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Section 0

Price History

By Chris Ryan [21030691] <chris@rhodeschroma.com>

How much is a Chroma worth? This page lists known sale prices for the Chroma, Expander, Polaris, and other items. I have recently begun to track these more carefully; pre-2009, the record is incomplete. But this listing should still give a good idea to prospective buyers and sellers of what the instruments are and have been fetching. For information on condition and which accessories came with the units, see the corresponding registry entries (linked from the serial numbers).

- indicates some problems with the instrument at time of sale
- indicates an instrument not working at time of sale

A summary of condition are displayed if you hover over the icons for a given instrument; for more information see the referenced thread and/or instrument registry entry.

Please send me information on your instrument in order to increase the utility of this list.

Chroma

Source/Reference Serial # Date Price
Chroma 21030079 for Sale on eBay 21030079  2010.07 USD $999.99
Chroma on eBay 21030192  2010.04 USD $4,000.00
Chroma on eBay Germany 21010293  2010.03 €2.031,00
Dan Jenkins, former owner 21030639  2009.11 USD $900.00
eBay item #170398356286 21030455  2009.10 USD $1,350.00
Three Chromas (and a Polaris) on eBay 21030547 2009.10 USD $3,050.00
Three Chromas (and a Polaris) on eBay
(Sold with Polaris 302552)
21030857  2009.10 USD $1,757.00
Three Chromas (and a Polaris) on eBay unknown  2009.10 USD $1,626.00
Chroma on eBay Canada unknown 2009.08 USD $2,052.77
My Chroma is on the auction block! 21030869  2009.08 USD $1,324.00
Scott, seller unknown  2009.08 USD $250.00
Doug Meier, owner 21030306  2009.08 USD $29.00
Carey Bonn, owner 21030209  2009.05 USD $900.00
german ebay chroma 21030831 2009.05 €2.098,00
chroma on german ebay unknown 2009.04 €3.727,00
Chroma 21030384 on eBay 21030384 2009.03 USD $2,999.00
Chroma on eBay 21030257 2009.02 USD $1,555.00
Chroma 21030454 on eBay 21030454 2009.02 USD $1,526.00
Frank Rex, brother of late owner, Thilo Rex 21010195  2009 €950,00
chroma on german ebay 21010276  2008.12 €1.420,00
Chroma For Sale on eBay 21030321 2008.07 USD $3,799.00
Chroma and Syntech Interface on eBay 21030907 2008.01 USD $2,299.00
Jim Josevski, owner 21030907 2008 USD $2,300.00
Stefan Kraft, former owner unknown  2008 €1.200,00
chroma on Ebay 21030798 2007.11 USD $2,300.00
Sean Vindahl, owner 21010078  2007.09 ≈€1.333,00
David Chaulk, former owner 21030789 2007.06 USD $2,000.00
Bob Brenenstuhl, owner 21030894 2007.05 USD $1,500.00
Chroma BIN over $3000 U.S. !!! 21030095 2006.12 £1,550.00
Chroma here and gone in a heartbeat on the Bay 21030264 2006.12 USD $499.00
Tom Hughes, owner 21030251  2006.09 USD ≈$250.00
Andrew Dalebrook, owner 21010180 2006.06 NZD $1,900.00
Chroma 21030798 For Sale on eBay 21010104 2006.04 £750.00
Sebastiaan Barends, owner 21030917  2006.03 €1000,00
Chroma Inflation 21030668 2005.10 USD $3,450.00
Thomas Story, owner 21030352 2005.10 USD $500.00
Chroma sells on Ebay for $595 21030674  2005.06 USD $595.00
Chroma on eBay Australia for Third Time 21040006 2005.05 AUD $2,035.10
George Sarant, owner 21030818 2005.01 USD $1,500.00
Doug Terrebonne, former owner (sold) 21030401 2005 USD $700.00
Jesper Ödemark, owner 21010135 2004.07 €900,00
Mal Meehan, former owner 21030075 2004.04 £400.00
Paul Tillotson, owner 21030218 2002.06 USD $1,350.00
David Clarke, owner 21030085  2002.03 USD $295.00
Doug Terrebonne, former owner (bought) 21030401  2002 USD $400.00
Matt Thomas, owner 21010021 2001 £800.00
David Hobson, owner 21030506 2000.06 USD $70.00
Michael Salmon, owner 21030155 1990s? USD $400.00
David Morley, former owner 21030210 1990s? £500.00
Murray Macdonald, owner 21030715 1996 CAD $400.00
Lars Thunström, owner 21030937 1995-96 kr 100,00
David Clarke, owner 21010259  1993? USD ≈$450.00
Jack Colburne, owner 21030142 1992? USD $119.95
Chris Borman, owner 21030194 1990 USD $600.00
Rüdiger Lorenz, former owner 21010288 1990 DM 1,000.00
Chris Borman, owner 21030869 1980s USD ≈$1,400.00
Rudie Vissenberg, former owner 21010254 1985.07 NAƒ7.000.00
Luca Sasdelli, owner 21010226  1987? €180,00
Paul Hackett-Evans, owner 21010094 1985 £1,000.00
Gabriel Katona, owner unknown 1984 USD $3,500.00
Christian, owner 21010129  1984.05.11 DM 9,700.00
John O. Senior, owner 21030640 1983 USD $3,350.00
Tom Klepacki, owner 21030025 1983? USD $3,750.00
Christian, former owner 21010130  1983.06.27 DM 10,000.00
Mechthild Raring, owner 21010148 1983.03.11 DM 12,850.00
Jimmy Moyer, owner 21030184 1982.09 USD $3,811.00

Original List Price

US (source: Vintage Synthesizers, Keyfax) 1982 USD $5,295.00
UK (source: E&MM, Music UK, Keyfax) 1982 £3,800.00
Canada (source: price list, not yet on site) 1982 CAD $7,500.00
Australia (source: Sonics) 1982 AUD $7,650.00

Expander

Source/Reference Serial # Date Price
Expander on eBay Australia 16310021 2010.04 AUD $9,150.00
Tom Hughes, owner 16330108  2009.04 USD $1,200.00
David Clarke, owner 16330012  2002.02 USD $440.00
Rising Chroma prices unknown 2001.10 USD $2,711.00
David Clarke, owner 16330034  2000.07 USD $900.00
John Leimseider, owner 16330129  1980s USD $700.00
John O. Senior, owner 16330146 1985 USD $750.00

Original List Price

UK (source: A-Z of Analogue) 1982 ≈£2,000.00
Canada (source: price list, not yet on site) 1982 CAD $4,700.00

Polaris

Source/Reference Serial # Date Price
eBay item #230505783160 unknown 2010.08 USD $620.00
eBay item #110553229594 302523 2010.07 USD $899.00
eBay item #170514589367 unknown 2010.07 USD $599.00
eBay item #140411472409 301102  2010.06 £641.00
eBay item #220595802464 unknown 2010.05 USD $345.00
eBay item #290429027394 unknown  2010.04 USD $450.00
eBay item #290427379792 unknown 2010.04 USD $799.00
eBay item #190380366279 unknown 2010.03 USD $461.00
eBay item #250590468650 unknown  2010.03 USD $374.89
eBay item #150407546655 (Polaris II) unknown  2010.03 USD $465.00
eBay item #110501258880 unknown  2010.03 £$700.00
eBay item #270537729147 301269 2010.02 USD $800.00
eBay item #290393178791 301039 2010.01 USD $1,095.00
eBay item #140363808186 unknown 2009.12 USD $799.00
eBay item #330371425255 300894 2009.11 USD $713.00
eBay item #290359165325 301511 2009.10 USD $611.00
Woody Pistrich, owner 301678  2009.10 USD $300.00
Three Chromas (and a Polaris) on eBay
(Sold with Chroma 21030857)
302552  2009.10 USD $1,757.00
eBay item #330360988759 300233  2009.09 USD $838.68
eBay item #320421702788 500435  2009.09 USD $392.00
eBay item #170373585729 301039  2009.08 USD $269.00
Edward Chen, owner 302651 2009.08 USD $821.00
eBay item #300337990465 301486 2009.08 USD $455.00
eBay item #290338555590 unknown 2009.08 USD $499.00
Woody Pistrich, owner 300561  2009.07 USD $381.00
eBay item #200354548468 unknown  2009.06 USD $229.50
eBay item #290315785565 unknown 2009.05 USD $749.00
Edward Chen, seller 300309 2008.09 USD $898.00
Edward Chen, seller 300125 2008.03 USD $1150.00
Peter Forrest, seller 301936 2006.11 £475.00
Woody Pistrich, owner 301417  2006.06 USD $350.00
Edoardo Gennaro, owner 302459 2006.03 USD $898.00
eBay item #7381060435 500530 2006.01 USD $232.50
Doug Terrebonne, former owner (sold) 500580 2006 USD $325.00
Ben Kuris, owner 500351 2005.09 USD $130.00
Doug Terrebonne, former owner (sold) 301731 2004 USD $300.00
Ben Kuris, owner 301805 2004 USD $700.00
Ben Kuris, owner 301383 2003 USD $425.00
Doug Terrebonne, former owner (bought) 500580 2000 USD $270.00
David Clarke, owner 301590 1999 USD $140.00
Doug Terrebonne, former owner (bought) 301731 1998 USD $165.00
Steve Burke, owner 301860 1989? CAD $500.00
Dan Imeson, owner 301301 1987 USD $2,800.00
Val Osborne, owner 300441 1985 USD ≈$1,200.00
Diane Elizabeth Jones, owner 300761 1985 USD $2,000.00
Dave Blees, owner 301474 1985 USD $700.00
David Hartt, owner 301832 1984 CAD ≈$2,000.00

Original List Price

US (source: Vintage Synthesizers) 1984 USD $1,495.00

Additional Information

Woody Pistrich [300561+] writes that he's tracked Polaris sale prices since about June 2006. Prices he's recorded for working keyboards (sorted by price): USD$1111, $820, $763, $760, $760, $750, $749, $700, $699, $695, $650, $643, $622 ("near mint," June 2009), $600, $588, $570, $553, $500. Broken or not fully working (usually a result of problems with the membrane switches): USD$463, $293, $372, $230 (June 2009, one totally nonfunctional voice, some other noise problems, working switches, no slider caps), $421 (July 2009, 4 dead keys with working switches).

Other Items

Item Source/Reference Date Price
JLCooper ChromaFace JLCooper ChromaFace on eBay 2010.08 £99.00
Voice Board Voice Card on eBay 2010.07 USD $125.00
Dual Footswitch Dual Footswitch on eBay 2010.02 USD $202.50
Single Footswitch Foot Pedal on eBay 2010.01 USD $22.99
Brochure eBay item #280442343827 2010.01 €7,15
Single Footswitch Footswitch on eBay 2009.11 USD $22.22
Rev. 14 Software set w/Kybd Scan IC EPROMs on eBay 2009.11 USD $33.33
Pitch Bend Assembly eBay item #300360028951 2009.10 USD $40.00
Polaris Service & Owner's Manuals (original) eBay item #320432392393 2009.10 USD $41.00
Voice Board  Voice Board and EQ Board on eBay 2009.09 USD $83.00
EQ Board  Voice Board and EQ Board on eBay 2009.09 USD $35.00
Voice Board  Dual Voice Board on eBay 2009.08 USD $128.75
Voice Board Two Voice Boards on eBay 2009.06 USD $150.00
Voice Board Two Voice Boards on eBay 2009.06 USD $150.00
Brochure eBay item #230339559161 2009.05 £5.51
International Musician Review (original) eBay item #230333991082 2009.04 £3.00
Flight Case Flight Case on eBay Germany 2009.03 €20,00
Footswitch Footswitch on eBay 2009.03 USD $14.51
Voice Board Voice Board on eBay 2009.02 USD $71.52
Footswitches (3) Three Footswitches on eBay 2009.02 USD $69.00
Expander Shell Chroma Expander case for sale 2009.01 USD $200.00
JLCooper ChromaFace eBay item #330292703485 2008.12 USD $46.56
Flight Case New to list, looking for Chroma Case 2005.09 USD $149.00
Channel Motherboard Channel Motherboard on eBay 2003.12 USD $39.00
Syntech MIDI Interface The auction for the Syntech Midi Interface 2003.11 USD $223.50
Dual Pedal Chroma Footswitch on eBay 1999.11 USD $20.50