1. Goal
When I started this blog, I had no experience with electronics repair. I always wanted to fix equipment but I didn’t know if it was doable. My interest in vintage analog gear made it clear that learning to fix it myself would be quite useful. After all, old equipment often breaks down due to aging components or simple wear and tear.
I have a background in computer science and some experience with programming, where I dealt a lot with debugging. I tried to take a pragmatic approach by focusing only on repairing equipment, not on designing circuits from scratch. That felt like a somewhat different skill set. I tought if I could manage that, It would really benefit me.
I decided to dive into the basics of electronics. I bought a book (Electronics For Dummies) and took a short course with Laudius.
To get started with repairs, there are a few essential tools. The list below isn’t meant as buying advice, but more as an overview of what I thought would be necessary or useful. It’s not state-of-the-art gear, but I didn’t think that was necessary for a beginner anyway.
Multimeter : Owon OW18b
Soldering station: Atten AT-989
Desoldering station: ZD-8915
ESR Meter : Peak esr70
Plus Soldering accessories like: 60/40 tin, soldering braid, flux, wires, pliers etc..
I think I spent around 400 euros in total, including the course and the book.
2. Safety
Working with electronics requires care. I’ve had some experience at home with wiring and electrical installations, but repairing equipment involves different kinds of risks. I decided to focus only on low-voltage circuits at first, avoiding tube gear or power amps. While devices like synthesizers may be connected to 230V mains, the voltage is usually stepped down to safer, lower levels after the transformer, making these circuits less hazardous to work with.
3. Disclaimer
I am not responsible for any damage, injury, or loss resulting from the use or misuse of the information provided. Anyone attempting electronic repairs does so at their own risk and is solely responsible for understanding and managing the hazards involved.