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Electric organ repair.

Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2024 6:10 am
by BPJ

Re: Electric organ repair.

Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2024 2:15 pm
by crochambeau
Unsure how this one works, but it appears each key is wired, indicating the need of a common reference being fed to the keybed. Make sure that's intact, electrically, and generally poke around some more.

The screwdriver assisted trim pot is probably going to dial over all tuning that the top octave generator is running at.

Confirming there is a pulse being fed out of the top octave would be another step on my short list.

Re: Electric organ repair.

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2024 3:28 am
by BPJ
There's definitely a common reference, you're right. My laptop is busted so I'm having to operate off a telephone, slowing things down because my eyesight is getting worse every day.

This is going to be a very long project. At least it cost me nothing. I'll keep posting here as I go along for the fun.

Re: Electric organ repair.

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2024 7:49 am
by crochambeau
Radical. Thanks for sharing your organ with us BPJ!

The culprit is usually a bit of dirt, oxidization, or failed caps pulling power rails down. Lots of switches and contacts in the works with these. Happy hunting!

Re: Electric organ repair.

Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2024 6:25 am
by BPJ
For any body interested, here is a PDF of my organ. I had to email Hohner because there's no reference at all to this model I could find.

https://ufile.io/tetbzkwi

Re: Electric organ repair.

Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 12:03 pm
by BPJ
Very late second part.


Re: Electric organ repair.

Posted: Sat May 04, 2024 11:44 am
by BPJ
I think I realised what those definitely not capacitors are for, I think they stop the different notes adding to each other, like you would do on a mixer if that makes sense.

Re: Electric organ repair.

Posted: Mon May 06, 2024 12:02 pm
by crochambeau
Yeah, those resistors look to be providing a load for each always running oscillator note. My guess (and PLEASE bear in mind I have not devoured the schematic, nor do I have the bandwidth to do so) is that the "live" side of the resistor is switched at the keyboard.

Key switching comes from the per note spring (in orange) connecting to the input bus (one big solid wire, in blue). Those parts look pretty tarnished and could use a cleaning. That might be the entire fix right there.

When probing around crusty old shit I like a sharp point like on a multimeter lead - because sometimes you need to break through a layer of oxidization or other ancient funk in order to get a solid measurement.
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