Star Instruments Synare 3 Analog Drum Synthesizer — Fully Recapped & Serviced, New Pad, Battery Powered

The Star Instruments Synare 3 is the classic analog drum synthesizer of the late 1970s, built in Connecticut, USA — the distinctive flying-saucer-shaped pad behind countless disco tom drops, laser sweeps, and dub-style electronic percussion. Hit the pad with a stick and it triggers a fully analog voice: two oscillators (the second can also act as an LFO), a white-noise source, and a resonant low-pass filter with its own sweep and decay, followed by an amplifier decay stage. From deep, booming toms to sci-fi zaps and noisy snares, the sound is shaped entirely from the top-panel knobs.

This is an unmodified example — apart from the like-for-like part replacements described below — that has been fully recapped, serviced, and function-tested by the seller, a professional electronic musical instrument technician.

Working Condition

• Fully tested and confirmed working.
• All functions verified: Oscillator 1 Tune and On/Off/Noise switch, Oscillator 2 Tune and On/Off/LFO switch, Filter Tune, Modulation, Sweep, Resonance, and Decay, and Amp Decay and Volume.
• Tested by striking the pad with drumsticks — trigger response, sensitivity, and the feel of the new pad all confirmed.
• Audio output checked through an amplifier.
• All pots have been cleaned and operate smoothly — no scratchiness, no crackle, no intermittent contacts.
• Serial number: 3527

Full Recap — All Electrolytic Capacitors Replaced

Given the age of the unit, every electrolytic capacitor has been replaced with new parts of the same values:

• Toshin Kogyo UTSJ series (Japanese audio-grade capacitors)

Parts Replaced

• Pad: the original rubber pad had deteriorated, so it has been replaced with a new CR (chloroprene) rubber sheet cut to the same 195mm diameter and the same 3mm thickness as the original. Please note this is not an original Star Instruments pad.
• Output jack: the original jack had deteriorated and has been replaced with a Switchcraft 112AX — the same specification as the original.
• Body screws: one of the three screws that hold the top and bottom halves of the body together was missing, so all three have been replaced with new ones.

Additional Servicing

• Rust on the body surface and the battery holder has been treated with a rust converter and then coated with microcrystalline wax to protect against further corrosion.
• All internal contacts have been cleaned.
• The body has been cleaned.
• No circuit modifications of any kind, apart from the part replacements described above.

Power — Battery Operated, No Voltage or Region Issue

• Runs on two 9V batteries, so there is no mains voltage to worry about — it can be used anywhere in the world without a transformer or adapter.
• There is no power switch and no external power jack. The unit powers on when a cable is plugged into the output jack, so unplug the cable when you are not playing to save battery life.
• Batteries are NOT included — international shipping rules do not allow us to ship batteries. Please have two 9V batteries ready.

Cosmetic Condition

• This unit shows its age cosmetically. Paint loss and dirt are present all over the body — see photos for the full picture.
• Surface rust (body and battery holder) has been treated and waxed as described above.
• The stand holder (mounting clamp) is not included. The mounting hole for the holder is present on the unit.
• No unusual odors.
• Photos are of the actual unit you will receive.

Included

• The unit only.
• No batteries, stand holder, manual, original box, or other accessories.

Shipping

• Ships from Japan via EMS (Japan Post) — tracked, insured, and carefully boxed.
• Import duties and taxes:
• —— US buyers : duties are prepaid by us (DDP) and already included in the shipping cost. Nothing extra to pay on delivery.
• —— All other countries : import duties, VAT, and handling fees are the buyer's responsibility.
• We ship to as many countries as possible. If your country is not listed, please message us before purchasing — we will check shipping rates for you.

Return Policy

• This item is sold "As-Described" — returns for reasons of preference or change of mind are not accepted.
• If the item arrives damaged or differs from the description, please contact us within 7 days of delivery and we will work with you to resolve the issue.
• All condition details and included items are fully disclosed above — please read the description and review all photos carefully before purchasing.

Please feel free to ask any questions!