Farfisa Compact issues

[AdamAnt316]

Hello everyone. I will try and sum up the issues I have discovered so far which exist with my newly-acquired Farfisa Compact. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Many of the keys are at least slightly out-of-tune. Is there a proper way to re-tune them?
2. Something seems to be largely amiss with the G# keys. At times, pressing one of the keys merely results in a way-out-of-tune note (more in line with the B key), but at others, it seems to spuriously combine with another note, creating a dissonant effect. When played into a Korg CA-30 chromatic tuner, it generally registers a rough B, occasionally shifting towards E. This occurs in all octaves, save for the upper-most one, where the key travels noticeably farther downward than all of the other black keys, and it does not work for all the sounds.
3. Numerous keys do not work with all of the sounds. This is especially true of the upper-most C key, which works with few sounds.
4. None of the C keys are affected by the vibrato settings.
5. I have yet to get a peep out of the reversed bass keys. Is the signal for them carried along a different cable or something? There is another cable coming from the bottom of the unit, which someone decided to terminate in a set of RCA plugs, for some reason.
6. Reverb is totally dead, which I'm told is a common issue. Is there a source for a proper replacement?

More as I find new issues. Overall, it works pretty well for it's age, but definitely needs some work to be returned to something resembling top form. Anyway, thanks in advance!
-Adam

[karl]

Hello AdamAnt316,

Well, the first thing I always do is clean, clean, clean. I checked out your site (very cool), so you probably already know this.
A lot of electronic problems in older organs are due to dirty key contacts. Check out the key contact cleaning note. On the tuning issues, there should be a set of twelve ( one for each highest note) circuits which are master oscillators. Each circuit will have an old inductor tuning coil with an Iron core. You need a plastic screwdriver to adjust these. Use a freq counter or guitar tuner to monitor the output while you adjust each inductor.

Each of the master oscillator circuits is fed into a divider circuit which divides the frequency in half giving you octaves of notes
This is usually done with several flipflop circuits. So I suspect that your G# master oscillator circuit is out of tune and/or has a defect. Before replacing parts look carefully at any solder connections in this circuit. a cold solder joint could easily cause the problem you describe. I have fixed many, many circuits just by re-heating all the solder connections. After checking the solder joints look carefully at any electrolytic capacitors. They often dry out and fail In older electronic gear. This can cause a short or an open.
See How far this gets you and please reply

Good Luck
Karl

[revtonynewnham]

Hi

Karl's response is pretty much what I would have said. Clean and check all the key contacts, check the oscillator circuits carefully - the absent vibrato is probably either a bad connection or a failed component on the in the C osscillator circuitry. The carefully try tuning - if you have to move the adjusters more than a fraction (assuming no-one has "fiddled" before you got the organ) then change the small value capactiors around the coil - they may well have shifted in value. Most combo organs used a tuned circuit in the oscillator, and it's the values of the tuning capacitor(s) and coil that determine the pitch.

Good luck

Every Blessing

Tony

[fuzzmeister]

Also have you tried this site:

www.combo-organ.com/spares_and_repairs.htm

Some good advice on there .

And if you eventually need some parts, i can maybe help out, see my ad in the parts section.

[Time Lord]

Jul 17, 2008 3:26:48 GMT -5 fuzzmeister said:

Also have you tried this site:

www.combo-organ.com/spares_and_repairs.htm

Some good advice on there .

And if you eventually need some parts, i can maybe help out, see my ad in the parts section.

Which is your ad?

[fuzzmeister]

Sorry, i meant my post - in the "Parts" section of this forum. The post that says "Farfisa Compact parts for sale"

[buboes]

hey, still have farfisa compact parts for sale? i am looking for an oscillator board or tuning coil. thanks

carissa.spatcher at gmail.com

[lazylizardlabs]

Hi All,
I'm currently repairing a Farfisa Compact, and I've made great headway regarding the operation of the old girl, but I'm having a bit of a pig with some output noise. Basically, it's not RF noise, more like low level note ( chord) background noise. I'm just wondering if any of you kind chaps have been through the same issues. It's quite a bit worse with any of the pedal switches in circuit ( especially when the forte switch in !) It's got me a little flumoxed, but i've just come off a 12hr night shift and my head is a bit in the shed - if you know what i mean be great to hear your opinions regarding this,
Steve

[james]

I have a similar problem with my newly acquired Deluxe. The C and the C# are really ugly sounding and won't tune up. They rise or fall when trying to tune, but they won't settle on the proper pitch. I also have several notes that are pitched correctly but have a lower tone included in the sound at a lower volume than the main pitch. (especially noticeable on the high notes) I did manage to tune everything but the C and C# and I did it with a regular screwdriver. (I could not find a plastic tipped screwdriver anywhere) It works with a metal one as long as you pull it out on occasion to hear the real pitch. A metal blade inserted sharps the note considerably.