The 2600 is a professional, semi-modular monophonic patch-cable synthesizer that competed directly against the first professional Modular Moog synths during the early 1970's. Unlike other modular systems of the time which required you to pick and choose modules which you (or the manufacturer) then had to mount inside a case and wire together, the 2600 is semi-modular with a fixed selection of basic synth modules internally pre-wired and ready to go! Most of these connections can be "re-wired" with patch-cords and clearly labeled patch-points. This made the 2600 more user-friendly, portable and easier to create sound with.

A few versions of the 2600 were produced during its lifetime throughout the 1970's. They are all a little bit different, some changes due to instability issues, some due to legal issues, and some for cosmetic reasons.

Version I, the "Blue Marvin" or "Blue Meanie"

• Officially named the 2600. Commonly called the "Blue Meanie".
• Produced in 1970.
• It came in a blue aluminum case. Being their first model, it was prone to breakdowns and was highly unreliable. Due to their all aluminum design, they were very hard to service.
• The Blue Meanie folds like a breifcase, for easy, portable, design. The carrying bar turns out to be more of a hindernce to many players though. Keyboard was modular, but one was sold with it.
• Between 50-100 "Blue Meanies" were built in a garage before the ARP plant was open.

Version II, the "Grey Meanie"

• Appeared in 1971.
• Factory produced.
• First version of ARP that denoted the rectangular 'ARP' logo on its right speaker grille.
• Only a few "Grey Meanies" (at least two) exist. Apparently, around 10 were made. They are the same design as the other 2600's internaly, they just have a grey/black color scheme on the exterior casing.
• The keyboard on the Grey Meanie came with a handle as on the synthesizer, for more portablilty.
• One of the extremly rare Grey Meanies is now kept at the London Synth Museum.
• The original Model 4012 filter used in the Grey and Blue meanies was a copy of Moog's patented ladder-filter design. This led to a law-suit between Moog and ARP which forced ARP to design their own filter.

Version III

More info to come! ;)

Version IV

More info to come! ;)

Who Played Me?

808 State, Peter Baumann of Tangerine Dream, Paul Bley, Michael Boddicker, Arthur Brown, Richard Burgess, Chemical Brothers - used on Dig Your Own Hole, Vince Clarke, Mike Cotten with the Tubes, Steve Cunningham, Mickie D, Jack Dangers of Meat Beat Manifesto, Elemental, Jean-Michel Jarre, Depeche Mode, Electronic Dream Planet, John Entwistle & Pete Townsend of The Who, Brian Gascoigne, Miquette Giraudy with Gong, Roger Glover of Deep Purple, Herbie Hancock, Steve Hillage, John Hollis, Steve Howell, Jackson Five - used on Rock Me and others, Bob James, Jean Michel Jarre, Brian Kehew and Roger Manning of The Moog Cookbook, Praga Khan of the Lords of Acid, Joy Division, Klaus Shultz, Kool and the Gang - used on Summer MAdness, Metro LA, Steve Levine, John Lennon, Lightwave, Dave Macrea, Tony McPhee, Daniel Miller, Kaus Netzie, Nine Inch Nails, Nitzer Ebb, John McEntire of Tortoise, Mike Oldfield, Orbital, Steve Pocaro, Roger Powell, PiL - "Flowers of Romance", Rebirth, Steve Roach, The Royal Opera House - in 1976 for thunderstorms, tub-boat whistles, and red-hot swords being plunged into water, Phil Sawyer - triggered the ARP with his heartbeat for the composition "Titanic" on the 1971 Paul Kantner/Grace Slick album "Sunfighter", The Shamen, Skinny Puppy, Ultravox, Ian Underwood for Frank Zappa, Underworld, Vince Welnick with the Tubes, Edgar Winter - "Frankenstein", Stevie Wonder, Xpando, Joe Zawinul - usually played two with Weather Report (one for each hand), Zim Zum of Marilyn Manson.

Sources

• Synth Museum http://www.synthmuseum.com/arp/arpodyssey01.html
• Vintage Synth Explorer http://www.vintagesynth.org/index2.html