[sdiy] Minimoog clone, was: Wasp clone, was: SDIY UK 2010 pics an

[Keith Winstanley]

In-Reply-To: <AANLkTinLbuZxx-f50TPEqbAeZNEWGaaX5WOfImxwhJ_k at mail.gmail.com>
Hi there

> I've spoken to Kevin about this in the past. He told me that he 
> hears
> (with some amusement) of someone starting a Mini clone project at
> least once a month. Notice that none of these have ever made it to 
> see
> the light of day (or at least as far as I know). I think you
> underestimate the time required to properly recreate the PCBs in a
> Mini. Also, once you have that PCB, now you've got to come up with a
> panel, panel controls, wiring and some sort of case. There's a TON 
> of
> point to point wiring in a Mini, so that doesn't help things either.
> The Mini is one of the most well-documented synths out there, but I
> really think it's one of those things that SEEM simple on the
> surface... and then as you dig into it, you start to realize the 
> 1,001
> little details involved in building a complete synth. The pot shafts
> are too long, the panel overlay is too thick, the washers have the
> wrong ID and don't fit over the jacks, you can't find the right wood
> screws, the mod pot is offset 1/16" from the original and now the 
> mod
> wheel hits the bracket, etc, etc, etc, ETC, AARRGH ARRGH DAMMIT 
> DAMMIT
> DAMMIT!! (the Red Mist descends and you have to go have a beer and
> cool down...)



Absolutely spot on, Kevin tried to talk me out of it but I started 
collecting bits;
I was going to make all the boards but enough crop up on ebay if you are 
patient enough and I now have a cracking mini - but it is a BIG effort - 
took me 5 years on and off - you have to have the same board layouts - it 
just wont work otherwise.
Oh the only impossible part to find is the LHC mod pot - they do not exist.

BTW the 2nd rev osc is the best once you stabilise it :o)

> I'm not saying that it couldn't be done. I just think it would be
> fairly time consuming and to tell you the truth, with the time and
> money required to do a proper Minimoog clone, you could just buy a
> real Mini for the same (or less). All statements above are IMHO of
> course.

It can be done but mine wasn't a total clone as originally intended, an 
amalgamation of new bits from t'internet, some home made stuff and
some refurbed stuff:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/helenemorey/P5260144.jpg


Keith

http://home.freeuk.net/lowpass