Analog synth repair, modifications, design

[Somnium7]

Ok so here's me:

8 years with large electronic companies including Motorola, Aries, EFE Labs and Sag Harbor industries. Spent most of my time working as either lead tech or Research & Development tech. I have saved many electronics engineers' careers
I taught myself programming because one employer put me in charge of the microcontroller division on the production side. I then switched to IT and worked for dotcoms till the big dotcom bubble broke. Things got desperate so I joined the US Navy where I repaired the avionics equipment in F/A 14s, F/A 18s, and finally the F/A 18 Superhornets. Now I work as a contract web developer on such interesting things as ecommerce and materials tracking systems

Between contracts I build and fix lots of cool old audio gear and my specialty is synthesizers. Here's the short list of synths/drum machines I have successfully repaired over the years:

Kawai K5000
Casio CZ-230
Korg MS10
Steiner Parker Synthacon
Casio FZ-1
Sequential Circuits Prophet 600
Roland Juno 6
Roland Juno 106
Roland R8
Serge Modular (Early)
PPG Wave 2.3
Moog Memory Moog
Realistic MG-1
Crumar DS-2

I have also Pimped out a Hammond T series spinet so if you have one I can make it sound like a real Hammond for you.

I love old synths and want to see them all live forever buzzing away with all the wonderful attitude the crude technologies of the past had to offer. For me, seeing a dead synth leave my shop working like new is what matters most so I'm not out to kill people with outrageous rates. I'm highly negotiable especially if you ain't some big recording studio with major resources. However, I have worked with studios before and even music stores and I am always ready to talk business with them too.

I have a well equipped shop dedicated for this purpose. My test equipment isn't state of the art but it's the right stuff for the job and always kept well calibrated. I calibrate my oscilloscope with the same calibration generator Tektronix built for use on their own production line.

I do synthesizer modifications. A recent client had me hotrod the LFOs on his Crumar DS-2 so they would have 3 times the range in speed then they originally had. he was very pleased with the results which included adding new controls to the instrument's front panel.

I build analog synthesizers from scratch. My first system was crude and ill-mannered but it worked well and comprised 9 different modules. Each module was in a separate enclosure and each enclosure housed as many as 4 copies of the actual circuit e.g. a quad VCA.
My second system was rackmounted and not only worked great but looked great too. It consisted of circuits cloned from Moog, Steiner Parker, Aries and EMS modular synths along with trully unique designs by Blacet, CGS and myself.
My third system is under construction now. It is called the Somnium Wave Engine and it incorporates some really unique new circuitry as well as cloned circuits from Oberheim, Serge, EMS, Buchla and many others.

I love building stuff. If you need something unique that can't be bought in a store let me know. Unless its digital.

[TragikRemix]

sooo

how much does one of your custom analog synths go for, and does it infact sound amazing?


Me<----techno junkie.

just a ballpark figure?

[Somnium7]

My handmade synths sound like this:

sample 1

this:

sample 2

this:

sample 3 This ones like 4.5 Megs

and this:
sample 4 almost 6 Megs

I have more if you find them amazing enough.

I can't possibly talk dollars and cents without an idea of what's going into the system. You have to understand that custom made electronics can be costly. There are no quantity discounts on parts like with a mass produced product. I can say it would be much less than an Andromeda or Little Phatty. If you have a real interest please PM me and when can get down to facts and figures.

PS: the above samples may not be used anywhere by anybody without being very nice to me and asking.

[Supercreep]

Any possibility you can make replacement chips for the Juno 106?

[Somnium7]

Originally Posted by Supercreep

Any possibility you can make replacement chips for the Juno 106?

I'm sure I could if I wanted to but there already is somebody doing this...
http://users.skynet.be/bk318113/303/juno.html

I've heard very good things about these replacements too. I have worked on 106s before, I can do the installation for these.

[Somnium7]

All current repair work has been completed and I am open for more now. Send me your ailing instruments and let the synth doctor do his magic!

[girlthatdrums]

How much would you charge to fix a voice chip issue on a juno 60 and do a basic tune-up? every 4&5th key is having issues on certain presets...

[Somnium7]

I have expanded my services to include Amps and studio gear including mixing consoles.

I'll be putting up a website for this soon ...stay tuned!

Please PM me to inquire about repairs/upgrades/modifications because I lose track of this thread after a few days.

[Somnium7]

Bumping this for somebody who needs the info in this thread.