Gear In-depth & Longer Blogs — Synthi HiFli

The EMS Synthi HiFli by Tony Miln If you’re a guitar pedal nerd, then the EMS Synthi HiFli is the pinnacle of desirability: it is the stuff of legend; a rare and much-mythologised beast that is seldom-sighted - sporting many sliders with alluring names. In his book, ‘Analog Man’s Guide To Vintage Effects’, Tom Hughes officially anointed the HiFli king of kings - rarest of the rare - big chief amongst the hen’s teeth. In short, the EMS Synthi HiFli is the ultimate vintage guitar ‘pedal’; good examples are very few and far between. I set out many years ago now...

The second of my articles for Premier Guitar has now been published. It's a slightly sideways look at the world of 70s guitar synths and goes in-depth into: the mighty Synthi HiFli (that's our own in the orange case in the image below), the Ludwig Phase II, Soundgas favourite the Maestro USS-1 (a multi-effects unit with Tom Oberheim designed circuitry), the Frogg Compu-Sound, and the unique-sounding Soviet Esko-100. And of course all manner of other peculiar and super-are units get a mention as well. It goes a little something like this: "As I started researching and writing this story, it slowly dawned on...

The 1963 AC30B is back from a total strip down/rebuild and sounding as fantastic as I'd hoped. All original parts are fine - speakers, transformers, footswitch etc - valves are Brimar/Mullard and test good. Case is very tatty (someone painted it black a long time ago when fawn wasn't cool), but structurally-sound: no fittings remain though (badge is new). Grille cloth is original - has a small tear which will have a very basic mend on to stop any further damage. Pots dated Sept/Nov 1962, Woden transformers Dec 62, Speakers early 63. It's not been touched for about 30 years before now....