Mellotron Mark II
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| Model | Years in Production | Quantity Made (approximate) |
|---|---|---|
| Mark I | 1963-64 | 60 |
| Mark II | 1964-67 | 300 |
| FX Console | 1966-67 | 60 |
| 300 | 1968-70 | 60 |
| 400 & 400SM | 1970-80 | 1850 |
| Mark 5 | 1976-81 | 28 |
| T.550 | 1976-78 | 3 |
| 4Track | 1980-83 | 4 |
| Model | Years in Production | Quantity Made (approximate) |
|---|---|---|
| Rhythmate | ||
| Musicmaster | ||
| M1 | 1970-81 | 125 |
| M2 | ||
| M4 | ||
| 350 | ||
| 600 |
Thanks to Pierre Veilleux of Montreal, Quebec who provided much of this information, originally from John Bradley and Richard Chamberlin.
NOTE: Different sources for information on Mellotrons and Chamberlins sometimes have widely varying data. While these numbers are believed to be accurate, some descrepency is possible
This is the
model that inspired the Mellotron Mark I.
Bill Franson
took two of these to England looking for a company to manufacture them
and found Bradmatic, Ltd. (later Streetly). 
Mellotron Mark I
Modeled on the Chamberlin Musicmaster, The Mark I was the Bradley brothers' first Mellotron product.
It
contained two 35 note keyboards with rhythms and fills on the left and
lead
sounds on the right. The Mark I had some troublesome flaws such as the
ability to ruin the tapes by attempting to play the keys while changing
tape
banks. Fifty of the sixty units produced were upgraded to Mark II
specs, so
original Mark Is are very rare.
Mellotron Mark II
This model is essentially an improved and perfected Mark I and was the
first model to achieve success. It was marketed for home use, making it
easy
to play rhythms and chords with just two fingers.
The Mark II has two 35 note keyboards. The tape under
each key has three
tracks on 3/8 inch wide tape. Six different stations on the tape with
three
tracks each means that each key can play 18 different sounds. The left
hand keyboard is further broken down into two sections. The left side
is
loaded with rhythms and the right side contains accompaniment and
fills.
The right hand keyboard has 18 different lead instrument sounds.
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Mellotron Sound FX Console
The FX Console was based on the Mark II, but upgraded to specs for
the BBC
and loaded with sound effect tapes. The BBC used them for television
work
such as the Dr. Who series. The FX Console can be distinguished by its
black
or grey color, and the control panel which has the various control
knobs
spaced across the panel rather than located in a group at the center as
on
the Mark II.
Mellotron 300
The 300 was a bit of a departure from earlier (and later) models. It
was
smaller and lighter than the Mark II with the intention of making it
more
portable. It had a single keyboard, but with 52 keys (A-C) rather than
35,
and 1/4 inch wide tape with only two tracks instead of three. There
were
still six stations on the tapes with a similar shuttling mechanism,
with
lead, rhythm, and fill sounds available.
All new recordings were made for the 300. Depending on the settings of the station selectors, it was possible for all 52 keys to have lead sounds, with organ and strings available in this mode.
The 300 suffered from reliability problems, though.
The tapes would
sometimes be damaged while changing stations due to being caught in the
guides.
Mellotron/Novatron 400/400SM
The Mark II was a large heavy instrument and prone to problems with the
complicated tape shuttling mechanism. The model 300 was smaller and
lighter,
but still used the six bank tape shuttling system. With the
introduction of
the Model 400 in 1970, Streetly attempted to rectify this by replacing
the
long tapes and rotating drums with tapes that were mounted on interchangeable tape frames. Recognition
was
finally given to the fact that these instruments were used mainly by
professional musicians who needed to take them on tour.
The 400 saw a return to 3/8 inch wide tape with three tracks, though only one set of tracks was available on each tape rack. The tape frames could be changed in a few minutes, and musicians could special order tapes with any combination of sounds. As on earlier units, the sounds on adjacent tracks could be blended by moving the heads to a position in between tracks.
The 400 had a single 35 note (G-F) keyboard, and the
standard tape set had
Choir, 3 violins, and Flute on the three tracks.
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Due to the failure in 1977 of Mellotronics, the company that marketed Mellotrons, later units produced by Streetly carried the name Novatron but were otherwise the same.
The 400SM was introduced as an upgrade to the 400 in
1976 to bring it up to
date. Older units could be modified to the new standard. Improvements
included a redesigned motor speed control circuit that kept the pitch
constant over a wider range of temperature and key loads, integrated
circuit
preamps and line amplifiers, and several mechanical improvements in the
transport mechanism.
Mellotron/Novatron Mark 5
The Mark 5 is essentially two Model 400s in one cabinet, but with one
drive
motor and pitch control. Also a reverb unit and stereo outputs were
added.
Either keyboard output can be panned between the two output channels.
Novatron T.550
The model T.550 was a repackaged 400SM designed to withstand the rigors
of
touring. It was built into a sturdy flight case with room inside for 2
extra
tape frames.
Michael Grueterich
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Though only about 125 were made, the M1 is enjoying a
surge in popularity
among performers. Notable is the work of Mitchell Froom with such
groups as
Crowded House, Los Lobos, and Suzanne Vega, and Patrick Warren's work
with
Michael Penn, Aimee Mann, and Fiona Apple.
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