2025 Winter Raffle: Signed Oberheim Matrix-12 Synthesizer
2025 Winter Raffle: Signed Oberheim Matrix-12 Synthesizer
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The Bob Moog Foundation is excited to announce its lead raffle for 2025, featuring a fully restored Oberheim Matrix-12 synthesizer signed by Tom Oberheim, Marcus Ryle, and Michel Doidic. Ryle and Doidic were the principal designers of the Matrix-12. This Matrix-12, valued at $20,000, has a unique provenance having been owned by Doug Curtis, inventor of the legendary Curtis chips.
This Matrix-12 was originally owned by maverick inventor Doug Curtis (Curtis Electromusic Specialties, OnChip Systems), and was donated to the Bob Moog Foundation by his widow, Mary Curtis. This year, 2025, marks the 40th anniversary of the launch of the Matrix-12, which continues to be one of the most respected and sought-after analog polyphonic synthesizers in the world today.
“Doug appreciated the Matrix-12 so much that he had two, so our family had to think hard about donating this legendary instrument . . . At last we decided that Doug would have said yes to the idea out of a love for the Matrix-12 itself, a belief that it will raise money for the important work of the Bob Moog Foundation, and the wish for another musician who loves it to make glorious music.”
- Mary Curtis
“Forty years ago, we developed the Xpander and its big brother, the Matrix-12, with an uncompromising spirit to create the most versatile and amazing sounding instruments we could imagine . . . To this day, the Matrix-12 is still my favorite synthesizer to play.”
- Marcus Ryle
Raffle Details
The raffle begins Monday, February 17, 2025, at 7:00 am (EST) and ends Friday, March 10, 2025 at 11:59 pm (EST).
The raffle is open internationally.
Tickets are $25 each, five for $100, 12 for $200, and 35 for $500.
Participants who purchase five tickets or more will be invited to an exclusive group Zoom call with Marcus Ryle in mid-April.
The raffle winner will be announced on Friday, March 14.
No physical tickets will be sent.
Paypal is not a payment option due to Paypal's own regulations about raffles.
They do not allow raffle ticket purchases to be processed through their payment portal. This is their regulations, not ours. Our secure payment portal accepts credit cards.
ABOUT DOUG CURTIS:
Doug Curtis is a legendary inventor whose company, Curtis Electromusic Specialties, offered specialized analog integrated circuits (ICs) that were used by virtually every major synthesizer manufacturer in the 1970s and 1980s, including Oberheim, Sequential Circuits, Moog, ARP, Roland, and PPG. His ICs revolutionized the way synthesizers were designed. Curtis was described in Keyboard Magazine as "one of the most important and least known synthesizer pioneers of the 20th century." Curtis was directly involved in the development of the Oberheim Xpander and Matrix-12, with these synths being the first to use his new CEM3372 and CEM3374 chips, which were designed with these specific synthesizers in mind. The featured Matrix-12 is one of two from his personal collection.
ABOUT THE MATRIX-12:
This one-of-a-kind, American-made Oberheim Matrix-12 is in pristine condition and was restored by its co-creator, Marcus Ryle. It is serial number P53207 (the seventh unit built in the 32nd week, August 5th - 9th, 1985). The Matrix-12 was the final flagship synthesizer from Oberheim Electronics in the 1980s. The Oberheim Xpander was introduced in 1984 as a revolutionary multi-timbral six-voice synthesizer module, and the Matrix-12, launched in 1985, includes two Xpanders (for 12-voice polyphony) and a five-octave velocity and aftertouch keyboard. The multi-timbral Matrix-12 pushed the limits of analog synthesis in ways that continue to be unrivaled today.
The Matrix 12 also features:
- 15 different analog filter modes,
- Linear analog FM, and
- A matrix modulation system to route the 27 modulation sources to the 47 modulation destinations.
WHAT YOU WILL BE SUPPORTING:
Proceeds from the raffle benefit the three hallmark projects of the Bob Moog Foundation: Dr. Bob's SoundSchool, which has inspired over 35,000 elementary school students about the science of sound; the preservation of the vast and growing Bob Moog Foundation Archives; and the Moogseum in downtown Asheville, NC, which has welcomed over 40,000 visitors from around the world since opening in 2019. The Moogseum continues to navigate the financial aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which has resulted in a $65,000 loss of income since late September.
Consider becoming a member to further support our mission of igniting creativity through the intersection of science, music, and innovation.
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Thank you for your support!
Proceeds from the sales of merchandise benefit our hallmark projects, Dr. Bob's SoundSchool, the Moogseum, and the preservation of the Bob Moog Foundation Archives.
The Bob Moog Foundation is an independent 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of Bob Moog by inspiring people of all ages and walks of life through the intersection of science, music, and innovation. We are not formally associated with the manufacturing company Moog Music, Inc.
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