MOTM Madness continues!

[JWBarlow]

Hi All,

I too have ordered one of Paul's MOTM kits (the 110 VCA/Ring Mod kit). I
received it in two days! The instructions are very thorough, and the kit comes
complete with pre cut, pre stripped wire, and two kinds of solder. I put mine
together in about three hours with the most difficult problem being reading
the values off the ceramic caps (really small print). Even though I'm running
mine (at the moment) from a 12 volt bipolar PSU, it still calibrated quite
easily. But this is not the reason I'm posting this.

There have been many (I believe valid) posts about building synths from chips
that are now out of production, and their future availability when they blow
up. Well, after I calibrated the module I decided to try it out musically with
a more permanent power cable. After I bought another connector, I
inadvertently wired it up backwards (I'm sure I'm the only person on this list
to ever hook up a circuit backwards!). I turned on my synth and blew the fuse
of my Power One supply. I didn't even realize it was the MOTM which was the
problem, since I've been playing around with lots of new circuits lately and
my PSU has been running noticeably  warm the past couple of months. When I
finally realized what I'd done, the second thing I did (following the cursing
and self deprecating comments) was to rewire the connector and prepare to
order a new CEM 3330 and two OP 275s from Paul. But fortunately (and to my
disbelief), I don't need to. THE THING WORKS FINE! I re calibrated it and have
been playing with it for about an hour. Okay maybe I have some sentimental
attachment to the Ring Mod in my ARP 2600 (thanks again Joachim!), but this
ring modulator is great! Most of my experience with backwards semiconductors
ends in replacement. THESE KITS SEEM PRETTY IDIOT PROOF; and I should know I'm
the .... proof (and that really hurts).

Humiliated but honest!
John B

PS Kids; don't try this at home!