# I'm [NOT] selling a desk.



## chillbot (Jan 18, 2018)

I'm a paid advertiser, and I'm selling this desk. It currently comes packaged with a six-pack of pop-up popcorn.*

https://vi-control.net/community/threads/fs-argosy-studio-desk-los-angeles.68284/

I might get in trouble for this post but since Mike Greene so lovingly removed classified ads from the recent post ticker it has come to this. Remember... tier one paid advertiser!

(Also we should put classifieds back in the ticker.)

*EDIT: I couldn't find the pop-up popcorn at the store so it's just regular non-pop-up popcorn. Sorry.


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## leon chevalier (Jan 18, 2018)

chillbot said:


> I'm a paid advertiser, and I'm selling this desk. It currently comes packaged with a six-pack of pop-up popcorn.
> 
> https://vi-control.net/community/threads/fs-argosy-studio-desk-los-angeles.68284/
> 
> ...


Free bump !!!


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## chillbot (Jan 18, 2018)

Here is a picture of the desk I am selling.


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## tmhuud (Jan 18, 2018)

Extra butter? And GLWS.


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## wst3 (Jan 18, 2018)

Subtle Chill!


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## chillbot (Jan 18, 2018)

wst3 said:


> Subtle Chill!



Do you think I should change the thread title to "AVAILABLE NOW THE MOST INSANE AND LIFE-CHANGING PRODUCT YOU WON'T BELIEVE YOUR EYES!!" or no.


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## JJP (Jan 18, 2018)

chillbot said:


> Do you think I should change the thread title to "AVAILABLE NOW THE MOST INSANE AND LIFE-CHANGING PRODUCT YOU WON'T BELIEVE YOUR EYES!!" or no.



"Something you can't live without" or "You won't believe what I'm offering!" would be better clickbait.


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## wst3 (Jan 18, 2018)

As a matter of a fact I think you should! Click bait is good


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## JJP (Jan 18, 2018)

How about

"He didn't know why the musicians were all staring at his desk."

"Chillbot got a desk. You won't believe what happens next."

"He wanted a place to put his gear, but he never expected this."

"I sat here for years. Now it will be gone forever."


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## chillbot (Jan 18, 2018)

"Only 3% of you will be able to see this desk"

"20 crazy things to do with a desk. #18 is INSANE!"

"Only people with an IQ over 160 will be able to figure out this desk"

"This one simple trick will change the way you look at desks forever!"

I should probably stop bumping this thread now before I get accused of being a shill.

[NOTE: I have received free products from chillbot.]


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## Craig Sharmat (Jan 18, 2018)

Hi


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## chillbot (Jan 18, 2018)

Craig Sharmat said:


> Hi


Hi there Mr. Moderator. Just so's you know, I have total impunity... you can't touch me! I pay to advertise on this site!

(Though feel free to move this thread anywhere you'd like. I'm fairly certain no one on VI-C is buying my desk from me.)


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## thesteelydane (Jan 18, 2018)

chillbot said:


> I'm fairly certain no one on VI-C is buying my desk from me



I would, if I lived in LA. But (as you know) I don't.


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## Ashermusic (Jan 18, 2018)

chillbot said:


> "Only 3% of you will be able to see this desk"
> 
> "20 crazy things to do with a desk. #18 is INSANE!"
> 
> ...




Funniest thing I have read in a long time, Matt.


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## Sid Francis (Jan 18, 2018)

I can´t afford it but my wallet is iching... Does it have TRUE ADAPTIVE LEGATO?

(so that I can roll in my chair from one side of the desk to the other in different tempos?)


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## NoamL (Jan 18, 2018)

*Desks have increased in popularity in recent years after famous Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer revealed he used one during the process of composing the scores of INCEPTION (2010) and INTERSTELLAR (2014). Now Sitfire Carpentry is proud to bring you the next generation in desk technology, lovingly recorded into a custom bitmap by our finest MS Paint engineers. This desk has been carefully curated with the optimum balance of wood, paint and the rolly bit underneath that constantly bangs into your knees. Now for the first time ever, an inspiring and deeply comprehensive desk experience can truly be at your fingertips.*


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## Ashermusic (Jan 18, 2018)

NoamL said:


> *Desks have increased in popularity in recent years after famous Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer revealed he used one during the process of composing the scores of INCEPTION (2010) and INTERSTELLAR (2014). Now Sitfire Carpentry is proud to bring you the next generation in desk technology, lovingly recorded into a custom bitmap by our finest MS Paint engineers. This desk has been carefully curated with the optimum balance of wood, paint and the rolly bit underneath that constantly bangs into your knees.*




Another gem!


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## JJP (Jan 18, 2018)

NoamL said:


> lovingly recorded into a custom bitmap by our finest MS Paint engineers



Except In Chillbot's case, he doesn't really own MS Paint. He just has colored markers and a cheap scanner.


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## AlexanderSchiborr (Jan 18, 2018)

But let me tell you: You guys need that desk because it lets you write professional music. And the fancier the desk is the better your music will be. I guarentee that.


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## PeterN (Jan 18, 2018)

AlexanderSchiborr said:


> But let me tell you: You guys need that desk because it lets you write professional music. And the fancier the desk is the better your music will be. I guarentee that.



Its like in Hermann Hesses, Narcissus and Goldmund. To find the hidden melodies, u need to break free from that desk. To go and sail the storms of destiny. U can see many composers and poets struggling to find something, and they wont. Bcs of the desk.


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## Anders Bru (Jan 19, 2018)

This desk is a gamechanger.


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## Saxer (Jan 19, 2018)

Only three desks left! Hurry!


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Jan 19, 2018)

Mhhh... Do I WANT one, or do I NEED one ?


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## N.Caffrey (Jan 19, 2018)

Sorry Chillbot, I bought a cheap desk instead because I realised it doesn't matter


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## chillbot (Jan 19, 2018)

N.Caffrey said:


> Sorry Chillbot, I bought a cheap desk instead because I realised it doesn't matter


God. Dammit.


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## chillbot (Jan 19, 2018)

thesteelydane said:


> I would, if I lived in LA. But (as you know) I don't.


You could move?

This desk is worth moving for.


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## chillbot (Jan 19, 2018)

thesteelydane said:


> I would, if I lived in LA. But (as you know) I don't.


Wait, where are you, Denmark? (Random guess).

OK we can ship. Fedex can do for $16,000 unless you want it there quicker? Let me know.






EDIT: Not sure why those are aussie dollars... it would be only roughly $13,000 USD. Let me know if you want me to start boxing it up.


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## thesteelydane (Jan 19, 2018)

chillbot said:


> You could move?
> 
> This desk is worth moving for.



If you get rid of Trump


chillbot said:


> Wait, where are you, Denmark? (Random guess).
> 
> OK we can ship. Fedex can do for $16,000 unless you want it there quicker? Let me know.
> 
> ...


Haha....Denmark yes, but probably moving back to Vietnam soon, so lugging a desk around the world is a little impractical right now. Especially as I can get one made in Hanoi to my specifications for less than 200 bucks.

But of course, only 13,000 in shipping is cheap, right?


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## resound (Jan 19, 2018)

How many round robins?


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## joed (Jan 19, 2018)

is the desk compatible with N ?


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## chillbot (Jan 19, 2018)

I have just ordered this nice little round robin from amazon and I am going to include it free with desk purchase. Free round robin and popcorn with desk. $1,100. Will post pics of round robin with desk when it arrives.


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## tmhuud (Jan 19, 2018)

I'm going to bump this because thats a very nice desk at an incredible price. 

(and because of the Round Robin it comes with)


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## chillbot (Jan 19, 2018)

tmhuud said:


> (and because of the Round Robin it comes with)


You will note that one feature of the round robin is "perfect for cuddling".


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## synthpunk (Jan 19, 2018)

awwww, you finally found a toy for your setup!


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## patrick76 (Jan 19, 2018)

This thread is epic even without the use of ostinatos.


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## synthpunk (Jan 19, 2018)

Epic Desk...... lol

Your going to forfeit your Mike Greene NAMM brownie pretty soon


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## resound (Jan 19, 2018)

I sometimes wish I could cuddle up on the couch with my Spitfire libraries.


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## Mike Fox (Jan 19, 2018)

joed said:


> is the desk compatible with N ?


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## Mike Fox (Jan 19, 2018)

chillbot said:


> I have just ordered this nice little round robin from amazon and I am going to include it free with desk purchase. Free round robin and popcorn with desk. $1,100. Will post pics of round robin with desk when it arrives.


Because you're throwing in the robin and popcorn, I think this thread should be moved to DEALS, DEALS, DEALS!


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## PerryD (Jan 20, 2018)

I ordered these desk plans from eBay. I think it's a pirate copy. :( Very disappointed by the lack of popcorn utility platforms as well.


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## chillbot (Jan 20, 2018)

Desk is gone. Donated to local high school.

Round Robin still for sale.

Popcorn is likely getting eaten by my kids.

EDIT: I've changed my mind... I'm keeping the Round Robin and gifting it to @Jdiggity1 if he ever comes to the US.

Still for sale: awesome wireless headphones that are super awesome.

https://vi-control.net/community/threads/fs-sony-mdrrf985rk-wireless-headphones-25-shipping.68382/


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## Craig Sharmat (Jan 20, 2018)

Hi


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## heisenberg (Jan 20, 2018)

Craig Sharmat said:


> Hi



I have entered a parallel universe and I like it.


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## chillbot (Jan 21, 2018)

Round robin has arrived and is not for sale. Nor is popcorn. You guys really missed out on this.






Nor is white wine in glass, that's my wine.


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## kurtvanzo (Jan 22, 2018)

Wait, did someone say there is a desk [NOT] for Sale?!?! I don't know why but now I so want it! What's the number of the school? I'll donate 10 popcorn bags.... no, 100!


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## heisenberg (Jan 22, 2018)

A sadly missed opportunity. There is even room for several bowls of crunchy snacks on this desk! Did you give that sweet controller to the school as well?!

Chilli, what's with the tumbler you are using for a wine glass? Must have been a rough week selling all of your worldly goods and sourcing out the round robins & popcorn.


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## chillbot (Jan 22, 2018)

heisenberg said:


> Chilli, what's with the tumbler you are using for a wine glass? Must have been a rough week selling all of your worldly goods and sourcing out the round robins & popcorn.


When we had kids we switched from wine glasses to tumblers due to the "knockover" factor. Now that the kids are 7 & 10 I guess it's less of a factor but the habit has stuck.

Still, when getting hamboned around thousands of dollars worth of gear it's nice to have a low-profile glass just in case....


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## heisenberg (Jan 22, 2018)

Fair enough, fair enough. Practical as well. Less trips to the fridge.


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## Casiquire (Jan 22, 2018)

I just wish I had seen this sooner. I just feel like whoever has the desk now isn't truly appreciating it :(


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## rene p (Jan 23, 2018)

No popcorn left?


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## Karma (Jan 23, 2018)

Can I bid for the Robin please? Jdiggity doesn't want it.


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## chillbot (Jan 23, 2018)

Karma said:


> Can I bid for the Robin please? Jdiggity doesn't want it.


Did you even ask him??


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## Karma (Jan 23, 2018)

chillbot said:


> Did you even ask him??


No but he doesn't want it


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## PaulieDC (Jan 23, 2018)

chillbot said:


> Round robin has arrived and is not for sale. Nor is popcorn. You guys really missed out on this.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I want the cat coaster! How much???


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## Cory Pelizzari (Jan 23, 2018)

Only one round robin? That's so 90's.


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## synthpunk (Jan 23, 2018)

17 RR is the new 1. 



Cory Pelizzari said:


> Only one round robin? That's so 90's.


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## shapednoise (Jan 23, 2018)

chillbot said:


> Desk is gone. Donated to local high school.
> 
> Round Robin still for sale.
> 
> ...



@Jdiggity1 signed all his round robin rights to me years ago.
Please forward


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## Andrew Souter (Jan 23, 2018)

Best thread ever!

Just out of curiosity, did desk also come with gravity? Is round robin also bound by the terms and conditions of said gravity if so?

...and by gravity, I mean real authentic analog gravity, not that fake digital software emulation... i hear round robins don't like that...


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## kurtvanzo (Jan 23, 2018)

PaulieDC said:


> I want the cat coaster! How much???


 I want the iPad that the picture was taken with, looks excellent!...

Oops, excuse me chillbot, the pc based tablet by which the photograph was encaptured.


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## thov72 (Jan 24, 2018)

argh why did you post that here?
Everyone knows I´m suffering from *D*esk [NOT] *A*cquisition *S*yndrome


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## chillbot (Jan 24, 2018)

thov72 said:


> Everyone knows I´m suffering from *D*esk [NOT] *A*cquisition *S*yndrome



All you guys are so funny. You had your chance! You should have bought the damn thing.

OK I am going to come clean here.

That desk is the biggest piece of shit on the planet. NEVER BUY AN ARGOSY DESK! I have never hated any piece of gear more in my life. I hated it the second it came in the door 4 years ago, in roughly 20,000 separate pieces of wood, with no piece of wood more than a few inches by a few inches. I hated it every day for 4 years, sitting there taking up half the room for no apparent reason. I hate that stupid stock Sweetwater picture.. which HAS TO BE photoshopped! You can't fit an 88-key keyboard on that desk! No way! And then if you do, where do you put the computer keyboard?? On that little ledge that's like 3 feet in front of your chair? Then where do you put your computer monitors?? Oh you put them 6 feet in front of you, ok. (Don't even consider putting any sort of pull-out tray under the desk, nope.) There is SO MUCH wasted space and poor design on that desk. The only feature it has which even comes close to qualifying as "redeeming" is the HUGE amount of interior space for cable management (see: wasted space), but in order to utilize it you need to have your chiropractor on speed dial because there's only one little hole to access it in the front (can't get to your gear from the back, nope) and the rack gear all goes straight down into the interior of the desk that YOU CAN'T ACCESS. If you want to plug anything in you have to pull the rack gear OUT of the rack... which is extremely difficult to do because there's nothing to grip and, because, gravity.

Let me tell you about the legs. Because I've never seen any worse design ever. And especially in regard to trying to move the damn thing. I guess it probably had to be this way because there's no solid wood anywhere on the desk holding it together. It's more like if you tried to merge 10 IKEA manuals together. Back to the legs, the desk does not sit on top of the legs. No, if you take out the 8 bolts holding the 2 legs on, the desk would fall flat on the floor and probably shatter. Did I mention it weighs about 250 pounds? The legs stick up through completely unnecessary holes in the bottom of the desk in order to attach to the interior SIDES of the desk. I'm guessing they do this because by attaching to the SIDES of the desk they ensure you can't access the bolts. Someone remind me to draw an MS Paint pic to illustrate this.

The same fateful day I got the Argosy desk I also got a Sound Construction desk for another room. The Sound Construction desk is great, it does exactly what a desk should do. Sit there, very desk-like and efficient, holding some rack gear in an accessible manner, without thirty square feet of unusable space. I don't ask much. The Sound Construction desk came in three pieces... the desk... and two legs. Put the desk on the legs, done. I am going to see if I can find the pic I took four years ago of the Argosy desk before assembly.

My apologies for the "skyy38" typing. I hate that desk so much.

I thought about getting rid of it so many times. But... you know how much work it is to try to get rid of something like that? And then replace it with something else?

I'm not sure I could have sold it to any of you. I like you guys too much. Not for $1,100. Maybe for half that, with the popcorn and the round robin thrown in. Someone should have offered me a six-pack of beer I probably would have taken it. And then given half the six-pack back to you to drink with me.

I'm not sure I could have sold it to anyone on craigslist... then they would know WHERE I LIVE! And there would probably be retribution down the road. There would have to be, with a desk like that.

I thought about burning it for firewood many times. But... laminated.

Donating it was the perfect solution. The high school kids don't care about ergonomics for a few hours a week, they are young and healthy. The principal was so thrilled he made a trip over to the studio to personally thank me and give me a shirt.

Now I have a shitty shirt instead of a shitty desk. And I couldn't be happier. (And a $2,500 tax write-off.)

I just ordered the Zaor Miza 88XL.


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## thov72 (Jan 24, 2018)

chillbot said:


> I just ordered the Zaor Miza 88XL.


you should´ve taken thesteelsdane´s post more seriously. Order a desk in Hanoi!!! That´s where I´ll be going to be!!! They are already calling it _desk city_ right now.


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## thov72 (Jan 24, 2018)

btw I bet you got that useful Round Robin from Fluffy Audio.


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## kurtvanzo (Jan 24, 2018)

chillbot said:


> All you guys are so funny. You had your chance! You should have bought the damn thing.
> 
> OK I am going to come clean here.
> 
> ...



Wow. I symphathize. Back a couple of decades the studio I worked for bought a similar desk just before I started working there- same crappy no access to back of racks (what?!?) and many surfaces that were the wrong size and almost made to annoy (ridges where it should be flat, angled pieces that made no sense. Clearly designed by someone enamored with crazy design but has never used an audio desk in their lives.

I convinced them after a few months to use it as a prize for christmas. The winner of a fun quiz got the opportunity to swing into it with an axe in the parking lot. You never saw people compete so hard, we all hated that desk. I didn't think of donating to a school, congrats! I just knew we couldn't sell that damn thing (we did try for a little while). Being made of all laminated compressed board it was more likely a bad copy of a design like yours, but the boss said smashing it into a thousand pieces was the best moral booster we had in a long time (everyone during the party eventually got a shot at it).

So glad that part of your life is over. Even though I wasn't the one who purchased it, I've been wary of buying another desk without extreme vetting- plus I have to see it in person (or a demo). I usually recommend studios hire a local woodworker (or contractor) to built it custom. If you keep the design simple you can usually find someone to build something nice without spending too much, and it fits perfectly/works as expected. What a concept!


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## chillbot (Jan 24, 2018)

Had to go through a lot of pics on my phone but found the pic I was looking for from four years ago:


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## Karma (Jan 24, 2018)

Pimp My Jdiggity - Coming Early 2018


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## Iskra (Jan 24, 2018)

...I think I registered on VI around a year and a half ago. This is the best thread ever.

Love it here, guys and gals.


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## kurtvanzo (Jan 24, 2018)

chillbot said:


> Had to go through a lot of pics on my phone but found the pic I was looking for from four years ago:



This is where you find a high school student who wants to learn audio, then stick him in the room, shut the door, and tell him you'll buy him lunch when the desk is built! 

Edit: Hit with a child endangerment lawsuit? Find a college student who wants to learn audio... rinse and repeat!


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## chillbot (Jan 24, 2018)

kurtvanzo said:


> This is where you find a high school student who wants to learn audio, then stick him in the room, shut the door, and tell him you'll buy him lunch when the desk is built!


I was a lego maniac as a kid. Now I get to be a lego maniac as a dad. I love building and assembling things. Anyway it's not about putting it together, it's about the design... shouldn't a desk in it's basic form be a one-piece top, maybe some sides, legs, and/or additional platforms. Kind of the whole idea behind a desk is you have a nice flat piece of desk that is the desk surface. The only thing more flimsy than particle board are those little connectors they use to connect particle board to particle board. This desk was 90% particle board connectors. The bottom of the desk was literally 5 or 6 pieces, which I guess is why they couldn't attach the legs to it. But my questions is, WHY design it that way in the first place?


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## fiestared (Jan 24, 2018)

chillbot said:


> Had to go through a lot of pics on my phone but found the pic I was looking for from four years ago:



'Tangram Chinese Puzzle Cabinet' ???  

https://www.geekalerts.com/ledito-tangram-chinese-puzzle-cabinet/


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## synthpunk (Jan 24, 2018)

And I thought IKEA was hard.



fiestared said:


> 'Tangram Chinese Puzzle Cabinet' ???
> 
> https://www.geekalerts.com/ledito-tangram-chinese-puzzle-cabinet/


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jan 24, 2018)

I'd been trying to figure out a way to offer an affordable version of the composer's desk I've been selling for the past ten years.

A forum member asked whether it was possible to build a desk for $1000 (the other one is $2500). Game on!

I thought about designs, sketched, thought more, sketched... and I figured out that I couldn't improve on the design, that the solution has been staring me in the face: build it myself, and don't use ridiculously expensive solid hardwood.

It came out so great that my arm hurts from patting myself on the back. I'll post a picture when it's standing up. The pieces are all done, I just need to screw in the leg assemblies and finish it (meaning apply finish).

Fun stuff.


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## synthpunk (Jan 24, 2018)

I take it the Output Platform desk does not appeal around here ?








Later this year I been thinking hard about a Uplift adjustable desk.


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## tmhuud (Jan 24, 2018)

Interested in selling the shirt?


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jan 24, 2018)

Output did a great job of coming up with an inexpensive desk that looks very cool. My problem is with the ergonomics: the keyboard slides rather than the desktop. That means you're the wrong distance from your speakers and computer monitor when the keyboard is in or when it's out - one or the other.

Standing desks are the rage, but my back hurts when I stand in one place for a long time - and I don't have a bad back. We're not all the same person, though. A friend on this list made a desk with my design on a motorized base. That's much easier to make, because the leg assemblies are already done!


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## inspiringaudio (Jan 24, 2018)

chillbot said:


> You could move?
> 
> This desk is worth moving for.



+1 for moving (not the desk though)


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## woodslanding (Jan 25, 2018)

I built my own desk, the 5th in a series. Only way to go for me.

This time I made the main desktop surface slide back to expose my 88 note keyboard. That way I'm the same distance from the monitors whether using the computer keyboard or the 88s. So far so good. 

I've used the same four 7-foot long by 1.5" steel box-tube uprights with holes drilled every 2" since version one, when I was in Nashville in 1990. I doubt I've spent $1000 on all 5 desks put together..... unless you paid me for my carpentry work! The coolest one was the late 90's LA version that was a cantilevered partial dodecahedron. I'll try to dig up a photo to post....

Well that's all I have to say about desks.


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## Andrew Souter (Jan 25, 2018)

Don't you think it's time to update the thread title to something like:

"I'm still [not] selling a desk. Act now before I am a not [not] selling a desk."

?


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jan 25, 2018)

woodslanding said:


> This time I made the main desktop surface slide back to expose my 88 note keyboard. That way I'm the same distance from the monitors whether using the computer keyboard or the 88s. So far so good.



We're kindred souls. I'd love to see the pictures!


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## dzilizzi (Jan 25, 2018)

chillbot said:


> I was a lego maniac as a kid. Now I get to be a lego maniac as a dad. I love building and assembling things. Anyway it's not about putting it together, it's about the design... shouldn't a desk in it's basic form be a one-piece top, maybe some sides, legs, and/or additional platforms. Kind of the whole idea behind a desk is you have a nice flat piece of desk that is the desk surface. The only thing more flimsy than particle board are those little connectors they use to connect particle board to particle board. This desk was 90% particle board connectors. The bottom of the desk was literally 5 or 6 pieces, which I guess is why they couldn't attach the legs to it. But my questions is, WHY design it that way in the first place?


Because it is cheaper and easier to box up a bunch of little pieces than a bunch of big pieces? Those big pieces are heavy and awkward to carry.


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## HardyP (Jan 26, 2018)

synthpunk said:


> I take it the Output Platform desk does not appeal around here ?


I really liked the streamlined design and the price point - but for a VI-Cist the list of supported keyboards is maybe a bit limited... for example, Kontrol S88 does not fit?!?
https://output.com/products/platform/keyboards

Just guessing...


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## thesteelydane (Jan 26, 2018)

chillbot said:


> Had to go through a lot of pics on my phone but found the pic I was looking for from four years ago:



Looks like deskageddon.


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## SchnookyPants (Jan 31, 2018)

Wait! The banner at top says, "Hi. I'm selling a desk." Oops - now it's gone. (_I'm sooo confused...)
_
I'm pretty sure it was a prank, though. Because if it was for real it would have read:

"I'm [ARE] Selling A Desk."


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## gsilbers (Jan 31, 2018)

music production desks are soooo expensive. specially for bigger options. 
those argosy and studio desk.net are crazy pricey. like $3K. 
Some people build their own DIY desk or its $3k-5k. 
Hopefully someone can do a more ikea-ish aproach to these for a $500-1000 range.


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## chillbot (Jan 31, 2018)

Well I paid for the ad to run a month... didn't know I was going to donate the desk within a week. I guess I should have changed the ad to link to the N thread or something more meaningful.

Just goes to show you the power of ads on VI-C... everyone should get one!


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jan 31, 2018)

gsilbers said:


> Hopefully someone can do a more ikea-ish aproach to these for a $500-1000 range



The finish is literally drying on one I made for a forum member for the top end of that scale.

I'll post pictures, because making a desk is fun break from sitting at one, and I hope to build a lot more of them. 

About the earlier post about shipping little pieces being cheaper... well yeah. The custom boxes I've been using for the solid oak version of the desk I've been having made (which rounds off to 5' x 1' x 4') costs about $125 each time. I'm looking into adapting a mattress box, but it's much more solid if the thing is constructed in a way that's not just like Ikea furniture, and all you have to do is screw the leg assemblies to the frame.


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## kitekrazy (Jan 31, 2018)

gsilbers said:


> music production desks are soooo expensive. specially for bigger options.
> those argosy and studio desk.net are crazy pricey. like $3K.
> Some people build their own DIY desk or its $3k-5k.
> Hopefully someone can do a more ikea-ish aproach to these for a $500-1000 range.



PVC tubing and shelves may do it.


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## chillbot (Jan 31, 2018)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> The finish is literally drying on one I made for a forum member for the top end of that scale.
> 
> I'll post pictures, because making a desk is fun break from sitting at one, and I hope to build a lot more of them.
> 
> About the earlier post about shipping little pieces being cheaper... well yeah. The custom boxes I've been using for the solid oak version of the desk I've been having made (which rounds off to 5' x 1' x 4') costs about $125 each time. I'm looking into adapting a mattress box, but it's much more solid if the thing is constructed in a way that's not just like Ikea furniture, and all you have to do is screw the leg assemblies to the frame.


Post pics! I love desks. All desks except that Argosy desk that I hated so much. Probably start a new thread... the desk seems to be a timeless problem for us composers.

As far as shipping, yeah... the Sound Construction desk that I love, I mentioned somewhere in this thread.. it came in one giant assembled piece, just pop the legs on and done. So I definitely didn't see why the Argosy desk had to be made that way.


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## gsilbers (Feb 2, 2018)

kitekrazy said:


> PVC tubing and shelves may do it.



im so dumb at manual work and DYI . ikea to me is the most i can do. sadly.


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## kitekrazy (Feb 2, 2018)

gsilbers said:


> im so dumb at manual work and DYI . ikea to me is the most i can do. sadly.



Materials are the easy part. Getting the tools can be to costly part. I wish I could do high school wood shop all over again.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 5, 2018)

kitekrazy said:


> PVC tubing and shelves may do it.



My first desktop-slides-over-keyboard desk was made out of Ultimate Support tubing. It worked well ergonomically, but it wasn't solid like the current wood versions are.


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## Virtuoso (Feb 5, 2018)

chillbot said:


> OK I am going to come clean here. That desk is the biggest piece of shit on the planet. NEVER BUY AN ARGOSY DESK!


This has been a very useful thread! I was seriously considering that exact desk and would gladly have bought yours if I had been in the same area.

I've been using the same desk now for about 12 years and it works pretty well. There's enough rack space, a long shelf for monitors and plenty of free desk space - the only fly in the ointment is that the sliding shelf (which can easily take a wide 88 note keyboard) doesn't slide out far enough to expose all the buttons on a deep keyboard like a Motif XF. It's very well built and has been through 8 house moves so far.

So why change? The wife doesn't like the color. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Thanks for saving me from a big mistake! 

Here's a shitty picture of the desk. If anyone likes the ergonomics, it's called either a MAXXStation or a BIGGStation. http://www.mveducation.com/invt/210528/


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## chillbot (Feb 5, 2018)

Sick brag about that DX7!


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## chillbot (Feb 5, 2018)

Virtuoso said:


> I was seriously considering that exact desk and would gladly have bought yours if I had been in the same area.


You would have hated it. It's horrible. So bad. Not even bad in a Michael Jackson sort-of-good way but just really terrible bad and dumb and bad stupid. Bad desk.

The only one of your lovely keyboard collection that might have fit on it is the Komplete Kontrol 61 and even that... not sure, might be too deep. The only keyboard that I could fit on it was a silly M-Audio 61-key controller which I bought (and thusly donated with the desk) because it was the only keyboard that would fit the bad desk.


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## synthpunk (Feb 5, 2018)

A studio I know had there's shipped via train! was cheaper than truck.

Virtuoso, Nice Jupiter 80, there are some real bargains out there on used ones and I liked its sound very much the couple times I have played it.

ummmmm, Bricasti!



chillbot said:


> Post pics!
> As far as shipping, yeah... the Sound Construction desk that I love, I mentioned somewhere in this thread.. it came in one giant assembled piece, just pop the legs on and done. So I definitely didn't see why the Argosy desk had to be made that way.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 5, 2018)

Hey, that's a great idea! I'll give Amtrak a call tomorrow.


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## synthpunk (Feb 5, 2018)

Hopefully they don't crash your desk



Nick Batzdorf said:


> Hey, that's a great idea! I'll give Amtrak a call tomorrow.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 5, 2018)

So far that's only happened once out of about 20 times. It was insured, thankfully, but what a PITA.

That is an important point, however - insurance.


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## X-Bassist (Feb 7, 2018)

chillbot said:


> You would have hated it. It's horrible. So bad. Not even bad in a Michael Jackson sort-of-good way but just really terrible bad and dumb and bad stupid. Bad desk.
> 
> The only one of your lovely keyboard collection that might have fit on it is the Komplete Kontrol 61 and even that... not sure, might be too deep. The only keyboard that I could fit on it was a silly M-Audio 61-key controller which I bought (and thusly donated with the desk) because it was the only keyboard that would fit the bad desk.



There are a lot of horrible desk designs, and a lot get donated to a school or college, then are eventually dropped from a 4th story dorm room window to the concrete slab below... ah, youth.

But nowadays it makes sense to make your own if your good with a circular saw and a drill. After all, once all your crap is all over it, with notes piled on top of that, you won’t care how fine the wood grain is.  But a nice desk can be made for $100-$200 if you don’t need sliding pieces. It could give you more counter space than the output desk and be custom fit for the room. Just a thought.


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## X-Bassist (Feb 7, 2018)

Virtuoso said:


> This has been a very useful thread! I was seriously considering that exact desk and would gladly have bought yours if I had been in the same area.
> 
> I've been using the same desk now for about 12 years and it works pretty well. There's enough rack space, a long shelf for monitors and plenty of free desk space - the only fly in the ointment is that the sliding shelf (which can easily take a wide 88 note keyboard) doesn't slide out far enough to expose all the buttons on a deep keyboard like a Motif XF. It's very well built and has been through 8 house moves so far.
> 
> ...


 Consider a coat of paint, a stain, or a colored sticky laminate to go over the existing desk surface. It will change the color of the desk for your wife without changing the desk. Kitchen/hardware stores have plastic rolls that stick to any surface for shelves, perhaps that would be a $20 fix or less? Cheers.


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## Virtuoso (Feb 8, 2018)

I’ve considered a different wife.


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## NYC Composer (Feb 9, 2018)

I'm just here as a thread-lengthening provocateur. Carry on, deskaholics.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 21, 2018)

[EDIT 4/7/21: This was the first one I made - and it came out great, in fact it was the one that got me hooked on woodworking. But the designs have evolved over the course of about eight that I've made since then. One difference is that I use solid wood rather than furniture-grade ply, another is that I use rails rather than drawer slides.]

Okay, here's the desk I made for a forum member. Apologies for the living room - I had nowhere else to put it. 

The desktop is on heavy-duty slides over the MIDI keyboard (which is at standard piano height), so it takes half a second to go between playing and typing/writing on your desktop. And you're always the right distance from your speakers and computer monitor.

If anyone else is interested, please let me know. I thoroughly enjoyed making it, and I'm just a little bit too proud of how nice it turned out. 

Will post in commercial announcements later.


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## Sid Francis (Feb 21, 2018)

Sooo beautiful, Nick.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 21, 2018)

Thanks!


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## synthpunk (Feb 21, 2018)

Some of us already have done that 



Virtuoso said:


> I’ve considered a different wife.


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## kclements (Feb 21, 2018)

Love this. Really beautiful. I loved the other ones you had available too. When I’m ready to replace my desk, this will be the one. No question.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 21, 2018)

Thanks. Just so you know, these are $950, not $2500 like the original. The original cost about that much in raw materials alone, before any labor. You can see from the pictures why I don't feel like plywood is a compromise, just a different material.

I truly enjoyed making it. Can't wait to do the next one!


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## Brian2112 (Feb 21, 2018)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> Thanks. Just so you know, these are $950, not $2500 like the original. The original cost about that much in raw materials alone, before any labor. You can see from the pictures why I don't feel like plywood is a compromise, just a different material.
> 
> I truly enjoyed making it. Can't wait to do the next one!


Very impressive Nick! You are a renaissance man!


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## Brian2112 (Feb 21, 2018)

chillbot said:


> Had to go through a lot of pics on my phone but found the pic I was looking for from four years ago:


Missed opportunity CB. For $800 more you could have gotten a flame thrower AND popped the popcorn.


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## Ashermusic (Feb 22, 2018)

Brian2112 said:


> Very impressive Nick! You are a renaissance man!



I saw this desk at Nick's place yesterday, and it is beautiful. My wife is pushing me to get in in black.


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## chillbot (Feb 22, 2018)

Good looking desk, @Nick Batzdorf. Couple questions:

Does it come in black?

Can you build them to custom specs or do you have stock dimensions you follow?

What's the extra space under the monitor for? Could you hang some rack rails there? Seems like a bit of a waste to me...


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## playz123 (Feb 22, 2018)

chillbot said:


> What's the extra space under the monitor for? Could you hang some rack rails there? Seems like a bit of a waste to me...



Not a waste of space at all. The shelf slides backwards and forwards and you can place all kinds of things on it that can then slide under the monitor and out of the way. I have the deluxe (expensive) version of Nick's desk (it's NOT made out of plywood), and while this is an old photo (much has changed since then), you can see that a few things were sitting on that shelf. I have no regrets about choosing the solid wood model, and it has proven to be an excellent design and very versatile. I'm sure Nick can provide many stories about the building of my desk.


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## bigcat1969 (Feb 22, 2018)

Since this is an Orchestral Instrument Forum of the highest order (I was gonna say caliber but that is controversial) it is only right to have a world class Kontakt Desk Instrument. This is not it. Apologies to Chillbot for the use of his drawing.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/1dew6748gd3io0n/Not_A_Desk_Kontakt.zip


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## SchnookyPants (Feb 22, 2018)

Full version req'd, I assume.


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## chillbot (Feb 22, 2018)

bigcat1969 said:


> This is not it.


Geez that's just great.

Robyn is wondering how many round robins you recorded?


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## chillbot (Feb 22, 2018)

playz123 said:


> Not a waste of space at all.


"Wasted space" probably wrong words, more like "unrealized potential". I'm glad it worked out for you but I would love to see a couple rows of rack space there.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 22, 2018)

chillbot said:


> Good looking desk, @Nick Batzdorf. Couple questions:
> 
> Does it come in black?
> 
> ...



It comes in black if I use black stain.  So sure.

I can certainly build them to custom specs, in fact they always are to some extent.

The space under the monitor is clearance so you can slide the desktop underneath the shelf without knocking over things on your desk! (As an aside, most people with the original version of the desk - myself included - have their monitors on LCD arms, so they can be positioned anywhere, but I tweaked the dimensions so that's not mandatory.)

There are multiple ways to add rack space, including what I have: a rack enclosure sitting on the bridge shelf (the top one).


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## synthpunk (Feb 22, 2018)

Call me old school, but I like using legal pads for notes with lots of elbow room to avoid carpal tunnel symptoms. My new standing desk will have this.

Matt, thats got The Bar Shelf written all over it!

Nick, I like the look from the front. If I'm being honest the legs and feet are not my style, and from the side it looks a little Lowry organ to me.

Where is Gerhard to complain about the amount of bad reflections in the studio


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 22, 2018)

playz123 said:


> I'm sure Nick can provide many stories about the building of my desk.



Oh yeah. 

That was the first one with a new shop after the original woodworker moved away.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 22, 2018)

chillbot said:


> "Wasted space" probably wrong words, more like "unrealized potential". I'm glad it worked out for you but I would love to see a couple rows of rack space there.



They can easily go on top of the shelf. That space has to be there or the whole concept breaks! We go between playing the keyboard and writing/typing on the desktop 50 times a day, and the sliding desktop makes it easy.


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## chillbot (Feb 22, 2018)

synthpunk said:


> Call me old school, but I like using legal pads for notes with lots of elbow room to avoid carpal tunnel symptoms.


My studio is full of yellow legal pads. I have 4 going currently. And I archive them, I have stacks and stacks of them, everything I've ever done. With monitor space always at a premium I find it infinitely easier using pen and paper than trying to click around. Shit I just printed out a bunch of emails so I could reference them without taking up monitor space. Thinking of responding to the emails via carrier pigeon.


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## chillbot (Feb 22, 2018)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> They can easily go on top of the shelf. That space has to be there or the whole concept breaks! We go between playing the keyboard and writing/typing on the desktop 50 times a day, and the sliding desktop makes it easy.


See it looks to me, from your pictures, that there is enough room for the sliding shelf to slide *under* the racks, while still having just enough space to still hold a keyboard and mouse... you don't need a ton of room, maybe 6 inches. Anyway that's how I would want to use the desk, if that were an option.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 22, 2018)

synthpunk said:


> Nick, I like the look from the front. If I'm being honest the legs and feet are not my style, and from the side it looks a little Lowry organ to me.



The trellis leg assemblies are my style - literally - but making them like Frank's is easy. So is making the sides of the frame a different shape, if that's your cup of tea.

We're not all the same person. What can I say.


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## chillbot (Feb 22, 2018)

This needs it's own thread before it gets lost in all the desk jibber jabber.

Can you post in commercial announcements?








bigcat1969 said:


> http://www.mediafire.com/file/1dew6748gd3io0n/Not_A_Desk_Kontakt.zip


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 22, 2018)

chillbot said:


> you don't need a ton of room, maybe 6 inches



The space between the top of the sliding desktop and bottom of the bridge shelf is about 3-1/4" inches. I wonder whether it's parallax that makes it look bigger?

In any case, that's a trivial tweak.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 22, 2018)

chillbot said:


> Can you post in commercial announcements?



You're right. Will do.


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## bigcat1969 (Feb 22, 2018)

I was lazy and just made the round robins individual 'notes' so the drawer slams and pencil taps and such are just next to each other on the keyboard so it would look like there was more stuff.
I can post on commercial announcements tier 2 but not tier 1 as I'm very cheep. Also I don't want Mike to be too annoyed.


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## chillbot (Feb 22, 2018)

bigcat1969 said:


> Also I don't want Mike to be too annoyed.


Mike is likely slowly coming to the conclusion that he bought a desk forum and not a virtual instrument forum. At least he will be... when I kick in phase II of my desk takeover plan.


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## Brian2112 (Feb 22, 2018)

chillbot said:


> Mike is likely slowly coming to the conclusion that he bought a desk forum and not a virtual instrument forum. At least he will be... when I kick in phase II of my desk takeover plan.


I was going to say the "N" desk? But I didn't out of basic human decency.


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## bigcat1969 (Feb 22, 2018)

You are welcome to use the Kontakt 'instrument' as part of your takeover plan. Everything except your picture is public domain. Samples are from Freesound and I made sure to only use CC0/PD samples.


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## chillbot (Feb 22, 2018)

Brian2112 said:


> I was going to say the "N" desk? But I didn't out of basic human decency.


You know, even before you posted this is occurred to me that @Nick Batzdorf should copyright and call his desk the "N" desk for insta-sales. But then I was thinking that we kind of already have an "N" desk, in a way....


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## Virtuoso (Feb 22, 2018)

chillbot said:


> he will be... when I kick in phase II of my desk takeover plan.


I thought that plan was shelved?

/gets coat


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## Brian2112 (Feb 22, 2018)

Virtuoso said:


> I thought that plan was shelved?
> 
> /gets coat


Nope it was just desked.


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## chillbot (Feb 22, 2018)

Brian2112 said:


> Nope it was just desked.


This idea has some legs.


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## synthpunk (Feb 22, 2018)

Commercial Announcements Tier 3: Desks
Sponsored by Chillbot



chillbot said:


> Mike is likely slowly coming to the conclusion that he bought a desk forum and not a virtual instrument forum. At least he will be... when I kick in phase II of my desk takeover plan.


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## synthpunk (Feb 26, 2018)

Did someone say desks ?


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## Antkn33 (Jul 7, 2021)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> Okay, here's the desk I made for a forum member. Apologies for the living room - I had nowhere else to put it.
> 
> The desktop is on heavy-duty slides over the MIDI keyboard (which is at standard piano height), so it takes half a second to go between playing and typing/writing on your desktop. And you're always the right distance from your speakers and computer monitor.
> 
> ...


Very nice. Do you have a web site or something showing the desks you’ve made?


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## Paulogic (Jul 7, 2021)

Old thread man, but the last pictures are from the Output Platform Desk, or lookalike...








Platform | Studio Desk | Made by Musicians, for Musicians


Platform is a modern, thoughtfully designed desk for your studio space. Made by musicians, for musicians. Includes 3 pairs of rack ears (for 9U of gear). Optional keyboard tray and risers.



output.com


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## NoamL (Jul 7, 2021)

With all due respect, I thought this topic had been tabled.


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## Double Helix (Jul 7, 2021)

NoamL said:


> With all due respect, I thought this topic had been tabled.


Overall, though, top drawer


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jul 7, 2021)

Antkn33 said:


> Very nice. Do you have a web site or something showing the desks you’ve made?


I should have, but if you PM me I'd be happy to send you info and pix.

Thanks for your interest!


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