Synsonics Drums from Mattel Electronics - Features & Demo

This is a short review of the features of the 1981 Synsonics Drums drummachine/drumsynth from Mattel Electronics. 100% analog

[@papiblatino]

Christmas present for me. My first drum machine. Great drum programming for back then.

[@b.rodclark7349]

1983: This was my very 1st drum machine i bought for $40 from the drummer in a band which my brother played keyboards. I had it for a little over a year until high school in '84. I got my first guitar my 15th birthday so I needed an amp did I traded the drum machine for one and I regretted it ever since it was a solid-state amp that one week later it stopped working...a lesson learned the hard way

[@Jing0j0nes]

Brilliant. These things are sheer greatness in a plastic case. Buy one, everyone buy one. The world can sort out it's differences with a bossanova. Great stuff.

[@comontoe]

Great machine. I´m always amazed by all the features they put into a toy those days. It also has this DIN input, where You can put a HH and Kick pedal. I´ve never seen the original pedals, but it´s easy to build, the cool part is, it kind of syncs to the kick. tap tempo style

[@timothyjwilson]

I had one of those, and I used to play it with my "Hit-Sticks"!! Remember those?

[@Rompler_Rocco]

YESSS!!! I had the orange ones (and a grey pair also I think).. but I'll bet yours broke at the seam too ;)

[@RobertoGinsburg]

I think that *The Jonzun Crew* used this 1981 gem along a acoustic Drum. They also sure used Minimoog D, Korg Poly and Roland SVC-350 Vocoder.

[@sebrian]

I had these back in the early 80's. I had hours of fun with then!

[@stringsnare]

Johnny J made his first beats on this, I can't believe it.

[@fritagogo1]

In 1984, I play drums with Matel Synsonics with drum stick , very fun but no easy to record... But it's small to travel... Very good concept...

[@RayRayBeats]

i just bought one at a yard sale for 5 dollars! yay! can't wait to use it!

[@drooee3274]

Just scored one from a garage sale for $2. This thing is so much fun.

[@Aliendear]

I got this for $50 at a discount store back then when they were becoming unpopular. It was an amazing instrument, although unsophisticated. It showed 80's technology which was on the rise. 80's technology was fun!!!

[@MorfGworfmim]

thanks for filming/ uploading this : )

[@125or200px]

These are stil fetching £50 on Ebay,great piece of kit and very addictive.

[@generalzod7959]

A buddy of mine had this. It was cool!

[@djfoil]

I wanted those drums my entire childhood. I could not afford them, think they were 100.00. I even bought drum sticks to use when some day I would have enough money.

[@saulocisneros]

@Aliendear : I really like 80's technology. Today I just bought an old drum machine (Suzuki RPM-40 for the US or Siel MDP-40 for Europe) and a Tama Techstar TS-204 which is a drum synth / clap generator ... paid 40dlls for both! :)

[@SplitHoof]

Nice Demo

[@RaBob]

@kptn6 Yes. This was before the Midi insurrection against human musicianship. Had this drum machine. It is really just a toy.... but a GREAT toy and was great for making song demos because it was so easy to use, one didn't get bogged down in the tech side. Limitations... all beats only in 4/4 or divisions of 4. High hat sound became extremely annoying very quickly... and especially annoying was the "spin the tom tuning wheel" while playing syndrome.Yes, new price circa 1982 was about $100 USD.

[@santyrush]

I know that some people want this, because is old y now Don, t sell. My friend have too this, was a present from famous singer and composer in Madrid. Sorry my english

[@RoyVanNistelrooij]

I got that weird retro thing at the swap meet for 3 bucks... at least i know how to use it now xD cool

[@FlintBoi4Life]

Looking back that was one little piece of crap LOL, but me and boys rocked a many talent shows using it!! I think I am going to get another one just for ole times sake.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

@saulocisneros It's OK. Nice though for those like you who lived close to the border to watch such fine American stations as ours.

[@Rhythmicons]

@Lachlant1984 It has RCA outs and a phones out, both of which are pretty noisey.

[@SaccoBelmonte]

I had that in the 80s, it was a piece of crap but I loved it!!!!

[@VJFranzK]

@comontoe It's too bad this ISN'T a new toy but an old one. The kids electronic drum sets they make now are so bad! Great review / demo, Saulo! I'll be looking for one of these at the second hand store now... btw - I don't recognize your accent - where are you from, if I may ask?

[@saulocisneros]

@VJFranzK : I live in Tijuana. That's the North Mexico/USA border. So I grew up speaking spanish and watching TV from USA. I don't speak spanglish though.. it sucks!

[@voltaire2001]

i wanted those drums forever and when i finally got em,i hated them.i instantly sold them.

[@legendairbrush7988]

i had one of those in the late 80's i loved it until i got my Boss Dr Rythm

[@Randeema]

"I'm not a musician..." - HA! What do you call that drumming, Saulo? Sounds like music to me.

[@saulocisneros]

@cograilfan I'm looking at some eBay auctions because I want 'em back LOL!

[@Lachlant1984]

I take it you're using the unit with external speakers, does it have its own internal speaker? Can you power the unit on batteries?

[@garytrail360]

Runs on batteries, or an adapter. 9v if I'm not mistaken. External speakers/ headphones 🎧

[@Lachlant1984]

@@garytrail360 Great, thanks.

[@Aliendear]

@djfoil $300 i believe

[@schwixol]

yes batteries, no internal speaker.

[@hansdrone4719]

wow the hi-hat sounds very fat!