Porto combo suitcase Organ Italy Ideal CEI Noble vintage synth Farfisa/Starmaster-adjacent needs work Italian 1960’s blue grey tolex

Brought to you by the crazy Italian circuit builders who gave us the Fender Starmaster…  Here is an original Porto combo Organ Made In Italy in the 1960’s. It’s at about 70% functionality (hence the “Fair” description) and has a couple parts that aren’t always found with these. Smart looking grey tolex.

The knee lever is present and works! It’s kind of like a wah pedal, controlled with your knee. I’ve made a video demonstrating how this thing sounds & functions, trying to fully take it through it’s paces, checking all the keys & sounds. Couldn’t really get the ‘Violin’ sound to work but the others seem to, ish. Some pretty cool tones out of this thing, especially with the knee controller in play, see 2nd half of the video.

Controls:

    Bass Volume knob, Bass Ext. switch
Voice Selector Switches: Violin, Horn, Oboe, Cornet, Treble
    Vibrato On/Off switch, Full switch, Power On/Off switch with working lamp

Has the original wire music stand, and all four legs (with one replacement rubber foot).  What you see is what you get.  Upgraded with modern 120vac plug & cord (I professionally installed a period-similar replacement) and 1/4” female signal out jack (it was a male originally; insert joke here). I also added two clasp closures so the top lid will stay shut without the mystery locks.

Please note, keys are sticking: 3-5 slow risers + the Bb below middle C that sticks like Keith Emerson knifed it.  Not all notes are sounding perfectly, but most are. A or LA seems to be needing help and doesn’t sound right, or at all—gotta be an oscillator tweak, they are all readily accessible once the tolex top is off.  I tried to un-stick the sticky keys, and only got so far.  It does play & output sounds but is in need of more work to bring it back to perfect function.  Regardless, there is a super high coolness factor, and it’s potentially usable even at 70%. Because the Oscillators are right there and appear adjustable, they can individually be tuned to the eastern, greek or weirder scales.

The circuit board build inside this machine is an insane thing of beauty - I’ve never seen anything like it.  The Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti oscillators (oh La! C’mon, man!), the many Ducati electronic parts (didn’t even know Ducati made electrical components, but wow it is full of ‘em), the zig zag vertical boards' placement - an amazing instrument, and a sweet project for the right keyboardist that understands the value of the tonal circuitry here - sounds are nothing like digital could ever reproduce, so full, big and bold.  It’s a sweet, early 60’s rock & roll synth that used the highest quality transistors, caps & resistors of the time. And at this point, it’s a historic piece of musical art.

Legs strap inside the lid, smart design.  Very heavy, won’t be shipping it, please come pick it up in Rockford, Illinois, just 75 minutes from Chicago.  Can possibly meet you halfway, I’ve done that in the past and would do it again, if it’s workable.  I am a seller who cares.

A rare, hip, vintage Italian combo organ that needs some TLC, sold as-is / as described.