Rhodes Chroma Polaris

Count me in, maybe even for two.

Cord



On Apr 6, 2011, at 4:43 PM, Paul D. DeRocco wrote:

>> From: syntegrator
>>
>> When it gets closer to a reality, you can set the whole
>> system up at groupbuy.com - This is how Andrew Jury and Jed
>> Jorgensen handled their Polysix replacement mainboard project
>> over in the Polysix group and it worked really well. I ended
>> up buying 10 of these PCBS because as more people signed on
>> the unit cost kept dropping and as we ordered more the price
>> would drop again... :)
>
> I think I prefer to buy a bunch (minimum 25, perhaps 50) on spec,  
> and just
> sell them on eBay, since I'll have to be individually package them and
> reship them.
>
>> I completely agree with James - My Polaris still has a fully
>> functional membrane panel, but I know the Synth Reaper awaits
>> this classic unless I can arrange to have a backup membrane
>> panel standing by. If such a part were to  cost under $250
>> that would be a certain purchase for me, but I understand
>> that low volume runs could mean it costing more than that.
>
> I doubt they'll cost that much, but that's not based on any actual  
> quotes.
>
>> While I am posting - I take it that the replacement design
>> will use ribbons with a plastic formulation that is less
>> prone to cracking with age? I have Roland synths from the 80s
>> and 90s that use these kind of connectors and none of them
>> have aged appreciably so surely the original issue is
>> specific to the Polaris and its choice of ribbon connector supplier?
>
> I have no expertise in plastics or chemistry, but my experience is  
> that
> membrane switches (other than the top surface) are normally made  
> out of
> polyester (Mylar), and this has a pretty much unlimited lifetime. For
> instance, the original Chroma membrane panels have exhibited no such
> failures. The Polaris panels failed because they were either made  
> out of
> something else (exactly what that may be is lost in the files of  
> Fender of
> Japan), or because of some interaction between the green masking  
> and the
> plastic. I intend to leave the tails unmasked (since silver oxide is
> harmless), and to make sure that whoever makes these doesn't use  
> anything
> nonstandard. That's about all I can do.
>
> -- 
>
> Ciao,               Paul D. DeRocco
> Paul                mailto:pderocco@...
>