Category Archives: Moog

Polymoog 203A restoration parts list

Posted on by
Reply

For those mad enough to attempt a repair or god-forbid restoration of their PolyMoog, here is a running list of parts I have/will/need to replace.  This will be updated as I get stuff.

photo

Power Supply has had its capacitors replaced.  Note the 4700uF is a radial -they were out of axial capacitors in the rating I needed.

P o w e r s u p p l y : : :  :    :     .

3x 470uF x 35V axial capacitors

2x 1000uF x 35V axial capacitors

1x 4700uF x 16V axial capacitor

3x LM723CN chips (not sure if these need replacing, but they are 33 years old and replacements are $0.65 each.)

Advertisement

Polymoog 203A joins the fleet and queue for repair

Posted on by
2

Few synthesizers have such a bi-polar reputation.  Amazing sounding and tedious to maintain, much less restore are the two poles of this equation.  Moog churned out a few of these – I am guessing a little over 3000 since they started with 1001 and this fellow is serial number 4021.  The reference to the latest one I’ve found is 4141.  Gary Numan famously used the Polymoog (280a I think – Vox Humana most recognizably) and so did a list of other luminaries if VSE is correct, but there isn’t anyone recent on that list.  I’m excited to fix this to see what it can do in a modern setting.IMG_6922

It just happens sometimes.  You mention you have an X you are looking to get rid of, and a friend says they have a Y they’d like to get rid of.  A little cash one way or the other sweetens the deal.  In such a way this complete, clean, low mileage, semi-functional Polymoog joined the menagerie.

Continue reading →

Moog Source #1253: there and back again and damaged in shipping

Posted on by
Reply

This is my Moog The Source.  It was a lovely all original piece in great working order.  In a fit of ‘I’ve got too much stuff’ a while back I sold this fellow on eBay and ended up having one of the worst selling experiences I’ve ever had.  I used this synth lightly in the studio and everything worked, even after several hours being on.  The buyer complained about lots of little things that frankly I suspect weren’t there, the aim of which was to get a partial refund.  After two weeks of having the money I got for this tied up in ‘item not received as described’ Paypal limbo I sent the buyer $50 and told them to ship it back.  They used about half the bubble wrap I sent it in and to round out the bad experience it showed up as you can see below.IMG_3019

Cheek took a pretty good hit.  Fortunately it still worked perfectly.  Shame about the original finish on the original wood… Continue reading →

Moog Opus 3: Part 2 -so long sweet prince

Posted on by
Reply

You can only stack them so high as I like to say.  Once I cleaned up the guts I refinished the wood case, detailed it and put it all back together.  Despite some efforts it remained silent except for the VCF.  I dropped it off to Chris and he gave it a few weeks of very part time attention -mainly due to shipping times of ordered chips.

At the end.  Notice it has all its slider caps here.  Thanks Doug for the three I needed.

Continue reading →

Moog Opus 3: 20 years in a damp basement

Posted on by
1

So I’m weak, I admit it -really really weak.  Monday evening I saw this ad for a Moog Opus 3 on Craigslist.  $400 -doesn’t work.  Worked when last tried.  About 2 miles from my house.  I resolved to call in the morning around 9, hoping it would have sold and I’d have that weird 30 seconds of self reproach for not acting sooner followed by the bliss of carrying on moments later and forgetting.  I call -no answer.  I start to leave a message and as I’m half way through it they call me back.  10 minutes later I’m getting in the car to go look at an Opus 3.  30 minutes later I’m driving home with it -lighter of wallet, but only 7/8th’s as light as I could have been.  Alas.

In all its colorful what-were-they-thinking glory.  Missing a few slider caps, crappy looking wood and dirty.  Nothing I can’t handle.  Oh, and it powers on but doesn’t work -yeah- that too.

Continue reading →