The Korg Polysix (released in 1981) is one of the classic synth's of the 80s and one of the few that doesn't goes for a crazy price nowadays and whose sounds is as warm and organic as any from that period. I particularly love his strings, his arpegiator and big basslines, and the massive unison detuned sound of its 6 oscillators... one of the staples of the Korgs of that period.

This unit in particular is Japanese and therefore works on 110v. Should you buy from Europe, you will need to also purchase a voltage converter which go for 20-30 euros. It has been kept for years in a non smoking studio and was serviced in 2023 by Vintage Standards, who have also installed the Tubbutec Midi Kit to upgrade this amazing sounding piece of gear that doesn't breaks the bank, to modern capabilities. It comes with Korg's original sturdy case, is built like a tank and is overall in a very good condition, although does have some scuffs and scratches from its age that don't affect play. Please refer to the pictures and let me know if you need more.

The ModyPoly Tubbutec adds the following to the keyboard:

Midi in + Midi out

Sustain Pedal input

NEW: Fully polyphonic Portamento (HiRes Upgrade)

Additional play modes: 2 Voice, 3 Voice, Polychord, extended unison mode

New arpeggiator / sequencer mode: Powerarp

NEW: Microtuning and custom scales (HiRes Upgrade)

All functions are easily accessible via buttons: suitable for live use

Midi controls arpeggiator clock, triggers the arp, filter, pitch bend * and more

Midi output of arpeggiator, chords and powerarp sequences or simple keypresses

S/H LFO and fast triangular LFO for filter

Midi channels and various other options can be configured without external tools

Very easy to install, no soldering required (a bit of soldering if you want midi controlled filter and pitch bend)

High quality midi sockets and sustain pedal jack

For a complete list of features please refer to the user manual.

Regarding the Polyx per se, what to say about this beast: The Polysix is a popular 6-voice analog synthesizer known for its warm, organic sound, ensemble effects, and arpeggiator, often used as an affordable alternative to the Prophet-5 or Jupiter-8. It was widely used in 1980s synth-pop, new wave, and later in electronic dance music for strings and pads.

Famous Artists and Songs Featuring the Korg Polysix

"Bar a Thym" by Kerri Chandler: Features the "Brave Arp" preset, heavily highlighting the Polysix's Arpeggiator.

"Da Funk" by Daft Punk: Utilized for its distinct, warm analogue synth sounds.

Imperiet: The Swedish punk band used the Polysix extensively in their early 80s work.

Geoff Downes (Asia/Yes): Known to use the Polysix in his rig.

Kitaro: The new-age artist used the Polysix.

Tears for Fears: Known to use it for string sounds.

Eat Static & Astral Projection: Employed the Polysix in their electronic productions.

Jimi Tenor & Global Communications: Used the synth.

Keith Emerson: Known to have used it in the 1980s.

The Korg Poly-61 was also used by artists like Rick Wakeman (on the Crimes of Passion soundtrack) and Ray Parker Jr. (the Ghostbusters theme).