Moog announced today that the limited–run production of its Minimoog Model D reissue will soon come to an end.
The iconic North Carolina synth company informed Reverb that while it will be able to fill all outstanding orders, high demand has depleted its original supply of parts for the Model D sooner than expected, preventing further production into 2018.
This news come just over a year after the reissue was launched at Moogfest 2016. At the time, the synth community applauded the rebirth of one of the most important synthesizers of all time — a feeling reflected by the model's strong sales.
According to a press release from Moog, "Our parts inventory for the Minimoog project was originally expected to span multiple years of manufacturing, but is being consumed at a much higher rate than anticipated."
Indeed, the Model D has ranked as one of the most coveted synths of the year, offering close adherence to the original design specs of the 1970s version.
As Moog points out, these units were originally designed to be manufactured in low volumes, requiring a very specialized team of five people to build each unit. That team has been working night shifts to keep up with demand.
In contrast to several other classic synth reissues of recent years, such as the Korg ARP Odyssey series, the Moog reissues do not use modern surface–mount construction but through–hole component placement in accordance with 1970s designs.
The reproduction of the Model D has also had an impact on the vintage market for '70s Minimoogs. With new Model Ds no longer on the market, prices on vintage units will likely continue to rise in conjunction with with rising prices for used reissues, which could potentially end up topping the new MAP price of $3,499.
The removal of the Model D from Moog's catalog, however, will open up some manufacturing capacity in the Asheville factory. How will the tireless innovators at Moog fill the void? We don't know yet, but we sure are excited to find out.