Welcome all....

Mark Keppinger and I welcome those who wish to build or learn about vacuum tube "Kepp" theremins. Mark has produced two models; the Mark 1 and the Mark K. The Mark 1 design is established; while the Mark K PC board design is still in the debugging phase by the group's members who have prototype boards.

We were invited graciously by Jason Barille to post on this site. Our group of builders and experimenters has been posting on the Yahoo group, kepptheremins, since January 2009.

We all hope to learn about the lost art of vacuum tube electronics and help each other in our respective endeavors. Vacuum tubes do have a unique and warmer sound, some will argue, than conventional solid state designs.

Mark's designs are free to all who wish to use them.

Have a blessed, safe, and productive New Year!

Respectfully yours,

Mark Keppinger and Philip Neidlinger

Hi guys,...like the new digs.

Phillip, so should we stop posting on the Yahoo group page, or is this a seperate gathering place?

Jason, I really appreciate all the work you've put into revamping the site

Welcome aboard everyone.

Charlie

No, I'd double post if possible. Its going to take awhile for the groups 50 or so members to get the message. Mainly, there is a lot more folks here at Jason's site. Perhaps additional technical minds can help crack those pesky issues plaguing some of us working on the Model K.

Frankly, issues such as his are typically simple fixes...but one has to find the simple fix. I'd compare your work to Mark's prototype and see what's different.

FEELEEP

Thanks guys!  If you have any suggestions for what we can add to make the Keppinger conversation more productive, please let me know.  We're adding new features every week, and with this new platform, we can evolve pretty rapidly.  I still do this in my spare time, but it's much easier to get more done in that spare time now, and always personally rewarding when I see people using the site to further the theremin cause!

Cheers!

Jason

Hello.  I've sourced the parts for the Model K except for the coils.

I think I'll build a coil winder because, besides the Model K, I'd like to experiment with my Theremax, too.

I'm very excited at the prospect of building, troubleshooting, and tweaking a vacuum tube theremin.  I have had the opportunity to play Philip's theremin and it is a wonderful instrument both in tone and playability.

Greetings: I have just joined the forum. For a long time I had admired the RCA theremin, the music, and the Russian emigrant couple that invented them. A few days ago I bought, from Century_Art, the two Keppinger chasses and a set of coils. And I joined the forum.

I am from Lyons, Kansas. Wow! I just noticed that the member, kkissinger, is from Kansas City. In internet miles, we are neighbors. 

Hi Steve,

Welcome-Its been pretty quiet around here...We need some new makers to shake things up.    Good luck on the build- keep us posted.

  Charlie Hobbs

Hello Charlie:

Well, maybe if a few more people get interested in tube theremins instead of transistor based instruments there would be more activity on this thread. I am still waiting for my chasses and coils to be delivered. In the meantime I am gathering my tubes and testing them.

Unlike radios I have built, I want to build the theremin from all new materials. So I have sent for a new set of  10 octal sockets. I don't want to use any old components if I don't have to. My radios were built to resemble the home-brews of the 1930's. And those were depression days.

One change in the design, or rather the appearance of the theremin, that I have decided on is to use a 5R4 diode instead of the 5Y3. Nothing changes in the design, the alternate tube is just a more rugged military version and I like its looks.

Today my two chasses and five coils arrived from Dan Schreiber, the maker. I have been reading the posts on the Yahoo Forum and see that Dan is well known to those who have constructed Mark Keppinger's theremin.

I've a lot of studying to do before I start building mine. I do have a set of NOS tubes. My sockets are here. I have a bag of rivets somewhere but I can't find them. I'll use nuts and bolts to fasten the sockets if I have to, but I'd rather use the rivets.

For the next week, however, I'll be studying the Yahoo postings and assembling the correct values of caps and resisters, etc. I'll probably have a bunch of questions. I hope someone will be here to answer them. I think it is going to be a fun and challenging project.

"Its been pretty quiet around here...We need some new makers to shake things up"

Well, as I've mentioned in another section, I'm a new maker. :-)

I want to get a set of those chassis from Dan Schreiber. How do I go about placing an order?

Also, does anybody supply the antennae?