Repairing & Restoring a Korg Polysix to Better Than New! Episode 1: Overview and Plans

[@jjdekay6969]

Can't wait to see the rest!!!!.......all stocked up on popcorn for it!!!!

[@melodikmusic]

Fantastic! I love my Polysix. I ordered the exact case that you did but haven’t installed it yet so I’ll be waiting to pick up some tips from that future video. Good luck!

[@TheLordcasio]

HGTV needs you for their new show "This Old Synth"

[@kensinclair8599]

I love the way you approach a new project and you attention to detail and competency... I have several old synths that would require some work... I would appreciate some assistance with my old CS 30.. if you know it.. Thank you

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

Thank you! The one great thing about all these synths from the 80s is that they were normally produced with detailed service manuals. So as long as you have some diagnostic skills, the service manual and access to spare parts (not always a given), you can generally fix any of these synths. Having the Internet to know about common failures definitely helps, too.

[@Cubik303]

Great work, Scott! Very interesting and entertaining video.

[@slavetothesquarewave]

At the time, I was quite proud of my duct taping job! Can't wait to hear and see the end result.

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

Hahaha! The duct taping job was quite uniform and excellent! The problem is...it's duct tape. :)

[@timka880057]

I have a Polysix I've had since 87. I used to play it a lot. I let my niece borrow it and play with it for a little while, and then I got it back from her. I had stored it for a little while. Then when I powered it and hooked it up, all the keys did this weird thing. When I played the keys, they all sounded together and did a falling sound. I learned more about the battery 🔋and it was too late. The board looks good, but then you scrape the green paint off and the copper foil is gone in some places. I don't know if the power supply is damaged or not. I used to service VCRs and TVs long ago, I'm rusty. But I'm a musician at heart. Can't live without music. I hook up a guitar, bass, or a keyboard and I'm in heaven. I'd really love to fix up my Korg Polysix. And my Roland Juno 106. The voice chips are failing, or have failed in it. I appreciate you being on KZbin man!

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

If you serviced VCR's and TVs, you can fix the Polysix. :) Voice chips are failing in my 106 as well, that's the next project!

[@timka880057]

@ScottsSynthStuff with great anticipation, I look forward to when you start on your Roland Juno 106.

[@DestroyER82]

Hello. Couple little notes. MG can actually have one or two destinations. Mod wheel is always into VCO and the second is your choice. So you can have vibrato and filter sweeping at same time and with different amount. They were actually initially more expensive than 1000$, but it was the first one to be later discounted to 1000. Lovely talk and history, Really good points about mainetance, extremely important (that battery is really evil). My P6 have already replaced CPU board and refurbished power supply by previous owner, but definitely your way into taking in 21st centuary is even better. Keep it running, they are awesome! All the best!

[@acetateassassin7933]

I just found one the other day at a second hand store for $250. Amazing sound!

[@sauce_aux]

I remember having to trudge a couple miles on foot, through downtown San Francisco, the day I bought my Prophet 😂 It’s funny what we will do when we are enamored with something. Great vid!

[@fizzywack]

Thanks Scott. That was an enjoyable watch. Looking forward to part 2. Subscribed!

[@daveogarf]

The SSM 2044 filter chip used in the Mono/Poly and Polysix were based on the Moog ladder filter (without violating Moog patents), which accounts for the richness of those two synths. Korg did later offer a full-featured MIDI retrofit for the Polysix, which brought it into the eighties.

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

Yes, their MIDI retrofit (the PS6-MRK) was a daughterboard with a separate processor, RAM, battery and plugged into the main CPU board. I'm hoping the SSM chips in this synth are in good shape, as they are becoming rare and expensive!

[@lassel1644]

sounds like me back in the day but i´ve never bought two synthesizers at the same time.😄 I cut grass for 10 weeks and bought my JX3P back in 1984

[@RobertFantinatto]

LOL, I bought a PolySix at exactly the same Long and McQuade in Toronto, likely 1986? I still have it!

[@jackberlien8916]

I'm loving your vids and plan to rework my Polysix hopefully following your vids. One suggestion - you say "synthesizer" a lot, as expected - you may wanna adopt the slang "synth" to save a few thousand syllables!

[@TeganKosterProject]

Amazing! 😂🎉❤

[@timpullen4941]

I bought a PolySix in about 1983

[@lassel1644]

I was working in a music store in 1990 and one customer wanted to sell me a Jupiter 8 for 500 dollars. I opened the case looked at it.. "well no im happy with my Akai S-1000 PB" 😳😳😳