Farfisa Mini Compact Organ

This was the simplest of Farfisa Compact Organ. It is by far the most common Farfisa available on the market today. It’s list price in 1968 was a mere $495, something every suburban garage rocker could possibly talk their parents into buying for them. How could they resist this 49 key, C to C keyboard, with a little of that Farfisa bite.

The Mini had just three tabs for sound, but it did have Vibrato, the Multi Tone Knee Booster, and the ALL Booster tab all wrapped up in a fantastically awesome avacado green tolex covered plywood case.

Farfisa Matador R Combo Organ

The Farfisa Matador-R was the deluxe version of the Matador. In included all of the features of the organ, in addition to a super sweet drum machine! My guess is that it the guts of the terribly simple Maestro Rhythm Jester, which is pretty simple, but will let you entertain at cocktail parties all by yourself! It even has built in speakers.

It has a few different tabs for contouring the sounds along with a nice Vibrato, Vibrato Repeat, and Percussion. The best feature about the Matador is the Slalom (Glissando or Pitch Bend) can be controlled by the optional Farfisa Grey Volume pedal. This feature lets you control the pitch of the bend up to the note you are playing on the keyboard.

Farfisa Royal Artist Piano

The Royal Artist Piano is a reed based organ. It has a fan. When you hold down a note or chord button, that makes a space for the air to flow over a reed to make the sound. The reed banks for the keyboard and button sections are those from an accordion, and the fan simply provides the air in lieu of bellows.

It is an acoustic instrument. It has no electronic parts. There are no outputs, or ways to connect it to an amp. If you want to record this, you must use a microphone. Now the stinker is, that fan makes a lot of noise, which as you know isn’t very good for recording instruments. So, the Farfisa Royal Artist Piano, she is not so good for the gigging musician, and thus not worth too terribly much.

Farfisa VIP-500 Combo Organ

Thanks to Zoran Stajic for the info and pictures! Zoran says this model is a lot like the VIP400, but the Piano Sounds are different. Possibly the addition of some of the goodies from the Pro Piano???

Thanks to Eric, who posted this comment on the old site: Great Farfisa; much more versatile than Compacts. Sort of like a Compact with many more additional sounds and features. Used by Sun Ra (see Space is the Place video). One feature I particularly like is the percussion/ repeat. Sounds sort of like a square wave LFO, but with more attack (plus control over the attack). Also has “synthaslalom” which is a little like portamento on an analog synth. This feature can also be controlled in terms of time and range of the portamento. Unlike portemento, this effect seems to only go up, elevating the note till it reaches the note of the key. Also has very cool reed/ string like drawbar that sounds like a strings preset analog synth. The other effect in this section is “piano”, which sounds vaguely like a dark electric piano tone. Incredible Bass section for lower quarter of first row of keys. drawbars for very round/ super bassy square wave “bass” and a reedier, fuzzy tone also (think: bass sounds on Suicide’s first album) All in all a very expressive and versatile keyboard capable of the 60s psyche farfisa sound as well as some basic (but well done) 70s analog synth sounds. This was a very professional, and expensive keyboard in it’s day. I believe I saw an mid 70s advertisement for $1800!!! More than a MiniMoog. Cool keyboard.

Farfisa Amplifiers

Specially Designed & Engineered Amplifiers For Compact Electonic Organs

Sabre Reverb I

Specially designed for the modern Compact organs, this fully transistorized amplifier projects sound with more power and more bite than any other amplifier. Uniquely engineered, the Sanbre Reverb I is ideal for every Farfisa Compact organ.

Features
50 watts power
14″ side-mounted heavy-duty mid-range driver horn
15″ heavy-duty front-mounted full range speaker
True Reverberation with full control
Dual input, single channel operation
Precision volume control
Separate bass and treble controls
Durable grey vinyl covering

Farfisa BT 40

Straight from the Farfisa Compact organ electronic engineers, the BT 40 is for all combo work, featuring dual input operation to facilitate amplification of other instruments of the group.

Features
40 watts power
Extra sensitive 15″ speaker in special reflex enclosure
Dual input single channel operation
Precision volume control
Full tone control
Two position slide-switch for maximum treble boost
Illuminated control panel
Durable black simulated leather covering
Sturdy front supports with Easy-Roll wheels on rear

Cordovox CL-10 Leslie Tone Cabinet

A big new sound for your Farfisa organ is available with this sensational new Leslie Tone Cabinet. Your music will have that big console organ sound, with richer, fuller tones, spectacular and brilliant. The sound of a Compact organ will come alive as the whirling Leslie speaker amplifies and disperses sound – dramatic, deep lows, and brilliant, biting highs.

With the Footswitch you can play through your regular amplifier or the Leslie Tone Cabinet, selecting either the exciting, pulsating Leslie Tremolo or the majestic, rolling Chorus Reverberation.

Features
Rotating Leslie Speaker
Footswitch cuts Leslie in or out
Convenient top access controls
Leslie Tremolo On-Off
Choruse Reverberation On-Off

Compact Electronic Organs Swing With The Action – Wherever It Is!

Farfisa Amplifiers

Compaction! Farfisa Compact Electronic Organs

They Swing… Where The Action Is

The live instruments with compact portability for today’s young action groups!

Today’s action groups swing to a modern sound with a driving beat. The FARFISA Compact Electronic Organs match the go-go tempo of their arrangements.

Easy to play, Farfisa Compacts have the sound and the excitement you’ve been looking for!

The exclusive Tone Booster knee-lever produces an attack sound that puts teeth in an arrangement and power in a combo! The easy portability of the Compact Electronic Organs makes them perfect for the active musician because they can go anywhere.

Each Compact organ folds into its own rugged, self-contained carrying case covered with heavy, colorful vinyl. Handsome and lightweight, the Compact cases resist mars, scratches and wear.

Farfisa Compaction Poster

Farfisa Pro Duo Bass Pedals

What we have here is a very bad old picture of a set of bass pedals for a Farfisa Pro Duo. This set up is truly one on beauty for the organist who gets a volume pedal for each keyboard, a full set of bass pedals, and all of the controls for the bass pedal sounds in easy to use dials and switches. It comes complete in an incredibly rare fake wood housing.