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[Transformer]

Hello benders, first of all thx circuitbenders for releasing this forum (always great to share ideas, tips,etc)

I recently found a casio CZ 230-S for 6 euro, this thing looks great with a lot of outputs, midi in-thru-out,etc
but the problem is that this beast only plays some presetbeats; I can not play the keyboard and after sliding something or touching the pitchwheel it just crashes and makes no more sound anymore!!!?!!!!  It's like that keyboard only works for 1/3.  Opened this thing last weekend and never saw such a difficult PCB mess: almost 8 PCB's and it's a digital synth so very difficult for me to let this thing work again. 

So I try if anyone could help me please; someone had this problem?Or someone who understands my problem, tips or something?  You would be very greatful to help me.  Otherwise I'm going to my musicstore to check how much it would be to repair this thing but I simply guess they would send it back to Casio Holland to repair it overthere and so price will be expensive!  Please help, thx a lot

[Circuitbenders]

The first thing you should always check on a CZ that runs from a power adapter is the power input socket. I don't think i've ever seen a CZ with a 100% working power socket, it seems simple but its a very common problem. Also could be that your problem may be a dead internal battery and / or it wants a factory reset.

next place i'd ask would be the CZ Yahoo group at http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/CZsynth/

[papaspank]

Not sure this will help... but here goes

Recently, I've modded a very basic Guitar FX pedal - the problem was that it didn't show a light from it's LED. Even before I was let loose on it...

checked battery, ok...

tried external PSU... still no light.

The problem was something called dry joint. 

In essence - a point that's been soldiered, looks ok, seems to be fine, but there's actually no soliid contact between the two joints being soldiered..

which of course means at best, an occasional loss of current, at worst - no power at all.

This can occur ANYWHERE on the board - but from what you say, if it is this problem, it would be logicail to suspect to power input areas.

The cure is pretty easy, just reheat the dodgy joint in question - to ensure the soldier's actually on each surface.

You may even consider using a sepereate soldering flux to just the more usual multi-core, as it 'cleans' the joints before the soldier gets to it - making sure there's no oxide in the way...

hope this helps.

[papaspank]

as a continuation to my previous post about dry joint...

Took my own advice about re-soldering suspect areas - and the led in question is now all fine and good.

Also - in reference to crusty paul's mention about the power input stage, I do recall having some casio keyboard (CZ1000 I think) - and the same problem occured with that.

And yeah - that too was dry joint

[Transformer]

Thank you very much for that info, gonna re-open that CZbasterd when I have more time, cause currently I'm working on the Casio rapman (seems interesting too; so far a switch for extra noise, 2 pushbuttons for glitch, 4 body contacts for glitch, 6 bodycontacts for extra noise, fx, ..., no pitchbend as the circuit doesn't work with a frequency set resistor.

But about that CZ, when I don't find the problem, could I use the circuits for implementing into something else?  I'm thinking about pulling this sort of drummachine circuit out and making it as a standalone.  Could that work?