Mellotron M-400 Mk IV

With a volume control, tone control, pitch control and a 3-position track selector, how much easier could it be? There are 3 selectable sounds, dependent upon the installed three-sound tape frame. I have several frames; some with traditional Mellotron sounds like MkII Violins and MkII Combined Brass, others with new Streetly Electronics sounds like Ian McDonald's Classical Flute and Russian Choir.

The keyboard has 35 keys and is 100% polyphonic. Since it is an analog sample player of the most basic type, the questions regarding built in effects, expansion capabilities, midi capabilities and on-board sequencing are totally irrelevant and inappropriate.

Yes, the sounds are realistic; much more so than any digital sampler can reproduce. In fact, there are several software companies that provide anything from fairly decent samples to totally bastardized looped samples (Hollow Sun comes to mind), but none can match the real thing.

The sounds are appropriate for literally any type of music; from classical to punk to country to R&B to...you name it.

Just because you can play other keyboard instruments doesn't mean you can play a Mellotron. In fact, many non-keyboard playing musicians can play Mellotrons better than many trained keyboardists. One must have the proper touch to play a Tron effectively.

Mellotrons have gotten a bad rap over the years by people that have been either too lazy or ignorant to properly maintain them. Trons need regular maintenance, just like any other musical instrument. Would you go to a gig without tuning your guitar? Would you go for several years without replacing your guitar strings? Would you go for more than a few months without oiling your B3? Of course not! Mellotrons need regular keyboard adjustments and tape cleaning/replacement. Mine has run fine for 30+ years.

I only deal with the original Mellotron company, Streetly Electronics; and their service has consistently been exceptional. They are the creators of the Mellotron and they have a vested interest in the future of the Mellotron. I know there is another "Mellotron" company that has legal ownership of the name, but authenticy is key.

The new Streetly Mellotrons are superior to the one I own (in fact, I have a new one on order), but there is still the nostalgia factor for an instrument you have owned for over 30 years. It would be no problem replacing a lost or stolen Mellotron with one that is superior. However, if it was stolen, I would track down the perp and.....

Very simple to operate - only three sounds and Volume and Tone knobs. A good player's keyboard, not much it does but play back tapes of cool sounds!

Tapes are inside on frames - as mentioned before - they have to be removed to change them to a new set. This takes time, but is pretty easy. No effects onboard. 3 sounds per frame - most Mellotrons have only one frame included, but you can order more now - this is better than the 80's when no parts or tapes were made...

The sounds are REALLy creepy and cool - VERY emotional. Most people - even non-musicians - love it instantly. There are samples out there, but just like drum machines, bass or guitar samples - they do not equal the real thing, sorry...

Not so good for reliablilty. The mew Mk.VI is the most stable machine, best for gigs and so on. The old ones - some are really bad, some are good. Depends on condition and the control cards inside. A well-kept machine plays good, just like a guitar. Some old Mellotrons (most?) have a flawed motor card - that makes it droip out of tune all the time, and produces a highpitch whine in the output. There is a new card to put in to fix that - it works great AND gives a half-speed option. Once this is fixed, any Mellotron needs attention from the owner. Learning to work on it IS a must, like tuning your guitar. It may not need much if it's in a stable environment, but there are instructional videos and owner's manuals to help you learn how to do it yourself.

There are very few travelling Mellotron repairmen, unless you live in London, LA, Stockholm or NYC! Even "perfect" Mellotrons needs work, but you can do this yourself. And usually the experts will help you over the phone if you are nice. The various groups that help out - Other owners, Mellotron.com, Streetly Electronics, local service men - can all help at times. They are a competitive group though, and argue a lot - to their detriment. Everybody tries to SELL you something, but sort out what you need by learning about your machine; others can help you learn too.

A fantastic instrument. Relatively portable and strong enough to withstand moving. NOT a stable beast compared to Hammonds or Synths, but not as unreliable as a guitar! The sound is unbeatable, it is a good investment at almost any reasonable price, new or used. They are ALL quite rare and deserving of their enthusiastic reputation.

I'm almost sure that you know what a Mellotron is and how it works. If you don't, please consult www.mellotron.com - they've got all the information you need.
Using a Mellotron is not as easy as it might look at first sight. It requires a special playing technique because the tapes are limited in length. That means, every note ends abruptly after about 7 seconds and you'll have to release the key to get the tape rewound. Also, there's no attack or sustain at hand.
On the Mk IV you have to change a frame of tapes to get another set of presets. Each tape contains 3 tracks with different sounds; to change them, you've got to move the playback heads left/right by moving a little knob. The process of changing a tape frame is time-consuming because you've got to open the instrument and remove the keyboard before you can take out the frame. You need some practise but then it'll take you no longer than 2 minutes.
The sound of the presets depends mainly on the condition the Mellotron is in. If the playback heads are worn or dirty, the sound quality goes down. You'll have to clean them regularly. Also, the pressure pads and capstan rollers under the keys have to be adjusted from time to time.
The sound quality also depends on the condition of the tapes but if you don't store them in humid places and keep the machine clean, you won't get any problems. The tapes I got with my Mellotron are still in a very good condition and haven't gone worse in the 8 years I own the instrument.

Generally, every Mellotron is fully polyphonic but you shouldn't press more than 6 or 7 keys at once because that'll slow it down. The Mk IV doesn't have any built in effects; the only controls you have are "volume", "tone" (cuts the high frequencies) and "pitch". The speed can be stabilized by installing a better motor control board. It's still possible to get that one. My Mellotron still has the first motor control and I don't think that I need the new board - it's running at a very stable speed after warming up for 15 minutes.

With a few exceptions the sounds are brilliant. One exception is the "Trombone" preset - it sounds great but the player didn't hit the notes precisely. They are absolutely out of tune, it's almost impossible to use it. The "Cello" tapes are beautiful but there are big differences between the volumes of the sounds. Highly recommended and not very common: The "Vibraphone" tapes. These recordings are a bit noisy but the attacks could kill your speakers. Another beautiful preset is the choir I have - the keyboard is split into male voices on the left and female voices on the right hand side. I also have the violins, orchestra, mandolins and flute. Play these sounds and you'll know why this instrument has become such a classic...

The only problem I ever had with my Mellotron was a cable that had disconnected itself during a transport. It took me 5 minutes to locate and fix it. Apart from that, it has always been reliable. A friend of mine said it's more like a car than a musical instrument because it is mainly a mechanical construction... it wouldn't be too complicated to do repairs on these mechanical parts.

It's still possible to get spare parts for the Mellotron from David Kean's Mellotron Archives. I never had to get anything repaired on my instrument, so I don't have an opinion, but I heard that the service is very good.

I love this instrument, so I wouldn't give it away at any price. I own it since 1993 and it's one of the greatest instruments I've ever played. There's one thing I hate about it: the motor and the capstan are terrible loud, so headphones are highly recommended! Switching it off is always a kind of relief; play it for hours without a break and you'll be going mad... ;-))