Schematics Needed!

A family of high-end analog DI and effects gear.
dansgrandpapa
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2021 3:49 pm

Schematics Needed!

Post by dansgrandpapa »

Hi All,
I started picking up Rockman modules lately. I always wanted to try them! So now I have an XP100a, 2 Sustainor 100's, 2 EQ's, Stereo Chorus, Stereo Echo, Midi Octopus and Midi Pedal. All purchased off eBay or Reverb in the last month or so, except the XP100a, that was a PAWN SHOP FIND two years back!
Of all the modules, no DOA's (whew) but just a couple small things that needed work, so I was fortunate.
What I did not expect was the difficulty I am having finding schematics!
I can disassemble and line them out myself, but I was trying to avoid that.
I am hoping I might have better luck in a forum like this?!? Fingers crossed!
I lucked out and found one for a sustainor 100.
I am looking for the EQ, SE, SC, MO and the XP100a.
If any of you tech-types out there can help me out that would be GREAT!
Thanks!
Doug
willpirkle
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2020 9:51 pm

Re: Schematics Needed!

Post by willpirkle »

Hi Doug - I’ve begged and pleaded but the schematics are coveted, kept secret, and just not available (other than the questionable Sustainor, with the hand-drawn compressor page). Dunlop owns the SRD IP and have apparently put the fear of lawsuits into anyone who dares let them out. If you ever run across them, please DM me! I want to add a pre/post distortion send/return to a DG box, and modify the EQ with my own ideas. I considered tracing them out too, but the SRD builds are sometimes shoddy, with tons of jumpers, crazy tee-pee resistors, and other factory hardware mods because some of these boxes were in a constant state of flux (without revving the PCBs). Good luck on your quest. I’ve basically given up.

Will
Inventive
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2021 4:31 pm

Re: Schematics Needed!

Post by Inventive »

In time, the community really needs to create schematics or acquire them in order to keep this gear working another 40 years.

Back in the 80's I hand drew the Rockman IIb circuit in order to understand it. I learned so much from that process not just about the Rockman but about production in general.
RockmanCentralBob
Posts: 421
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2015 2:10 am

Re: Schematics Needed!

Post by RockmanCentralBob »

Schematics exist, but as was mentioned, they remain the IP of Dunlop.
dansgrandpapa
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2021 3:49 pm

Re: Schematics Needed!

Post by dansgrandpapa »

RockmanCentralBob wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 10:45 pm Schematics exist, but as was mentioned, they remain the IP of Dunlop.
And I get that, I do. They in fact, own them. Yet it seems silly.
Seems like a bad business model not to share them when
they don't build them, and the only folks they are hurting are
a small handful of more than likely Dunlop consumers of some degree.
I haven't seen anything inside that's an unknown part, and that tells me
if I go ahead and take the time to line them out I should be ok. I was really
only interested in my personal repairs anyway. Truly, all I was trying to
AVOID was creating damage on my way down to the boards, and of course
any potential errors lining it out!

I guess this is my cue to get to work!
Doug
Inventive
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2021 4:31 pm

Re: Schematics Needed!

Post by Inventive »

There is nothing about Rockman devices that would be covered by any sort of patent at this point. The issue is that the documents themselves have copyright protection. If schematics were re-created independently, I can’t see any legal issue with that at all. It would be best when working on these things to have the originals however.

If you ever looked at a GK 250ML which has a lot of similar elements, there is a complete service manual with all the schematics.
RockmanCentralBob
Posts: 421
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2015 2:10 am

Re: Schematics Needed!

Post by RockmanCentralBob »

Dunlop's business model is to buy IP and sit on it for a while before releasing it again.
They still sell some of the the headphone amp models and they reissued the Smart Gate under the MXR brand.
dansgrandpapa
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2021 3:49 pm

Re: Schematics Needed!

Post by dansgrandpapa »

I did not know the gate was now an MXR device!
Thanks for that!

All the Best!
Doug
VenturiTek
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon May 03, 2021 6:07 am

Re: Schematics Needed!

Post by VenturiTek »

Inventive wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 4:05 pm In time, the community really needs to create schematics or acquire them in order to keep this gear working another 40 years.
Efforts at reverse engineering the X100 have been underway since about this time last year, and it appears progress has been fairly steady: https://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?t=30954

Really excellent work which might lead to a DIY kit or even a small batch production run. It would also be possible to make some mods such as a pre-distortion effects loop.