Farfisa Mini Compact Audio Cable Replacement

[sjm1nd]

Hi my names Silas. I recently just bought an Farfisa Mini Compact off of Ebay. The only problem is the audio out jack cable has a cut in it. So the audio cuts in and out all the time and sometimes does not come through. It sounds amazing and great but I have this tiny problem with audio jack. So when I looked where the audio jack and it seems to run inside the organ. Would I be able to just open it up and just replace it with any regular instrument cable??

I want to know before I open and regret something.

Thanks

[joelindsey]

yes, you can replace it with any regular instrument cable.

[Silas]

So would I just open the top of the organ and I would see the jack cable?

[joelindsey]

You wont see the output cable by just taking the top off. With the mini compact, you have to remove the whole organ from the outer wooden shell if you want to work on it. It's not that hard, there's only five screws on the bottom and the six on the top (don't forget to remove the bass volume knob). I don't quite remember where the output cable connects, and I was just repairing one today, oddly enough.

I have another one all taken apart at my workshop, so I'll take a look at it and get back to you soon. It either comes right off the preamp board or in the case under the power transformer. If it's under the power transformer, that will be tedious to take apart.

You could just splice in another output cable without taking it apart if you don't mind looking at a taped up output cable.

[sjm1nd]

Oh wow ok. Can you please let me know where the output cable is located so I know what to do exactly. I have never spliced a cable to another cable before so I have no idea how I would go about it.

If I can just find the output cable input and just replace with a new instrument cable, that seems easier for me. So if you can let me know where its located, that would be great.

Thanks

[joelindsey]

www.ehow.com/how_4914762_splice-audio-cables.html It's not hard, just replace the wire caps with solder and tape it up well.

Turns out it does connect under the transformer. If you don't feel like taking that apart, there should be enough slack in the cable to splice the replacement in. That's what I would do.


While you have the thing apart, it might be a good idea to replace those big electrolytic capacitors.

[sjm1nd]

Oh ok I see wow. I might want to try removing the transformer and replacing entire cable with a new instrument cable. Is that 3 screws holding it up?

If you can, can you maybe explain the process of removing it if you have before. Any tips/warnings? Is this located at the bottom of the organ?

Thanks

[joelindsey]

Bottom left of the organ, you'll see it. There's four screws that hold it down (only one pictured), but you'll probably have to remove some cable strain reliefs that are screwed into the frame. Looks like there's another strain relief for the audio output cable (the plastic ring) mounted to the frame, you might have to rip that out. Don't touch the filter capcitors, you might get shocked. Like I said, if you are going through all this effort you might as well replace them so you don't have to worry about them blowing up or failing later on.

Honestly, it's an awful lot of work for something that you can fix without even taking the organ out of the case.

[sjm1nd]

Yeah I hear ya that it is quite a bit of work to fix. But I do wanna see inside in
person, so maybe its a good excuse if I do it carefully.

So my plan of action is:

1: Remove all screws to remove organ out of chassis.

2. Ive read that you have to push organ toward you to take it out?

3. Look on bottom left to see transformer.

4. Unscrew thw transformer out.

5. Unplug old jack cable

6. Plug in new jack instrument cable

7. Screw everthing back together.

Does that sound right?

[joelindsey]

Well you aren't just taking just the transformer out, you are taking out the enclosure it is mounted on top of, but close enough.

Also, it wont be a matter of unplugging the old cable and plugging a new one in, if that's what you're expecting. You'll actually have to solder it in. There isn't just another plug/jack at the other end, it's bare wires soldered to terminals.

I know this is common sense, but don't do this with the organ still plugged in.

[sjm1nd]

Great News: I just spliced the cable and connected it with a new instrument cable and it works perfectly! Thanks Joe for taking the time to give me info and helping me.

[joelindsey]

glad it worked out!