I’m sorry everyone, but I have to get this off my chest.
My Crumar Orchestrator has spent the past six months with a professional synthesizer technician whom I had previously heard nothing but good things about. Keep in mind the sole issue was a dead Dflat key toward the lower end of the keyboard. I’m not sure why he had it for such a long period of time, but that is sort of beside the point.
I picked it up today, drove it home, and plugged it in. I was ecstatic to be playing it once again: those lush strings, and the brass with that awesome filter. Put my hands on the keys, and no sound. I thought of course it must be me, that I was simply forgetting something important but simple. I checked all the buttons and sliders, sure enough everything was right.
The violin is the only patch that works on the upper half of the keyboard, and the volume needs to be cranked in order for any of the other presets to be audible (though they work on the lower half of the keyboard only). The envelope for the brass filter is going bananas, the resonance slider does nothing but introduce an awful screeching to the sound. One last thing: The lower Dflat that was the sole thing I asked to have fixed is still dead. This guy literally did nothing but create problems that did not exist before I brought it in.
I’m not trying to complain, but I don’t know what else to do. I tried getting a hold of him to ask him what happened, but he will not respond to my messages. I’m having a little bit of a meltdown here and I don’t really know how I should be handling this.
Man, that’s no good. That’s why I don’t trust just anyone with my synth needs. It’s also why I don’t usually buy vintage gear. I said “usually”. The Orchestrator is a relatively simple synth as far as I can tell from tech specs. I can’t imagine how a highly celebrated synth tech could screw that up so badly.
Thanks for the offer, Kevin, that’s really kind of you. I did get a hold of the technician today and he apologized for everything; he’s going to drive up in a few weeks and set things right. I didn’t think he would intentionally do something like that. Things are going to be A-OK after all. I just lost my head a little bit in those first few hours of panic.
That’s all fine and dandy, but shouldn’t he have tested it thoroughly before giving it back to you ? (although, like Kevin suggested, you could also have done so before leaving his place with it, too… )
Hopefully, it will have been just a big misunderstanding…?
I must acknowledge Kevin’s generosity in his offer to you !
I had been planning on testing the Orchestrator out at his house before leaving, but he told me he hadn’t been feeling well and seemed hurried to get me out the door. Seeing as I am not incredibly close with him I thought I should be polite since he was ill. I personally think the whole thing is a fluke, and under normal circumstances would not have happened. I’m a bit shaken, but I still consider him a friend and will continue to do business with him as long as he pulls through and sets the Crumar right.
Who was this synth tech? I wouldn’t think of letting someone go home with a synth I had repaired and didn’t give them a chance to check it out before they paid and took it home…
I don’t want to share his name, for the possibility that this whole thing might turn out to be just a big mistake. I’m going to give him a second chance here, because of all the good things I’ve heard others say about him, and the fact that he’s been nothing but kind to me thus far.
)
