Oberheim Electronics
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Musical instruments |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Tom Oberheim |
| Fate | Ownership changes; trademark returned to founder in 2019 |
| Headquarters | United States , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Tom Oberheim (founder) |
| Products | Synthesizers, drum machines, digital music sequencers, electronic effects |
| Owner | Tom Oberheim (since 2019) |
| Parent | Gibson Guitar Corporation (former) |
| Website | tomoberheim |
Oberheim is a United States-based synthesizer manufacturer established in 1969 by Tom Oberheim. Starting in 1975, the company pioneered some of the earliest polyphonic synthesizers available on the market and became a prominent producer of synthesizers and drum machines throughout the 1980s. After a change in ownership in 1988, Oberheim was eventually acquired by Gibson Guitar Corporation, which continued to release new Oberheim instruments and licensed the brand to other companies. Nonetheless, production of Oberheim instruments halted after the year 2000. In 2009, Tom Oberheim restarted development of musical instruments through his personal enterprise, and in 2019, Gibson returned the Oberheim trademark to him, prompting his company to resume operations under the Oberheim name.
Origins and early polyphonic synthesizers
Tom Oberheim founded the company in 1969, initially focusing on creating electronic effects for Chicago Musical Instruments under their Maestro label, including devices such as the PS-1A Phase Shifter and RM-1 Ring Modulator. During this period, he also briefly retailed products from ARP Instruments.
The first product bearing the Oberheim name was the Oberheim DS-2, one of the earliest digital music sequencers. To address musicians' needs for layering sounds or sequencing multiple synths simultaneously, Oberheim introduced the Synthesizer Expander Module (SEM) in 1974—a semi-modular analog synthesizer unit.
Toward the end of 1975, after losing orders from Norlin (the successor to Chicago Musical Instruments), Oberheim unveiled a range of polyphonic synthesizers created by linking several SEM modules together with a digitally scanned keyboard designed by Dave Rossum and featuring a two-channel sequencer. This series included models such as the Oberheim Two Voice, followed by the Four Voice and Eight Voice. These instruments ranked among the earliest commercially available polyphonic synths. The Two Voice and Four Voice made their debut at the June 1975 NAMM Show, marking Oberheim’s inaugural presentation of branded products. In 1976, an optional Polyphonic Synthesizer Programmer module was introduced for use with Four Voice and Eight Voice units, enabling users to save and recall certain SEM parameter settings.
Oberheim's polyphonic systems, easily identified by their cream-colored control panels, gained significant popularity through usage by renowned musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Lyle Mays from the Pat Metheny Group, Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul of Weather Report, Jan Hammer, and Geddy Lee of Rush.
OB-series and The System
In 1977, Oberheim released the monophonic OB-1, recognized as the first fully programmable synthesizer, building upon its earlier Polyphonic Synthesizer Programmer technology. Following the 1978 launch of the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5, Oberheim introduced polyphonic OB-series models that replaced cumbersome individual SEM modules with internal voice expansion cards featuring digital synthesis parameter control, standardized cabinetry designs, and unified power supplies. The first in this series was the OB-X (1979), which came in configurations offering 4, 6, or 8 voices.
The OB-X was succeeded by the OB-Xa in 1980, distinguished by its signature blue horizontal pinstripes on a black background that became an iconic Oberheim aesthetic. This model also streamlined production by employing integrated circuits from Curtis. It incorporated the proprietary Oberheim Serial Buss—a pre-MIDI parallel communication bus—that enabled direct connectivity with other Oberheim devices such as the DMX drum machine (1980) and the DSX digital sequencer (1981). This combination of DSX, DMX, and OB-Xa (and later OB-8) was marketed collectively as "The System." The eight-voice OB-8 was introduced in 1983 with enhanced front panel controls ("Page 2"), doubling programming capabilities compared to earlier versions.
Throughout the 1980s, OB-series synthesizers alongside the DMX drum machine played crucial roles in shaping new wave, synth-pop, and hip hop genres. They contributed to chart-topping tracks including Van Halen's "Jump," New Order's "Blue Monday," Herbie Hancock's "Rockit," Madonna's "Into the Groove," Prince's "Let's Go Crazy," Phil Collins' "Sussudio," and Stevie Nicks' "Stand Back." These instruments cemented Oberheim’s position as a dominant force within electronic music instrument manufacturing during that decade.
Bankruptcy and Ownership Transitions
In 1985, Oberheim Electronics filed for bankruptcy and was subsequently purchased by a consortium of attorneys who rebranded the company as Oberheim ECC. Tom Oberheim maintained a creative role for several years during this transition before founding Marion Systems. During this era, the firm introduced the Matrix line of synthesizers, which included notable models such as the Matrix-12, Matrix-6, Xpander rack module, and the Matrix 1000 featuring an extensive range of presets.
Following a second bankruptcy in 1988, ownership transferred to Gibson Guitar Corporation. Under the guidance of Keith McMillen, Oberheim developed the OB-Mx synthesizer in collaboration with D.N. "Lynx" Crowe and Don Buchla. Additionally, they produced the Echoplex Digital Pro delay/looper—co-branded with Gibson—and reissued legacy products like the Oberheim Strummer and Matrix 1000.
In 2000, Gibson granted Viscount International—an Italian instrument manufacturer—a license to utilize the Oberheim brand. Viscount expanded the product portfolio by launching the OB*12 analog modeling synthesizer, GM-1000 guitar multi-effects processor, MC series master keyboards, and the OB3² virtual tonewheel organ. These offerings enhanced Oberheim’s footprint across both digital and analog musical instrument markets.
Tom Oberheim’s Reentry into Synthesizer Production
Tom Oberheim returned to synth manufacturing in 2009 with a modern iteration of the SEM. Despite Gibson retaining ownership of the Oberheim trademark, these new SEM units were produced under Marion Systems Corporation and marketed through tomoberheim.com.
By 2011, plans were underway to develop successors to classic instruments: the "Son Of 4 Voice" (SO4V) and a revamped Two Voice Pro. The updated Two Voice Pro was released in 2014; however, development on the SO4V was indefinitely paused in 2015.
At the 2016 NAMM Show, Oberheim collaborated with Dave Smith Instruments to unveil the OB-6—a polyphonic synthesizer representing Tom Oberheim’s first multi-voice synth since the 1980s. The design featured voice card circuitry from Oberheim paired with control architecture and effects from Dave Smith. The OB-6 was jointly branded by both companies.
Revival of the Oberheim Brand
In July 2019, as a gesture of goodwill toward the musical instrument community, Gibson CEO JC Curleigh restored ownership of the Oberheim trademark and intellectual property back to Tom Oberheim.
In May 2022, Oberheim introduced the OB-X8, marking its first branded synthesizer release in decades. Developed in partnership with Sequential, this instrument integrates characteristics from classic OB-series polysynths—the OB-X, OB-Xa, OB-SX, and OB-8—into a single unit. The company further expanded its lineup in 2024 with the launch of the TEO-5 polysynth featuring an entirely new design.
Legacy
Former Oberheim designers Marcus Ryle and Michel Doidic played pivotal roles in creating key products for Alesis, such as the ADAT multitrack digital tape recorder, before co-founding Line 6.