original 909 in my hands

[roberttaylor]

Hey everyone, I have an original Roland TR-909 in cherry condition.
I'm Taking offers on it now.
I'm working at Guitar Center on N.75.
If you're intrested, call me at the store (ask for Robert in pro audio).
214-823-2917

[J. Fees]

i saw it the other day, they quoted at 1500, nah thanks, but it is in perfect condition and prolly worth the asking price. I still remember about 7 years ago when they sold me a perfect Sp1200 for $240, those were the days.

[Roos]

$1500???!!!! WTF????

I bought a 909 a few years back for $150.

At one point I had a 909, 808, 707, 727, 626, and 505 all at once. I LOVE Roland gear. But when so much software came around, I sold it all.

Unfortunately, unless you are just a collector of vintage gear, buying old Roland drum machines is kinda pointless because all of the sounds are out there in sample form and can be produced and arranged with MUCH better software than what the 909 provides. Actually, the Reason Redrum is pretty much a duplicate of the 909 operating system.

[SmoothHeavy]

Thats pretty neat, but not $1500 neat. I think a 303 would be something fun to noodle around with though, again not for $1500.

[downlow]

Originally Posted by Roos

$1500???!!!! WTF????

I bought a 909 a few years back for $150.

At one point I had a 909, 808, 707, 727, 626, and 505 all at once. I LOVE Roland gear. But when so much software came around, I sold it all.

Unfortunately, unless you are just a collector of vintage gear, buying old Roland drum machines is kinda pointless because all of the sounds are out there in sample form and can be produced and arranged with MUCH better software than what the 909 provides. Actually, the Reason Redrum is pretty much a duplicate of the 909 operating system.

pointless!? man gonna have to disagree with you there mike. It is definitely not pointless because these XOX boxes do more than just deliver a simple drum sample. the tr-808 is a beast! the greatest drum machine ever made and it is a SYNTH believe it or not... it has an oscillator. now the tr-909 is worth more than $1500 imo... it is probably one of the greatest sequencers ever made. no software can recreate the swing on a 909... no effin way! And having the real thing for performances blows away seeing someone stare at a screen.

[Roos]

Originally Posted by downlow

pointless!? man gonna have to disagree with you there mike. It is definitely not pointless because these XOX boxes do more than just deliver a simple drum sample. the tr-808 is a beast! the greatest drum machine ever made and it is a SYNTH believe it or not... it has an oscillator. now the tr-909 is worth more than $1500 imo... it is probably one of the greatest sequencers ever made. no software can recreate the swing on a 909... no effin way! And having the real thing for performances blows away seeing someone stare at a screen.

meh. Gotta disagree. I sold all mine because there's nothing I can do with the machines that can't be done with the samples. And actually, the analog source output on the 808 and 909 leaves something to be desired. One nice thing about the 909 is that it has separate accents for each part as well as the overall accent. Also on the 808 and 606 you have to program two bars of 6/8 to get a swung 4/4 pattern, whereas the 909 is much easier. And the flam on the 909 is nice too. But to me it's nothing compared to loading up the sounds in Redrum, since it's basically the same set-up with more options.

I love the analog feel. I even take a lot of my drum parts, record them to a Teac 4-track reel-to-reel, and then bounce them back to digital... just for the warmth. But the Roland drum machines are pretty limited to what you can do. In fact, the only one that I think is still relevant is the Boss DR-5 because of it's input capabilities and chord structures. THAT machine is a bad ass. Anyone who ever wants to learn bass, piano, or guitar should pick one up.
Like I said, I can appreciate the vintage collecting factor, but that's about it when it comes to the old gear... and I am a LOVER of hard gear, believe me. My studio is full of it.

Oh, and 1500 is still a rip off for a 909. Average price for one online is about $850 right now.