I’ve been considering buying a rogue in fair condition so I can open it up and get some experience with the inner workings. Clean it up, install the midijack. maybe turn around and sell it (“Flip that Moog”?) but really I just want to get on the inside.
I saw one on ebay, and this was the description of the functionality:
Pots & sliders will need to be cleaned because all make noise when turned or slid, and the oscillators tend to drift flat when the key is released
The cleaning is simple enough, but does anyone have any theories as to why the oscillators would “drift?” I’d hate to buy something and get myself in too deep. If anyone can offer any theories, worst case scenarioes, it’d be greatly appreciated.
I’m no expert, but perhaps a capacitor or two is leaking. For a 20 year-old-plus synth (and electrolytic caps having a ten year life ( ?)) replacing all electrolytics is probably not a bad idea.
i really don’t have any experience working with electronics, would this be a service i could learn to perform, or does it take a degree of skill and experience?
Recapping a synth would involve going to a electronics store, and picking up all the necessary parts; hopefully there are no obsoletes.
You would then remove the circuit boards and cut the “can” off the electrolytics, and remove the legs with a soldering iron (this is much easier than removing un-socketed ICs).
Then, place all the new components in, observing the correct polarity.
Replace the circuit board, turn it on and cross your fingers!
As KL pointed out to me a while ago, before any major operations, it is probably a good idea to check all connectors are correctly plugged in, and that there are no dry joints or breaks in the circuit board tracks.
I don’t know about cutting the can off electrolytics caps, but to each their own.
I just desolder them.
Fwiw, I’ve been in several emails where the person writing me is certain they can do x or y job, but they have no experience.
My opinion about this is that they know little about electronics and this is why they don’t understand all the potential problems they might encounter or even cause.
It looks easy and they “just need to know how to do it.”
For those that don’t know me, I’ve done this work for over 30 years.
But very few things I did the first time (except for skydiving and sex) , did I get right.
Things are usually harder to do than they look or sound like.
Watching a guy play guitar looks easy.
Doing the same thing is often frustratingly difficult.
Few people that defend themselves in a real trial, win.
They need a real lawyer.
A lawyer or doctor does nothing you can’t do, but he knows already what to do and what order things get performed in.
He’s pre-equipped for the job.
Same for a dentist, auto repair tech, etc.
I can do anything those guys can do, but I don’t know what to do in what order or if I make a mistake.
Here’s a short example…
Can you tighten a nut?
“Sure!”
Anyone would answer like that.
But lets say it’s the nut holding the power transformer in a Minimoog D.
Tighten one of those up too much and it’ll snap the screw it’s on.
To repair it, one needs to remove every knob, every nut on every pot and rotary switch, the pilot and overload lamp, take the panel off and install a new screw.
This takes a long time and creates a huge risk for shorts when things are put back together.
All because it looks easy to tighten a nut.
Anyone can do it…
My personal opinion is to buy a broken synth with either the intention to pay an experienced tech for their services or as an education into teaching yourself what to do and what not to do.
Don’t expect to buy a broken synth and fix it perfectly if you have no experience.
Especially under the belief you’ll save a lot of money.
Thanks for the opinion. I didn’t actually pull the trigger on it, but there is a part of me that wishes I did have the background to work on synths. Maybe when I have some more money to burn I’ll buy a rogue and just lay waste to it in an attempt to learn.
, did I get right.