Model D Refurb in progres... (new guy)

[Revtor]

Hey guys (and gals)

New forum member here introducing myself.. Ive been a synth head for 20 years now and just recently was able to finally purchase a Minimoog, something I've wanted ever since I first heard Return To Forever. . Over the last few years, prices kept inching up past my ability to "pay out" but finally I was able to pull it together and make it happen. I'm now the proud (third) owner of #11279, born in January 1979 (As the penciled in date on the mod wheel sheet metal tells me) She plays great only a few squarely notes in the keybed to clean up, no scratchy pots or flaky switches! Wood is in okay shape for being 36 years old, she's missing the front badge and 3 knobs are missing their aluminum centers. Clean as a whistle inside too!

(Couldn't resist this photo op, two minutes after I got it in my hands…(I was gentle of course!)

Third owner- ME!

My intentions are: fit new caps/diodes the PS, (any others that are "do it while you're in there"?) fit new bushings to the keyed, and investigate a mod wheel that goes from intense modulation to way intense modulation. (not much ability to modulate the modulation in other words)

On the bench..

1979 Mini

My buddy's got a ton of moogerfoogers so I look forward to letting them play together soon!

cheers,
~Steve
(Looking for a hard case and a dustcover)

[torinkrell]

Hi Revtor - welcome to the forum! I hope you will grow to cherish your Minimoog Model D as much as I cherish mine! There is a goldmine of info on the Mini here from a very knowledgable body of Moog enthusiasts - so dig in and enjoy!

[thealien666]

Welcome and congrats on getting in the Minimoog D club, Steve !

My Mini still has almost all the original capacitors (except on the rectifier board), since all the ESR of the others was really low, even for a 40 years old instrument (mine was made in 1975).

Cheers !

Alain.

[Revtor]

Thanks guys, I got my keyboard apart yesterday and found the paper build tag!

Birth Certificate found!

Keyboard is apart and bushings are ready to go in today. I'll straighten out the scraggly tines while I'm in there. Gold plated Cinch connectors -nice! I'm going to probe the mod wheel pot and see if its resistance varies smoothly or not, I'd like better mod depth control.

I'm not going to change much just the big electrolytics on the rectifier board and the 4004 diodes themselves. I don't want to pull the boards if I don't have to, the synth is working great, why mess with that. Debating refinishing the wood..? Probably not in this round of tweaks.

~Steve

[Revtor]

Anyone have a few knob trim disks left over from their refurb? I need two small ones and one medium one..

I know CAE has 'em, but buying a full set seems like overkill, and brand new single knobs may look out of place against the originals ?


Let me know, thanks

~Steve

[MC]

Trim disks are not sold separately. You will need the entire knob.

[thealien666]

Be sure to install the new bushings the right way.

In the first picture below they're upside down:


In this picture they're right side up:

[megavoice]

Anyone have a few knob trim disks left over from their refurb? I need two small ones and one medium one..

I know CAE has 'em, but buying a full set seems like overkill, and brand new single knobs may look out of place against the originals ?


Let me know, thanks

~Steve

Hi Steve,

here you can buy even single ones if you`d like, but only the entire knobs:

http://www.synthesizers.com/parts.html

[Revtor]

The inlays are here: (And they have the small and large sizes too)

http://www.caesound.net/minimoogpionter ... ays-1.aspx


In case anyone else needs any.

~Steve

[EMwhite]

PLEASE, do NOT refinish the cabinet. So many do this and it's a shame in my opinion. Yes, we all dream of finding a shrink wrapped 1974 Minimoog in the trunk of a garage kept '63 Corvette bought for $100 from that little ole' lady. Clean it up best you can, but don't sand/stain.

I wouldn't dream of refinishing mine.

For example:

[torinkrell]

I agree with you EMwhite. Usually fully refinished Minimoog wood never really looks right to me and is easy to spot. It is usually way too glossy and/or richer in color than a Minimoog should be. IMHO a top quality vintage instrument like a Mini should wear its age well, rather than be restored to look like something brand new.

[Revtor]

Nope, after spending a bit of time with it last night, (getting the bushings in and metal keys back in place) looking over the case and rest of the synth I'm definitely going to keep the wood as is. That spray on finish over the poplar has such an aesthetic vibe to it. Can't mess with that. Maybe it's the woodworker in me who sees bare wood and wants to "fix" it, but as it stands, it just fits Moog for the time which is really part of this particular synths story.

How about cleaning the panel grime? remove the knobs, then what? mild soap/water spray & toothbrush? Rag wipes with alcohol? anything recommended?

Also looking for a front badge, mine's missing. I'll order new from Argentina if I have to, but if anyone's got a spare kicking around please let me know -name your price. I'd rather not battle the Ebay snipers.

thanks!
~Steve

[EMwhite]

I think that Kevin Lightner had a bunch re-made/silkscreened and sold them with a pin on the back (to attached to clothing like a name tag) but I'm not sure if they are authentic, exact copies, etc. Daphne Lightner has been selling them on eBay I think. Depending on the year, you would have two of them I believe (on on he back.

[EMwhite]

FWIW, my Minimoog (pictured above) was actually painted black at some point in it's life. That doesn't bother me either. It is what it is and I feel privileged to own such a fine instrument. Years ago when I first got the bug (after always wanted a digital synth in the 80s but never having the money) I jumped onto eBay and couldn't believe they were going for $4,000 (which I also could not afford).

So I nabbed a Little Phatty Tribute and have been on the gear merry go round for years through Voyagers and all sorts of other synths. But I finally got this and am blown away every time I turn it on (just about every day). Nothing like it nor will there ever be.

[Revtor]

I stumbled upon a badge today (repro) and couldn't pass it up. It has a sticker as the adhesive. Can anyone confirm or deny or suggest how this should be affixed to the wood? This sticker only covers 3/4 of the rear area and I don't want the thing to be peeling up in a month!

thanks
~Steve