The Moog Taurus Bass Pedals limited edition, announced in December 2008, is a re-release of the company's floor-standing bass synthesizer pedals, built for a limited time only in a run of just 1,000 units1. Moog described it as a "Taurus I" style instrument with one and a half octaves of pedals on the floor, and its sound engine is 100% analog, based entirely on the original Taurus I circuits1. It sits in the bass pedal synthesizer corner of the bass pedal and synth pedal world: you play bass lines with your feet while your hands stay on guitar or keyboard.
The limited run and its pricing
Moog announced the re-release on December 4, 2008, saying that "only 1000 of these new Taurus pedals will be built"1. The ordering offer closed on February 15, 2009, and Moog expected to ship the pedals in the fourth quarter of 20091.
Pricing worked in two tiers:
- List price: $1,9951
- Early orders: the first 250 customers to order received a $300 discount from the $1,995 price, bringing their cost to $1,6951
- Deposit: a $500 deposit was required to order1
Sound engine and presets
The limited edition keeps the original Taurus I approach: an all-analog signal path built on the original Taurus I circuits, played from a pedalboard covering one and a half octaves1. For players who remember the original, Bank 0 holds the original Taurus I presets: Var, Taurus, Tuba and Bass1.
Beyond those, the pedal stores 16 banks of 4 presets, for 48 total programmable bass sounds1.
MIDI and connectivity
Unlike the original Taurus I, the limited edition carries MIDI on both DIN and USB, with merging and routing supported1. That means it can be played from its own pedals or integrated with external keyboards, sequencers and computer setups.
Moog later produced the Moog Taurus 3 and the Moog Minitaur, which continued the Taurus line after this limited run of 1,000 units1.
Questions
Is the Moog Taurus Bass Pedals limited edition analog or digital?
It is fully analog. Moog described the pedal as having a 100% analog sound engine based entirely on the original Taurus I circuits, so the oscillators, filter and envelopes that make the sound are analog hardware rather than digital modeling.
How many Moog Taurus Bass Pedals were made in the limited edition?
Moog announced that only 1,000 of the new Taurus pedals would be built. The re-release was offered for a limited time only, with the ordering offer ending on February 15, 2009, and shipping expected in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Is the limited edition based on the original Taurus I circuits?
Yes. Moog stated the pedal's 100% analog sound engine is based entirely on the original Taurus I circuits, and the pedal follows the Taurus I style with one and a half octaves of pedals on the floor.
Does the Moog Taurus Bass Pedals have MIDI?
Yes. The limited edition Taurus has MIDI over both DIN and USB, with merging and routing supported, which lets it connect to keyboards, sequencers and computers as well as being played from its own pedals.
How many presets does the limited edition Taurus have?
It offers 16 banks of 4 presets, for 48 total programmable bass sounds. Bank 0 contains the original Taurus I presets: Var, Taurus, Tuba and Bass.
Sources (1)
- Moog Re-Releases Taurus Bass Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2008-12-04
