I was going to joke around that the wood end cheeks and keybed trim make a difference too, but, well, they indeed do.
As evidenced by the price difference in the SE model. That difference can’t all be due to the hinged chassis.
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Wood has definitely gotten more expensive, and the Pro 3 SE has it on the ends, and underneath on the front. And yeah, some of the cost is the hinged top. Instead of an all-in-one chassis, that top is an extra component, more metal, another piece of wood, etc…
The Pro 3 is still on my shortlist. I dig the standard design, but I would be tempted to get the SE, not necessarily for the wood, but for the ergonomics of the hinged top. I do wish more companies would offer the hinged top.
Much of the price is likely to be manufacturing the bits of wood , additional assembly and the weight of shipping.
As the perceived ‘value’ or authenticity that it adds …
Otherwise there’s a fair amount of wood around.
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Well, it’s true that there is plenty of wood around, but I read an article a couple months ago that wood was at an all time high, and the price of it was up almost 300% in the past couple of years. Granted, these synths are not using that much wood, but it would figure into the cost somewhat.
Doesn’t the SE have direct screen printing on the panel vs a Vinyl sticker on the standard?
Another + for the SE (if true)
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You are correct, the SE does have a screen printed panel I forgot about that.
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Also, in regards to the wood adding cost. It is not just the cost of the wood itself. There is the time to stain it, and then to cut it. I am sure some of this is automated now, but it still adds time and resources. And is Dave wandering around lumber yards searching for the perfect grain? Probably not, it would be cool if he was.
Veering off-topic, but it’s more the price of lumber that peaked (and receded back to normal) this year. That is, wood used to build houses and what not. I don’t think the prices on boutique wood saw the same troubles, but I’m not sure. It hasn’t exactly been a typical year, by any stretch.
What do you think, this stuff grows on trees?
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It may have to do with higher profit margins on “luxury goods”. Price elasticity is different for purchasers of more expensive goods. So purchasers will bear higher margins. Veblen goods.
Completely off-topic tangent
I’ve been considering Elektronaut posts for a while from the perspective of Veblen signaling.
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I may end up getting the Pro 3 SE (for the hinged panel). I don’t think the Pro 3 in this vid is an SE, but I’m a sucker for this stuff.
From the YT comment section, the approach was “Paraphonic sequence with each track set to different lengths for an ever evolving pattern. Using the sequencer primarily to trigger slow envelopes that cause the rise/fall in pitch. I think I also used the built in rotary effect and then ran the whole thing through a spring reverb”
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I got it for the hinge because I told myself folding it up will be especially practical for me. Oddly, I don’t think I care much about the wood (it can’t compete with my guitars for sheer woodiness), but that panel sticker is really off-putting in relation to the silk screening.
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I wasn’t aware of the panel sticker.
Is that Prophet 08/Evolver style, but better quality?
And for that matter; I can now see that the Take 5 uses a panel sticker as well.
I’ve taken delivery. I’m only at the default patch #1 Old Saw with wheel, touch, and a few knobs and whoa…just whoa…
The silk screening looks so much like stickers that I suspect it won’t matter unless the sticker lifts on you. I’m really appreciating the hinge, though. It sucks that there’s no other way to get it except to pay a 25% premium, but that’s a difficult option to pass on.
I’m generally pretty observant and I hadn’t even realized the Pro-3 had an overlay on it until a read a thread where someone mentioned it and I probably had the unit for a couple weeks or more at the time. In hindsight, it’s more obvious, sure, but it’s nicely done and by no means the cheap looking or feeling. I was so absorbed by the instrument itself and sounds coming out of it that I completely overlooked and missed it until I read that comment.
At times I do wish that I had held out for an SE, ultimately I think that’s probably the better of the two, but it’s not a big amount of regret or anything. I like to think the SE has better ergonomics, but that said I’m fine with mine. I think I like the idea of it more than anything else. And it just looks freaking cool!
I would be a bit leery of the hinge though, especially in my very humid climate. I remember various hinged gear my friends had where the painted hinge would rub, then flake and chip from use and eventually the hinges would develop light rust from the humidity. Not saying that would happen with the SE, but something I’ve observed on older gear.
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For what it’s worth … I have the SE but much prefer the look of the standard version (overlay and all).
Also, the standard is a lot lighter and I can see myself lugging it around the house/garden but the SE is a studio fixture.
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If it helps, I have a old Mohpo (serial 472 or something) with a vinyl sticker that hasn’t changed one bit in all these years.
I’d still prefer silkscreening personally though.
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I was on the fence about whether to get the SE or not. Now, months later after choosing the SE I’m so glad I did. It’s absolutely beautiful. The Pro3 feels like a lifetime instrument to me. The hinge has made it great for setting up in front of my modular too.
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I have the standard (non se) version. If I had the money to blow I would have gone with the se but I’m perfectly happy with the standard version. I had to lurk around for a used one to pop up in my budget anyway. For me, the se isn’t worth the price difference but that’s just me.
As for the sticker, it’s totally fine. Good quality, doesn’t offend my sensibilities, and I have confidence in its longevity. I have an evolver (first product from dave’s dsi brand) and though it’s been gigged plenty of times the sticker on it is still in tip top shape.
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So for the first 6 months that I had my Pro 2, I had it tilted forward about 30 degrees for what I thought was better ergonomics. But after that time, I played around with laying it flat on the table, and playing the keys is much better. Now that I know my way around the Pro 2, and the locations of all the parameters, I prefer it flat.
I suppose ergonomics depends on what you’re doing. Having the keys tilted on the same plane as the panel eventually became less than ideal. Most of the knobs on my other gear isn’t angled forward for me either. Then again most eurorack folk are used to a different plane. YMMV.
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