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Description

Step into a world of rich, retro sound with the Farfisa Compact Duo, a classic organ that has captivated musicians for decades. Known for its distinctive timbre, the Compact Duo has been a staple in the music industry since the 1960s, offering a unique blend of rock, jazz, and psychedelic tones. With its dual manual keyboards, this organ provides a versatile playing experience that accommodates both novice players and seasoned professionals. The Farfisa Compact Duo is not just an instrument; it’s a portal to an era where music was all about exploration and innovation.

This organ features a built-in vibrato and reverb, allowing you to craft lush, atmospheric sounds with ease. The tone control sliders provide a straightforward interface to modify your sound on the fly, making it ideal for live performances. Its iconic sound has been embraced by legendary bands and continues to influence modern music production. Whether you're in the studio working on your next hit or performing live, the Farfisa Compact Duo delivers a vintage vibe that resonates with audiences of all ages.

Key Features:

  • Dual manual keyboards for versatile performance
  • Built-in vibrato and reverb effects
  • Classic tone control sliders for easy sound customization
  • Iconic sound known for its use in rock, jazz, and psychedelic music
  • Favored by legendary musicians and bands

Product specs

Brand Farfisa
Model Compact Duo 49-Key Dual Keyboard Organ
Finish Gray with Black-White / Gray-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 49 Keys

FAQs

What are the main sound characteristics of the Farfisa Compact Duo?

The Farfisa Compact Duo is known for its bright, raspy tone, which is ideal for genres like rock and psychedelic music. Its analog circuitry provides a unique sound that stands out from other combo organs.

How many keys does the Farfisa Compact Duo have?

The Farfisa Compact Duo features dual 49-key manuals, offering a wide range of notes for versatile playing.

Is the Farfisa Compact Duo suitable for live performances?

Yes, the Farfisa Compact Duo is popular for live performances due to its distinctive sound and portability, despite its weight of 90 pounds.

What type of keyboard action does the Farfisa Compact Duo have?

The Farfisa Compact Duo has a synth action, providing a smooth and responsive feel suitable for fast playing styles.

How does the Farfisa Compact Duo compare to the Vox Continental?

While the Vox Continental offers a Hammond-like sine wave sound, the Farfisa Compact Duo is known for its aggressive, raspy tones, making it a favorite for rock and psychedelic music.

nickhirst999

nickhirst999

A Saucerful Of Secrets - Pink Floyd - Richard Wright - Farfisa Compact Duo Organ Part

Video thumbnail for A Saucerful Of Secrets - Pink Floyd - Richard Wright - Farfisa Compact Duo  Organ Part by nickhirst999

A Saucerful Of Secrets - Pink Floyd - Richard Wright - Farfisa Compact Duo Organ Part

nickhirst999

nickhirst999

Video thumbnail for Farfisa Compact Duo with Echorec : That 60's Pink Floyd Sound. by Tim Oliver

Farfisa Compact Duo with Echorec : That 60's Pink Floyd Sound.

Tim Oliver

Tim Oliver

Video thumbnail for Pink Floyd - Echoes Farfisa Compact Duo Ascension Solo Part by A//N

Pink Floyd - Echoes Farfisa Compact Duo Ascension Solo Part

A//N

A//N

Video thumbnail for Farfisa Compact Duo Improv by Tim Oliver

Farfisa Compact Duo Improv

Tim Oliver

Tim Oliver

Video thumbnail for Pink Floyd - Cymbaline solo Farfisa Compact Duo by Simone Temporali Channel

Pink Floyd - Cymbaline solo Farfisa Compact Duo

Simone Temporali Channel

Simone Temporali Channel

Video thumbnail for PINK FLOYD Pompeii Sound - FARFISA compact duo / BINSON Echorec 2 by Fred Hervieu

PINK FLOYD Pompeii Sound - FARFISA compact duo / BINSON Echorec 2

Fred Hervieu

Fred Hervieu

Video thumbnail for Farfisa Compact Duo test[organ69] by organ69

Farfisa Compact Duo test[organ69]

organ69

organ69

Video thumbnail for The Pink Floyd Sound - Farfisa Compact Duo maintanance by pinkfloydtribute

The Pink Floyd Sound - Farfisa Compact Duo maintanance

pinkfloydtribute

pinkfloydtribute

Reviews

Owner Insights

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

Setup and maintenance

  • Oscillator and divider circuit issues are common; could involve bad transistors, resistors, or capacitors due to age.

    Source
  • NYC location increases chances of finding repair services for divider circuit issues.

    Source

Features and functionality

  • Organ uses 12 or 13 tunable oscillators for the top octave, with divide-by-2 circuits for lower octaves.

    Source

Other

  • Organforum.com is a recommended resource for repair advice, with sections dedicated to combo organs and repairs.

    Source

5.0 out of 5

Based on 0 Reviews and 4 Ratings

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Artist usage

Add artist
See how Brian Eno uses Farfisa Compact Duo

Brian Eno

Singer, Keyboardist

Roxy Music

...
Verified via Erasingclouds

In this transcript of an interview from Electronic Soundmaker & Computer Music in October 1984 by Chris Everard, Eno reveals that he didn't at the time own many instruments. One, however, was "an old, old Farfisa organ - it used to belong to Pink Floyd."

More detail is provided in this interview with John Kavanaugh who purchased the instrument from Eno. He provides much more detail about its history, including the name of the model:

"Earlier on John told me about his fondness for vintage gear and old mics, but the best piece in his collection is a Farfisa Compact Duo organ which was once owned by the Pink Floyd. 'It came to me when it was being sold on the Internet by Brian Eno,' John explains. 'Brian Eno got it from a guy called Bill Kelsey who's now sadly dead, but his son Marlon still works for Eno. Bill was the Pink Floyd's sort of gadget boffin and he would make up bits of effects and bits of stuff for their live sets in the late '60s and early '70s. When he went to work for Eno, he took the organ with him. I've actually got a film of it with the Pink Floyd in the Syd-era, I've also got a couple of photos of it on stage. Most Farfisa organs were pale grey with a black band around the middle, but this one is charcoal grey, it's a sort of early model of the organ and it's quite distinctive for that reason. Eno used it on two of his albums, on tracks on "Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy" and "Another Green World". The organ comes with a certificate from Eno which says where it came from and now it has been restored and it works... The interesting thing is that the guy who fixed it found a plectrum inside. Syd wasn't much of a plectrum guy and Eno doesn't strike me as much of a plectrum guy. I can only assume that it may have come from David Gilmour. I also found on the front panel of the organ, on the little metal panel at the side of the lower manual, "accord to progression" written in pencil marks. I played that progression on another organ and thought it was "Saucerful of Secrets," the title for the second Pink Floyd album, but it was actually the prototype version of "The Massed Gadgets Of Hercules" and this was the organ part for the end of it which must have been penciled down there by Rick Wright when they were rehearsing the track in the first place. I remember I was home because I had lost my voice and wasn't feeling very well when I discovered this, but I felt like phoning everybody to tell them what I had found!'"

See how Syd Barrett uses Farfisa Compact Duo

Syd Barrett

Singer, Guitarist

Pink Floyd

...
Verified via Photo

Barrett can be seen in this photo playing a Farfisa Compact Duo.

See how Richard Wright uses Farfisa Compact Duo

Richard Wright

Singer, Keyboardist

Pink Floyd

...
Verified via Photo

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

See how Ray Manzarek uses Farfisa Compact Duo

Ray Manzarek

Singer, Keyboardist

The Doors

...
Verified via Photo

Ray Manzarek played a Farfisa Compact Duo at the Fantasy Faire rock festival in Los Angeles on July 15, 1967. At this time, he was still using a Vox Continental as his primary organ (he would later switch to a Gibson G-101 around Sept/Oct 1967). It’s likely that Ray only used this Farfisa for one show. Manzarek has stated that Vox’s quality went downhill around this time, so it’s possible he borrowed this organ from another band after his Continental experienced difficulties.

See how Tim Gane uses Farfisa Compact Duo

Tim Gane

Guitarist, Bassist

Stereolab

...
Verified via Koly

This is a full list of Stereolab's live and studio equipment, circa. 2004.

See how Philip Glass uses Farfisa Compact Duo

Philip Glass

Composer, Music Producer

Polyrock

...
Verified via Muzines

From a December 1983 in Electronics & Music Maker interview with Philip Glass:

Glass' first recorded work, Music In Similar Motion, was released in 1969 on his own Chatham Square label, and bears a strong resemblance to Terry Riley's A Rainbow In Curved Air, while the music's sheer minimalism has hints of John Cage or Stockhausen. Until recently, Glass' ensemble began every concert with an excerpt from Music In Similar Motion, and it's a work that's still dear to him as a composer.

'It's got a few nice little compositional tricks in it. For instance there's a bit near the end where it adds and subtracts in the same figure, and that makes the piece interesting arithmetically. Of course, that isn't all there is to it because it's also got a tremendous emotional impact, because it's so repetitive, so monotonous. The reason we always played it first was that people either loved it or hated it. Quite a few people used to walk out after the first twenty minutes. It was a way of finding out which members of the audience were really interested in my music.

'The instrumentation we had in '69 was very basic. Most of the LP was recorded on an old Farfisa organ, a dual-manual one. I got quite attached to it, but eventually I think it just fell apart. Fortunately I succeeded in finding a similar sort of sound on the Prophet 5 a couple of years back, so I've stored that in memory which means I've got access to that organ sound at any time.'

See how Geoff Downes uses Farfisa Compact Duo

Geoff Downes

Keyboardist

Yes

...
Verified via Muzines

"But I soon graduated to a Farfisa Compact Duo and then eventually bought my first Hammond when I was 16, a J122."

See how David A. Stewart uses Farfisa Compact Duo

David A. Stewart

Singer, Guitarist

Eurythmics

...
Verified via Hughes Estate Sales

A Farfisa Compact Duo is among the items auctioned from David Stewart's studio.

See how Al Kooper uses Farfisa Compact Duo

Al Kooper

Guitarist, Keyboardist

Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper & Stephen Stills

...
Verified via Photo

Al Kooper can be seen here with a Farfisa Compact Duo at the San Francisco State College Folk Festival in April 1966. Additional photos here, here, and here.

See how Mark Kapner uses Farfisa Compact Duo

Mark Kapner

Keyboardist

Country Joe and the Fish

...
Verified via YouTube

In this video, Kapner can be seen playing a Farfisa Compact Duo at Woodstock.

See how Tonny Koeswoyo uses Farfisa Compact Duo

Tonny Koeswoyo

Guitarist, Keyboardist

Koes Plus

...
Verified via Gstatic

In the image, Tonny Koeswoyo is seen with a Farfisa Compact Duo keyboard positioned behind him, indicating it as one of his primary instruments.

See how David Bennett Cohen uses Farfisa Compact Duo

David Bennett Cohen

Keyboardist

Country Joe and the Fish

...
Verified via Photo

David Cohen played a Farfisa Compact Duo with Country Joe & the Fish at the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967.

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

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

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1

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