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Subject: Re: [chromapolaris] Picked up a Chroma Polaris II

From: James <fl_799@...>
Date: 2012-03-12

Bob at synth doctorin' usually has spare keys and springs for the Polaris if any of your key hooks are cracked or missing. They will get stuck if those hooks crack. These are panasonic keys (if I remember correctly) and used by 2-3 other synth manufacturers.
http://www.sounddoctorin.com/
 
 

From: Paul D. DeRocco <pderocco@...>
To: chromapolaris@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2012 10:58 PM
Subject: RE: [chromapolaris] Picked up a Chroma Polaris II

 
> From: djgylend77
>
> So I was in Music Go Round on Thursday and saw a Polaris II
> that caught my interest. Went home, did a little research
> came back the next day and bought it. It seems in relatively
> good shape, all sliders working and so are the modulation and
> pitch bend levers. There do seems to be a couple of issues
> 1)there is one upper black key that is stuck (this is not
> much of an issue for me as i'll explain and 2)there are 4
> membrane buttons that don't seem to work, they are all on the
> left side (record, play, lower function, and volume/tune).
> Everything button from Oscillator 1 and rightwards seems to
> function fine.
>
> I would really like to get this fixed, even just playing some
> of the keys are modulating the filter got some really amazing
> sounds. I want to be able to do some hard loop based techno,
> so having the lower function working properly to select midi
> channels is crucial. I think it would sound fantastic next to
> my 303 and xoxbox. Fortunately, I am in St. Paul and there is
> a shop (Good Guys Audio) that is very close to me and they
> seem to be one of the very few places that has experience
> with the Polaris. I guess my question is what is my best
> route to go here, just bring the synth into the shop and have
> the few nonworking buttons replaced or get an overhaul of the
> entire membrane panels? What am I looking at in terms of
> cost? Any advice appreciated, I am just getting started out
> in making music.

I can't say what's the problem with the black key. It could be broken, or it
could be that it has merely popped out of the frame, or it could be that the
return spring got lost. If it's just popped out of the frame, it's a
no-brainer to fix.

As to the switches, replacing the panels is the best thing to do, since any
successful fix is likely to be temporary and unreliable. And I'd say that
even if it was someone else who was selling them. ;-) You don't have to be a
professional technician to do that job yourself. You can read the
instructions here

http://www.rhodeschroma.com/?id=polarismembranepanelreplacement

and see what's involved. If you do it yourself, you'll spend under $200.
E-mail me directly if you want to buy a set.

--

Ciao, Paul D. DeRocco
Paul mailto:pderocco@...