ARP 2700 (1971)

A synth that plays like a ghost from the dawn of preset monosynths—responsive, raw, and full of aftertouch magic most never got to hear.

Overview

You don’t so much play the ARP 2700 as coax it into life, one pressure-sensitive key at a time. Turn it on, and the thing hums with a quiet urgency, like it’s been waiting since 1971 to finally say something. This isn’t the ARP you see in glossy reissues or hear on every retro synth plugin—it’s the forgotten sibling, the one that slipped through the cracks between the modular 2500 and the beloved 2600, only to reappear as a preset-laden anomaly with a split personality: part performance machine, part engineering prototype. The 2700 Soloist predates the Pro Soloist, but it doesn’t feel like a prototype. It feels like a statement—ARP’s first real attempt to build a synth for the stage, not the lab. No patch cords, no intimidating matrix. Just 16 presets, a ribbon of sliders you can barely touch without breaking, and a keyboard that responds to how hard you press it. That aftertouch? It’s not an afterthought. It’s the whole point.

Unlike the Pro Soloist that followed, the 2700 runs on the same DNA as the 2600—same 4027 oscillator module, same 4012 filter that sounds suspiciously like a Moog ladder (and yes, that caused legal fireworks later). But here, it’s locked down, pre-wired, and focused. You can’t patch it like a modular, but you don’t need to—ARP already did the work, baking in six assignable aftertouch effects: vibrato, repeat, portamento, and more, all triggered by how you play. Want a flute that quivers under your finger? Press harder. Need a brass stab that slides into the next note? Aftertouch does the glide. It’s expressive in a way most preset synths from this era simply aren’t. And while it only has 16 presets—fewer than the Pro Soloist—it includes unique voices like “Piccolo” and “Vibes” that never made it into later models. These aren’t just names; they’re timbral signatures, thin and glassy in a way that cuts through a mix like a scalpel. The rest—strings, brass, organ, bass—are serviceable, sometimes brilliant, but always colored by that unmistakable ARP filter warmth, even when it’s not singing at full resonance.

It’s also a synth that feels like it was built in a hurry. The sliders? They’re on a separate board, mounted just behind the panel, and the shafts are notoriously fragile. “Slider posts are broken off” isn’t a rare complaint—it’s the default condition on most surviving units. One owner on Matrixsynth admitted to using a pencil to tweak them. The panel itself is utilitarian, no frills, no wood, no suitcase—just a slab of metal and a keyboard that looks like it was borrowed from an early 2600. And the touch sensitivity? It uses conductive rubber pads that degrade over time. If it’s not working on a unit you’re eyeing, don’t assume it’s hopeless—there are modern fixes—but know that it’s probably been dead for decades. Still, when it works, when the aftertouch sings and the filter opens on a slow swell, you hear the blueprint for what ARP would refine in the Pro Soloist, and eventually, what would influence the entire concept of performance-oriented preset synths.

Specifications

Key Features

Aftertouch as Performance Engine

Most synths of 1971 treated expression like an option—something you added with pedals or external controllers. The 2700 treats it like the core interface. Every note you play can be shaped in real time just by pressing harder. The six assignable effects aren’t just modulation sources; they’re performance tools. Assign repeat to aftertouch, and you get a stuttering trill that kicks in only when you dig in. Assign portamento, and the synth glides between notes only under pressure—perfect for legato phrasing that breathes. This isn’t MIDI aftertouch with smooth curves and quantized response. It’s raw, binary, and immediate. You either press hard enough to trigger it or you don’t. There’s no in-between. And while that might sound limiting, it forces a physicality into your playing that few preset synths demand. You’re not selecting a sound and playing it—you’re wrestling it into shape, note by note.

Shared DNA with the 2600

The fact that the 2700 uses the same 4027 oscillator and 4012 filter as the ARP 2600 is more than a parts-bin convenience—it’s a sonic inheritance. The 4012 filter, in particular, gives the 2700 a warmth and character that the later Pro Soloist, with its updated filter design, sometimes lacks. It’s the same circuit that caused ARP legal headaches for sounding too much like Moog’s ladder, but here, locked into preset voices, it adds a subtle thickness to even the most brittle presets like “Piccolo.” The oscillator is stable, precise, and tracks well—ARP’s reputation for tuning reliability wasn’t marketing fluff. And while you can’t patch it, the internal routing still reflects ARP’s modular thinking. The signal path is fixed, but it’s not simplistic. The filter and VCA are dynamically responsive, and the aftertouch system routes modulation in ways that feel almost semi-modular in intent, if not in execution.

Preset Design and Missing Voices

The 2700 ships with 16 presets—fewer than the Pro Soloist’s 32—but two of them, “Piccolo” and “Vibes,” never appeared in later models. These aren’t just alternate tunings; they’re unique timbres, likely achieved through specific filter and envelope settings baked into the hardware. “Piccolo” is piercing and nasal, with a fast attack and a bright filter peak that makes it cut through any mix. “Vibes” has a metallic resonance, almost like a detuned bell, with a slow decay that lingers in a way most ARP presets don’t. The rest—“Strings,” “Brass,” “Organ,” “Bass”—are functional, sometimes generic, but always colored by that ARP filter character. What’s missing, though, is user programmability. You can’t save your own sounds. You can’t tweak the envelopes or filter cutoff beyond what’s preset. The sliders on the front? They’re not for editing—they’re for adjusting internal calibration, and they’re not meant to be touched during performance. This isn’t a synth for sound designers. It’s for players.

Historical Context

The ARP 2700 arrived in 1971, the same year as the 2600, but it occupied a completely different space in ARP’s lineup. While the 2600 was marketed as an educational, semi-modular synth for schools and studios, the 2700 was aimed at the working musician—the guy who needed a synth that could go on stage and deliver consistent, expressive sounds without a patch cord in sight. It was ARP’s third synthesizer, following the 2500 and 2600, and it represented a pivot toward performance. At the time, preset synths were still a novelty. The Minimoog had just launched, offering a fixed signal path but no presets—just knobs you tweaked by hand. The 2700 was different: it offered instant recall, but with a performance twist. The aftertouch system was revolutionary, especially for a preset synth. Most competitors—like the Yamaha SY-1 or the EML 200—offered preset selection but little in the way of real-time control. The 2700 gave players a way to shape their sound dynamically, without taking their hands off the keys.

It also came at a time when ARP was trying to out-engineer Moog. The 2500 had already proven ARP’s technical chops with its matrix switching, and the 2600 was gaining traction for its stability and usability. The 2700 was the next step: take that reliability, shrink it into a performance format, and add a feature no one else had. But it didn’t catch on. Maybe it was too early. Maybe the fragile sliders and touch pads scared people off. Or maybe it was just overshadowed by the 2600 and the Minimoog. Whatever the reason, it was quickly succeeded by the Pro Soloist, which refined the concept with more presets, better build quality, and broader marketing. The 2700 faded into obscurity—rarely seen, rarely serviced, and almost never discussed. But it mattered. It proved that preset synths could be expressive, that aftertouch could be central to performance, and that ARP wasn’t just copying Moog—they were trying to out-think them.

Collectibility & Value

The ARP 2700 is not just rare—it’s borderline mythical. You won’t find these on every synth forum or in every vintage shop. They don’t surface on eBay more than once every few years, and when they do, they’re usually in “as-is” condition with non-functional touch sensors or broken sliders. A unit serviced by Synthchaser in 2023—a name that carries weight in the ARP community—sold with no public price, but given the labor involved (recapping, slider replacement, VCO replacement), it likely commanded a four-figure sum. Unserviced units in poor condition might go for $1,500–$2,500, but that’s not a purchase—it’s a project. And not a beginner one. The touch sensitivity system is notoriously difficult to repair, and the sliders require delicate board work. Even the power switch has been known to fail, and replacement parts are scarce.

If you’re considering buying one, here’s what to check: first, does the aftertouch work? If not, assume a significant repair bill. Second, are the sliders intact? If they’re broken or have been “hacked” with added screws or brackets, the front panel may be damaged. Third, listen to all 16 presets—do they sound consistent? One listing mentioned “cracked PCB traces” causing preset failures, so erratic behavior across presets is a red flag. And finally, is the 4027 VCO original? If it’s been replaced (as in the Synthchaser unit), that’s not necessarily bad—modern clones are stable—but know that you’re not getting 100% original circuitry.

In terms of value, this isn’t a synth that’s appreciating like a Minimoog or a 2600. It’s too rare, too niche, too problematic. But for the right collector—someone who cares about ARP’s evolution, who wants the missing link between the 2600 and the Pro Soloist, who values innovation over polish—it’s priceless. It’s not a daily driver. It’s a conversation piece, a museum piece, a piece of ARP history that almost got erased.

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