[sdiy] Great DIY polysynths

[Jacob Watters]

For my first synth, I literally just stuck an old EQ front panel into it
and reused all the pots in my own circuits. It's not pretty, but it got the
job done.

https://www.jacobwatters.com/images/synth/synth1.jpg


*Jacob Watters*
JacobWatters.com <http://jacobwatters.com/>


On Fri, Aug 7, 2026 at 7:37 AM Roman Sowa via Synth-diy <
synth-diy at synth-diy.org> wrote:

> My first DIY modules had marking printed on paper, sprayed with
> transparent acrylic paint and glued to (mostly) aluminium panels.
> Still looks good today, reaching about 25 years.
>
> http://sowa.synth.net/modular/index.html
>
> And my polysynth made a decade earlier didn't have any markings at all!
> Just beautfull color spray painted all over the steel plate panel. It
> didn't actually need any marking, because all controll was done by
> up/down & left/right arrows with 1x40 LCD. Kind of like the synth vibe
> was in early 90's
>
> Roman
>
> W dniu 2026-08-06 o 22:33, Oren Leavitt via Synth-diy pisze:
> >
> >
> > On 8/6/26 11:47 AM, Mike Bryant wrote:
> >> Actually comparing a lot of modern DIY stuff with 1960s/70s electronics,
> >> I think I know which looks a lot more 'homemade' 😄
> >
> > When I built my first modular synth, I made front panels from sheets of
> > Masonite. I spray painted them white, applied labeling, dial ticks, and
> > other art with a fine ink pen with the aid of rulers or stencils.
> > Applied a top coat of Krylon to seal it all in. Came out pretty nice.
> >
> > One of several pictures of it on my Flickr:
> > https://flic.kr/p/2stGyzF
> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> *From:* Synth-diy <synth-diy-bounces at synth-diy.org> on behalf of John
> >> via Synth-diy <synth-diy at synth-diy.org>
> >> *Sent:* 06 August 2026 17:07
> >> *To:* SDIY List <synth-diy at synth-diy.org>
> >> *Subject:* Re: [sdiy] Great DIY polysynths
> >> On Thu, 06 Aug 2026 15:20:09 +0000
> >> "Chromatest J. Pantsmaker via Synth-diy" <synth-diy at synth-diy.org>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Your complaint is that the labels are on printed material instead of
> >>> silk screen? Really?
> >>
> >> "This DIY synthesizer being discussed on the synth-DIY mailing list
> >> looks distinctly DIY, what's up with that!?"
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> >
> >
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