[sdiy] [AH] Custom ARP Avatar

Sat Mar 22 22:39:50 CET 2025

> On 22 Mar 2025, at 20:39, Michael E Caloroso <mec.forumreader at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > I have a stock (working) Avatar here. Can you tell me more about the mods you are doing?
> 
> Preliminary plans here http://www.analoguediehard.com/studio/keyboards/arp_avatar/index.html

Ooh, that’s a nice writeup. Thanks for that!

Some years ago I wanted to do lots of mods too but never got around to it. I recently acquired a bunch of Barp 2500 modules. These are quite nice reproductions (although Eurorack is not my fav. format, too small). Together with the Barp 2600 already here, it’s a bit of a mini 2500. This renewed my interest in modding the Avatar, but probably less extensive. It definitely needs additional patch points, so that is probably going to be my main focus.

Ben

> 
> That page is not yet live on my website.
> 
> I bought mine stock in non-working condition.  The empty margins at top and bottom of front panel are begging for modifications.
> 
> Planning for the mods was started in 2020 and I acquired the parts.  Then life interrupted with getting laid off, moving to more affordable housing while on unemployment, job hunt, major relocation to new job, buying a house, setting up house & studio, and finishing my late parents' estate.  All while living alone - lot of hard work.
> 
> Currently I have other priorities for the workbench (an 1100 mile move is not kind on music gear!).  
> 
> That gave me time to think more on the planned Avatar mods.  Adding octave switches to the VCOs, bypass switch for the HPF, etc.  I may omit the frequency shifter as it may be more useful in a standalone format.
> 
> Cloning the ARP sequencer is pretty ambitious.  Already figured out how to expand it from 16 to 32 steps.  The challenge was how to replace the slideswitches for the busses with toggle switches.  Easiest solution was open-collector TTL logic configured as an OR gate, but those OC parts were hard to find.
> 
> MC
> 
> On Sat, Mar 22, 2025 at 1:43 PM Ben Stuyts <ben at stuyts.nl <mailto:ben at stuyts.nl>> wrote:
>> Hi MC,
>> 
>> I have a stock (working) Avatar here. Can you tell me more about the mods you are doing?
>> 
>> Ben
>> 
>>> On 22 Mar 2025, at 16:22, Michael E Caloroso <mec.forumreader at gmail.com <mailto:mec.forumreader at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Run, don't walk, run very far away.
>>> 
>>> No idea who Jim Chandler is, but those mods are poorly done and no mention in the auction if schematics for the mods are included.  On top of that, I see bad corrosion on the jacks which is a good indicator that this has seen some road abuse.  Add all that to a product with a history of labor intensive restorations - replacing tantalum caps, slidepots, ripping out the useless guitar interface, fixing the PSU with the same fault as ARP Omni, other potential problems.
>>> 
>>> Did I mention that I bought an Avatar that I am currently restoring and converting into an Odyssey module with MIDI retrofit?
>>> 
>>> Other red flags "bought from estate" "don't know how to test it" are known euphemisms for "it is very broken, we don't want to put the $$$ into fixing it, so we're passing the buck onto you".
>>> 
>>> Run very far away,
>>> MC
>>> 
>>> On Fri, Mar 21, 2025 at 11:38 PM Todd Sines via Synth-diy <synth-diy at synth-diy.org <mailto:synth-diy at synth-diy.org>> wrote:
>>>> Space is a premium in our place and wondering if I should let go of my ARP avatar — and then I saw this.
>>>> 
>>>> Anyone know Jim Chandler? This was done in 1982.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> ARP Avatar Custom Modified Guitar Synthesizer 1982
>>>> https://reverb.com/item/25863293-arp-avatar-custom-modified-guitar-synthesizer-1982?utm_source=rev-ios-app&utm_medium=ios-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=25863293
>>>> 
>>>> Todd
>>>>  <http://scale.la/>
>>>> Todd Sines, director, sines at scale.la <mailto:sines at scale.la>
>>>> + SCALE
>>>> +1.646.258.5214 <tel:+1.646.258.5214> mobile
>>>> +1.646.543.3329 <tel:+1.646.543.3329> studio
>>>> http://scale.la <http://scale.la/> | http://toddsines.com <http://toddsines.com/>
>>>> Todd
>>>> 
>>>> Todd Sines, director, sines at scale.la <mailto:sines at scale.la>
>>>> + SCALE
>>>> +1.646.258.5214 <tel:+1.646.258.5214> mobile
>>>> +1.646.543.3329 <tel:+1.646.543.3329> studio
>>>> http://scale.la <http://scale.la/> | http://toddsines.com
>>>>  <http://toddsines.com/>http://facebook.com/toddsines
>>>> http://instagram.com/sines
>>>> http://soundcloud.com/sines
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