Synthchaser #099 - ARP Quadra Restoration (Pt. 1) - Testing Membrane Panel

Published on Apr 26, 2018 Synth Chaser

http://www.synthchaser.com

"It's finally time for some ARP Quadra restoration videos! I've been sitting on some broken Quadras for a while and have finally found a good home for one of them. But, before I can commit to selling this Quadra and get underway restoring it, I need to know if the membrane panel works.

So in this video, I show you how to test out the membrane panel. Important to do if considering buying a broken Quadra, or if you have a Quadra with some bad switches.

Parts, service and synthesizers available on my website."

Update:

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Synthchaser #069 - Matrix's Oberheim OB-Xa Repair

Synthchaser #069 - Matrix's Oberheim OB-Xa Repair - Dead Voice Card

Published on Jun 8, 2017 Synth Chaser

Yes, that is my OB-Xa. :)

http://www.synthchaser.com

"Today I'm repairing an OB-Xa for Matrix of matrixsynth.com. One voice card is dead, and others are failing autotune and sounding really inconsistent from voice to voice. In this video we take a look at the state of the synth, and troubleshoot and repair the dead voice card.

Parts used in this video series are available at my website. I also repair and restore Oberheims and other vintage synths for customers around the world."

Synthchaser #070 - Matrix's Oberheim OB-Xa Repair - Power Supply & Voice Card Rebuilds

Published on Jun 12, 2017 Synth Chaser

http://www.synthchaser.com

"In this video, I continue the repair of an OB-Xa for Matrix of matrixsynth.com. We rebuild the power supply and voice cards, and get the synth in tune and sounding consistent from voice card to voice card. I also show you a common defect with the voice cards that prevents proper calibration.

Parts used in this video series are available at my website. I also repair and restore Oberheims and other vintage synths for customers around the world."

You can find Synth Chaser's OB-Xa calibration videos here.

ARP Quadra Vintage Keyboard Synth w/Case - Serviced by Synth Chaser

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

Note this one is from Ad Infinitum.

"What's more to say - it is an Arp Quadra!!! - Progressive Rock in a box. Used by Tony Banks, Rick Wright, Kerry Livgren, and well, me.

Professionally and meticulously repaired by Synth Chaser to 100% working condition - even the trill and aftertouch work. Synth Chaser made an extremely detailed video demonstrating the Quadra, so check out the YouTube video. There are some cosmetic wear on the metal as you can see in the video, but the panel is very clean."

Synthchaser #072 - Fried LinnDrum Repair

Published on Jun 25, 2017 Synth Chaser

http://www.synthchaser.com

"Two customers bought LinnDrums on eBay and sent them in for service/repair. One customer got a good buy, the other got a nightmare! It was a hacked mess of wires and modifications and the circuit board was blackened all the way through from heat. When most people would consider something like that a "parts machine", our bold Synth Chaser forges ahead. Will he bring it back to life, or has the Synth Chaser finally met his match?

I repair and restore vintage synths (and drum machines!) for customers around the world."

Purple ARP AXXE Synth Chaser Restored Analog Synthesizer Rik Marston

Rik Marston Official

#arpaxxe #synthchaser #analogsynthesizer
"Purple ARP AXXE Synth Chaser Restored"
Synthesizer Demo by Rik Marston
***Watch in HD!!*** **Turn It UP!** ***No Talking!!!***
*Focus was off so I did this little picture montage*

The incredible ARP AXXE vintage monosynth restored
by the fantastic Synth Chaser! I had it customized with
PURPLE LEDs on the sliders. It works PERFECTLY!
Sliders are tight, keys are SMOOTH! Output is CLEAN!
Oh, did I mention the PURPLE LEDS on the sliders?
LOL I know I did but that makes it PERFECT for my
new colorful synthesizer setup. I am a very happy ARP owner!
https://synthchaser.com/

Meteorite friends featured:
"Zardoz", "Uhluhtc" & "Dizan"
3 Campo del Cielo Iron Meteorites from Argentina :)
Sending POSITIVE VIBES to YOU!!! ;)

Update:

Purple ARP AXXE S+H Dimensions Vintage Analog Synthesizer Rik Marston

Synthchaser Restored Vintage ARP Quadra Synthesizer Keyboard with New Sliders

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
Synth Chaser

via this auction

"This ARP Quadra has just been professionally overhauled by Synthchaser, the foremost expert on ARP Quadras! Work done included new red LED sliders (illumination can be dimmed or disabled by control of a knob mounted just inside the synth), recap of all tantalum and electrolytic capacitors, new touch sensor, keyboard refurbishment, new IC chips, and more reliability enhancements!

Here is a video demo of the actual keyboard being sold:

While many synths are listed as "serviced" or "fully serviced", they are usually devoid of any details of what was actually done. Those that do provide details or service invoices often reveal that the synth was merely superficially serviced, and not genuinely "future-proofed". I have not only serviced this Quadra, I've taken it down to the chassis and overhauled it. Work done included:

CLICK FOR MORE »

Vintage ARP Quadra Overhauled by Synthchaser

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
Uploaded on Oct 3, 2019 Synth Chaser

via this auction

"This ARP Quadra has just been fully serviced & overhauled by Synthchaser, the west coast's leading ARP specialist - recapped, new key bushings, new touch sensor, sliders disassembled, cleaned and refurbished, clean, fully functional, calibrated, in tune and sounding great. This synth was the final masterpiece of ARP Instruments and added a powerful 2 oscillator lead synthesizer to the bass, poly strings, and poly synth already found in the ARP Omni 2. Add in the lush 14 stage voltage controlled analog phase shifter, a sequencer (more like arpeggiator), assignable aftertouch, 61 key keyboard, and package it all into the coolest looking synth design ever and you have an ARP Quadra!

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Restored Vintage ARP Quadra Synthesizer Keyboard with MIDI

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
video by Synth Chaser

via this auction

"This ARP Quadra has just been professionally overhauled by Synthchaser, the foremost expert on ARP Quadras! Work done included new orange LED sliders (illumination can be disabled before shipping at buyer's request), recap of all tantalum and electrolytic capacitors, new touch sensor, keyboard refurbishment, new IC chips, reliability enhancements, and perhaps most unique of all... this may be the world's first ARP Quadra with MIDI!

While many synths are listed as "serviced" or "fully serviced", they are usually devoid of any details of what was actually done. Those that do provide details or service invoices often reveal that the synth was merely superficially serviced, and not genuinely "future-proofed". I have not only serviced this Quadra, I've taken it down to the chassis and overhauled it. Work done included:

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Synthchaser #111 - Dead Oberheim Xpander Repair

Published on Sep 21, 2018 Synth Chaser

http://synthchaser.com/

"The Oberheim Xpander. 6 voice little brother of the mighty Matrix-12. One day his beloved Oberheim Xpander would not turn on. So he sent it to Synth Chaser to perform a little synth CPR. We'll have a little tour around the inside and then get this Xpander working again!

Parts for DIY repair and restoration of Oberheims are available at my website. I also repair and restore Oberheims and other vintage synths for customers around the world."

Synthchaser #070 - Matrix's Oberheim OB-Xa Repair - Power Supply & Voice Card Rebuilds

Published on Jun 12, 2017 Synth Chaser

http://www.synthchaser.com

"In this video, I continue the repair of an OB-Xa for Matrix of matrixsynth.com. We rebuild the power supply and voice cards, and get the synth in tune and sounding consistent from voice card to voice card. I also show you a common defect with the voice cards that prevents proper calibration.

Parts used in this video series are available at my website. I also repair and restore Oberheims and other vintage synths for customers around the world."

Part 1 here.

You can find Synth Chaser's OB-Xa calibration videos posted here.

Synth Chaser Serviced Vintage ARP Omni 2 Analog Synthesizer Keyboard

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
video upload by Synth Chaser

via this auction, also on Reverb

"This synthesizer has just been fully serviced by Synthchaser, the leading ARP specialist - recapped, new key bushings, sliders disassembled and refurbished, clean, fully functional, calibrated, in tune and sounding great. This keyboard is the sound of Joy Division and is all over The Cars' "Moving In Stereo", and many other late 70's/early 80's albums. It produces the lush Solina/String Ensemble sounds plus has a polyphonic synthesizer section with a voltage controlled filter, LFO, and ADSR, and a dedicated bass synthesizer section.

Good condition, scratches on the top as is common for these, see photos. This is an early model Omni 2 with the black buttons, power indicator LED, enameled ARP badge, and wood side panels. Left panel has some red sticker/tape residue on it and a chip on the bottom. See photos for condition.

Sliders refurbished - It's rare that Synthchaser will agree to restore the original sliders in these synthesizers, but when he does, he does it right! The sliders have been desoldered, disassembled, ultrasonically cleaned, lubricated, reassembled, tested and reinstalled. All original slider caps are present!
Power supply rebuilt - All tantalum and electrolytic capacitors in the power supply have been replaced, and high quality, high temperature 105 deg C capacitors have been used for the power supply filter capacitors.
All tantalum capacitors replaced - The tantalum capacitors in ARP synths are ticking time bombs. All of the over 100 tantalum capacitors in this synth, including the power supply and filter submodule, have been replaced with electrolytics to help provide stable operation for years to come.
Synthchaser 4075 Filter Enhancement Kit Installed - The ARP Omni uses the same 4075 filter submodule found in the Odyssey, Quadra, Avatar, and Pro DGX. This has been recapped, and enhanced to provide superior frequency response.
Keyboard rebuild - New key bushings installed, buss bar & key contacts cleaned and adjusted, keybed leveled, keys ultrasonically cleaned
Oscilloscope calibration - Fully calibrated to factory spec using oscilloscope and frequency counter."

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Ex-Jefferson Starship ARP Quadra Synthesizer Serviced w/LED Sliders New Membrane

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
Synth Chaser

via this auction

"This ARP Quadra was owned by Pete Sears and toured with Jefferson Starship in the 1980s! It has just been professionally overhauled by Synthchaser, the foremost expert on ARP Quadras! Work done included a new membrane panel, new blue LED sliders, recap of all tantalum and electrolytic capacitors, new touch sensor, keyboard rebuild, dozens of new IC chips, and more!

While many synths are listed as "serviced" or "fully serviced", they are usually devoid of any details of what was actually done. Those that do provide details or service invoices often reveal that the synth was merely superficially serviced, and not genuinely "future-proofed". I have not only serviced this Quadra, I've taken it down to the chassis and overhauled it. Work done included:

New membrane panel - The membrane panel with the switches that enable the various features and pull up the presets is a known weak spot of the ARP Quadra, and many otherwise good Quadras have been turned into expensive doorstops due to failed membrane panels. A brand new (manufactured in 2020!) Synthchaser membrane panel has been installed. It looks just like the original! Have other "future-proofed" Quadras had this part replaced? I think not!

Synthchaser Precision LED slider upgrade. All 35 of the old original sliders have been replaced with new, smooth, high precision LED illuminated sliders. The difference in the way these sliders feel and perform compared to the originals is a huge improvement.

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Excellent ARP Omni 1 Keyboard Synthesizer Restored with LED Sliders

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
Uploaded on Mar 30, 2019 Synth Chaser

via this auction, also on Reverb

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Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 Restoration & Repair by Synth Chaser

Published on May 23, 2017 Synth Chaser

http://synthchaser.com/

Playlist:
Synthchaser #064 - Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 Restoration & Repair - Introduction
Synthchaser #065 - Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 Restoration & Repair - Power Supply Rebuild
Synthchaser #066 - Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 Restoration & Repair - Capacitors, Battery & Pots
Synthchaser #067 - Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 Restoration & Repair - "Dead" CPU Repair
Synthchaser #068 - Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 Restoration & Repair - Keybed Refurbishment

Oberheim Four Voice Synthesizer FVS Tour Inside & Technical Overview

video upload by Synth Chaser

"I'm going to be doing some repairs on this Oberheim Four Voice synthesizer and I thought I'd make a repair video on it. But first I want to provide some better context for the repair work that's to come. So in this video we'll look at the inside of the Four Voice, see the different modules that make it up and discuss how they work together to make an amazing synthesizer."

https://synthchaser.com

Oberheim Four Voice Synthesizer FVS More Repairs - Synthchaser #150

video upload by Synth Chaser

diy bullfighter brown midi synth demos

YouTube Uploaded by superhorchacha on Nov 2, 2011

dave wright
www.notbreathing

Playlist:
1. diy bullfighter brown midi synth demo
"this thing has 2 CGS vcos in it, a CGS digital noise, a CGS morphlag, an CGS Steiner Parker VCF, 2 CGS LFOs, a 3080 VCA, a MFOS ADSR, a power one linear supply, an EFM MIDI-PORT and four mixers. the switches allow you to select VCO 1/ VCO 2 or DIGITAL NOISE As the inputs to the Highpass, Bandpass and Lowpass parts of the filter. The incoming MIDI CV is processed by the Morphlag for attack/decay portament and linear/expo response, the other switches act as a modulation matrix from the 2 LFOS, ADSR, Digital NOISE and CV input to the 2 VCOS and VCF cut off. The Vcos can cross modulate each other. single midi in, CV out, GATE out and audio output. VCA is slaved to ADSR w/ volume knob. the wood sides and top are from a discarded matador mexican velvet painting. clock and beat are from mpc1000, sequence from frostwave fat controller"

2. brown diy synth demo
"this is a cv/gate controlled analog synth - cv/gate input controls 2 566 VCOs which go through a CEM3372 MIXER/VCF/VCA chip w/ additional MFOS ADSR and CGS Psycho LFO and single Utility LFO - contains a CGS Real Ring Modulator. beat + clock from mpc1000 sequence from frostwave fat controller. cv and gate are from kenton pro2000"

3. diy brown neon lamp NE-2 synthesizer
"synthesizer using only neon lamp tubes. five NEON lamp chaser on top w/ range switches and pitch. three neon lamp sub oscs that divide the neon lamp chaser chain. each suboscs output POWERS the NEXT subosc generator. another few neons lamps act as modulation source to the power of the neon lamp chain. all of this goes through a final neon lampsubosc and through a passive capacitor low pass filter via rotary switch. 180V powersupply. 1/4" out"

4. horrible brown sequencer synthsizer
"some 4047 vcos, a opamp vcf, a weird sound generator as an lfo, a 386 amp, a 4017 8 stage sequencer, a 555 as a sequencer clock, switches for pitch, vcf cutoff, resonance, weird sound generator modulation, master pitch, and switches for modulation matrix - has very loud internal speaker but using the line out - can be externaly clocked"

5. toteable brown gutter diy noise synth
"a single 4046 phase lock loop as a vco, a burned pic digital noise, a 4017 and 555 based 8 step sequencer, a 13600 based vcf, a opamp based lfo, some leds and big knobs. can be external triggered"

6. super brown boson huffer diy sequencer synth
"seven 4047 vcos ring modulating each other through 4070 chips, going through a band pass filter and then a simple low pass gate. the eight step switches send pulses to the low pass gate (Vca/vcf), the vcos are sequences via vactrols. a final 386 amp adds lots of distortion if needed. sequencer is 4047/4017 - can be external clocked"

Serviced ARP Omni 2 Synthesizer with Synthchaser MIDI, LED Sliders & Anvil Case

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
video upload by Synth Chaser

via this auction

"Here's a nice, restored ARP Omni 2... with MIDI!! This synthesizer has just been fully serviced by Synthchaser, the United States' leading ARP specialist - recapped, new key bushings, new LED sliders, clean, fully functional, calibrated, in tune and sounding great. And best of all, this has been fitted with the Synthchaser MIDI Adapter! This keyboard is the sound of Joy Division and is all over The Cars' "Moving In Stereo", and many other late 70's/early 80's albums. It produces the lush Solina/String Ensemble sounds plus has a polyphonic synthesizer section with a voltage controlled filter, LFO, and ADSR, and a dedicated bass synthesizer section.

CLICK FOR MORE »

ARP Omni 2 Keyboard Synthesizer Serviced with Purple LED Sliders

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
Uploaded on May 4, 2020 Synth Chaser

via this auction, also on Reverb

CLICK FOR MORE »

Synthchaser #104 - ARP Quadra Demonstration

Published on Jun 14, 2018 Synth Chaser

http://www.synthchaser.com

"Finally our long and tedious restoration is complete, and I walk you through the features and sounds of the ARP Quadra.

0:28 Bass Section
3:37 String Section
5:55 Poly Synth Section
9:20 Lead Synth Section
18:27 Phase Shifter
21:31 ARP Quadra Sounds
24:18 Conclusion

I have ARP Quadras available, please contact me through my website if you are interested in purchasing one."

You can find the restoration videos here.

Oxford Synthesizer Company OSCar Repair - Synthchaser #121

Published on Aug 8, 2019 Synth Chaser

"Have look inside and listen to a rare Oxford Synthesizer Company OSCar synth as we make a handful of repairs to it. We'll convert it from 220V to 110V operation, change the power cord, correct the power wiring, clean the pots, replace the leaking battery with a safer solution, eliminate hum in the output, replace missing buttons, replace a sketchy connector, and fix some intermittent issue where the synth jumps back to preset #1.

Parts, service and synthesizers available on my website. I buy broken synthesizers!"

http://www.synthchaser.com