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Average Price: $927

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$799

$2000+

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Description

The Farfisa Combo Compact debuted in the mid-1960s and made a splash on the scene immediately. Boasting loud colors, a rough sound, and a price the touring musician could afford, the Compact Combo quickly became one of the prominent combo organs of the ‘60s.

The organ came in two color choices, red or gray, with red being more common.

Product specs

Brand Farfisa
Model Combo Compact Organ
Finish Blue with Black-White / White-Black Keys, Gray with Black-White / White-Black Keys, Red with Black-White / White-Black Keys
Year 1964 - 1968
Made In Italy
Categories Organs
Analog / Digital Analog
Key Size Full Size
Keyboard Action Synth Action
Number of Keys 61 Keys

FAQs

What type of sound can I expect from the Farfisa Combo Compact organ?

The Farfisa Combo Compact is known for its distinctive, aggressive, and raspy tone, making it ideal for classic rock and psychedelic music. Its sound is often described as more raw and vibrant compared to other organs like the Vox Continental.

How many keys does the Farfisa Combo Compact have?

The Farfisa Combo Compact features a full-size keyboard with 61 keys, offering a wide range for expressive playing.

Is the Farfisa Combo Compact organ suitable for live performances?

Yes, the Farfisa Combo Compact is designed for live performances with its durable build and full-size keybed, making it a favorite among touring musicians in the 1960s and 1970s.

Is the Farfisa Combo Compact an analog or digital organ?

The Farfisa Combo Compact is an analog organ, which contributes to its warm and distinctive sound character.

What is the keyboard action like on the Farfisa Combo Compact?

The Farfisa Combo Compact features a synth action keyboard, providing a light and responsive touch suitable for fast playing styles.

picure

picure

Farfisa Combo Compact Demo (SOLD!)

Video thumbnail for Farfisa Combo Compact Demo (SOLD!) by picure

Farfisa Combo Compact Demo (SOLD!)

picure

picure

Video thumbnail for Farfisa Combo Compact Repair - Part 1 by Vintage Vibe

Farfisa Combo Compact Repair - Part 1

Vintage Vibe

Vintage Vibe

Video thumbnail for Farfisa compact combo demo by Dustin Altick

Farfisa compact combo demo

Dustin Altick

Dustin Altick

Video thumbnail for 1964 Farfisa Combo Compact Demonstration and Repair by Vintage Keys Studio

1964 Farfisa Combo Compact Demonstration and Repair

Vintage Keys Studio

Vintage Keys Studio

Video thumbnail for Farfisa Combo Compact Jam In The Key Of E by Vox Jaguar Videos

Farfisa Combo Compact Jam In The Key Of E

Vox Jaguar Videos

Vox Jaguar Videos

Video thumbnail for Farfisa Combo Compact - Exploring the Presets - MVM #68 by Midiverse - TV

Farfisa Combo Compact - Exploring the Presets - MVM #68

Midiverse - TV

Midiverse - TV

Reviews

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Farfisa Combo Compact.

Value and pricing

  • Non-working Farfisa Compact organs can be found for 300-500 Euros, though restoration is challenging.

    Source
  • An $850 price for a Farfisa Compact is considered fair, though additional repair costs should be anticipated.

    Source
  • Farfisa Compact organs typically range from 1000-1500 Euros for a stage-ready model, depending on condition and location.

    Source

Features and functionality

  • The Korg Vox Continental features a waterfall-style keybed reminiscent of traditional organs, enhancing playability for classic organ techniques.

    Source
  • The Crumar Mojo is praised for its Farfisa Compact emulation, with identical tone to the original Compact Deluxe.

    Source
  • Internal spring reverb and tone boost knee lever significantly enhance the sound and presence of Farfisa Compacts.

    Source
  • Compacts with germanium transistors offer "fuzzy warm goodness," unlike later silicon models, which sound cleaner.

    Source
  • The Yamaha Reface YC, when set to mode F and paired with Catalinbread Echorec and a wah pedal, closely replicates Richard Wright's Pink Floyd sounds.

    Source
  • Owners appreciate the drawbars on the Mojo, which act like switches when pulled halfway, similar to the Nord series.

    Source

Comparisons

  • The Farfisa VIP series is noted for durability and often includes a drum machine, making it a robust alternative to the more delicate Compact.

    Source
  • Korg's modern Vox Continental is praised for its versatility, offering Farfisa, Vox, and B-3 sounds with a waterfall keybed, ideal for glisses and swoops.

    Source
  • FAST, Duo, and VIP models offer similar sounds to the Compact but differ in pricing, with FAST generally costing less and Duo/VIP models more.

    Source
  • Nord Electro models offer a tactile experience with buttons emulating Farfisa switches, and later versions include optional hardware drawbars for a more authentic feel.

    Source
  • The Mojo's Vox emulation is noted to have 6 drawbar settings, matching the original Italian Vox Continental's sound closely.

    Source

User experience

  • Owners report that vintage Farfisa Compacts can be glitchy but are cherished for their unique analog sound, despite being heavy and delicate.

    Source
  • Owning a Farfisa means embracing its lack of MIDI, requiring an "old school" playing approach.

    Source

Setup and maintenance

  • Real Farfisa organs may require specialized maintenance, often needing a few hundred dollars in repairs.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • The Nord Electro 3, though lacking in real drawbars, is valued for its adequate UI and ability to toggle sounds with buttons, enhancing live performance adaptability.

    Source

4.5 out of 5

Based on 0 Reviews and 5 Ratings

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Artist usage

Add artist
See how Alex Turner uses Farfisa Combo Compact

Alex Turner

Guitarist

Arctic Monkeys

...
Verified via Facebook

Turner can be seen in this photo with a Farfisa Combo Compact organ.

See how John Lennon uses Farfisa Combo Compact

John Lennon

Singer, Guitarist

The Beatles

...
Verified via Photo

John had a red Farfisa Combo Compact organ in his home studio.

See how Richard Wright uses Farfisa Combo Compact

Richard Wright

Singer, Keyboardist

Pink Floyd

...
Verified via Wikipedia

In the early days of the band, Wright dabbled with brass before settling on Farfisa electric organs as his main instrument onstage. He originally owned a single-manual Combo Compact model, which was used for early recordings of "Interstellar Overdrive",[67] and later upgraded to a dual-manual Compact Duo. During the 1960s, Wright relied heavily on his Farfisa fed through a Binson Echorec platter echo, as heard on the Ummagumma live album.[66] On later tours, the instrument was fed through a joystick control allowing the signal to be sent through up to six speakers in an auditorium, which was called the "Azimuth Coordinator".[71] Wright stopped using the Farfisa after The Dark Side of the Moon, but revisited it in later years, playing it on Gilmour's On An Island tour. It was recorded for the sessions that eventually became The Endless River.[72]

Wright's Hammond M-102 organ, used on Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii. Wright played the piano and Hammond organ in the studio from the start of Pink Floyd's recording career; using the Hammond's bass pedals for the closing section of "A Saucerful of Secrets".[73] He used a Mellotron in the studio for some tracks, including Ummagumma's "Sysyphus" and on the "Atom Heart Mother" suite. For a brief period in 1969, Wright played vibraphone on several of the band's songs and in some live shows, and reintroduced the trombone on "Biding My Time".[74] He started using a Hammond organ regularly on stage alongside the Farfisa around 1970[75] and a grand piano became part of his usual live concert setup when "Echoes" was added to Pink Floyd's regular set list. All three keyboards are used in the concert film Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii.[a]

In the 1970s, Wright began using synthesizers such as the VCS 3, ARP String Ensemble and Minimoog, which were featured on "Shine on You Crazy Diamond". Wright wrote the closing part of the track alone, and included a brief extract of the band's early single "See Emily Play" on the Minimoog towards the end.[79] He used a number of electric pianos during the 1970s, including a Wurlitzer fed through a wah-wah pedal on "Money"[80] and an unaccompanied Rhodes introduction for "Sheep" on Animals.[81]

From the 1987 Momentary Lapse of Reason tour onwards, Wright and touring keyboardist Jon Carin favoured Kurzweil digital synthesizers, including the K2000 keyboard and K2000S rack module for reproducing piano and electric piano sounds.[82] Wright retained the Hammond along with a Leslie speaker, playing it onstage and using it during the Division Bell sessions.[83]

See how Brian Wilson uses Farfisa Combo Compact

Brian Wilson

Singer, Bassist

The Beach Boys

...
Verified via Photo

In this photo from 1967, Wilson can be seen playing a Farfisa Combo Compact organ backstage with the Beach Boys in Hawaii.

See how Philip Glass uses Farfisa Combo Compact

Philip Glass

Composer, Music Producer

Polyrock

...
Verified via Paristransatlantic

Philip Glass is seen in the 3rd and 5th photographs on this interview page sitting behind a Farfisa Combo Compact organ (probably the grey version). It seems very likely that the bigger Combo Compact was too troublesome to repair, too expensive to acquire, or too much organ for what the ensemble required and so the smaller Mini Compact was seen more often in live and rehearsal media of the PGE during this time. Philip Glass writes about such topics in his 2015 memoir "Words Without Music."

http://www.paristransatlantic.com/magazine/interviews/landry.html

See how John Linnell uses Farfisa Combo Compact

John Linnell

Singer, Keyboardist

They Might Be Giants

...
Verified via Photo

John Linnell played a red Farfisa Compact in the early days of They Might Be Giants, as well as in his previous band, the Mundanes. It was used on many very early demos and some studio recordings, most notably "Twisting". There are no known usages of this organ by John Linnell beyond 1990, although it's possible it might've seen use on Apollo 18.

See how Sly Stone uses Farfisa Combo Compact

Sly Stone

Guitarist, Keyboardist

Sly & the Family Stone

...
Verified via Photo

Sly Stone can be seen here playing a Farfisa Combo Compact with Sly and The Family Stone. The photo looks to be from the band’s early years, and Sly would later use the Farfisa Professional organ as his primary touring keyboard.

See how Benmont Tench uses Farfisa Combo Compact

Benmont Tench

Keyboardist

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

...
Verified via Photo

Visible in this Instagram post and featured in this one.

See how Kyle Straka uses Farfisa Combo Compact

Kyle Straka

Guitarist, Keyboardist

The Growlers

...
Verified via YouTube

you can see kyle playing it throughout the whole video.

See how Adrian Quesada uses Farfisa Combo Compact

Adrian Quesada

Guitarist, Music Producer

Black Pumas

...
Verified via Photo

In this photo, which got posted on Quesada's Insatagram profile, one of the items that can be seen is the Farfisa Compact Combo.

See how Manuel Göttsching uses Farfisa Combo Compact

Manuel Göttsching

Guitarist, Keyboardist

Ashra

...
Verified via Photo

In this photo on the center, behind him, there's a Farfisa Compact

See how Roger Joseph Manning Jr. uses Farfisa Combo Compact

Roger Joseph Manning Jr.

Keyboardist, Music Producer

Jellyfish

...
Verified via YouTube

In the video titled "Jellyfish's 'Bellybutton' | Inside the Album with Roger Joseph Manning Jr. - Produce Like A Pro," at the 4:29 mark, Roger Joseph Manning Jr. discusses using the Farfisa Combo Compact organ in the song "The Man I Used to Be" from the album Bellybutton. This serves as confirmation of the instrument's use by the artist, as documented by the source, Produce Like A Pro.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Farfisa Combo Compact, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

Wurlitzer 140B
Wurlitzer 140B Vintage & Electric Pianos
2
Yamaha DX7
Yamaha DX7 Synthesizers
1
MXR M169 Carbon Copy
MXR M169 Carbon Copy Delay Effects Pedals
1
Roland XV-5080
Roland XV-5080 Sound Modules
1
Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail
Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Reverb Effects Pedals
1
Korg M1
Korg M1 Synthesizers
1
Roland D-50
Roland D-50 Synthesizers
1

Community setups

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volcarock

volcarock

Gear IQ 4041

G

gilbertfil

Gear IQ 75

1 alternative for Farfisa Combo Compact, curated by the Equipboard community.

Farfisa Compact Deluxe

$895.90

Vintage or Discontinued similar sound

Both the Combo Compact and Compact Deluxe were a part of Farfisa’s Compact line. The organs look and sound nearly identical, however the Compact Deluxe has additional voices such as the 2-2/3' footage with an independent "brilliant" tab. Later models, such as the Combo Deluxe Compact I, also include a rhythm section (drum machine) of brush cymbal and drum.

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