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Korg (Keio) MiniPops 1

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This is a odd one to categorize as it has no official name.
She looks like a minipops 5 (MP5). It's shape indicates that it was meant to sit under an organ or piano.
The MP5 was manufactured in 1966 as was the MP 7

Prior to the Mini Pops, Korg or Keio as it was known then, were famous for their Donca Matics.
So maybe this this could be called the Keio - Doncamatic Minipops. ???
Or shall it just be named "The Unnumbered MiniPop".????


And to make matters more confusing the MiniPop numbering system was not cronological.
The MP 5& 7 came out in 1966.
The MP3 was manufactured in 1967.



Anyway, I think it's safe to assume that this drum was the first in the line of MiniPops, and was produced
in 1966 or before.

Temp, Cymbal & Switch-Volume dials. The Cymbal dial sets the volume level of the cymbal .... so you can cancel this sound completely if you like.


I really like the preset buttons which look like fake toy piano keys.
We have 16 patterns:
Waltz, Samba, Cha-Cha, Mambo, Rumba, Beguine, Habanera, Tango, Blues, Rock-Beat, Bossanova, Rock-a-Ballard, Swing, Six Eight, Fox Trot & March-Polka.

And you can combine up to 3 patterns at the one time.... creating some crazy rhythms


 The bottom cover slides off to reveal the inner PCBs.


We have 3 separate PCBs. The top is for the power supply.
The second (lower) PCB is the pattern generator. Notice the diodes.
The 3rd & largest PCB holds the voice circuits.


Well what does it sound like. It sounds nothing like a real drum. It's distorted . That bass drum is malformed beyond recognition. The snare and toms ... are they really toms ??? OMG.....well everything is twisted & misshaped. In other words I love this drum.


What was probably considered a mistake my the manufacturer makes this one a real find.

I'm seriously tempted to mod this one. The pattern board is at the top. I love the layout of these Japanese boards. They are logical & well thought out. It should be very easy to bypass the pattern PCB and trigger the voices directly.


I'll sit on that thought for a while. This drum is uber rare. It is good to sometimes leave things in virgin condition.

Modding ??? would be nice but maybe if I found a second one ....


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For more info on the history of Korg Drum Machines Click Here

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