images via this auctionDetails:
"This MS-20 is of the earlier KORG 35 filter chip design, rather than the latter daughter board revision, which probably dates it to the late 70s, meaning that its probably just about coming up to its 30th birthday!
In 30 years some electronic components age. This isn't one of those 'snake oil - this tb303 sounds better than that tb303' lines, its just factual information. Any synth of this sort of age should have had, for example, its internal memory backup batteries replaced long ago (not an issue on ms20s obviously, but a common fault on early 80s synths), and its smoothing caps renewed (the smoothing caps 'smooth out' the ripple in the power supplies AC-DC conversion)
The power supply regulators can also be changed for fresh modern replacements, and then, beyond this, if you're feeling enthusiastic, the other electrolytic capacitors (the cylindrical ones you see all over the place) to stop any 'bleeding' of noise / signal etc. through the power lines, amongst other things. Further caps that are prone to ageing are tantalums, so these should be replaced also.
None of these components are particularly valuable, but the labour involved in changing them can be significant.
Beyond this level of service, the basic stuff also has to be done. All the pots should be cleaned, and then lubrication re-applied to ensure noise free operation. The keyboard contacts should be accessed (by disassembly) and these cleaned (the ms-20 derives pitch information from a resistor chain keyboard, and faulty contacts can affect note pitching as well as gating), and, importantly on the ms20, the jacks cleaned.
Jack cleaning is especially important on the ms20, as a lot of the signals are normalised through this panel, and faults here can result in considerably more irritation than the usual 'crackling' output jack.
This MS20 has therefore had :
# Every electrolytic cap replaced
# Every tantalum cap replaced
# Every pot cleaned and lubricated
# Ever jack socket cleaned
# Every key contact cleaned"
Do they grow in your yard like that? O.o
ReplyDeletei would love to get all of that done to my ms-20. anyone know a good place in the pacific northwest to take it?
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