Machinedrum MK1 - Too old to buy used in 2019?

Hello All. I’ve become a member here as I’ve just picked up a Machinedrum MK1 second hand. As there’s not much activity out there in terms of users/advice for the MK1, I thought this would be an ideal place for this.

I found a MK1 on eBay for a decent price, but I’ve only just come to realise some of the pitfalls of buying a 15+ year-old drum machine from Sweden. Firstly, I didn’t realise the power supply was so difficult to obtain (this was sold without one, though I may now have found a Chinese site for 6V AC/AC adapters - here’s hoping it doesn’t fry the MD!). In addition, I’ve also now just discovered that internal battery failure means storage of any drums / patterns will be an issue (and with a used MK1, I’d be surprised if the battery is still good at all).

So all of this brings me to ask whether - if going Elektron - I should have wised up and gone for a newer model, or if the Machinedrum is still a piece of kit worth having (and even getting serviced if it ends up requiring it)?

I’m a newbie to all things synth / electronic music gear and - after reading into drum machine reviews - The Machinedrum seemed to fit my need for something that can produce clean, Techno-sounding drums, yet get close to fulfilling a need for something more analogue / 808ish where required due to the engines (?) it uses to actually produces the drum sounds. Forgive the basic description: I’m still getting my head around the terminology. One review that stood out was Chris Carter’s review of it for SoundOnSound. I figured he’s someone that might know an interesting piece of kit when he sees it. The relatively steep learning curve of the features and user interface / programming doesn’t scare me too much as I’m looking to create something beyond basic beats anyway.

I have a Machinedrum MkII UW +Drive powered on, sitting a few cm’s away from me as I type.

Yeah, that is a pain. Check the specs etc.

Backup. :wink:

Not something I personally stress about; and I’d say not something you should either…

I’ll just put this here:

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Picked up a cheap mk1 recently and it was in almost new condition - absolutely perfect condition and I’m extremely happy about that.
With the mk1’s i’d be just double checking that the encoders are ok and fine - sometimes they can be a bit wobbly and knobs double track on the parameters.

The Machinedrum mk1 was my first Elektron purchase back in 2001. It was like owning a machine from the future. You still wont find another drum machine capable of what the MD can do. in 30+ years I think we will still have people wanting to own it. I haven’t owned an MD for a while now but only because I keep holding out for Elektron to reissue it in some form! I’ll keep hoping :slight_smile:

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You could also ask the following…

1971 Moog Minimoog Model D still worth buying?
1962 Fender Jazz Bass still worth buying?
1953 Gibson Les Paul still worth buying?

Look up the prices of those classics and you know your answer.

I also found a MD mk1 for a good price but i decided not to go for it and get the digitakt instead. There’s a reason why the MD mk2 is much higher in price. That is the classic machine you want to keep. Otherwise the digitakt is the new future machine.

Thanks for the advice. Hopefully those are OK, too. Annoying that I can’t test anything until I get a power unit for it.

Yes and no. Guitars are pretty simple- electrically speaking - whereas a complex drum machine requires a specialist. Not all synth repair guys can fix Elektrons, so that’s what I’m nervous about.

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I have both an mk1 and mk2. Mk1 is now in storage as back up, but that’s not to say it’s not a fully functional instrument by itself. Still love it after 15 years of use.

Elektron support will be happy to advise you on any servicing issues you might have, like replacing the memory battery and perhaps set you up with a new PSU.

I’ve been beating on a MK1 for about 8 years now. It quickly replaced all my other drum machines and over time became the center of my setup. It has a few shortcomings. But overall I put it next to my Blofeld and OB6 and consider it a modern classic capable of an infinite variety of music.
Though 2 bars of 16th notes will force you to get creative!
As far as the battery. It is not too hard to replace. I did mine last year.
A few words of advice. Cut the old older on battery out. Then desolder the remaining metal bits. There are holes for a 3 pin coin cell holder. A standard one fits perfectly. Not sure why Elektron cheaped out like that by using a fixed battery with a finite lifespan.
If you desolder the battery directly it may explode on you. Happened to me on another piece of gear. No injury, huge mess.
Also, if you do the battery yourself, get out your phone and take abundant pictures as you disassemble. It’s a lot of work to get it back together right. And lets not create any dead Machinedrums for future generations to cry over, ok?

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I have Richard Devine’s old Machinedrum, it also belonged to Annie Hall and DJ Kero from Detroit Underground… this drum machine is like the sonic equivalent of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants… I say all that to say, the MD is built like a tank, they all gigged with it and I’ve been gigging and recording with it for over 8 years. It’s super dependable, the only issue I have is that the large encoder is a bit fiddly from time to time, it skips past the intended sound I’m trying to select.
I’m sure I can drop it off at Elektron to get fixed, but it only does now and then.

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And can always just shortcut select using the Trig keys.

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I just got a Mk2 and Elektron still have the power supply for $50, shipping included. Got here (outside of NYC) in 3 days, for what it’s worth.

Apparently they are not the same PSU but maybe just reach out to support and see if they can help?

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Thank you.
You can always learn something new on Elektron gear no matter how long you’ve had it.

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