A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY... Alan R. Pearlman, whose initials would form the name of ARP Instruments, became interested in instruments for electronic music as early as 1948, when he was a student at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. This was a means for him to associate his two passions: electronic music and the piano. In 1969, he created ARP Instruments (originally called Tonus Inc.) with David Friend and Lewis G. Pollock. The company, based in Newton Highlands (Massachusetts, USA), conceived electronic products, but also and above all else a large modular synthesizer, the ARP 2500. The machine used a matrix which connected the different sections of the synthesizer, instead of the traditional cables found in the Moog Modulars. The ARP 2500 found success in American universities. The growth of ARP instruments was fast and in 1972 the ARP 2600, probably the most legendary of the entire range, was unveiled. This semi-modular synthesizer, conceived with an educational goal, was to become hugely successful after a shaky start. The ARP 2600 was notably used by Stevie Wonder, Joe Zawinul (Weather Report), Tony Banks (Genesis), Jean-Michel Jarre, Herbie Hancock... ARP was the market leader in synthesizers during the 70?s with around 40% of the market share. In ten years, three versions of the ARP 2600 were commercialized: The first version was called ?Blue meanie? because of its steely blue finish. The ?blue meanie? was quickly replaced by a second version, with a grey background finish and white silk screening (1972). This was to be more popular. In 1978 ARP decided to change the graphic chart for all of its machines: a black background color with orange silk screening was introduced. The ARP2600 benefited from its third and last version. The ARP 2600 is one of the finest analog synthesizers ever made. Celebrated by the most respected musicians over the last thirty years, it is capable of creating amazing sounds, heard in numerous popular tunes from...