[sdiy] Genital Electric GE-101 Resurection

[harrybissell]

The one I have is a "Serge" model... I just have the board set.  They are not
"glooped"... they are cast in cement !!!   There was a Serge and an Aries module...
and an "oem" kit as well.

I have not fully returned the unit to functionality... I have the re-engineered
fundamental extractor working.  I assume from the operation at the pitch output
that the unit WILL work, less well than I'd like for guitar, but probably quite
good on other monophonic instruments.  If you play the guitar real carefully it
is OK.

It seems that the real magic in the Gentle electric is not the fundamental
extractor,
but the VERY nice compressor that preceeds it.  It uses an LM394 pair as a VCA,
with a full expo converter driving it.  It has a LOT of sustain.

There was one funny... whoever tried to repair the board before added some
sockets...
and because one IC had an offcenter hole, the bent the socket pin under. I wonder if
they realized that this pin actually was to go about .1" over... into the center of
the
guard ring for the sample hold.  As it was, they had zero chance of success. I
socketed
the whole board, and upgraded the trims. With the vintage late 70's single turn
pots...
setting up the compressor was nearly impossible.  It was not bad with 25 turn trims.

I'll probably offer this board set for sale / trade once I have it 100%.  It will
have
an UNPOTTED fundamental extractor. Its too bad that the thing came to me fried...
otoh if it was not broken I would not know as much as I do about it now (who hacks
into WORKING potted modules... oops, I forgot... Hi Crow :^)

H^) harry

Ken Stone wrote:

> The Serge ones are glooped too. They are just the same boards OEMed onto a
> serge panel.
>
> I'd reckon if the design had been redone for Serge, there would have been a
> lot less panel wastage.
>
> Ken
>
> >>  > >To melt the epoxy without damage to the PCB or internal components, there
> >>is
> >>>  >a special oil. It comes from squeezing BBDs in a garlic press...
> >>>
> >>>  Be sure to do this in a vacuum. Otherwise you'll be able to hear them
> >>scream.
> >>
> >>Can you imagine the scream if, after the last of the epoxy is scraped away,
> >>the mystery IC's actually have MN3007 emblazoned on them?
> >>
> >
> >
> >On a less comedic note, wasn't this design also implemented in Serge,
> >Aries and some other modules? We're they all encapsulated?
> >
> >There are depotting compounds that won't harm components, but you
> >have to ask yourself if getting cancer is worth fixing the unit. Most
> >are very toxic.
> >
> >You could always copy another design, like the Sys700 P/V converter.
> >It may arguably be better too. At least it's documented. :)
> >
> >--
> >Regards,
> >Kevin Lightner
> >
> >Myself: http://www.synthfool.com
> >Service and sales: http://www.moogmusic.com/service.php
> >Sales: http://www.cluboftheknobs.com
> >
> _______________________________________________________________________
> Ken Stone   sasami at hotkey.net.au or sasami at cgs.synth.net
> Modular Synth PCBs for sale <http://www.blaze.net.au/~sasami/synth/>
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