Roland Alpha Juno-1 Synthesizer

Description

I’ve had this Alpha Juno-1 for a few years now and it’s been a solid workhorse in my setup. The LCD screen still lights up properly — a big plus since so many of these have died out over time. I’ve used it loads for making basslines, especially that classic Hoover sound you hear in rave and techno tracks. It’s got that gritty, punchy vibe that works great for acid bass, noise effects, and even some hard house or gabber.

The Alpha Dial lets you dive into all the parameters — DCOs, LFO, filters, envelopes, chorus, and more — and the PG-300 programmer gives you actual sliders for quick tweaking, which is way easier than fiddling with the knobs. I’ve also got the iPG-80 or iPad app set up, so I can edit presets on my phone when I’m on the go.

It has 64 presets and 64 user patches, plus chord memory, portamento, and keyboard transposing — super handy for live sets or just messing around with different sounds. The MIDI implementation is actually better than older Roland synths, which makes it easier to connect to other gear.

I’ve played with it through a few different genres — from trance to hardcore techno — and it’s one of those synths that just clicks when you start playing. It’s not flashy, but it does what it needs to do.

It’s in good condition, mostly used, and I’m moving to Farnborough, Rushmoor, so I’m passing it on. I’ve kept it well maintained, and it’s still playing like new. Price is £405 if you’re interested — just let me know if you’d like to chat.