Mellotron MkII

5.0 (5)

This product is Vintage or Discontinued

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Page last updated May 18, 2026

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£199.00

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Description

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The Mellotron MK II was the second version of the Mellotron, an iconic analog sampling instrument immortalized in The Beatles hit "Strawberry Fields Forever." As with the first model, pressing a key on the MKII keyboard triggered playback of a sound sample on a reel of magnetic tape, which might be strings, brass or flute, among others; however, the Mark II was more portable and used extensively in live contexts, allowing bands to employ a single person to produce a multitude of different sounds. The Mellotron’s popularity decreased significantly throughout the 1980s, with the rise of digital samplers that were smaller and more reliable, but it continues to hold favour with artists interested in recreating the specific sound aesthetic of the 1960s and '70s.

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Mellotron MKII - Nights in white satin

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Mellotron MkII - Space Oddity

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Mellotron MkII Watcher of the Skies

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Brian Kehew and The Mellotron MKII...

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Mellotron MkII insides

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Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Mellotron MkII.

Setup and maintenance

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Mellotrons often require extensive tuning and calibration, with live performance being particularly challenging due to their unreliability.
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Features and functionality

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The Mellotron MkII's original design includes two keyboards, with the left for rhythm tapes and the right for lead parts, allowing for a full performance using just two fingers.
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Arturia Mellotron V allows loading up to 8 custom samples per tape group, but some users criticize the limited number of samples per set compared to the Mellotron's original 35 keys.
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User experience

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The Mellotron's tape mechanism limits note duration to about 8 seconds and requires rewinding time, making fast playing difficult.
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Owners of the UVI Mello find it easy to use and reliable for classic Mellotron sounds, although they note its limitations in sound variety for more advanced tweaking.
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Comparisons

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The Mellotron MkII used by Genesis, sourced from King Crimson, is noted for its distinctive sound quality compared to the thinner-sounding Mellotron 400.
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Arturia Mellotron V is praised for its immediate and evocative sound, surpassing M-Tron Pro in ease of sculpting and out-of-the-box sound quality.
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Use cases and applications

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Despite its limitations, the Mellotron is appreciated for creating orchestral impressions and atmospheric tones, fitting well with moody, sombre music like that of King Crimson and Genesis.
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GForce M-Tron Pro offers tape reverse and modulation wheel mapping for brake effects, allowing psychedelic sound manipulations similar to real Mellotronic tape warble.
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Software and compatibility

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The Logic Pro X Vintage Mellotron has a "speed control" script that alters sample timbre while maintaining pitch, offering a unique tonal variation not adjustable in other VSTs.
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