Farfisa Ts 800 [2021]

If you ever encounter one at a vintage gear sale, test every key, bring a contact cleaner, and be prepared for a heavy lift. In return, you will own a slice of Italian electronic music history that still sounds like the future, fifty years later.

The TS 800 came with a bank of presets, a necessity for gigging musicians of the era. However, these presets often showcased the more... questionable tastes of the early 80s. Cheesy "Latin Flute" and "Banjo" sounds are common. The magic, however, lies in the . Farfisa Ts 800

The first thing you notice about the TS 800 is its imposing, futuristic aesthetic. Unlike the pastel colors of the Vox, Farfisa opted for a sleek, business-like design: If you ever encounter one at a vintage

In the pantheon of vintage keyboards, the name Farfisa usually evokes images of the swirling, garage-rock sounds of the 1960s. One thinks of the Compact Deluxe or the Fast beating away in the hands of acid rockers and proto-punks. However, by the late 1970s and early 1980s, the musical landscape had shifted. The synthesizer was king, and the traditional electric organ was in danger of becoming a relic. However, these presets often showcased the more