Serviced Rare Original 1971 ARP Soloist Model 2700 (Pre Pro Soloist!)

video upload by Synthchaser

via this auction

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Vintage ARP Odyssey Mk I 2800 Pro Serviced w/ New Sliders

video upload by Synthchaser

via this auction

"This vintage ARP Odyssey has just been fully serviced in October 2023 by Synthchaser, the top ARP specialist - recapped, new key bushings, all new LED sliders, fully functional, tuned and calibrated, and sounding awesome! The Odyssey was ARP's answer to the Minimoog, a feature packed scaled down version of the legendary ARP 2600.

A video functional demonstration of this synth that is for sale is at the end of the pictures list.

The synth is in great condition. This synth comes with illuminated LED sliders that correspond to the colors of the original slider caps. I can disable the illumination for the buyer before shipping, upon request at the time of purchase.

Work just completed on the synth included:

Synthchaser Precision LED slider upgrade - All 34 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. LEDs run off their own power supply mounted inside the synth.
Illuminated slider caps - Slider caps with a translucent plastic stripe that allows the LED illumination to shine through, while giving you something substantial to grip onto. They look and feel awesome!
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 tantalum capacitors in this synth have been replaced with electrolytics to help provide stable operation for years to come.
Synthchaser 4023 Voltage Controlled Filter Submodule - This is a very fat 2 pole dual OTA filter. Synthchaser modules are true to the original designs and professionally built using premium components with superior performance and reliability to those found in the original modules.
Keyboard rebuild - New key bushings installed, keys removed and ultrasonically cleaned, bus bars removed and polished, bellcrank caps cleaned and lubricated.
Oscilloscope calibration - Calibrated & tuned using oscilloscope and frequency counter.
1/4" output made High - ARPs of this era had an RCA jack as the high output and the 1/4" jack as the low output. As today RCA jacks are an inconvenience for most, the 1/4" jack has been made to a second high output.
New rubber feet"

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Original 1971 ARP Soloist Model 2700 ex Dennis P. Colin

video upload by Synthchaser

via this auction

Some pics of the inside bits below.

The seller also has a 2nd ARP Soloist Model 2700 listed here.

Pics and video for that one captured below.

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ARP Explorer I SERIAL #1 - Model 2900 Synthesizer - Serviced

video upload by Synthchaser

via this auction

"The ARP Explorer I (Model 2900) was ARP's first non-preset single oscillator synthesizer, pre-dating the Axxe and the Solus. It includes the same 4027-1 Voltage Controlled Oscillator module found in the ARP 2600, and the same 4034 Moog Ladder Filter Voltage Controlled Filter module found in the ARP Pro Soloist. The oscillator is divided down to suboctaves, and shaped into different waveforms (sawtooth, square, pulse, and fuzz) that can be combined simultaneously for an extremely fat sound from a single oscillator synth, particularly in partnership with the ladder filter.

The synth is in good condition, however the silkscreen is very faded as is common for this era ARP synthesizer. This synthesizer was serviced in September 2023 by Synthchaser, and work completed on the synth included:

Synthchaser Precision slider upgrade - All 12 of the old original sliders have been replaced with new, smooth, high precision sliders. The difference in the way these sliders feel and perform compared to the originals is a huge improvement. The original style slider caps are fitted to keep the look original.
Power supply recapped - 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.
Tantalum capacitors replaced - The tantalum capacitors in ARP synths are ticking time bombs. All tantalum capacitors in this synth (except those in the sub-modules) have been replaced with electrolytics to help provide stable operation for years to come.
Keyboard rebuild - New key bushings installed, keys removed and ultrasonically cleaned, bus bars removed and polished, key contacts cleaned and adjusted.
Oscilloscope calibration - Calibrated & tuned using oscilloscope and frequency counter.
1/4" output made High - ARPs of this era had an RCA jack as the high output and the 1/4" jack as the low output. As today RCA jacks are an inconvenience for most, the 1/4" jack has been made to a second high output. This modification is easily reversible by cutting 1 wire."

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ARP Odyssey MK II Model 2813 SN 0106

via this auction

"Here is S/N 0106, an early MK II from around 1976. In nice shape and sounds fantastic! It has new keyboard bushings and plays very smoothly with no key clacks. The sliders were replaced along with the 'lytic capacitors, and has the 4075 VCF module from Synthchaser installed. The colored slider caps were replaced with all black, and the (incomplete) set of original caps is included. Freshly calibrated this spring, and it is rock stable as you would expect."

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Serviced Vintage Moog Polymoog 203a Synthesizer SN 3861

via this auction, also on Reverb

"Here's a fully functional Polymoog 203a Synthesizer in nice cosmetic condition. This was serviced in August 2023 by Synthchaser. Work done included:

Recapped power supply
Repaired all known functional issues
Replaced panel button LEDs with new, lower current blue LEDs - reduces synthesizer power consumption by over 1/4 Amp, increases LED lifespan, and looks cool.
Cleaned slide pots"

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Moog Minitmoog SN 2262

via this auction

"Here is an excellent example of the rare Minitmoog synthesizer.

This unit has undergone a full restoration from the top Moog technician in the Midwest, G Dahl in Minneapolis.

New slider kit from Synthchaser, rebuilt key bed, deep cleaning, aftertouch sensor rebuilt, various parts and knobs cleaned and replaced, IEC plug installed, fully functional.

This unit will be packed extremely well and fully insured, arriving to you for studio use.

Only some very minor cracking in some of the preset tabs which is very common with this unit, cosmetically it is an 8 out of 10 easily."

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Arp Quadra

via this auction

"Arp Quadra synthesizer keyboard that just got back from a full servicing by Synthchaser. Work included a complete re-cap, new slider pots (which can be led activated at a later stage if desired), new touch panel membrane and keybed refurb. It's fully functional and good to go. We have a long demo video made by Synthchaser we can share on request. The only issue worth mentioning is the lower transpose button is not working, but the upper transpose button does work and performs the same action. We have sold Arp Quadra's in the past for $12k - $15k and it's been a couple years since we last listed one for sale. These are very cool vintage analog synths."

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Another Oberheim Four Voice Synthesizer FVS Repair - Synthchaser #156

video upload by Synthchaser

"Last year I did a three part video series repairing an Oberheim Four Voice [posted here]. Now I've got couple more Four Voices in for repair, and I thought we'd check one of them out together. In this one we repair a problem with the polyphonic keyboard assigner module."

https://synthchaser.com/

Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 Rev3 SN 1970

via this auction

"Dusty, New caps kit. Power Supply Synthchaser kit installed. Works great sans a dirty volume knob."

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Vintage ARP Odyssey Mk III 2823 Pro Serviced w/ New Sliders

via this auction

"This vintage ARP Odyssey has just been fully serviced in May 2023 by Synthchaser, the top ARP specialist - recapped, new key bushings, all new LED sliders, fully functional, tuned and calibrated, and sounding awesome! The Odyssey was ARP's answer to the Minimoog, a feature packed scaled down version of the legendary ARP 2600. This late model ARP Odyssey is equipped with the 4075 filter, a tasty 4 pole LPF found in all late model ARP synths.

The synth is in great condition. The only flaw worth mentioning is some staining on the left leather side panel (see photos). This synth comes with Orange illuminated LED sliders to complement the Orange & Black color scheme of this late model ARP. I can disable the illumination for the buyer before shipping, upon request at the time of purchase, and with the slider caps I've installed it will look very much like original.

Work just completed on the synth included:

- Synthchaser Precision LED slider upgrade - All 34 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. LEDs run off their own power supply mounted inside the synth.

- Illuminated slider caps - Slider caps with a translucent plastic stripe that allows the LED illumination to shine through, while giving you something substantial to grip onto. They look and feel awesome!

- 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 tantalum capacitors in this synth have been replaced with electrolytics to help provide stable operation for years to come.

- 4075 Filter Enhancement - This ARP Odyssey uses 4075 filter submodule found in all late model ARP synthesizers like the Quadra and the Omni. This filter was designed with a calculation error that limited the cutoff frequency. The 4075 filter submodule has been recapped, corrected to provide superior frequency response, and tested for proper operation in the Synthchaser custom test fixture

- Keyboard rebuild - New key bushings installed, keys removed and ultrasonically cleaned, bus bars removed and polished, key contacts cleaned and adjusted.

- Oscilloscope calibration - Calibrated & tuned using oscilloscope and frequency counter."

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Vintage ARP Odyssey Mk II 2813 Synthesizer w/ LED Sliders & Moog Ladder Filter

video upload by Synth Chaser

via this auction, also on Reverb

"The Odyssey was ARP's answer to the Minimoog, a feature packed scaled down version of the legendary ARP 2600. This particular ARP Odyssey is equipped with the 4035 filter, the infamous "lawsuit filter" that "borrowed" from Bob Moog's ladder filter patent.

This ARP Odyssey has just been serviced and is functioning very well. The Synthchaser LED slider & slider cap set has been installed, and the LEDs are color coded to correspond to the original colored slider caps, which give a visual indicator of the function of each control. The difference in the way these sliders feel and perform compared to the originals is a huge improvement. The power supply was recapped, all tantalum capacitors replaced, new key bushings, cleaned key contacts, calibrated, and the 1/4" output jack made to a high output.

There are a few flaws I feel the need to disclose: The old silkscreen was worn away and the paint was also worn through, so I've installed an overlay. The quality of the overlay isn't the greatest, and the color doesn't quite match the rest of the synth, but anything is better than the way it was! Please review photos carefully. This particular Odyssey has a fairly high noise floor. You can hear it (white noise/hiss sound) when the tone sources are turned down and the VCA is open, or if the filter isn't fully open. Also, the ADSR modulation to the VCF can "overdrive" the filter if the slider is up all the way. Please see the attached video for a demonstration of these. There are a few extra holes on the back panel (the larger ones have been plugged) from previous mods that have been reverted. Since the cosmetics of this Odyssey aren't perfect, I decided not to invest the time into fixing these last problems and instead just offer the synthesizer at a better value."

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Oberheim Four Voice Synthesizer FVS More Repairs - Synthchaser #150

Update: New video added to this previous post.

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

Vintage ARP 2600 Tonus Logo Synthesizer w/matching 3604P Keyboard

via this auction, also on Reverb

"Original Vintage ARP 2600. This is an early Tonus logo 2600, which is prized for a better audio path than later ARP 2600s. Includes the matching 3604P keyboard controller, keyboard cable, power cord, and both lids. Both the synthesizer and keyboard controller have just been serviced by Synthchaser. Work done included:

Power supply recapped, new thermal pads on power supply transistors
Sliders cleaned
All tantalum capacitors replaced (except those in submodules)
Ring Modulator and Sample & Hold submodules replaced with new Synthchaser modules
Both connectors for the keyboard controller and 6 other internal connectors have been replaced for reliable operation
Nuts, washers, knobs and slider caps ultrasonically cleaned
Full calibration under oscilloscope
3604P Keyboard refurbished

New key bushings
Key contacts and bus bars cleaned
Keycaps ultrasonically cleaned
Bellcrank caps cleaned and relubricated
Tantalum capacitors in keyboard electronics recapped
The synthesizer is in good condition. There is a scratch on the panel below the pre-amplifier. The manual gate button contacts are dirty or worn and sometimes it does not trigger. Parts of the tolex case are shinier and it looks like something was on top of it that had been removed. This is most noticeable on the keyboard controller and the lid of the synthesizer, not really on parts you would notice when set up in your studio. See pictures for details."

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Oberheim OB-8 w/ Moog Style Knobs & Fatar Keyboard

via this auction

"The GOOD!!!
- I just paid $2000 in service fees that include a recapped power supply, deep cleaning, Synthchaser Voice Board Service Kit with extra trimmers, new IC chips / IC sockets / Op Amps / Transistors / Film Capacitors, etc.
- I just bought and installed a brand new (and MUCH better) Fatar Keybed that plays and feels beautiful.
- I just bought (but have NOT installed) a brand new Midi Mod Kit, Battery Eliminator Chips (so you no longer need a battery to save patches!), and wood end pieces from Rosen Sound. These are brand new and in the boxes.
- In all I have put over $3000 into this classic 8 voice, 2 osc, 3 lfo, monster analog synth.

The BAD!
- This synth does NOT like to be cold. When it is cold it sometimes takes 15-20 minutes to warm up and stabilize. When first turned on a couple voices sound terrible and that usually causes some serious panic. After it warms up I just hit the auto tune and it's usually solid after that. The crappy video included shows the synth warmed up after it was cold from a near by AC blasting all night long. The sound is just coming out of a stereo speaker but you get the idea.
- The knobs appear to be Moog style knobs. I think they look great but if you want it all original you will have to track down Oberheim knobs. Personally I don't like the original knobs. I also have the original keybed listed for sale if you want to have that one too."

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The Infamous ARP Avatar

video upload by Alex Ball

"A look at the infamous ARP Avatar from 1977. This is the first proper guitar demo of it to be uploaded to YouTube!

0:00 Intro
1:48 The Guitar Setup
2:28 Hex Preamp, Hex Fuzz, Special Effect
5:15 Pitch to CV
5:53 Here's the problem
7:10 Workarounds
9:22 Use as just a synth
10:26 Summary
11:41 Feature Song 'Right Back Round'


Further reading and watching:

https://www.alexballmusic.com/arp-avatar

Alan R Pearlman Foundation: https://alanrpearlmanfoundation.org/ [See the ARP Foundation interview with Alex Ball here]

Thanks: Dina Pearlman, Dave Friend, Bill Singer, Rick Parent, Mary Lock, Paul DeRocco, Bob Hoffman, James Martin, Nathan @ Synthchaser, TC and Phil M."

Vintage 8 Voice Oberheim OB-X Synthesizer

via this auction, also on Reverb

"This 8-voice Oberheim OB-X sounds amazingly fat and warm and is ready to find a good home. This synth has just been extensively serviced by Synthchaser in March 2022 with:

Power supply rebuild – new capacitors, trimmers, upgraded bridge rectifiers
All tantalum capacitors replaced – All failure prone tantalum capacitors replaced throughout the entire synth
Voice cards serviced – All polarized capacitors and trimmers replaced, voice cards calibrated
Keybed refurbished – new bushings, keys ultrasonically cleaned, bus bars and j-wires cleaned and adjusted
Many connectors replaced
Factory patches loaded
There are a fair amount of scratches on the paint–see photos for details. This is the final revision of OB-X which includes the Oberheim Computer Interface for connecting a DSX sequencer. All voice cards are original, no counterfeit or clone cards are in this synth."

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Oberheim OB-8 SN C30906

via this auction

Pics of the inside below.

"In excellent condition, every knob, switch and light functions perfectly, and it sounds gorgeous. I hate to sell it, but it has served me well since 1987 and it's time to let it go. Lovingly serviced by Synthchaser, including a new Fatar keybed. Will ship with roadcase."

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Is the Oberheim OB-SX Really a Preset Mini OB-X?

video upload by Synth Chaser

"Some people claim the Oberheim OB-SX is a smaller, preset version of the OB-X. But is that really true? In this video we take a look the voice cards of the OB-X, OB-SX, and OB-Xa and explore their similarities and differences."

https://synthchaser.com/