Non-bass instruments you wish you owned

[Crater]

I used to own an old Wurlitzer electric piano that I wish I still had.

Lucky me, I got a Wurlitzer 140 about 25 years ago at a garage sale. I love the thing.
I'd love to have a Hammond tone wheel organ, but I currently have an 80's vintage Korg 'clonewheel' organ that does a good-enough-for-me emulation of the Hammond sound. I also own a Honher D4 Clavinet, but it's out of commission with electronics problems.

I'd like to own a decent kit of e-drums.

I'm not a big country fan, but I briefly owned a pedal steel guitar and I'd love to own one again. There's a couple of problems though, as one does not just go out and "buy a pedal steel" from a music store. There are no production line made steels, they are all made in small shops or even one-man shops. It's rare to see a used steel for under $2,000, and many of them, especially the double neck models, go for much more. I loved playing mine and regret selling it now, but I had a "baby on the way" and was making room for her.

 

[Ostie]

Mandocello and Irish bouzouki.

 

[Rabidhamster]

I’ve always wanted a drum kit, but I don’t have room for one. Looks like it’d be better cardio than a punching bag.

 

[Mickeyb48]

Cello

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

For me, these two:

View attachment 4180006
View attachment 4180015

A cello and an accordion

 

[Michedelic]

I've never actually owned an electric guitar, I really got to get one sometime. I almost bought a Tele once in a store that was really sweet, but it was $800 1998 money that I couldn't commit to. That's the closest I ever came.

There’s always Glarry.

 

[packhowitzer]

a cello

 

[40Hz]

View attachment 4180431

I'd like to have an original Ondes Martineau with the 3 strange speakers.

An Ondes Martenot? You sir, are a man of refined and exquisite taste!

In case anyone wonders what it sounds like:

 

[Bob_Ross]

a full set of north drums

Did anybody ever actually play "a full set" of North drums? I've seen Billy Cobham and Alan White and Doug Clifford using a few North drums interspersed among their (more conventional) drumkit, but I've never seen anyone who went all-in and played an entirely North kit!

I'd like to have an original Ondes Martineau with the 3 strange speakers. For those who don't know what one is, it's kind of a fancy theramin. The right hand wears a ring attached to a string which controls the pitch. You move it back and forth in front of the keys rather than use the keys themselves. The left hand operates a key in the little drawer section to control the attack and sustain of the note. The speakers themselves provide effects. There's one normal speaker, one with the driver attached to a kind of gong for ringing metallic reverb sounds and the third has sympathetic strings attached to it.

Back in the late 1980s I worked as the in-house audio engineer for a musical equipment rental firm in New York that had a complete Ondes Martineau in their inventory. I had the pleasure of playing it a few times. Totally inspiring, in a kind of Rube Goldberg-esque How-Does-That-Work-And-Who-Dreamed-That-Up? way.

 

[Michedelic]

Always wanted a steel pedal guitar (have never even seen from closer than a concert, but it looks like it'd be fun...and hard to play).
View attachment 4180498

I had a single neck for a while, mistakenly thought it would be a simple case of adapting slide guitar skills that I had. Wrong. Playing them(well)involves learning an entirely different language. No wonder Jerry Garcia and Jimmy Page gave up, it takes a lifetime of dedication, you don’t just dabble. I have the upmost respect for people like Leon McAuliffe and Speddy West to BJ Cole and Cindy Cashdollar, they made/make it sound so easy.

 

[mambo4]

I miss having a piano in the house, like when I was growing up.

 

[MustangWally]

I don't want to own any more instruments and anyways my keyboard skills are woeful at best, but I really love the Hammond B3 (with a Leslie of course) and the Fender Rhodes. Sounds unmatched and spine-tinglingly wonderful!

 

[Stewie]

I'd love to have a Tele and a Blues Jr. Just in case

 

[40Hz]

For me a sax or cello.

But if anything were possible I’d opt for a real PPG Wave 2.3 first.

 

[chea-pass]

I've never actually owned an electric guitar, I really got to get one sometime. I almost bought a Tele once in a store that was really sweet, but it was $800 1998 money that I couldn't commit to. That's the closest I ever came.

Telecasters and Esquires are simply wonderful. Ash, Pine, Alder, Mahogany any pup configuration - doesn't matter. But, the 3 saddle bridge is a must.
Yes, you should get one!

 

[dalkowski]

I miss having a piano in the house, like when I was growing up.

Co-signed, although as a child piano meant no fun. I'd be happy with a nice digital piano in the living room.

 

[chea-pass]

For me a sax or cello.

But if anything were possible I’d opt for a real PPG Wave 2.3 first.

Glassy. FM?

 

[40Hz]

Glassy. FM?

Yeah. Guess my prog roots are showing. (It’s actually the first wavetable synth IIRC)

 

[Michedelic]

View attachment 4180431

I'd like to have an original Ondes Martineau with the 3 strange speakers. For those who don't know what one is, it's kind of a fancy theramin. The right hand wears a ring attached to a string which controls the pitch. You move it back and forth in front of the keys rather than use the keys themselves. The left hand operates a key in the little drawer section to control the attack and sustain of the note. The speakers themselves provide effects. There's one normal speaker, one with the driver attached to a kind of gong for ringing metallic reverb sounds and the third has sympathetic strings attached to it.

If not for Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead who plays this on many songs since the Kid A album, it would have slipped into complete obscurity.

There was a subsequent instrument, also French, with similar electronics but different features, named the Ondioline. It was prominently played by Al Kooper...


...and name checked by Stereolab. Here’s the whole rundown:
Ondioline - Wikipedia

 

[chea-pass]

I'd be happy with a nice digital piano in the living room.

I hear ya! Roland EP-9

Roland ep-9

• chea-pass
• Feb 24, 2021
• 88 key digital piano roland

A thrift store score for 60 bucks