Background:
I got one of the second batch MB-808 pcb's and rare parts kits almost 4 years ago.
There are a few reasons why it took me so long to finally finish it, namely the desire to cut costs but also do a good job. It simply wasn't a high priority in my studio.
1. I waited patiently for someone to make a case for it but that never really materialized and I didn't feel like paying upwards of 200 or more euro for case machining and silk-screening.
Earlier this year I realized I could get a front panel for a good price from the same Dutch guy who did TK's, so I finally pulled the trigger:
http://www.frontplat...EN/mb808-3.JPG/
2. Sourcing all the parts was a long process. I managed to find compatible switches for a good deal from the US a few years ago, but a big issue was the Mouser BOM. Every week some part would become obsolete or be out of stock! It took a while to find the proper substitutes for everything.
3. Incomplete documentation made this process very slow and tricky. The assembly manual (
http://www.eight-oh-...t.org/Assembly/ ) is either disogranized when it comes to the errata or simply missing a lot of little things:
- Cymbal decay
http://m72.photobuck...od.jpg&newest=1
- The low tom is missing a resistor which makes it louder than the rest
- My congas self-oscillate but I decided I like using them as tones
- Some of the DOUT chips were NOT grounded on my pcb and that caused havoc!
- I had to cut some pots to make them all the same height because sourcing the proper height Alps pots became almost impossible
- There are no proper schematics for the MB-808, just some random pictures of the voice board component layout and a few incomplete signal flow schematics. This is intolerable for a project like this.
There are more things that I'm blocking from my memory because of the trauma :P
4. The Mods... what can I say? I only planned a few but then as I started testing them it became evident that it would take this machine into whole new sonic territory. It takes a lot of time to decide which mods are worthwhile and to cross-reference the original 808 schematics with the MB-808 pcb to find the location of each mod. I also had to take spend time experimenting with the clap reverb mod to find out what sounded good.
Also, I didn't want to deface the front panel with all sorts of random pots and besides there wasn't room for all 11 so I decided to put them on the very front, minimizing the negative aesthetic impact of ugly mods lol.
5. Machining the case. Coincidentally, I had this steel Hammond case for eleven years already and it's the perfect size for the MB-808 pcb. Laying out all the holes takes time, not to mention all the drilling and sawing. I shouldn't mention this, but my lcd was a bit too large and I actually CUT THE MB-808 PCB for it to fit :S Embarrassing, but nobody will ever see it.
All in all, this was one of the most difficult DIY projects I've ever done. Maybe not as complex as my ASM-2 modular, but probably more frustrating because of sourcing the parts, front panel difficulties and documentation issues.
Total cost: 360 euro
This post has been edited by sneakthief: 02 August 2011 - 08:00
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