<html class="apple-mail-supports-explicit-dark-mode"><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>Ummm I’m not going to describe my first synths. I was 16. </div><br id="lineBreakAtBeginningOfSignature"><div dir="ltr">Benjamin Tremblay</div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On Aug 7, 2026, at 10:06 AM, Jacob Watters via Synth-diy <synth-diy@synth-diy.org> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div>For my first synth, I literally just stuck an old EQ front panel into it and reused all the pots in my own circuits. It's not pretty, but it got the job done.</div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.jacobwatters.com/images/synth/synth1.jpg">https://www.jacobwatters.com/images/synth/synth1.jpg</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><font face="verdana, sans-serif" color="#444444"><b>Jacob Watters</b></font><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif" color="#444444"><a href="http://jacobwatters.com/" target="_blank">JacobWatters.com</a></font></div></div></div></div></div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Fri, Aug 7, 2026 at 7:37 AM Roman Sowa via Synth-diy <<a href="mailto:synth-diy@synth-diy.org">synth-diy@synth-diy.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">My first DIY modules had marking printed on paper, sprayed with <br>
transparent acrylic paint and glued to (mostly) aluminium panels.<br>
Still looks good today, reaching about 25 years.<br>
<br>
<a href="http://sowa.synth.net/modular/index.html" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://sowa.synth.net/modular/index.html</a><br>
<br>
And my polysynth made a decade earlier didn't have any markings at all! <br>
Just beautfull color spray painted all over the steel plate panel. It <br>
didn't actually need any marking, because all controll was done by <br>
up/down & left/right arrows with 1x40 LCD. Kind of like the synth vibe <br>
was in early 90's<br>
<br>
Roman<br>
<br>
W dniu 2026-08-06 o 22:33, Oren Leavitt via Synth-diy pisze:<br>
> <br>
> <br>
> On 8/6/26 11:47 AM, Mike Bryant wrote:<br>
>> Actually comparing a lot of modern DIY stuff with 1960s/70s electronics,<br>
>> I think I know which looks a lot more 'homemade' 😄<br>
> <br>
> When I built my first modular synth, I made front panels from sheets of<br>
> Masonite. I spray painted them white, applied labeling, dial ticks, and<br>
> other art with a fine ink pen with the aid of rulers or stencils.<br>
> Applied a top coat of Krylon to seal it all in. Came out pretty nice.<br>
> <br>
> One of several pictures of it on my Flickr:<br>
> <a href="https://flic.kr/p/2stGyzF" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://flic.kr/p/2stGyzF</a><br>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
>> *From:* Synth-diy <<a href="mailto:synth-diy-bounces@synth-diy.org" target="_blank">synth-diy-bounces@synth-diy.org</a>> on behalf of John<br>
>> via Synth-diy <<a href="mailto:synth-diy@synth-diy.org" target="_blank">synth-diy@synth-diy.org</a>><br>
>> *Sent:* 06 August 2026 17:07<br>
>> *To:* SDIY List <<a href="mailto:synth-diy@synth-diy.org" target="_blank">synth-diy@synth-diy.org</a>><br>
>> *Subject:* Re: [sdiy] Great DIY polysynths<br>
>> On Thu, 06 Aug 2026 15:20:09 +0000<br>
>> "Chromatest J. Pantsmaker via Synth-diy" <<a href="mailto:synth-diy@synth-diy.org" target="_blank">synth-diy@synth-diy.org</a>><br>
>> wrote:<br>
>><br>
>>> Your complaint is that the labels are on printed material instead of<br>
>>> silk screen? Really?<br>
>><br>
>> "This DIY synthesizer being discussed on the synth-DIY mailing list<br>
>> looks distinctly DIY, what's up with that!?"<br>
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