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AM Projects
- Re-engineered Synthesizers
Overview The goldern age of synthesizers was from 1975 - 1985. The availabilty of new high quality Op Amps, simple CMOS digital logic chips and early microprocessors,
provided the platform for a whole new set of ideas from a range of US, UK and Japanese manufacturers.
These original designs are easy to modify and improve, thanks to their basic
construction techniques - which pre-date Surface Mounted Devices and complex software. After 20 years these machines are ideal candidates for re-design and re-engineering, provided you are not messing with a rare and valuable classic!
So why re-engineer? The casing and hardware components are often worn out after 20 years and need replacing. There are many opportunities to extend or reduce the original designs, thereby adding new features or improved usability. It
is also fun to create a unique machine.
What is involved?
The re-engineering projects take an original synthesizer or sequencer and add new features to make it more interesting. At the same time the original electronics and controls are refurbished. The sort of changes I make are:
- New cases and front panels
- Replacement PSU capacitors and regulators
- Replacement decoupling capacitors
- New lithium batteries
- New high quality potetiometers
- New toggle switches
- New high quality aluminium knobs
- Replacement LED's in new and exciting colours
The end result is a vastly improved machine which works better than new and often
provides new features.
Can you build one?
Our re-engineering projects are documented as AM Projects Notes, and can be download from this web site and followed. If you are competent with electronics, you can complete the same projects. However remember that you will kill the resale value of your donor machine!
There is no guarantee that the modications on this web site will work. They are provied on an as-is basis, as information for Synth DIYers and Synth Hackers.
Costs and Resale
Re-engineering is not cheap, replacement hardware is expensive and it is easy to spend £100+ on parts. New panels need to be custom manufactured, although replacement electronic parts are often cheap. You will seriously reduce the resale value of your donor machine, so only modify machines you don't want to resell in the future.
Candidate Projects
There are plenty of other possible projects using donor machines from 1975 - 1985. Look out for basic designs from the main manufacturers. Look out for damaged and broken machines, that are cheap. Many schematics are available on the Internet now, and the surviving manufacturers still have service documentation (often ordered from Japan).
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* Based on Roland CSQ-600