The Solina String Synthesizer is the rare brother of the String Ensemble. Only about 100 were made, so they are very hard to find. The String Synthesizer pictured above is painted white, but they originally have a standard wood case like the Ensemble models. The String Synthesizer is basically a combination of the String Ensemble and the Arp Explorer 1. You can select between Preset sounds (trumpets, flutes, and clarinets) or make your own using the added VCO, courtesy of the Explorer. It offered way more sound editing than the String Ensemble, and was capable of more diverse sounds.

Dejan Djordjevic

December 14, 2012 @ 10:23 am

I still play it on my new works,I love its sound,got my ARP Solina String Synthesizer 2nd hand from a function band guy who bought it new in 1975,he sold it because he was disappointed thought it was an E-Organ w/built-in rhythm computer,w/Bossanova and all that jazz.I lived in Mundingen,W-Germany when I started composing my 1st works in 1979:And I played it on ULTRAVOX!! iNTiMATE COLLECTiON in 1982 on our song SPITFIRE FLY-REAP THE WILD WIND.Sir Dejan Djordjevic,Basement Flat Rear,189 Sandgate Rd,Folkestone,Kent,CT202HJ,UK. myspace.com/ultravoxii

j.m.järvinen

October 1, 2012 @ 9:36 am

ARP/Eminent Solina String Synthesizer doesn't matter which company produced the first ones,they are great machines nevertheless.I would trade an organ or two from my body to get one (or someting else worth 1-2K USD/Eur.

stephen parsick

September 4, 2012 @ 5:52 pm

In 1984, this one nearly became my first synth. It sounded like "Autobahn" by Kraftwerk (which, of course, it wasn´t used on). My dad refused to buy it. Years later, I played a Solina String ensemble -- and wondered where all these cool filter sounds had gone. Even more years later I learned that there was a Solina String Synthesizer. And even later I got to play one again, just to find out I wasn´t overly impressed (but that would have been twenty years after my first encounter...).

anna-anna

January 6, 2012 @ 10:49 pm

Hi there just wanted to mention Puremagnetik sells the ARP Solina in the "Retho Synths" bundle under "String Machines" (it also comes with Crumar, Roland-09 and Roland VP-330). I love it so much. I'm constantly doing string arrangements so the combination is awesome. Just wanted to let people know, it's helped me a lot. I use it with Ableton. I couldn't possibly afford it or find it for sale (I'm in Brazil).

Bart

October 12, 2011 @ 4:27 pm

I owned one & looking for some way to control it (MIDI,CVgate). It has really great filters, it would be great to use the synthesizer part with a sequencer. If you know how please send message here: poxe@tlen.pl

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