as a tape splice: 120years.net/the-electronium-pirene-seyboldgermany1950/

[@tomfabinski]

Hainbach - Cool video! Thanks for uploading it! My guess is that the electromechanical connection between the bellows and the circuit board has failed. That’s why you’re not getting sound. This instrument has a bellows sensor mechanism which detects the amount of expression or force approved to the bellows. The insulation on this mechanism is about 70 years old and has probably dried out. When you began playing it, the bending caused the insulation to crack. That’s where I would look first. At least that’s my uneducated guess. Curiously, the Cordovox - one of the first electronic accordions/organs had a volume pedal to control the expression. Later Cordovox models (around 1970 or so) incorporated an E.B.O. (Electronic bellows organ?) which translated bellows force to volume. See this link for a description of the Cordovox history. caffetrieste.com/Abrief.pdf As far as adding pedals, I would think that a reasonably capable electronics technician could add a send/return loop to the amplifier cabinet - just before the leads go into the speaker. This would allow you to add effects pedals!

[@Hainbach]

That was very helpful! I noticed that mechanism, will give it a look.

[@babybloc]

At first I assumed this was a Cordovox-style organ accordion. Hohner’s version was the Electrovox. But those are polyphonic. The early Cordovox had 70 vacuum tube Lowery organ electronics and an optional portable Leslie rotating speaker. This instrument is new to me. Very cool. May have similar parts to Hohner’s fabulous Multimonica, dual manual synth/reed-organ. (Also from early in the post-war 1950s.) But I don’t think they had that music-box roller thing. That’s amazing.

[@-thetapestream-channel1808]

whaaaaat? llove it! merry xmas Hainbach 😉

[@adamnaworal3124]

I believe Boje played the Electronium P model, not the A model in this video. I could be wrong though. The pic of him looks more like the P since it would have gone on top of a piano as you said :)

[@TedPeeples]

This is amazing inside and out! It looks dangerous inside. Sounds beautiful.

[@TedPeeples]

Sounds like if Kraftwerk took acid.

[@Hainbach]

You can be sure they did.

[@Hainbach]

Very scary opening tube stuff, but I have to, its just too beautiful. Should take a course probably.

[@TedPeeples]

@@Hainbach Just be careful. Don't electrocute yourself. Or pinch your fingers.

[@modularmountain3910]

I would kill for a sample pack of this

[@Hainbach]

It's on patreon.com/hainbach

[@georgeredpath5394]

This seems like a instrument someone in the fallout games would play. Really cool. Germany really did make some very cool ideas during the post WW2 era in particular!

[@alikthenam]

Now that's The Instrument!

[@jeremywinnett6352]

Unplugging it with power applied was not a good idea. Very possible you shorted to the chassis when you plugged back in. Start looking for shorted capacitors. Transformerless amps of the time used a "death cap" to protect someone from plugging them in backwards (2 prong US) since grounded plugs were rare at best.

[@Hainbach]

Would the short not immediately affect it? It worked absolutely fine after, it was when I moved to the studio it stopped.

[@PorchBass]

@@Hainbach maybe look at the back of the board too for any cracked solder joints. Also the resistors themselves can have a tiny crack but look fine unless you are super close up. For an fx insert point just follow the grid pin of the preamp tube in the amplifier. Thanks for your great work.

[@daccrowell4776]

@@Hainbach Actually, it just hit me, Hainbach...have you done a continuity check of the umbilical between the "keyboard" and the tone cabinet? We're talking about some OLD cabling here, and that's also something that gets moved around a lot. Old insulation can crack, etc...and since that cable also probably carries the B+ and filament voltages, that's not where you want crumbly insulation. If you find a short or an open connection, I'd suggest stripping off the connectors and rebuilding the umbilical with some present-day multiconductor snake (or another suitable type) stock.

[@dman030]

incredible that you get that depth with "the machine", like a giant analog compressor. merry christmas hain!

[@TheDonSapius]

Too amazed by the electromechanical interior to actually comment. I need -one- two of these.

[@invertedlxxk5650]

that is sooo fucking cool an accordion bass synth

[@snoopyjc]

Cool instrument!! You most likely need to replace all of the Electrolytic (can) capacitors

[@echodelta9]

Not lilikeky, there is a lot of paper caps and other post war leftovers used in there. Sounds like the master oscillator is out. Tuning circuit perhaps. Nother thing is dropping resistors in the B+, look for wire-wound crap outs.

[@elechuman]

Oh wow....so cool.....⚜️

[@abominablemusic]

good stuff!

[@Luthiart]

Those wheels that you couldn't determine the purpose of are for loosening and tightening the hand strap (I played the accordion when I was kid back in the '70s).

[@cambridgemart2075]

As an experienced repair engineer, I would definitely have a look, but being in the UK may be an issue, sadly.

[@tonystephen6312]

wouldnt be too difficult to do the FX insert at the amplifier socket.Hope you can get the oscillator going..

[@V3xxe]

Oh I want one.

[@bzqp2]

The wheel is probably for a belt adjustment. At least that's what it does on an accordion.

[@Hainbach]

One is connected to a circuit, which is probably the vibrato I read about but never heard.

[@TWN-nw4jd]

I NEED IT

[@paulbangash4317]

Phil at electrode would be interested in this. Maybe drop him a line , he is a lover of the thermionic valve , and he does binson repairs ...

[@hwkoch]

in 2013 bonn based artist stephan mathieu released an album, where he used an elektronium (schwebung.bandcamp.com/album/the-falling-rocket). i know he has one and maybe knows a service person. i have one too (had two once but sold one to someone working for the stockhausen foundation). once i tried tracing the modifications harald boje had made to play it in stockhausenes group, but ended up stuck.

[@jmalmsten]

Please tell me Weird Al has one or more of these!

[@saftigesfruchtchen456]

tolles teil

[@martinheath5947]

Fuck yeah! I want one!

[@justcikenit]

Are all The Tubes still Functioning properly? Have You solved It Yet Hainbach? If Not Try contacting/sending it to #MrCarlson'sLab perhaps?

[@mrkmrk.n]

Sounds like a musical lightsaber

[@mikeduce6706]

Please release this as a kontakt instrument!

[@Hainbach]

Soundpack on patreon.com/Hainbach

[@faselblaDer3te]

Does it have wi-fi though?

[@Wilus0]

5:08 When PTSD kicks in.