Korg x911

[Storing!]

Hi

I got a deal on a Korg x911 guitarsynth.
I used one for a short period in the early 80s.
I can remember it was hard to use well.

Does anybody have any experience with this tonemangler? The asking price is 175 E (+- 175$)

any input apreciated.

[Mark Hammer]

There was a variable filter resonance mod for it in Polyphony.  I installed one in a guys unit somewhere around 1983 or so and he loved it.  That's about as much as I know.  Love to see a schem of the thing.  It *is* mono, but what the heck, it still involves pitch-to-voltage conversion and is a terrific score because of that.

[RickL]

I've got one but I haven't played with it for years so these comments are based on somewhat sketchy memories.

It's easy to use. Plug in, push a button or two and play. The tracking, especially on the internal sounds is horrible. The tracking isn't too bad where the guitar sound is used as the waveform, somewhat like an EH Guitar Synth pedal. In fact several years ago I had a chance to buy an EH Guitar Synth for $50 and turned it down because I figured it just duplicated the controls of half of the x911 

The internal sounds are fairly cheezy with very limited control over the parameters (one per sound) but they can be combined with the guitar modification side if you want. I never could figure a convenient way to use it live. The synth/effected sounds can be bypassed but the straight guitar sound is always on. I'm pretty sure I have a manual for it somewhere but I think with a little searching you'll be able to find one online.

I'm out of town until Friday so if you have specific questions I won't be able to reply until then.

Rick

[radio]

I have one as well,and don't use it much anymore.

I finished using it as an "expander" for thickening my mono synth sound of the same time.

I  liked most  using the ADSR with the guitar,but as my playing is not clean,

touching strings with plectrum AND finger or hand ,lets say the tracking didn't suit me

I should try tonight to verify if my feelings to the X911 didn't evolve.

Greetings JMErnzer

[Wild Zebra]

 Â  I have one of these suckers.  I don't use it all the time.  I think it does some pretty cool stuff.  You really have to get the picking just right.  The trumpet for example is awesome.  I had a friend use it live in a jazz fusionany band and boy he made that thing sound sweet.
The distortion mode tracks poorly, but I think it makes for a unique effect.  I think its all in the technique once you get used to how it responds its cool.  I got mine about 8 yrs ago for 250-300 so sounds like a good deal for an analog guitar synth.  The filter is a one knobber, but hey it a Korg filter!  I use it to run my synths through as a kinda expansion module.  Have fun.

[Mark Hammer]

With so many owners, I'm obviously going to have to scan and post the filter mod.

[Wild Zebra]

  That'd be sweet.  So what exactly does it do/involve?

[Mark Hammer]

There is presently a fixed resistor on the board which sets the amount of resonance of the lowpass filter (a 2-pole using an LM13700 if memory serves).  It gets replaced with a fixed resistor and pot in series to achieve diferent degrees of filter resonance.  Makes a big difference to the character of swept sounds.  The chassis has tons of space, and since it's plastic, "installation" can consists of as little as wiggling the tip of a utility knife into the chassis to make a hole for the pot.  Since the pot is used as a variable resistor, you can put all concerns about taper and even value to rest.  My guess is that a bunch of values between 250k and 1M will be fine.  I'll know more tonight once I get home and dig up the issue.

[Mark Hammer]

Okay, it's posted on Photobucket: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/mhammer/X911mod.png

I tried posting a big zipfile of stuff I scanned from Polyphony tonight on my website, but it still isn't accessible to me or anyone.  Not sure why.  So, Photobucket it is.

Also uploaded an article I've been meaning to post for a while about spring reverb:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/mhammer/Reverb1.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/mhammer/Reverb2.png

Enjoy

[Zero the hero]

I have the service manual for this beast. unfortunately, I have no chances to scan it.
I'll do the best I can for posting it.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I don't know why, but I have heard of quite a few faulty X911s over the years (Korg stuff is usually very reliable). Maybe guitarists tried to turn those switches with their feet Highly desirable.

[analogmike]

I have one of those too, will try the mod (as if I ever will have the time!)