Moog Music announced today that they are ending production of their Minimoog Model D synthesizer, a scant thirteen months after the company announced, at Moogfest 2016, a limited re-issue of the iconic keyboard synth.
When it was introduced in 1970, the Minimoog Model D was billed as the world’s “first portable synthesizer.” It was originally in production until its discontinuation in 1981.
Today’s announcement explains the reason for the sudden and early end to the Model D’s production:
“Orders for the synthesizer quickly outpaced our initial estimates, leading to the addition of a night-shift to meet demand for the iconic instrument. Our parts-inventory for the Minimoog Model D project was originally expected to span multiple years of manufacturing, but is being consumed at a much higher rate than anticipated. Thus, this second historical production run of the Minimoog Model D will reach completion much earlier than intended, and this marks the final opportunity to acquire a new Minimoog Model D.”
Moog Music brought the instrument back just over a year ago, announcing at Moogfest 2016 the limited re-issue of the iconic synth.
At that time, we talked with Moog’s Nick Montoya about the new Minimoog Model D, about what had changed and what they’d kept the same. Moog Music gone to great lengths to recreate the iconic Minimoog sound – but had also added a new LFO, a better keyboard and support for additional control voltage options:
Here’s Moog’s TJ Mills, discussing what gets done at each stage of their assembly process, and how they calibrate and test the synthesizer once it is assembled:
Pricing and availability
Moog says that a ‘limited number’ of Minimoog Model D synthesizers is available, priced at US $3,749, as production draws to a close. More information about availability can be found via Moog dealers and distributors.
Moog Music marked the close of Minimoog Model D production with a visit last week from producer Mike Dean, who took the occasion to create a new track, Three Jewels:
LOL.
Ditto!
PS Why the moog tattoo…why?
I can think of a lot worse things to get permanently inked on your body. Hell, I’d rather have that than 95% of the tattoos I see.
I’m going to get their “note logo” tattood on me. Not regretting the brand that changed music forever.
I need to win the lottery quick!
You have more chance of getting the money by selling an arm or a kidney
I thought it would have to do with the releases of the Behringer Model D and the Roland SE-02.
I don’t understand the “parts inventory” part. Are they using parts from the original minimoog that no one got rid of in 40 years? Otherwise why can’t they just get new parts?
it was always a limited run. I am curious about the timing, though. I am inclined to think it has more to do with a new flagship, and less to do with the behringer d. SE-02 is different enough not even to be a factor. That said, I doubt there would be many cases of someone choosing a behringer d over a model d. I think they are two products that appeal to two different customer pools.
Nothing Moog does has anything to do with Behringer. Their Model D is ten times the price of the Behringer D. People that can afford their stuff don’t even consider Behringer an option.
I could afford all Moog stuff. I own some classic 70s Roland, Oberheim and R.A. Moog-designed synths.
I consider Behringer as a viable option. Sure I’d have to check if I like sound and build quality, like I would with any other manufacturer.
But I’m buying instruments to create music, not brands to feel “pro”.
Just imagine how great your superhero musician could play the lowly Behringer.
Could you compete on an original Moog Model D?
moog had to custom order some compoments in order to faithfully recreate this synth using discrete circuitry. behringer and roland are likely taking liberties with the original circuit design and replacing all parts with the crappiest of surface mount and ic garbage that china manufactures. this wont matter to some but it did to me. i got the new moog model d and its totally worth it (also, Im not rich… just value quality musical instruments). prices on the used market will skyrocket in the next couple of years. get one now if you have any interest
Yep – the video with Nick Montoya goes into the fact that they actually contracted with an electronics manufacturer to recreate some of the parts used to make original Minimoogs so that the modern version would be Minimoogs.
Everybody else is approximating the circuits of the originals – usually with modern surface mount alternatives.
Funny how people will argue that all those minute details matter, until you present them with a $300 Minimoog clone!
Maybe people will stop complaining about Behringer’s clone now? (holds breath).
Maybe people will stop obsessively snarking about Behringer’s clone in threads about Moog Music.
Buy it or don’t, but we don’t care.
I’m sorry to hear this. I had hoped that one day I might be able to afford one (I had also hoped to afford a Voyager).
Ditto. Hoping for some crazy Sweetwater 4th of July financing
Bad luck, you clearly do not “value a quality musical instrument”. You will just have to make do with “unfaithful musical circuitry that takes liberties with the original circuit design built with the crappiest of surface mount and ic garbage from China”.
Maybe a Moog tattoo on your rear end will suffice until your pay packet skyrockets?
Surface mount components, they are so different in their behavior in an electrical circuit as their through hole counterparts., they have no reliability as well. Who uses that garbage ? The industry need to get rid of SMT parts and go back to through hole. Please bring back the space eating big boxes. If you can’t afford old style /tech products, you are nobody in this industry. Go look for another hobby or job. /sarcasm.
News of the next week: Moog releases the Voyager with SMT parts, more reliable, more compact and more functions than the D and the original Voyager.. Go get it for $5999, limited edition !
Ooops..
bob- if you are going to quote my comment, please quote it correctly.
wow Moog gave-up because of Behringer. :O
Probably more because of the new Roland analog synth.
No, because there was a limited supply of parts. They used the EXACT same parts as in the original Model D. That’s one of the reasons it was so expensive (they had to source a very limited supply). And for that reason, this was always planned to be a limited run — which you can confirm by reading their original press release.
Moog doesn’t give a f**k about Behringer.
Moog give a f***, why else would they do it in the same week as Behringer open pre-order on their version?
We should stop ignoring facts.
The optics are bad for Moog, but the timing is coincidental.
Sweetwater jumped the gun when they put the Behringer D up for pre-order and they had to yank it back down.
The thing that concerns me about Moog is not that they’re ending Model D production, but that it seems like they’ve announced the retirement of a bunch of synths (Model D, Voyager, etc) and haven’t introduced anything new for a while. Hopefully that means that they’re working on something big.
Yes because of Behringer’s Minimoog clone AND Roland’s new Minimoog clone, the SE-02 for $499.
Probably the best they can do in this situation to keep the myth around the legendary limited model d upright and come back with something new and innovative. And in a couple of years make another run of the model d an cash in again.
Definitely doesn’t have anything to do with all the clones coming out
Incorrect, it have everything to do with the clones. Moog is closing down.
LOL. Few years later, they release an $8,000 polysynth, massive $2,000 semi-modular keyboard, and are definitely NOT going out of business.
Of all the synth brands, I see Moog as one of the few that won’t be going out of business any time soon.
Clearly a response to behringer and Roland. Great business decision instead of lose money to competition. We all need an end all be all polyphonic monster. Stop playing games and just make one already. Bring the Alesis andromeda back or the memory moog
I don’t think so. It was always a limited run. I ordered mine a year ago minus 2 weeks. I assume it means allocated more resources to the next flagship.
I’m pretty sure it’s hard to find parts to make original vintage analog synths , they probably just ran out of parts , NOS parts are hard to find . The Model D is almost 40 years old , life has changed so much since then so it was amazing that Moog was able to bring it back even for a short while . Thank you Moog job well done , I’m sure Bob would be pround and congrats to all of those who were able to get a new model D and be apart of a special legacy and history .
Well done Moog !
Enzo Ferrari once said: “you need to build the exact number of cars that the customers are asking, minus one”
Loved the Mike Dean video. Sounds were so absurdly good.
I think they should continue to make them. Bring back the Memorymoog as well. And Behringer and Roland should make their low priced models. What would the guitar world think if Gibson stopped making Les Pauls or Fender stopped making Teles and Strats?
I don’t know as I don’t care about guitars…
It was a simile.
I’ll get the Behringer clone and just use my imagination to pretend that I’m back in the day playing a Minimoog. I have an old Rick Wakemanlike cape in my closet. I can pull that out and wear it while playing the Behringer clone.
That Van Halen was cool.
If I sell the sub37 I am one third the way there. I had a chance to play both side by side and as hard as I tried could not get the sub to sound (or feel) like the mini.
The Sub 37 is a very different type of synth. I have both and I can’t find a good reason to sell the Sub 37 (though I’ve contemplated it endlessly). They just satisfy very different synth needs.
i couldn´t care less. i use fl studio only.
Behringer… here I come 🙂 🙂
this is without a question for high end synth collectors, it feels more in the “audiophile” market, the same market where guys spend 10K on a turntable and 5K on headphones. it’s beautiful, historic, iconic and probably sounds really great. but. for everyone else it’s a no-go. i do think it’s really classy of Moog to not say it’s because of the Behringer, even though we all know this new market of cheap analog is the smart reason they’re bowing out. i’m really hoping that Moog starts to diversify it’s range, people want Moog but unless it’s the M32 most people won’t and other companies are full steam ahead.
dear Moog, please make Eurorack versions of you bigger modulars. 🙂
“this is without a question for high end synth collectors”
Not sure what that sort of elitist nonsense attitude is supposed to mean – but I know TONS of musicians that have bought expensive synths and I have never heard of ANYONE collecting synths that doesn’t use them.
Most of the people I know with big modulars and expensive synths are people that had to save their money up for a long time, and then agonized over how to make it go the furthest. And they play them all the time.
For serious synthesists and keyboardists, getting a knockoff or a clone or some other alternative isn’t that appealing, because it’s easy to see the compromises that companies make in order to get prices down.
blind devotion. is it a clone? does it have the same stuff inside? also there are literally no sound demos of a working Behringer Model D Clone and the demos that are out there do not illustrate any clear sound.
“The product is selling much faster than we anticipated, therefore we must discontinue it.”
Uh huh.
megalol. Does Moog really think people are that gullible? Talk about underestimating your customer.
I just ordered a brand new Model D. Could not afford one as a young musician but now as an old fart musician I can buy all the best instruments.
I really want to hear the Behringer clone sound just as fat as the Moog…. something tells me it’s just not going to be the case. I, however, would like to be proven wrong.
the people above makes you think that, but Behringer sounds more like a Model D, than Moogs Model D
where are you even hearing a working one?
Yawn.
Even through my crappy iphone headphones that sounded AMAZING!
I had no idea my Moog could sound like that! Thanks for the inspiration!
Re the all the hate – I don’t get it. Moog are one of the founders of what all visitors to this site have in common. A love of synths. Yes they are expensive, yes some of that cost is in the brand, but most of it is in the sound, the components, the quality, the durability, the sound, the finish, the feel, the sound, and did I say the sound? 🙂
I own a Voyager XL. I love it and hope I never have to part with it.
RE the Behringer ‘clone’. I have only heard early demos and it sounded like a nice synth, but not like a Moog. I will search out some more demos. I am not putting it down. A 3 oscillator analogue synth for 300 quid is great……but for 300 quid there will be compromises. Maybe in the sound, the components, the quality, the durability, the sound, the finish, the feel, the sound, and did I say the sound? (see what I did there? 😉
But compromises are fine. Constraints are fine. That’s what makes us innovate.
Happy synth music making everyone! 🙂
Well of course,it’s going to end production,when you asking ppl crazy amount of money.Like someone wants to get reach fast.Ppl don’t have that kind of money today,not many.I don’t care who you are Moog or Boog i’ll buy cheaper if i can.So all do respect to beloved Moog co.Stop reaping ppl off.