These are the first 20,000 units shipped from the Korg factory in Japan. If you see the "M1-" prefix, you have a very early unit.
These units were manufactured during the final production stretch between 1993 and 1995, right before Korg fully transitioned focus to the Trinity and X-series workstations. The "Made in Japan" Factor Korg M1 Serial Number
: The back panel itself is characterized by its metallic grey top and black plastic bottom. Deciphering the Numbers These are the first 20,000 units shipped from
Open the synth. Look for the white ink stamp on the main circuit board. That is your "true" internal serial number. Write it on the back chassis with a silver Sharpie to help the next owner. The "Made in Japan" Factor : The back
Early Korg M1 units shipped with early ROM firmware (such as v1.x or v2.x). These early versions occasionally suffered from minor MIDI sync bugs or data dump glitches. Late-production serial numbers typically include the highly stable final firmware versions (v8 or the famous "EX" expansion upgrade if modified). 2. The Internal Backup Battery (CR2032)
Hold down the , CARD , and COMBI buttons simultaneously while powering on the unit. The LCD screen will display the internal ROM version.
Verifies the unit is a genuine Korg product from the late 80s/early 90s rather than a later reissue or a different model like the 01/W .