Both the Strega and A-150 arrived yesterday. The latter is mostly just plumbing, but the former is a very cool instrument.
It was baffling for the first hour or so — the design and layout are a bit unconventional, many of the controls are cryptic, and the manual is not entirely illuminating. But it’s not quite as alien an instrument as one might first think. Behind the “alchemical” symbols there are some conventional synth sections, albeit strung together with unusual modulation sources and routings and feedback paths. It has the nicest waveshaper I have heard on any Make Noise gear, and just a lot of cleverness. Well done Tony Rolando and Alessandro Cortini.
There’s no need to worry too much about it having too much of that specific artist’s stamp on it either, or being stuck doing nothing but noisy drones. It’s capable of a lot of different stuff. More so when patching it to other gear, like the 0-Ctrl or more conventional modulation sources, but that is The Way of Modular.
Was it a good choice to replace the Microfreak and 60HP of modules with this? For sure it was.
Here’s the current modular rig:
And here is The One That Is Getting Away:
A Maurizio Uber Bass Miezo 16/5, normally a custom job but this one is just sitting there available, without the wait time.
This is very close to the next bass I want. I think I would prefer the 18″ version, and would probably prefer a different color. And I’m also not sure I am prepared to spend this much on a bass, and there are similar, slightly less stylish but less costly alternatives. And also I think I should probably work on my technique first to help justify such a thing. And also dig in with the new stuff I have recently acquired and get cozy with all of that before jumping into another simultaneous adventure. But seeing this available and not going for it is still causing some proverbial nail-biting.
It’s a bit different to drool over something I could potentially get and would actually play, than it is many of the really pretty basses I see posted all the time now that I know I wouldn’t buy. For now this remains a “someday” instrument, and… that’s OK.