VINTAGE ETHERWAVES

So etherwave is made since 1996. What are the outdoor characteristics that you can see and say that "this is a vintage etherwave" and this is not.
I think it is not only the "big briar" sticker. Maybe it is something that has to do with the serial numbers.
Anybody knows something?

I seem to remember Peter Pringle saying something about recent Etherwave standards have increased playability over older models. Apparently Moog redesigned the circuitry, presumably post-1996.

I suppose you could describe it as the 'original vintage' Etherwave, and the fact that it has a low serial number might appeal to a collector.

Mine is a Big Briar. How does the playability ocmpare with new models?

My Etherwave is a Big Briar, too. I've been fortunate enough to try out the Etherwaves of others, of varying ages, including ones right off the assembly line at Moog in November in Kansas City (so they were the absolute newest ones up to that point). Truthfully, the only real difference I can discern is all timbre related. The wave form and brightness knobs create slightly diffrent textures than my older one. Actual "playability" is relative, because you CAN tweak your old Etherwave fairly easily. I've gone in and re-tuned the pitch and volume oscillators with the result that the machine has a wider range than the current Etherwaves, and a sharper response (when needed) at the "threshhold" right between zero beat and the first sound.

The new ones (there were five of them set up) were all factory settings and surprisingly consistent -- the threshhold on all of them was at about 2.5 inches above the volume antenna, and most folks never mess with that. I've set the distance to be greater, at about 3.5 to 4 in order to be able to get certain effects.

Based on what two or three of my friends say (all of whom have Etherwaves from one to years years old) it appears that they're very stable, less prone to oscillator slippage, and a little less sensitive to environmental conditions.

It's doubtful that you're at any sort of disadvantage with an older Etherwave.

To answer the question that was actually asked (about the outdoor characteristics that you can see and say that "this is a vintage etherwave" and this is not), the original Big Briar Etherwaves have a silver metal toggle power switch with a red LED light above the switch that lights up when the power is on. This was later changed (while still Big Briar, I believe) to the black switch with no LED light that is still in use today.

Also, obviously, the lower the serial number, the more "vintage" it is.