Vintage Synth Repair

----- Original Message -----

From: Brian Davies

To: vintagesynthrepair@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, November 04, 2005 12:25 AM

Subject: RE: [vintagesynthrepair] FAIRLIGHT CMI IIX

The one thing that comes to mind is something you can only get with many years hands on experience – that is experience! After 50 years in the industry – servicing everything from keyboards to guitar amps to guitars and anything else that has valves or chips I reckon I’m just about clued up on many jobs but I still learn something new almost every day.

I did five keyboards on Monday and three more yesterday. Today I shall be looking into at least two more in the workshop and I have three more out in the field to go and sort out.

You really need a formal education in electronics, you also need a mentor to guide you in the early days. You need to be able to interpret what you see, what you hear, what you touch and what you smell. Yes even the latter. Burn ups for instance, different types of component smell different when they over heat and you need to be able to recognize this. I can open up a cabinet where a burn up has happened and I can pin down the type of component just by the smell.

You won’t learn this in ten minutes.

As far as oscilloscopes are concerned they are easy to use, but your problem is to interpret what you see and this takes a great understanding of the workings of electronic equipment.

I’d say unless you are prepared to devote thousands of hours to study the industry you would be better-off gigging to earn enough to let the professional do your servicing.

Sorry to be so negative.

Regards

Brian G3OYU