Several years after launching this website and after so many customers had commented that it wasn't particularly easy finding a really good vintage synthesiser repairs tech', I decided to add this page. I'm not one to brag or 'blow my own trumpet' (not sure if that will translate into other languages too well) but I've had so much lovely feedback over the years, that perhaps I do need to try a little harder to get my message out there.
There's a lot of techy stuff all over my website as I often write posts on some of the gear that I work on. You'll also find articles on various peripherals that I design and manufacture for a few vintage synths that well, are close to my heart, let's say.
This page however, is more about me as I feel it important that potential customers should know a little about who they might be dealing with. Yes, there's an 'About' page but this page goes a little further and I hope it'll offer some reassurance and confidence to the cautious-minded .
Well, you might have guessed by now that I just love synthesisers from the seventies and eighties. They have a presence, a feel, of course a sound and a special magic that shines from a time when it all began. I have a strong background in electronics, specifically design and fault diagnostics. Combine the two and I can't help but acknowledge my obligation to try my best to keep as many of these special electronic musical instruments going for as long as possible. Indeed, I feel quite privileged to offer my vintage synthesiser repairs service to the community that treasures these machines as much as I do.
Having worked for the likes of Simmons and Roland, various recording studios across the world, producers, engineers and many named artists, I feel extremely fortunate to still be practicing my passion for over four decades after I started.
I'm also very lucky to have the best customers in the world! A considerable proportion of my work comes from outside of the UK and it's extremely humbling that so many people are prepared to send me their beloved synths from the other side of the planet.
Having a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of vintage synthesiser repairs, isn't enough when others are looking to entrust you with the equipment that's so precious to them. With most of my work coming in from overseas, only a small percentage of my customers (UK based and occasionally from Europe) actually meet me face-to-face. As such, I understand and fully appreciate that people need someone they can trust, someone who will look after their equipment as if it was their own, someone who's honest, reliable and will keep them informed. Hey, remember I'm a musician too and so I have a lot of empathy.
Here are a few things I do to look after your gear:
- My premises is maintained at 20°C and humidity is always low.
- I don't smoke and there are no animals kept on the premises.
- My lab is always clean and tidy. I simply can't work in a mess or chaos.
- My lab has UV protective film on the window which reduces ultraviolet light by 98%.
- I take pride in my work and so I never take short-cuts. The expression "that'll do" doesn't exist in my vocabulary.
- I only use components from accredited suppliers.
- I only use leaded solder on vintage equipment, the type that was used when your gear was made.
- My test equipment and tools are maintained to the highest standards. If the condition of my own gear is questionable, then how can I be expected to work reliably on yours?
- Customer units are never stacked on top of each other (like I've seen at some places).
- Screws, knobs, buttons, sockets are always put into a resealable bag with the customer and unit details written on the outside. Nothing ever gets lost.
- My workbenches are ever so slightly tilted so that anything that might roll, will do so towards the rear wall and not the floor.
- When replacing ICs, I always do so with sockets... just in case.
- Where appropriate, I’ll use cotton or synthetic protective gloves.
- When working on boards and components, I always wear an earthed wrist-strap and I never wear synthetic clothes that might hold an electrostatic charge.
- On complex systems, I'll take photographs during disassembly so that I have a reference when putting your gear back together.
- During reassembly, screws and nuts are never overtightened. Why do some people tighten stuff as if their gear is going on a deep-space mission?!?!
- The inside of equipment is always checked prior to reassembly, for items that shouldn't be there, like bits of wire, insulation, solder or even screws or washers.
- When cleaning equipment, I only use mild chemicals that I know won’t discolour or damage paintwork or silk-screening.
- Where applicable, equipment is often 'soak tested' for several hours to ensure that the fault has been properly fixed, even if I'm confident that it has!
- At the end of the day, everything is cleaned up and put away. Actually this normally happens a couple of times a day!
- I have a lot of experience with packaging equipment and tend to 'over package' so as to reduce any risk of items being damaged in transit.
On a more personal note,
- I always (ALWAYS) reply to emails, even if I may be a little late sometimes. If you haven't heard from me, please check your SPAM folder!
- I’ll tell you as it is, even if it’s not what you might want to hear.
- I inherently trust my customers. After all, they're trusting me, right? And so I try to be as flexible as possible.
- I try to adhere to standard working hours. Those customers who are prepared to travel some distance to drop off or collect their gear however, need some respect. I'm therefore more than happy to receive them at their convenience, so long as the visit is prearranged.
- So as to be fair to everyone, I plough through repairs and product orders chronologically. There are however, odd occasions when I feel obliged to help someone out as quickly as possible. Yes, it means that I might have to do a couple of hours extra work at some point but hey.
It's not just about the gear though, is it? It's also about the relationships between the people behind the gear and I guess what I'm trying to do with this page, is emphasise that point. Yes, the people behind the gear... you, my customers. Indeed, I wish I could take a few months out to visit all the fantastic friends I've made, via my vintage synthesiser repairs over the years! That would be a serious world tour!
Please feel free to contact me. I'll always try my best to help. 🙂