FARFISA SYNTORCHESTRA (Frequently misspelled Synthorchestra)

via this auction
"The Syntorchestra has four polyphonic (Poli) voices and nine monophonic (Mono) voices. The issues are as follows:
* Poli Piano voice: some notes don’t sound.
* Switches for three of the nine solo voices (Trumpet, Trombone and Tuba) don’t engage their respective voices.
* Poli Voice Cancel functions, but Mono Voice Cancel does not, though you can still cut the voice by lowering its volume control.
* Mono voice can be heard faintly even after keys are released.

In addition, the AC cable sheath is pulling back at the plug (covered for now with electrical tape).

If you’d like to learn more about the Syntorchestra and its functions, as well as better understand this particular example of the synth, read on.

Basic Layout
The Syntorchestra (hereafter the Synt) has a Poli (poly) section and a Mono section. Both can be played individually or simultaneously, and the sounds of each can be layered. The Synt’s back panel has an output jack for the Poli section and another jack that outputs the Poli and the Mono sections together. Other back-panel controls include a DIN jack for a foot pedal (obviously an old foot pedal), a high/low-output switch, a trim control for the Poli pitch and a track control for the Mono synth to adjust the intervals between notes over the range of the keyboard. (The tracking is fine but not great.)

Top Panel Controls
Most of the Synt’s controls are for the Mono synth. The control panel (to the left of the keyboard) has individual Volume and Brilliance controls for the Poli and Mono sections. Next to these is the Vibrato section, which consists of a rate slider and pushbuttons to engage the effect on the Poli and/or Mono voices, plus a Delay button to delay the effect by a preset amount of time. The Vibrato is subtle, not aggressive, which seems to work best considering that the effect’s depth is preset.

The next two sections are entirely for the Mono. The first section includes two Envelope controls – Soffiato (attack) and Decay. By design these cannot be used simultaneously; a switch to the far right on the panel below the keyboard lets you choose which of the two you want to use. It’s an odd thing, since most envelope controls let you use attack and decay together to shape the envelope. Farfisa decided otherwise.

To the right of the Envelope’s controls is the Pitch section, which consists of Portamento, Pitch and a nifty control that lets you set the Monosynth’s interval to the root, or minor 3rd, 5th or 6th. For example, if you’re playing a C on the Poli synth, you can make the Mono synth sound at either the root (C); one and a half steps lower, at A (minor 3rd); three and a half steps lower, at F (minor 5th); or four steps lower, at E (minor 6th). The Mono has high-note priority, so if you play, say, a C chord voiced C-E-G on the Poli, the Mono will sound a G when the Interval control is set at the root, an E with the interval set to the minor 3rd, and so on and so on.

All the control panel functions work. They are a little bit noisy when you move them, and just a little stiff, too, but not much -- certainly not like those you’ll find on old Moogs and Arps. The one thing that’s easy to forget is that the Soffiato and Decay controls are dependent on the front-panel selector switch. You may think one of them isn’t working until you remember to place the switch in the appropriate position.

Front Panel Controls (located below the keyboard)
This is where you choose sounds and engage a few other features.

First, the sounds. The Poli has four: Trombone, Trumpet, Piano and Viola. The Trombone, Trumpet and Viola voices work fine. As mentioned above, the Piano voice has several notes that don’t sound at all.

The Mono synth has nine sounds, a few of which don’t work. Functioning sounds: Violin, Piccolo, Flute, Bass Flute, Alto Sax and Baritone Sax. The three nonfunctioning sounds: Trumpet, Trombone and Tuba (all three are side by side, so the issue may have something to do with the wiring in this spot). In addition, the Mono section voice can be heard faintly in the background after the keys are released.

Functions on the front panel include two Portamento controls: one engages the effect, and the other is a spring-loaded flipper that lets you engage the effect at will and then springs back into the off position when you remove your finger. Both of these work. There are two controls that let you instantly cancel out the Poli or Mono section without having to pull down the volume control. The Poli cancel works; the Mono cancel does not, but as stated above, you can still cut the voice by lowering the Mono’s volume. Finally, to the far right are controls for Wha-Wha and the aforementioned Envelope function selector (Soffiato or Decay). Both controls work."

click this image to see the detailed overlay.