This video, via Harry Axten, captures a demo of his custom build of the PAiA Fatman analog synthesizer.
The FatMan is a DIY synth that’s available as a kit from PAiA. It can be purchased without a case or with either a desktop or rackmount case. Axten’s build is custom and turns the Fatman into an analog monosynth keyboard.
Axten says, “Although I housed mine in a custom built keyboard, it’s a vanilla unmodified kit. Recorded with no effects.”
If you’ve built a Fatman, share your thoughts on the project in the comments!
Well done…I used to own a fatman and there are a bunch of easy to perform mods around in the web that really improve the sonic quality of the synth (replace opamps, improve caps, add sub oscillator, etc). The only issue I found with the original Fatman is the filter (dont get me wrong, it is nice), but I added a ms20 style filter instead and OMG, super creamy bass sounds), I’ll try to find pics of the mods I performed years ago…also I change it from desktop to keyboard (Korg 770 style)…highly recommended for the diy aficionado!
PAiA is sot of at the low end in synths ,(cool for a month )
unmodified the rang is limited to a few good sweet spots
and this demo pretty much shows you all of them
for the money your better off buying a Korg volca and a Teenage Engineering pocket operator
Just listen to the sounds. No way you’re better off buying Korg Volcas or TE PO. This Fatman sounds much better.
I agree with bert. Talk about sweet spots. That’s all the Volcas were. More sour spots that sweet for me. I got rid of them.
i see your point .. but i think you have never had a PAiA before
please trust me when i say “cool for a month ”
i guess the Volca was a bad option ;( ….. may be a used dave smith mopho would be better.
Actually, a PAIA Gnome was my first synth!
Except you can mod the Paia into whatever you want.
It’s mostly a Bass Synth and they all sound limited if what you’re after is a lead synth.
I never saw the appeal of the Volcas beyond ‘cheap’.
They are a fair deal for the money – but very limited gear and cheaply made. For the price of two of the electribes you can get something way more powerful, like the microbrute.
Anyway – this sounds pretty massive for a cheap analog. It’s about $200 for the kit, so it has to be judged for what it is.
Nice custom build, too.
sounds tasty to me
Very nice build and a great demo. I’m surprised, how stable is the pitch in this thing, considering the quite crude vco circuit.
cheap volt/hertz scaling is more stable than cheap volt/octave. That is why Paia embraced it on all their early 70s modulars and the stability is why Roland, Korg, etc did the same early on.
Now cheap volt/octave isn’t a big deal, but the Fatman is an early 90s design meant to be super cheap to get into.
Sounds great to me! And beautiful build.
Nice, thanks.
Where can I get a bare keyboard like this ?
– Ideally with velocity and after-touch
Who supplies them?
You can extract them from old Yamaha Electone organs and such…
As I still have an old 2720 in rack mount, I like this build of the fat man. Is this linear? if so I am curious about tracking. Very nice panel!