Hey … anyone here who can recommend a U.S. tech for old synths? I need a thorough checkup for a Roland MKS-70 analog synth module, before selling it.
I know how to google, but am hoping someone can report an actual good experience with a tech you’ve used; I’ve been burned before. I can mail the module if there’s someone great outside California.
Thanks for any help!
Boomer at LA Synth Co in LA
i took my Alpha Juno in for a similar checkup this summer and he didn’t even charge me the open fee to confirm that all was apparently working normally (35 years after purchase)
Thanks! Don’t know them, will look into it.
Tim at synapse audio systems here in portland is great. he’s fixed a bunch of things for me over the years and countless things for people i know. he’s quite busy though. he recapped a calrec mixer for me, tuned up a NL3 Rack, fixed an eq… and he worked on maybe 10+ of a buddy’s vintage synths over the years. he knows his stuff.
Thanks very much for that!
I haven’t used them personally but in Norcal I’ve heard a lot of good things regarding Rainbow Electronics doing work on vintage synths, tube amp repair, recapping equip, diagnosing weird issues etc. You could check out their yelpish and google type stuff. Some of it says they aren’t very friendly, but I’ve never heard of them being incompetent. Don’t know about Roland experts though.
There’s also the listing of service centers from the Syntaur website but I can’t speak for any of them specifically, you could check it out though as it’s a decent sized list.
Thanks.
When you say you’ve heard good things about Rainbow, do you mean you know someone who had a good synth repair experience with them?
I’m aware of a lot of places and the yelps are almost invariably mixed. I’ve also been ripped off, and seen others ripped off, by places that were considered legitimate.
First or secondhand experience is what I’m looking for here. Definitely curious what you heard about Rainbow, from where.
Thanks for taking the time to respond!
It was several years ago (probably 5+), but a vintage synth I was interested in purchasing from local craigslist had been serviced by rainbow. The equipment itself was fine but we didn’t end up coming to an agreement on the price, probably because they were trying to recoup the cost of the service on top of market value.
I’ve seen them subsequently mentioned online by people pleased with repairs which is why I’d already looked at their reviews, but that’s my only direct experience. Since I wasn’t the one who took the gear to them firsthand and being that it was several years ago, I’d look for recent information and weigh that against what you find.
I’m wondering if @protrusion might have some experience with a bay area repair shop and can maybe weigh in on this as well since I know they have a fair amount of older gear and might have mentioned having something serviced before.
Thanks again! Always curious to hear your thoughts on things.
Absolutely, wouldn’t want to steer you wrong so if you find a strong contender, go with your gut. Hopefully someone has a recommendation within driving distance that they have firsthand experience with, that would be ideal I’m sure.
Hey. I was indeed spectating/lurking here. My experience with service shops in the Bay area has been mixed.
I had/have a Matrix-6 keyboard which came into my possession around 2010. It was not working properly when I took receipt of it. I had it professionally repaired by Steve (if I recall correctly) at Midwest Music Menders in the Chicago area. He is/was a true wizard.
Fast forward some years to like 2021-2022. The M6K is acting up again, in a different way. I took it to a shop in Berkeley. I suggested it was cold solder joints, he agreed. I picked it up (some time) later, took it to a space nearby and tested it out but it wouldn’t turn on. I brought it back to him. Of course, it turned on. But again later, it wouldn’t turn on. I was so fed up with dealing with it that I just gave it to my friend (after all the $$ of having it repaired, etc.). My friend is a very skilled technician on his own, and had the patience to just open it up and reseat some cables (which could have come loose in all the moving-about) and it has been working fine for him ever since. 
Would I recommend that place in Berkeley for Roland-specific “make sure everything looks good” work? I don’t know. That’s where I’m sad there aren’t more people like Steve around who have been working on these boxes since the 1980s. I’m glad I found a place that would actually take my gear, diagnose it, work on it, and give it back to me in exchange for the cost of parts/labor (because I too have read the horror stories online). Insofar as “I didn’t experience fraud,” I give high marks. I have an M6R now which likely has similar faults and am considering whether to bring it there. I frankly don’t know where else I would take it. (First I need to just check the battery, which I can do myself.)
@percussionboy there is a musician on social media who goes by Sunshine Jones who seems to have a lot of vintage fetish (and non-fetish) Roland gear they get serviced in the Bay Area, by entities presumed not present in the list above. I wonder if they know somebody who has specific experience with vintage Roland gear (rather than just general electronics skills) who could help.
If you want more specifics about any of the above, including names or contact info, lmk.
Sunshine works closely with Synthworks in SF, i believe (at least from his periodic social posts on getting stuff repaired)
Funny you should mention that. After the MKS-70, a Matrix-6R is the other one I was thinking of having checked over.
See, all the stories you’re telling are why I’m open to seeking service outside the Bay, if the tech comes highly recommended. There used to be people in the area who were well regarded, but time is taking its toll.
btw, “the place in the Mission that wouldn’t return [your] calls” sounds like Pro AV Resource. They did a good job on reinstalling the power jack in a Montage 6 that was sold to me poorly packed. I just left a Jupiter Xm with them for a warranty repair and it was not a heartwarming experience—the guy didn’t want to see the issue demonstrated, left the serial number off the receipt, and generally seemed pissed off at the world. Promised to fix it in January. Their yelps are equally uneven, some good some bad. I don’t think I’d bring them old gear, unless someone tells me they can handle that.
Thank you for that, will look into it, don’t know that place at all.
And thanks again to @shigginpit and @protrusion for starting the ball rolling that led to the synthworks idea. What a great forum.
Just contacted Synthworks, will see how it goes. If they fix the Roland, the Oberheim and Korg Z1 are next in line. Thanks again for the tip.
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Other options:
LA Synth Company doesn’t seem to accept stuff that’s shipped to them—you have to walk it in, according to their site. Too bad, as the initial vibe of the site seems promising.
There’s still the Portland tech.
I wondered about Rosen Sound in LA, but ATM they’re booked up.
WIll be interested to hear how you get on. I’ve got an SH-101 that needs a new power switch and calibration.
Surprised no one has tagged @Scot_Solida or @chiasticon
hah! well thanks for thinking of me 
I saw this earlier but didn’t chime in because my preferred repair places are nowhere near California.
I’m willing to go outside Cali for a trustworthy tech, provided they’re in the continental U.S. The 2 items that need a checkup are both modules and could be shipped.
Anyone you had a good experience with?
Belltone in Philly are the best I’ve used. they really know their stuff, work efficiently and thoroughly, and communicate well. I’ve used them for vintage Roland and I know they work on quite a lot of it. I know of other trusted vintage synth heads that use them frequently as well.
plus the head tech/owner is a woman and I think that’s awesome. 