Mostly through large department stores such as Sears, JC Penney and Montgomery Wards. In fact, there was even a special version of the Optigan® made exclusively for the Montgomery Wards chain. Optigan
How many Optigans were made?
This is still somewhat of a mystery. There have been figures quoted from 1,000 to 100,000, though the actual number is probably somewhere closer to 10,000.
When was the Optigan® made?
The first Mattel Optigans rolled off the assembly line in late 1970, and Opsonar ceased production in the summer of 1976.
Who made the Optigan?
Mattel designed and originally manufactured the Optigan®, but sold the whole works intact to Miner Industries (another toy company, which also owned Magnus and Estey organs) in 1973. Miner created a s
Can new discs be made?
Yes! As of 2008, we are currently making and selling new Optigan® discs. Please see the blog for all the latest news!
Can the discs be duplicated?
Yes, we’ve developed a method for making high-quality duplications from original production discs, but for all but the most rare discs, the costs associated at this point are simply too high, at least
How much did Optigans cost new, and how much are they worth now?
There were several different models of Optigan® to choose from, ranging in price from about $300 to $500. As for how much they’re worth now, I suppose their value is in the eye of the beholder. I’ve s
Where can I buy an Optigan?
First, you should check the Optiswapit forum located on this website. Failing that, you should regularly do searches for “optigan” and “optigon” on eBay. Another potential online source is Craigslist.
What is an Optigan®, and how does it work?
The Optigan® (OPTIcal orGAN) was a sort of adult toy originally made by Mattel in the early 70’s. Basically it was laid out like most home chord organs of the time, but its sound producing mechanism w
Optigan® Audio-Output Mod
Here’s a freebie from the Service Manual – it’s instructions on how to modify the outputs on your Optigan® to be more suitable for recording and amplifying. Optigan® Audio-Output Mod [pdf]