I'm interested in a Theremin or Theremin kit.  Does anyone have any experience, advice, tips, etc?

Oh man, that Jon Spencer's demonstration is wonderful !!! I just pissed in my pants laughing so hard !

I use a Moog Theremin too and it's pretty "cheap" and cool...not cool as Mr Spencer's one though !

If you want hear it, check what The screamin' Soul Preacher from THE HOUSE OF WILD DELIGHTS podcast, aka the Twisted European Theremin Maestro, can do with it : pure space lasciviousness  !

 

That's very cool to hear that. I make diddley bows, cigar box guitars, and cigar box ukulele's, too (among other things).

The possibilities are almost endless. If you search online, you can find plenty of sites that show off people that make some very cool/functional music gadgets out of nothing but junk and pride themselves on not actually buying anything to put it together. It's artistic, functional, practical, and cool, so lube up those handy craft skills and get to work!

DammitDave said:

Thanks alot everyone.  This is for a present so I may or may not order a kit.  I'll be back with my decision.

 

I've made a couple of diddley bows but that's about it.  I had a dream about a thing that's a cross between a diddley bow and a hurdy gurdy (diddley gurdy?  hurdy bow?) but my fabrication skills have gotten rusty and were never that sharp in the first place.  I believe I'll make one out of Legos.

Thanks alot everyone.  This is for a present so I may or may not order a kit.  I'll be back with my decision. 

 

I've made a couple of diddley bows but that's about it.  I had a dream about a thing that's a cross between a diddley bow and a hurdy gurdy (diddley gurdy?  hurdy bow?) but my fabrication skills have gotten rusty and were never that sharp in the first place.  I believe I'll make one out of Legos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl78K8kU-SY&NR=1&feature=fvwp&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

I own one of those Hiwatt Echo Theramins (pretty cheap, pretty cool). 

http://www.hiwatt.com/data/HiwattFX.html

But, you can make kits from junk, or buy nice kits. 

They aren't as difficult as you think. I say, make your own:

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Build-An-Optical-Theremin/

I hope this helps ya.

I like to make cool/custom instruments and stuff out of junk or cheap stuff.

Hit me up if you're into the same thing.

 

 

i know a guy who built a couple of  awesome theramins from scratch  and all i can say is,  they are damm difficult thing to build from plans, one brand of component will work. and another will not despite them being the same spec.

the moog etherwave kit builds into an awesome useable instrument but it is a tad expensive.

there is a kit available here in the uk a lot cheaper but i cannot speak for the sound quality because i have never heard one.

my mr's has been driving me mad to get one for her, so i might give one a try myself.

http://thereminkits.com/uksales.html?gb

http://www.dv247.com/keyboards-and-midi/moog-etherwave-theremin-kit-build-it-yourself-kit--52364

Initially we thought in buying a theremin or a kit for the song Creeping Love but we didn't want to spend money and ended up in using this free VST plugin that did the trick: http://www.vst4free.com/free_vst.php?plugin=Super_Spook_Keys&id......

We have a Moog Theremin and just attack the thing with crazy hand movements. If your in a garage band, you don't want to know how to play it properly! This is my favourite demonstration... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyF_UN8g9f0

I don't know anything about building one from a kit, we just bought one that is already constructed.