The internals of a mid period Serge modular rack.
What do I do?
I repair, modify and service modular synthesiser modules. All module types are considered from small modern rack mounted units to vintage Moog units. I have repaired modules from Serge, STS, Synthesizers.com, Polyfusion, Moog, Analogue Systems, Analogue Solutions, MOTM, Buchla, Doepfer, EMS, ARP and, of course, our own brand Oakley.
I will also repair smaller musical items such as Minimoog, Moog Voyager, Yamaha CS-30, Roland SH-101, TB-303, TR-808, Korg MS-20, etc.
What I don't do?
Because my main business is now as a supplier of analogue synthesiser modules I no longer have the space to repair or store larger items. This means I am unable to service items with a keyboard exceeding four octaves or any other large and heavy devices like guitar amplifiers with speakers. I am therefore no longer able to fix things like the Prophet 5, OB-Xa and the like.
Why choose Oakley Sound?
I have been servicing audio equipment for over 25 years and like to think I offer a very high quality service. I am a musician, an honours degree qualified electronic engineer and a designer of electronic musical equipment.
Where are you based?
I work in the United Kingdom in Cumbria near Carlisle.
How much is it going to cost?
This depends entirely on the job. Bench time, that is the time I am actually working on the unit, is charged as follows:
First 60 minutes is charged at 20GBP per half hour.
Second hour and beyond is charged at 30GBP per hour.
When an item arrives it is inspected and this normally takes 30 minutes or so. If I can fix the fault in those 30 minutes the work will therefore cost 20GBP plus the cost of any small parts I may have had to use.
If I cannot fix the fault in this time, or the parts costs are going to be significant, I will e-mail you and let you know how much I think it will cost to fix. This value will be an estimate - it is not a quote. Occasionally, for example when a module has multiple faults, more work is needed than originally thought. If this is looking likely I will stop work and contact you for further instructions. However, many module repairs take no longer than an hour.
Any postage charges are additional to any repair costs.
You need to pay nothing until the job is done. I am not VAT registered so there is no extra VAT to be paid. 1GBP is one pound sterling.
How do I get my item to you?
Most people post or ship their modules to me. Please ensure that your module is well packed, suitably insured, and that any packing can be re-used for the journey home.
Please note that I am based in the far north-west of England close to the Scottish Border.
How long is it going to take?
Most jobs are now fixed within two to three weeks.
What's this 'Safety test' bit?
All complete mains powered items passed back to the user are safety tested. This means they have been tested in accordance with PAT (portable appliance test) safety rules. This is a legal obligation on me to ensure that everything that is handed back to you is safe. Sometimes work is needed to be carried out to make a unit pass this test. This may be due to a fault or because of the age of the device. Back in the old days, things like electrical safety were not treated with as much care as they are now.
How do I pay you?
For small jobs Paypal is the preferred route for most of my customers. However, for any jobs costing over 100GBP payment must be made by direct bank transfer or cash on collection.
Any other things I should know?
Items brought/sent to me for repair or servicing will be insured for loss or damage up to the value of 1000GBP whilst they are in my possession.
Individual items worth more than 1000GBP should be insured by you in the unlikely case of loss or damage.
I will not be liable for any problems, loss or damage that may have occurred whilst shipping or transporting the items either to me or back to you.
The repair and any parts supplied by me are guaranteed for six months. Any breakdown regarding a different problem, or problems, to the original repair are treated as new, and are not covered by the guarantee. Bear in mind that 'vintage' instruments are often tempermental beasts, even when they were new. It is quite possible that other faults will develop after the unit has been repaired. Although I do try and spot potential problems, I can't always predict what will go wrong.
Please contact me for further information:
Oakley Sound Systems also make modular synthesiser components. Go here for more information.
Copyright: Tony Allgood
Last revised: October 23, 2012