Question about the ARP ODYSSEY (problem)

[catalist]

Hi there,

I just purchased an ARP ODYSSEY a couple days ago and the thing sounds amazing.. I am definitely getting some real inspiration!

Just today I was messing with some different sounds and the middle B flat key suddenly won't release the Portamento , every other key is fine but no matter what kind of LFO / OSC settings I have , the middle B flat always has the portamento setting on full... sounds like a job for a repair person , but in case anyone has ever experienced this problem with their ARP , I figured I would check here!

thanks for any help you can provide..

catalist

[jchas]

Portamento is actually a slide between 2 different keys so it's impossible for only one key to have it by itself. If you only notice a sliding going on when you press the Bb it's more than likely the key contacts of that note are dirty and the slight extra resistance is causing the note to fluctuate. There is a plastic cover across the bottom of the Odyssey that allows you to get minimal access to the key contacts. For better access, remove the 4 scews by the keyboard, hinge it up, then remove the keyboard from the case. Wrap a smal piece of 400-800 grit finishing grade snadpaper around the buss bars and gently sldie it back and forth a few times. This will remove the oxidation that plagues these types of key contacts. It might be a good idea to hit the entire length of the buss bars while you're at it.

[drBill]

jchas is right on. That's no doubt the problem, but I'm not sure I'd use sandpaper on it. Even emerycloth. I just clean with alchol and a qtip unless it's really really bad.

[triez]

NEVER NEVER NEVER touch those contacts with ANYTHING abrasive, especially not sandpaper. They are gold plated and you will remove the plating and have corrosion problems forever.

There are 2 contacts, one is gate and one is CV. your gate contact is connecting, your CV contact is not. You need to clean the CV rail, a cotton bud with Deoxit will do, or a SOFT white pencil eraser used gently. NOT an abrasive ink eraser, a soft pencil eraser if the tarnish is too bad. Do not try and clean the J wires, only the contact rail.

The Odyssey 3 has a removable panel for access to the contacts, earlier Odysseys need the bottom of the machine removed.

The gold plating on those contact rails is micron thin, DO not scrape, scratch or abrade it. try and use only a cotton tip with deoxit or alcohol. Only if the tarnish is not removed then use an eraser.

[catalist]

thank you guys! that is very helpful information (i will definitely NOT use the sandpaper though , thanks for clarifying that)

One thing to mention is that when I push the Bb before pushing any other keys it plays fine , but it is when I go from another key and then to the Bb afterwards , that is when the portamento is sticking..

either way I will get a cotton swab and some deoxit and see what I can do.

thanks again

[jchas]

Tried Deoxit - it didn't work
Tried an eraser - it didn't work
Tried 880 grit - it worked - it still works.
There was no visible gold plating on the buss rails. They look more like stainless steel than anything else.

[catalist]

Ok so I opened up the panel on the bottom of the unit to see what is going on with the contacts , and right away could see that the CV contact wire for the Bb has broken off , so the wire was loose and unable to make contact with the rail when the key is pressed.

I just got this thing and definitely don't want to have to bring it in to get repaired so soon .. i noticed the contact wire looks quite similar to a guitar string , I wonder if there is a way to do a little custom job and somehow get a new wire in there without too much hassle / potential damage to the unit?

If any of you have replaced one of these wires before maybe you'll have some insight...

thank you in advance for any help / ideas!

cheers

[jchas]

Yes you can. I did it years ago when one broke before a show years ago.
I just looked at mine to refresh my memory what I did. I remembered trying to remove that skinny circuit board but stopping when I worried about snapping it in half when some of those plastic anchors didn't want to release. So I clipped the J-wire about 1/2" from the circuit board, leaving enough to solder a guitar string to. I vaguely remember having a little trouble getting the solder to stick well and needing to do it a couple times, I probably used a greasy used string or something. My memories a little fuzzy as it was over 25 years ago - but it did work.

[catalist]

Yea I could imagine that working... however the wire has snapped off right at the circuit board leaving no room to solder a wire to , it is too close to the board and I might cause damage if I try to do so... Maybe I should try to find the exact replacement wire for the unit.

thanks again for your help !

[triez]

Find the J wire that has snapped off if you can, and solder it back on at the root, it is not an uncommon thing to have to do. It's good to find it as you don't want it inside the machine loose.

I have serviced an Odyssey, and Axxe and 2 Minimoogs this week, I normally remove the contact rails completely from the machine, clean them and replace, it is a big job though.

A guitar string may work for a while, better to get plated wire if you can, but if you use a guitar string then wipe the finger oil off it with alcohol after you install, and put Deixit on it to try and make it last.

[triez]

Originally Posted by catalist

Yea I could imagine that working... however the wire has snapped off right at the circuit board leaving no room to solder a wire to , it is too close to the board and I might cause damage if I try to do so... Maybe I should try to find the exact replacement wire for the unit.

thanks again for your help !

behind where the wire snapped you should see a little loop if wire showing through the board, tack solder it to that. No-one sells J wires any more, and even if you could get one you do not want to try and remove that PCB.