Elka Drummer One for sale in excellent condition and perfect working order. Dating from c1969, this uncommon beatbox is an Italian-made machine used by many seminal Krautrock bands in the late sixties and early seventies - Harmonia, Cluster, Roedelius, Kraftwerk etc - it was badged as Echolette in Germany.

Rarity and pedigree are one thing, but what really floored us is the sound and how playable the unit is. The drums are gloriously woody and cymbals/hats pleasingly analogue; very classy and distinct from those found in more common beatboxes. Add in some tape delay and a touch of spring reverb and you could be in a battered VW camper driving along a monochrome autobahn from Düsseldorf to Forst. As soon as we heard our first Drummer One, we knew it was staying in the studio - see demos below. Happily, we now have a second which is now available for sale.

Programmable drum machines were a long way off in 1969, but the Elka features rotary volume pots that allow swift creation of varied rhythms on the fly simply by dialling in/out the individual drum sounds. Naturally, you can engage more than one rhythm at once by pressing the selector buttons down together, creating more complex polyrhythms.

This unit is exceptionally clean with only the smallest dings and scratches showing on the face and metal frame. It has been serviced and is ready for action. See detailed photos for more info on cosmetic condition.

220v unit.

296 Likes, 9 Comments - Soundgas Limited (@soundgasltd) on Instagram: "Dark & Stormy... Claustrophobic, late night rhythmic experiments. Had to go back to the office to..."