Moog Music has announced the discontinuation of the Little Phatty Stage II analog synthesizer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW39dGvVfUo&feature=player_detailpage

Moog plans to continue building a limited quantity of units at their factory in downtown Asheville while parts and materials last, which is not expected to be more than two months. The Little Phatty was released in 2006 as a tribute to the life and legacy of Moog Music founder and synthesizer pioneer, Bob Moog. Following the passing of Dr. Moog, The Little Phatty was the first Moog synthesizer designed by Moog Music’s Chief Engineer, Cyril Lance.

“After Bob’s passing, we faced the immense challenge of creating a new synthesizer that would embody the values that we all treasured in Bob,” Lance recalls. “We worked around the clock to develop an instrument that was founded on his continually forward-looking view of synthesis.”

Over the course of its seven year production run, the Little Phatty has gone through three incantations including The Tribute, Stage I, and Stage II editions. During that time, the Little Phatty has become one of the best selling professional analog synthesizers in history. Its sonic impact on modern music can be heard on thousands of records, and its signature swooped-back silhouette can be seen in top recording facilities around the world as well as on the stages of internationally touring musical acts such as Rush, Jack White, Queens of The Stone Age, No Doubt, Bernie Worrell and the hit shows American Idol, Nashville and Portlandia.

“The Little Phatty represented a key foundational element in what would become the future of Moog Music,” said Michael Adams, Moog Music President & CEO. “It was the synthesizer that proved to the world that Moog Music would continue to create market leading, forward-thinking synthesizers. The fact that the Little Phatty remains an industry standard instrument for artists and producers to this day, is a testament to its design.”

The Little Phatty Stage II is still available in limited quantities at stocking dealers in standard and custom colors while supplies last.

More information: Moog Music / Little Phatty Stage II

 

I hope they won't discontinue the Sub too. I plan to purchase one but it takes time to save such amount of money.

 

Honestly I don't get why they would discontinue the Little Phatty.

 

Maybe because of lack of selling but it's more making the need and rarity that drives them I think. Some marketing strategy.
Or, maybe, they plan to release a v3...

 

or simply nowdays 0.009% are buying hardware

 

I'm the 0.009%

At least hardware have no piracy problems.
I'm not sure hardware maker are in big trouble... Novation and Waldorf are doing quite well compared to few years ago.

Maybe the "going back" to analog sounds make big demands and they will come up with a successor.

 

I don't see any serious piracy problems I can only see positive side.

I started making electronic music many years ago with atari and owned many analogue monsters.

in a big studio you can see, almost every months, some hardware going to repair...and it is expensive, in term of time too.

honestly I agree with you, hardware is not in real trouble, especially the most expensive pro audio stuff.

good luck with your music ;) PMS

 

You see only positive side because you're on the cool side of the problem. To me it's like for music : it's ok to pirate Led Zeppelin, Metallica, and Lady Gaga, but it kills smaller actors. Same goes for audio software developers.
About analogue, I agree with the pain in the ass it can be (room, maintenance, sedentary, ...) on the other hand it's a time saver... You don't need to tweak eq, compression/overdrive to get the right touch on analogue (and good hardware) synth. Some stuffs you can't get that easily with VSTs.
(I'm not old on synth as you seem to be, but I successfully use and enjoy a few analog synths and a Virus TI).

 

I can tell you, by my experience, that new and unknown artists and labels are the only ones that really benefits from piracy...it is worldwide free ads for them.

who are really crying is the major labels, that's why we are facing a huge copyright war.

imagine a well known pirate music blog where a list of new release form EMI to COLUMBIA to The Most Unknown Label ( all selected by the blogger taste) are all at the same level of importance...

major labels are crying hard, they can't accept it, it completely destroy the hierarchy pyramid they impose to us.

about small software house I don't know, but it could be similar.

 

"unknown artists and labels are the only ones that really benefits"

Trust me, they don't.
people handling the ad on tpb, and filesharing site, Kim Dotcom and ISPs are the ones doing benefits.

I don't want to hijack the thread too much.

 

Actually, slowly slowly producers and audio engineers are getting back into hardware. This is due to a number of reasons:

1. The new wave of proudcers who have started off with plugins are eventually investing more into the hardware side of audio as they gained experience over
the past decade with heavy plugin usage

2. The new wave of Programmers and Electronic Engineers etc. are gaining increasing interest in developing new and improved signal flow and hardware models which SOUND
FREAKING AMAZING!!!! Teenage Engineering are doing some pretty intersting things.

3. We will certainly see fantastic new model designs of analog mastering chains and things like that. Deadmau5's ModCan is a very new modular synthesizer and the sound from that must be really crazy! UAD have a crazy awesome looking DAC :D

But yeah, you're right, the use of hardware as opposed to software is relatively low...

 

no matter what you use, it is the knowledge that make the difference. software or hardware itself doesn't guarantee any superior quality to a composition.

most of the kids are looking for a shortcut to success...hardware equipment companies for sure will benefit.

 

that's also true, but once you start developing a certain level of expertise and aquiring the ear for engineering, a search for quality is made mandatory and pinnacle on oneself.