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It appears John Paul Jones was not interviewed for this film. Disappointing.

I also want to add that the Birotron, Chamberlin, Orchestron, and Optigan are all just as awesome and mystical in their own ways as well.

Thanks Frank.

To add to what Frank is saying, I also own a customized Mellotron. It's Rick Wakeman's double machine that was essentially two 400 models put together in a big case to make a prototype MK V Mellotron version.

Because the electronics and some of the mechanics are customized (like the control panel) - it has a different sound than the standard M400's.

If you find the sound of Topographic Oceans different from Fragile - this is why (even though it's the same string sound).

Essentially even without customized changes - each machine is unique.

This is also why the Chamberlin, Mellotron, and Birotron are really different from each other. They're more like different brands of organs or pianos.

Ah, the magic of the Mellotron. I do take issue with Stan from NYC. I own one of Mike Pinder's MkII's, the same one I saw him use during the '69 tour. While he did tell me they made custom tapes at some point, they weren't very good and were never used. His/my MkII had stock tapes (custom tapes are currently installed and I have his originals). I'm also not aware, in reseaching my work, The Mellotron Book, of Studer/ReVox ever making 3-track heads for any Mellotron.
While I also have Mellotron sounds on various CD-ROM disks, I'm in agreement with Chris from Canada ("Hey, It's Chris D.!"), real Mellotrons have such a special unique character that emulation can never duplicate.

Great show!! I have always loved the sound of the Mellotron. John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin is a monster on the instrument - check out Rain Song and Kashmir for a taste of his mastery. Can't wait to see the movie.

Another Mellotron owner and player here. I've loved that sound since I first heard it over thirty years ago.

Fripp does not have hundreds of Mellotrons - there were only about 2000 made and only about half of that number have ever been accounted for. The truth is that he has about five or so, including the original 'In The Court of the Crimson King' machine which arguably helped plough a new and interesting furrow into rock music.

Anyone who wants to hear more Mellotron is invited to listen to what I have on my (free) album 'mellotronworks' which you can find at http://www.mikedickson.org.uk/mellotronworks

I own and use the Mellotron, Chamberlin and Birotron, and also the Optigan and Orchestron.

They're all wonderfully unique instruments and in my experience with them, no software emulations do them justice.
There's just so much power and feeling in the sound.
If you've never played the real thing you don't know what you're missing. Each one of those instruments has a unique character.

You should do a show about the Ebow- which is kind of a similar phenomenon for the guitar. You could play sound clips, talk about the history, and I could demonstrate different ebow techniques!

Stereolab makes great use of mellotron sounds. I think they even have a song called "mellotron".

HAH! Everything that old is new again. I was a rodie for the Moody Blues in 1970..we had custom made tape loops made in the studio and the heads were replaced with Revox's....
when it broke down in Germany at a show once, we started a RIOT....there was no way we could fix it.
The people at Mellotron few in, by cargo plane, a replacement the next day....but we had to leave the venue with an armed escort.
The Moody's mellotron was not standard.

I love the mellotrons way of blemding in a rock mix. I use the SOFTWARE version called MTRON. It plays just like the old mello and uses the same samples captured from vintage tapes...so a 21st century reliable mallotron on your laptop!

Funny, I have a software version that is the current day cheap affordable version of the original cheap affordable orchestra!

Great show today, I'm having flashbacks right now at work.

Fun Fact: It's been said that till this day Robert Fripp of King Crimson fame has a collection of over 300 or so Mellotrons stored away in an old barn on his Estate in England. Wacky indeed!!!

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You for this! Although I usually rant and complain about your guests but I have goosebumps right now!!

Along with the Leslie speaker, my favorite sounds in Rock and Roll.

Thank You Again!

By the way, there is great you tube video of the early days of the Mellotron:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrXtmKGkSa4

I owned a Mellotron for 25 years.(one of the first in Ohio) I used it from coast to coast in arctic cold and desert heat and it rarely misbehaved, unlike the bad tales many musicians tell. I treated it like an acoustic guitar when it was moved...it is a fragile instrument and needs to be cared for/maintained as such. I sold mine a while back and now have the whole Mellotron library on CD Rom in my sampler, which annoys hardcore purists but hey, I still love the real instrument and always will.