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There have been some big changes for me in the last few months, and soon I will be moving to Stockholm to begin a PhD focused on recreating historical synthesizers used in Sweden during the 1960’s and 70’s. Before I move, I will do one last batch of instruments in July, to be shipped by mid-August.

If you have any interest in one of the following instruments, please get in touch by email to macumbista@gmail.com before Monday 06 July.

Macumbista Benjolin V5

http://macumbista.net/?page_id=4770

The original Rob Hordijk Benjolin with some special modifications. They are licensed by agreement with Hordijk and lovingly hand made.

EUR 565 (incl. 19% EU VAT) / EUR 475 (for customers outside the EU), plus shipping costs.

Macumbista Butterfly Benjolin V3

http://macumbista.net/?page_id=4956

A double Benjolin with extensive cross-modulation possibilities including the ability to clock both Rungler control voltage generators from the same source.

EUR 1065 (incl. 19% EU VAT) / EUR 895 (shipped outside the EU), plus shipping costs.

Macumbista FuzzTone SoundBox

http://macumbista.net/?page_id=4372

A battery-powered, 1 Watt amplifier with Germanium transistor feedback and circuit bending touchpoints.

EUR 225 (incl. 19% EU VAT) / EUR 190 (shipped outside the EU) plus shipping.

A 50% deposit will be required to secure your order. All instruments ship from Helsinki, Finland.

This will be the final batch of instruments I sell within the foreseeable future. So if you have considered ordering something, now is the time to do it. Unfortunately, I do not have time for any custom work, nor for other instruments not on this list.

I wish you safety, health, and well-being during these wild times.
Derek

I #staythefuckhome making analog synthesizers so you can #staythefuckhome playing analog synthesizers.

Six Macumbista Benjolin V5 instruments available in green, blue, and grey. Email macumbista@gmail.com for details.

All BV5 backorders shipping soon. Butterfly Benjolins next in the queue. Thank you all for your support in these strange days!

PRICE

The price of the Benjolin V5 is EUR 565 (incl. 19% EU VAT) / EUR 475 (for customers outside the EU), plus express shipping costs. Every Benjolin ships with two banana patch cables and a universal 110/220V AC to 12V DC power supply.

DETAILS

The Benjolin is a standalone synthesizer designed by Rob Hordijk from the Netherlands. It contains two oscillators (one LFO and one VCO), a voltage controlled filter and a circuit called a “Rungler”, which allows chaotic cross-modulation possibilities between the different parts of the circuit. Hordijk refers to the Benjolin as a circuit which has been “bent by design.”

These hand-made Macumbista Benjolins are officially licensed by Hordijk, and have been further customized with a patchbay, which can be used to interface with other modular synthesizers or to setup further control voltage feedback systems within the Benjolin itself, attenuators on the three control voltage input and LEDs displaying the internal state of the Rungler.

The latest Macumbista Benjolin V5 instrument has been redesigned during the spring of 2019 in collaboration with Pete Hartman of Frog Leg Synthesis. The filter input has been improved, and the main output of the instrument buffered for lower noise and ease of use with a wider range of mixers and DI boxes.

The wooden enclosures used to create these handmade analog synthesizers all date from the 1960’s and 1970’s. There are individual variations in the exact color, the size, and the marks which history have left upon them. A number of different colors are available, including a natural finish as well as three different types of “hammered metal” paint finishes in grey, green, blue, and (infrequently) red or purple. Please see the photos at the bottom of this page for examples.

Please contact me using the CONTACT page here, or through MACUMBISTA at-the-domain GMAIL dot COM.

VIDEOS and PHOTOS

More images and video can be seen on this page: http://macumbista.net/?page_id=4770

MODIFICATIONS

The Benjolin V5 contains the following modifications from Hordijk’s original Benjolin circuit:

LOOP SWITCH: The LOOP switch locks the otherwise chaotic pattern of the Rungler into a loop. The LEFT position is a loop of 4 steps going forward, the MIDDLE position is the normal chaos of the Rungler, and the RIGHT position is a loop of 4 steps forwards and 4 steps backwards.

EXTERNAL INPUT SWITCH: The external input 6.3mm jack on the back of this Benjolin allows a signal from another source to be sent through the Low Pass Filter of the instrument. Selecting EXT on the FIL INPUT switch sends this signal to the FIL input, where the cutoff and resonance controls of the filter can be used to affect it. When the FIL INPUT switch is in the INT position, the PWM signal, mixed with a small amount of RUN voltage, is sent to the FIL (this is the normal Benjolin signal path).

EXTERNAL RUNGLER CLOCK:: A banana jack on the back panel of the instrument provides a switchable clock source for the Rungler of the instrument. The EXT switch position clocks the Rungler from OSCILLATOR 2 of the instrument, the INT switch position clocks it from the external clock input.

The Benjolin is a standalone synthesizer designed by Rob Hordijk from the Netherlands. It contains two oscillators (one LFO and one VCO), a voltage controlled filter and a circuit called a “Rungler”, which allows chaotic cross-modulation possibilities between the different parts of the circuit. Hordijk refers to the Benjolin as a circuit which has been “bent by design.”

These hand-made Macumbista Benjolins are officially licensed by Hordijk, and have been further customized with a patchbay, which can be used to interface with other modular synthesizers or to setup further control voltage feedback systems within the Benjolin itself, attenuators on the three control voltage input and LEDs displaying the internal state of the Rungler.

The latest Macumbista Benjolin V5 instrument has been redesigned during the spring of 2019 in collaboration with Pete Hartman of Frog Leg Synthesis. The filter input has been improved, and the main output of the instrument buffered for lower noise and ease of use with a wider range of mixers and DI boxes.

The wooden enclosures used to create these handmade analog synthesizers all date from the 1960’s and 1970’s. There are individual variations in the exact color, the size, and the marks which history have left upon them. A number of different colors are available, including a natural finish as well as three different types of “hammered metal” paint finishes in grey, green, blue, and (infrequently) red or purple. Please see the photos at the bottom of this page for examples.

PRICE

The price of the Benjolin V5 is EUR 565 (incl. 19% EU VAT) / EUR 475 (for customers outside the EU), plus shipping costs. All my instruments are made-to-order, and require a 50% deposit to begin work. The current batch should be completed in March 2020. Every Benjolin ships with two banana patch cables and a universal 110/220V AC to 12V DC power supply.

Please contact me using the CONTACT page here, or through MACUMBISTA at-the-domain GMAIL dot COM.

MODIFICATIONS

The Benjolin V5 contains the following modifications from Hordijk’s original Benjolin circuit:

LOOP SWITCH: The LOOP switch locks the otherwise chaotic pattern of the Rungler into a loop. The LEFT position is a loop of 4 steps going forward, the MIDDLE position is the normal chaos of the Rungler, and the RIGHT position is a loop of 4 steps forwards and 4 steps backwards.

EXTERNAL INPUT SWITCH: The external input 6.3mm jack on the back of this Benjolin allows a signal from another source to be sent through the Low Pass Filter of the instrument. Selecting EXT on the FIL INPUT switch sends this signal to the FIL input, where the cutoff and resonance controls of the filter can be used to affect it. When the FIL INPUT switch is in the INT position, the PWM signal, mixed with a small amount of RUN voltage, is sent to the FIL (this is the normal Benjolin signal path).

EXTERNAL RUNGLER CLOCK:: A banana jack on the back panel of the instrument provides a switchable clock source for the Rungler of the instrument. The EXT switch position clocks the Rungler from OSCILLATOR 2 of the instrument, the INT switch position clocks it from the external clock input.

VIDEOS

Duelling Benjolins from macumbista on Vimeo.

Two Benjolins cross-patched to modulate each other function identically to the Dual “Butterfly” Benjolin.

PHOTOS

Please note that you can click the images on this page for hi-res details of the panel and design.

A massive thank you to the over 400 backers who supported the Vector Synthesis book Kickstarter. The final print run will be 600 copies. If you are interested in ordering one, please write me at

• MACUMBISTA at the domain GMAIL dot COM

with the SUBJECT =

• Vector Synthesis Book

Please include your postal address, and I will reply with further information.

With kind regards! D.

PUBLICATION FUNDRAISER:

The VECTOR SYNTHESIS: a MEDIA ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION into SOUND-MODULATED LIGHT book describes my research into the military and techno-scientific legacies at the birth of modern computing, and how early computer, electronic media, and video artists of the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s attempted to decouple these tools from their destructive origins.

It also presents my Pure Data software library and live performance project which employs audio synthesis and vector graphics techniques to investigate direct relationships between sound and image using analog CRT displays. The book is 122 pages long, has 21 illustrations, links to several video examples online, and was fabulously designed by Claire Matthews.

I’m launching this Kickstarter to print and distribute at least 100 copies of the book, to get them to people who have assisted in its creation, and just as importantly to send them to organizations and schools who deserve one. Your support of this publishing project will help make that possible.

Details can be found here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/macumbista/vector-synthesis-book

Thank you for your kind attention!

Dear friends: I am about to start a building run of a dozen new Macumbista Benjolin V5 instruments, to be completed in July/August 2019. Features listed below. If you would like to order one of these instruments, please send an email to MACUMBISTA at the domain GMAIL dot COM with the subject line “Benjolin V5” for further info.

The Benjolin is a standalone synthesizer containing two oscillators (one LFO and one VCO), a voltage controlled lowpass filter (VCF), and a circuit called a “Rungler”, which allows chaotic cross-modulation possibilities between the different parts of the circuit. They have been further customized with a patchbay, which can be used to interface with other modular synthesizers or to setup further feedback systems within the Benjolin itself, as well as external audio inputs to the Benjolin filters, two “loop” modes, and an external input to drive the Rungler clock.

The Benjolin V5 features a newly-designed PCB with a few improvements, namely that it can be powered from normal 12V DC wall supplies rather than the more exotic 12V AC supplies I used earlier.

Available box finishes are “hammered metal” green, gray, and blue paint, as well as a “natural” finish. Some examples of colors here:

http://macumbista.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/end-jan-benjos.jpg
http://macumbista.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/start-feb-benjos.jpg

The price of the Benjolin V4 is EUR 565 (incl. 19% EU VAT) / EUR 475 (for customers outside the EU), plus shipping costs. All my instruments are made-to-order, and require a 50% deposit to begin work (EUR 240). I accept IBAN bank transfers and PayPal (with 4% PayPal fee added).

Further info (on the previous Benjolin V4) can be seen at:

http://macumbista.net/?page_id=4770

The “Miasmachine” is a custom re-design of the Benjolin as a guitar-processing synthesizer for Norwegian musician Erik Skodvin (aka Svarte Greiner, half of Deaf Center and owner of the Miasmah record label). In this adaptation, the input signal is first run through a ring modulation circuit (with one selected raw oscillator waveform–TRI, PULSE or PWM–of the Benjolin being the modulator signal), then the ring-modulated signal is inserted in the Benjolin’s Voltage Controlled Low Pass Filter to control the higher harmonics.

This instrument was a custom commission, however if you are interested in a similar instrument, please contact me at macumbista AT THE DOMAIN gmail DOT com, or via the CONTACT page of this website.

I am still in the process of editing video for this machine, so this will be posted at a later date.

MACUMBISTA.NET SPRING SALE

10% OFF all Benjolins, FuzzTone & WolfTone SoundBoxes.

Discount applies to orders made (incl. deposit) by 05 MAY 2015.

Email with subject line “SKILLSTOPAYTHEBILLS” to:
macumbista AT THE DOMAIN gmail DOT com

Details on the instruments for sale can be found at:
http://macumbista.net/?page_id=4035

Meine Damen und Herren… may I present the last Benjolin I will build in the year 2014.

The Benjolin is a standalone synthesizer designed by Rob Hordijk from the Netherlands. It contains two oscillators (one LFO and one VCO), a voltage controlled filter and a circuit called a “Rungler”, which allows chaotic cross-modulation possibilities between the different parts of the circuit. Hordijk refers to the Benjolin as a circuit which has been “bent by design.”

These hand-made Macumbista Benjolins (produced under licensed agreement with Rob Hordijk) have been further customized with a patchbay, which can be used to interface with other modular synthesizers or to setup further control voltage feedback systems within the Benjolin itself, attenuators on the three control voltage input and LEDs displaying the internal state of the Rungler.

You can see more photos and videos here: http://macumbista.net/?p=3935

This Benjolin is completed and ready to move, and just to get it out into the world a little bit quicker, I am offering FREE SHIPPING anywhere on the planet, this week only (payment must be in by 13 DEC).

Price is EUR 495 (incl 19% EU VAT) / EUR 416 (shipped outside the EU). Contact using the CONTACT page here or email MACUMBISTA at-the-domain GMAIL dot COM.

I am looking forward to newer, bigger and better things in the coming year.

I thank you kindly for your attention.
Derek

Dear friends.

Since last December my father has been battling cancer, and currently the prognosis is not good. You can read more on the issue here.

Now that I am here in southwest Texas with my father and our close family circle, there is a strange calm, as if we all know what must be done. There are small windows of consciousness, through which we can communicate with him. But the greater part of the time, he rests and prepares to let go of the meat-suit.

I am very thankful for the messages of support and kindness coming to me and my family here on various platforms. They do make a difference.

This very necessary last-minute trip takes some resources which are difficult for me to afford at the moment, however, and I am far more comfortable working for them than begging for them. Therefore — and I hope this does not strike anyone as crass commercialism, for that is not the intent — I am offering a 10% discount on any Benjolin, Butterfly Benjolin or FuzzTone SoundBox orders placed before 08 October, to be completed by the end of October with gratitude and love for the man and my mission to be with him here.

You can get an overview of these instruments here: http://macumbista.net/?page_id=4035

Thank you for your kind support.