Hi All
I just acquired a 1973 minimoog model D. Got it for almost nothing as it was not working. Sent it off to analog log in NY who brrought it back to life! I heard about a mod for it called the deadband mod. Anyone know where I can find information on how to do this?
Thanks
Hello and welcome DaBous.
Tom has inadvertently linked the wrong page from Kevin Lightner’s Synthfool site. The one he submitted talks about modulation bleedthrough with modulation wheel at minimum position.
This is the right page (on the far right, under Pitch Wheel Dead Band):
http://www.synthfool.com/docs/Moog/minimoog/more_mini_mods.jpg
The official factory service bulliten 830 outlined the mod. Different resistors needed depending on the type oscillator board.
Minimoog Factory Service Bulliten 830
Never tried the mod myself, and always liked the subtle vibrato I could get without a dead spot. The early smooth wheels had less of a detent, and perhaps this is why the mod was implemented. Those later serrated wheels had a huge crater for a detent. I ended up swapping out the serrated plastic set for the smooth plexiglass ones on my late model Mini.
Thanks all for the information.
Been trying to decide if I wanted to go forward with the mod and if it was something I would attempt myself.
Mine is an earlier model - Serial #3274. Smooth pitch wheel. The detent is significant but I have noticed that I can return the pitch wheel to it’s position and have a slight detune. I have monitored this with an inline tuner. So I will probably have the mod done at some point - altho I can understand why some folks like it the way it is.
I have only had this back from analog lab for a few days so I am still learning about it. Based on my experience so far I see more Moog products in my future 
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Some of my musician friends had asked me for a demo so I had whipped up a quick video. Here it is fyi and amusement… ( I didn’t use the pitch wheel in this demo ).
Personally, the fact that the pitch wheel is very sensitive allows me to use it as an expressive tool for inspired solos, where slight manual vibratos can be performed easily. But great care must be taken to adjust the center detent as to make it not too stiff or too loose in order to bring the wheel back to center relatively precisely. It is adjustable by removing the mod wheel assembly (two top screws) and adjusting the tension of the spring loaded plastic stopper that is rubbing against the side of the wheel.
But not every keyboardist agrees with this, and some prefer the pitch bend wheel to have a dead band zone instead. It’s a question of personal preference I guess.
Interesting. I didn’t realize it was adjustable. That may be the first thing to try. Good information - thanks.
It is also a source of tuning drift. That’s why I put the deadband mod in mine.
