Synthesizer

Post Reply
nathanscribe
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 8:56 am

Synthesizer

Post by nathanscribe » Sat Oct 12, 2019 5:31 pm

Hi people :) It's been a LONG time since I really used SBZ/BA. As some of you know or may/may not remember, I've always been a synth guy, but I do also have a 70s jazz bass and now a cheap strat. They're not my main instruments, they're for added noise when I want it, so I'm no fanatical shredder and am still very much a synth person at heart. I do love pedals though, and this is what brought me to this forum (and previous incarnations of it). I had a huge clear-out a few years ago, which is kind of when I disappeared from view, and since then I've changed direction in life somewhat and am starting to feel my way forward again.

Anyway! I've been working hard on synth design for the last three years or so. I took my efforts along to a big synth show here in the UK, Synthfest 2019, and was surprised by the Sound on Sound team asking for an interview! So here it is, via my blog, which also details the modules and gives some future plans.

All the best, friends!

https://synthnerd.wordpress.com/2019/10 ... reen-time/

:)
synthesizer!
synthesizer!
DSC_1716 small.JPG (175.06 KiB) Viewed 11268 times

User avatar
Pepe
Posts: 1672
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2018 2:19 pm
Location: Germany
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Double Platinum
Contact:

Re: Synthesizer

Post by Pepe » Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:19 pm

Those units really have an impressive sound! Feel free to post some close-up pictures of the single modules. :ugeek:
Pepe at YouTube and Instagram

User avatar
Pepe
Posts: 1672
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2018 2:19 pm
Location: Germany
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Double Platinum
Contact:

Re: Synthesizer

Post by Pepe » Thu Feb 04, 2021 6:27 pm

Thread revival! :D

This came in today:

Image

The Poly-800 doesn't look too bad in this picture, but it is in fact quite beat-up. The joystick isn't in place and doesn't work and a few keys are almost broken. But so far it works and the price was okay (100 EUR) compared to the crazy prices that these units go for these days. It will receive some love and care and then it will be technically as good as new again. :mrgreen:
Pepe at YouTube and Instagram

User avatar
laurie
Posts: 1634
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:07 am
Location: Canada
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Multi Platinum

Re: Synthesizer

Post by laurie » Thu Feb 04, 2021 11:26 pm

Nice!

User avatar
Gasgano
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 12:27 am
Location: Montreal, QC
SBZ: Silver

Re: Synthesizer

Post by Gasgano » Fri Feb 05, 2021 6:21 pm

Oh good find man!
"People who are late are usually in a better mood than the people waiting for them to show up."

User avatar
Pepe
Posts: 1672
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2018 2:19 pm
Location: Germany
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Double Platinum
Contact:

Re: Synthesizer

Post by Pepe » Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:48 am

Fully repaired! The synth had three broken keys, dirty key contacts, a broken joystick axis, two broken exotic joystick potentiometers, plus it was completely dirty. I was fortunate to have a few parts of a dead KORG DW-6000, so I didn't have to order any replacement parts from overseas. I just calibrated the joystick and now the Poly-800 is ready again for lo-fi analog synth bliss.

Image
Pepe at YouTube and Instagram

User avatar
laurie
Posts: 1634
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:07 am
Location: Canada
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Multi Platinum

Re: Synthesizer

Post by laurie » Wed Jul 21, 2021 12:37 pm

Oh... that speaks to me. Rescuing old gear is what I live for.

Good stuff!!

User avatar
Pepe
Posts: 1672
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2018 2:19 pm
Location: Germany
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Double Platinum
Contact:

Re: Synthesizer

Post by Pepe » Fri Aug 27, 2021 5:10 pm

And now there are two:

Image

I received the version with the inverted keys today. Overall it works, but with flaws, like faulty key contacts, crackling potentiometers, etc. This will be an easy job in comparison to the other one with the broken parts.
Pepe at YouTube and Instagram

User avatar
laurie
Posts: 1634
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:07 am
Location: Canada
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Multi Platinum

Re: Synthesizer

Post by laurie » Sat Aug 28, 2021 2:09 am

You got it bad pepe :)

User avatar
Pepe
Posts: 1672
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2018 2:19 pm
Location: Germany
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Double Platinum
Contact:

Re: Synthesizer

Post by Pepe » Sat Aug 28, 2021 7:33 am

I had the very first version of the Poly-800 many years ago. The only real difference was that it doesn't have the strap knobs on the sides. And then there's the Poly-800 II, which has a versatile digital delay instead of the off/on chorus in the mkI model. If you see those all those four model in one of my pictures ... well, THEN I got it bad! :lol:
Pepe at YouTube and Instagram

Post Reply