Oberheim MC-1000

It's straightforward to use, assuming you're familiar with midi controller codes, patch numbers, banks and so forth. The matrix selection for each of the key functions is a little quirky, but once you get used to it, it is quite quick to navigate - better than a heirarchical menu system in many ways.

Editing patches takes a little time and you have to be pretty switched on and make sure you've got all the various elements how you want them - that said, once you have a starting template, it's quick enough to modify and make other presets using that one. You can save 128 patches and if using it with an internal board plus external units it's probably a good idea to allocate program ranges to each - so with mine I have a block of programs for the internal board, another for my Roland XV and a third for another sound module.

One thing that would speed up programming would have been a number pad - as it is, if you want to go from program 90 to program 10, you have to turn the dial anticlockwise until you reach the new value. It's a minor gripe - the dial is at least responsive.

The manual's pretty self explanatory - I think it could be better written in some areas, but I don't think it presents any significant barriers to learning what the controller does. It's not especially long, at about 50 pages.

One thing to note is that it's very difficult to track down an electronic copy of the manual online, so if buying second hand it would be worth asking if a manual will be provided.

I love the 76 key version - it has a great action, is nice and responsive and is of the waterfall type. I much prefer the "piano-alike" keys to the synth type keys. I specifically wanted a non-hammer action, so it could be used for organ, synth and pad parts - I don't really use it for piano as I've another controller for that.

The waveblaster expansion is probably of limited use for most. I picked up a Yamaha DB-50XG for it and installing it was simple enough. It cost about ??30 second hand and with it installed you have a self-contained instruments, complete with headphone socket and L / R standard TRS outs - it won't wow anyone in the realism stakes, but it's handy for practice purposes.

It's pretty well specified for general midi use - it lacks USB midi and doesn't have any pads or other gizmos, but you can at least program both wheels and "zone" sliders. Inclusion of aftertouch is helpful.

It is a very well put together instrument - consequently it is heavier than many other controllers of similar specifications. It's definitely "roadworthy" and you could rely on it to serve you well for many years, I'm sure.

If it were lost or stolen, I'd definitely track another down if I could. It's a bit of a niche product in many ways, but it suits my purposes well enough.

I had looked at some of the older Roland controllers and new offerings from the likes of M-Audio and CME, but the Oberheim appealed because it is especially sturdy and because of the key-bed - for what I paid, I'd struggle to find something that ticked as many boxes.

It's not ideal for people who want to do alot of tweaking in a live situation, but it if you've an ordered sort of mind and don't mind spending time setting it up it works well for simple programs. I do wish there were perhaps more zones available - the MC2000 and MC3000 have more, but I specifically did not want another weighted 88 key controller.

In general, it's a case of turn the thing on and go. The minimal interface is pretty functional, but takes a little getting used to (i.e. fiddle around with it before the first gig...). Pretty much everything is accessed via the matrix button panel (5 rows, 7 cols = 12 buttons); this is fine for setting up patches in the studio, but makes editing on stage a bit annoying. The one that sticks in the craw is the transpose function, which is an editable patch parameter - so if you want to use it, you have to go into edit mode, then select and change the transpose for one or both keyboard zones. If you then change patch number, the transpose you've just entered doesn't come with you (it doesn't stay with the original patch either, unless you save changes). So that's a decidedly awkward procedure for live use when in the middle of a tune. The side benefit: it makes me do what I should be doing, which is transposing with the mind rather than the machine, and not relying on the magic button!

Action is good; though at first I found it a little too easy to hit full velocity, even on the heavier velocity curves (there are 8 selectable curves). But I got used to it pretty quickly. It has a waveblaster slot for adding a soundcard, which sounded like a great idea, until I realised that there are very few waveblaster cards around. Waveblaster was a cross-compatibility standard in the mid/late 90's used for connecting synth daughter-cards to pc soundcards, but was effectively dropped as soundcards developed and software sampling got up to speed - the yamaha db50xg and db51xg were probably the best knows GM wb cards. (I found a 1994 creative labs GM card, which is just about usable if i don't want to lug a module around). There are not many waveblasters around second-hand, I imagine they're perceived as rather useless with no current soundcards supporting the waveblaster standard any more. Oberheim have an OP1 daughter card, but they told me in email that this card is only usable in the MC2000 - a pity, as it has the piano sounds they used in their minigrand piano module, which I really like and use all the time.
I guess this comes down to the pace of development in the music hardware industry being far slower than the pc industry. Which brings up another quibble - no USB support!! Surely anyone in the master keyboard business must be taking note of the success of Evolution, Midiman, Roland/Edirol etc with their USB controllers.

Rugged, rock-solid, seems super reliable so far. I got rid of an old Fatar SL900, which was physically far more flimsy than this. Excellent build quality!

They replied promptly to my email queries. The gear seems reliable, so I haven't had to have it repaired. (The Oberheim brand was bought from Gibson by Italian company Viscount; they seem to have maintained its reputation as a high quality marque. They also have a division called Voice Systems, I've bought a couple of their monitors and they also seem to be of very good quality. Fingers crossed...)

PROS: An excellent, well-built instrument with a couple of odd features. Good value for the money - far better than the comparably priced Fatars. Do your preparatory work setting up the patches, and it's a great live controller.
CONS: A USB port would be nice, maybe a couple more assignable sliders... The Waveblaster slot is only marginally more useful than a dodo enclosure...

Very easy to use in the main. Just plug it in and off you go, but the MC-1000 is a MIDI controller keyboard and so does not offer an internal soundset without the additional daughter board installed for tone generation. I use the MC as a controller only so I cannot offer a view on the sounds.
The manual is a little strange and tells you more about how to select a function rather than what that function actually does.

The MC-1000 features an 88-note balanced hammer action keyboard which is very heavy and solid. I can imagine some players shreading their fingers on this. It is a very expressive instrument and extremely good for playing convincing piano-style music. It also looks and feels remarkably professional. The keyboard responds to velocity and aftertouch.

The MC-1000 is velocity and aftertouch sensitive. I imagine that it can be used for any type of music, but the sound obviously depends on what device you are controlling.

The MC-1000 is built like a tank, which is the main reason I bought it. The majority of the weight is in the keyboard although the entire chassis is made of fairly heavy guage steel, and the end panels are solid block of hardwood that are about 30mm thick. The base of the unit has also been designed with a recess so that it will not bow under its own weight. The metal does not bend.

Turnkey are the sole distributors of Oberheim products in the UK. I have yet to deal with them regarding problems over the operation of this instrument.

I would be rather upset if my MC-1000 were stolen as I have come to love it very much as a large centrepiece master controller in my set-up.
The main reason I was drawn to the MC-1000 was value for money. You really do get lots of keyboard for little money here. It has the appearance of something that cost double the actual price. The appearance is also the other main factor in why I chose the MC-1000. It is one of the best looking master keyboards available at such a price.