[sdiy] Looking for synth repair parts

[rsdio at audiobanshee.com]

Have you reseated the chip?

I got into a panic with my Ensoniq EPS, which has a similar keyboard controller. I tried replacing ribbon cables, upgrading the headers to gold plated, and eventually bought a VFX. The VFX keyboard controller worked in my EPS, and the chips from the VFX controller board worked on the EPS board. Finally, I put all of the original chips back in the EPS board and everything worked.

It turns out that removing and replacing the chip was all that was really needed. The rest was overkill.

You may not even need to remove the chip - especially since a pin might get bent - because moving the chip slightly in its socket should be enough. If it doesn’t move when you press firmly, use an appropriate tool to lift the chip just enough to start the pins out of the socket and then press it down fully.

I’ve fixed a lot of electronics with irreplaceable chips using this technique. It’s certainly a happy situation when it works out.

I recently read about the name for the oxidization that occurs, but have already forgotten it.

Brian Willoughby


On Jun 21, 2018, at 10:33 PM, Pete Hartman <pete.hartman at gmail.com> wrote:
> I've got an ESQ-1 on the bench that seems to have a bad keyboard controller chip.
> 
> R1120-12 138065002B
> 
> If anyone has one or knows of a source.... so far I've found 1 place in Poland that wants $100USD for it :-)  Syntaur and Vintage Synth Parts are out of stock.
> 
> Alternatively anyone with a broken/for parts ESQ-1, SQ-1, SDP-1 I maybe  interested in that as well.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Pete