Casio CZ/ VZ/ FZ - Pro Series

Hi All,

I recently got a PG380 with a couple of PG ROM cards (RC-510G Tokio Collection and RC-520G European Collection) for a good price as it needed the capacitors replacing,

After fixing it and playing with the sounds on the cards I started looking into getting a VZ-10M and a RAM card to make my own sounds,

After seeing the prices RA-500 cards go for and finding the RA-500 schematics online, I decided to have a go designing and assembling an RA-500 clone,

https://ibb.co/ejzmmy

It just about fits (lengthwise) in the PG380 slot so should be ok in the VZ once I work out a 3d printed case,

I am now wondering if anyone has a VZ-10M for sale in the UK or EU I can buy to test if it works?

Also, I have made ROM dumps of the 2 PG cards I have so if anyone has a Larry Coryell collection card (RC-530G) I would be interested in either borrowing it or buying it to make a dump of,

Regards,

Joel

Hi Joel, I was happy to see your post about the pg-380. I also have one that needs the cap fix.  I hesitated for close to a decade due to life changing events and newness to surface mount. How did you fix it, with similar caps or would radial tantalums work as well? Do you have an accurate list of cap positions and values? From where did you get the parts? I live in Michigan. I have a vz10m, vz20m, but everything is in storage and am not sure what still works. I love the idea behind these guitars! Thank you in advance for your reply. 
Andrew

Regards,
Andrew

> On Jul 17, 2018, at 10:55 AM, joel_guest@... [CZsynth] <CZsynth@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> 
> 
> I recently got a PG380 with a couple of PG ROM cards (RC-510G Tokio Collection and RC-520G European Collection) for a good price as it needed the capacitors replacing,
> 
> 
> 
> After fixing it and playing with the sounds on the cards I started looking into getting a VZ-10M and a RAM card to make my own sounds,
> 
> 
> 
> After seeing the prices RA-500 cards go for and finding the RA-500 schematics online, I decided to have a go designing and assembling an RA-500 clone,
> 
> 
> 
> https://ibb.co/ejzmmy
> 
> 
> 
> It just about fits (lengthwise) in the PG380 slot so should be ok in the VZ once I work out a 3d printed case,
> 
> 
> 
> I am now wondering if anyone has a VZ-10M for sale in the UK or EU I can buy to test if it works? 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, I have made ROM dumps of the 2 PG cards I have so if anyone has a Larry Coryell collection card (RC-530G) I would be interested in either borrowing it or buying it to make a dump of,
> 
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> 
> 
> Joel
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>

Hi Andrew, 

If you Google "casio pg-380 capacitor" the first 2 results should be pdf guides with pictures of locations and values of the parts that need replacing,

I used Rubycon miniature through hole radial electrolytic caps i got from Farnell, you being in the US I would look at digikey or mouser as well,

Regards, 

Joel

Thanks Joel, so you found the info accurate? So you just surface Mounted the radial electrolytics?  I wonder if tantalums would work so the electrolytics won't dry out again or are electrolytics a requirement? If you are not sure, wonder if someone else repaired it using a different solution? 

Good luck with your search! Glad to see you helping keep this cool stuff running.

 

Regards,
Andrew

> On Jul 23, 2018, at 2:09 AM, joel_guest@... [CZsynth] <CZsynth@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi Andrew, 
> 
> If you Google "casio pg-380 capacitor" the first 2 results should be pdf guides with pictures of locations and values of the parts that need replacing,
> 
> I used Rubycon miniature through hole radial electrolytic caps i got from Farnell, you being in the US I would look at digikey or mouser as well,
> 
> Regards, 
> 
> Joel
> 
>

Hi Andrew,

The info in the guide worked for me, fixed the tracking problems and the poppy/crackly mix output is quiet,

I just used decent aluminium electrolytics as that's what the originals were, not sure if there would be a benefit to tantalums,  the miniature ones I used were mostly smaller than the original smt ones as well so no problem fitting them in,

Regards, 

Joel