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Vintage synths & drum machines
Vintage Synthesizers
Roland SH-101 monophonic synthesizer in classic grey, seen from the front and above: 32-key keyboard, slider panel with Modulator, VCO, Source Mixer, VCF, VCA and ENV sections, sequencer and arpeggio buttons, Roland SH-101 logo, bender and volume/portamento knobs at the left
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Roland · Analog monosynth · Pre-MIDI classics

Roland SH-101

Roland launched the SH-101 in late 1982 for the keytar crowd. It's built light from high-density plastic, runs on six C batteries, and took an optional MGS-1 set with a modulation grip and a shoulder strap. Grey was the standard finish, with red and blue as limited editions. It lost out to the Yamaha DX7 and ended in 1986, then turned up cheap in pawn shops just as British dance producers needed gear. A Guy Called Gerald used it all over Voodoo Ray, and Aphex Twin, Orbital, the Prodigy and Boards of Canada all owned one. The voice is a single oscillator with saw, pulse, a sub-oscillator and noise mixed on sliders, feeding a resonant low-pass filter and one envelope. A 100-step sequencer, an arpeggiator and CV/gate jacks let it run with other old Roland gear. Colour is a matter of taste, and grey is the easiest to find.

Spec at a glance

Brand
Roland
Type
Analog monosynth
Made
1982–1986
Voices
Monophonic
Keys
32 keys
MIDI
No (pre-MIDI)
eBay asks (Oct 5, 2026)
$1,475–$2,100

What to check before you buy

Battery leakage is the main risk, because the manual has owners keep three C cells in even on AC power to hold the sequencer. Beyond that, expect the noisy pots and sliders that Sound On Sound warns about on instruments this old.

  1. 01Battery bay: Look at the battery compartment in the photos, or ask for a picture. Clean contacts with no green or white crust are what you want.
  2. 02Keys: Ask for a video playing all 32 keys one at a time. Each should trigger cleanly at the same volume.
  3. 03Sliders: Ask the seller to move each slider while a note holds. The sound should change smoothly with no crackle or jumps.
  4. 04Sequencer: Ask for a quick demo of the sequencer and arpeggiator running. Both should play steadily in time.
  5. 05Grip: Check the photos for the MGS-1 grip and strap if you plan to wear it. They were optional extras, so don't assume they're included.
  6. 06Colour: Check the colour in daylight photos if you want red or blue. Those were limited editions, and grey was the standard finish.

Buying guide

Which one to buy

§ Oct 5, 2026

For a 101 to play, we'd take the one in Canada titled tested working with the modulation grip and AC adapter at $1,443 delivered, or pay $1,745 for one from Japan titled serviced and tested. About 34 are for sale, nearly all from Japan, and most ask $1,475–2,100 delivered, with $150–400 of that often going to shipping. Leaking batteries are this synth's main fault, so ask for a photo of clean battery contacts and a video sweeping each slider, and check the rating on any adapter from Japan, since an AC100V one needs a step-down transformer on US mains. Skip the one titled JANK at $1,280, a junk listing asking only $163 less than a tested one.

Listed now
34
For parts
0
Typical ask
$1,475–$2,100
Full range
$1,200–$2,750

Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 5, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.

Snapshot

For sale on eBay

8 of 34 listed

Checked . Some may have sold.

Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 5, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.

Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 5, 2026.

See every listing on eBay ↗eBay search

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