Q: Are you retired?
A: I guess? I could probably be persuaded to do something. I have plenty of opinions. Ask anyone who knows me.
Q: How do I contact you?
A: You can send an email to circularfile@smartbombdesign.com. (The name is a joke, but it’s an actual email address.) However, I can’t guarantee I’ll respond quickly or at all, so don’t take it personally if I don’t.
Q: Where can I get my <insert product name here> fixed?
A: If it’s a Dave Smith Instruments or Sequential instrument, contact Sequential Technical Support. If it’s a Sequential Circuits instrument, I don’t have a recommendation.
Q: What do I study to be a synthesizer product designer?
A: I have a BA in English.
Q: I’m starting a synthesizer company. Can you recommend vendors for various components?
A: Starting a synth company and keeping it going requires a ton of work. I’d compare it to opening a restaurant, though the odds of succeeding are probably worse. Having a good product is vital, but that’s just the start. And if you want to have sustained success, you have to keep the good stuff coming. Don’t expect to reap big (material) rewards for your efforts. And don’t quit your day job. Seriously. Try not to use anyone else’s money and if you use credit cards, have a plan for paying them off. Debt sucks, literally and figuratively. No matter how long you think any of it will take, it will probably take longer, possibly a lot longer. If you’re lucky, the satisfaction will outweigh the stress.
Now that the lecture is over, I’m happy to recommend vendors that I used, though manufacturing technologies are always changing and I’ve been out of that loop since March of 2024. A few of these are local to me (San Francisco Bay Area), so they may not be ideal for you, logistically speaking. Being able to visit your vendors without getting on a plane may seem like a luxury these days, but for a startup or small company it’s so helpful.
LeeMAH Electronics
Contract manufacturing of electronic devices
Prompt Precision Manufacturing
Sheet metal fabrication, powder coating, screen printing
The CNC Shop
Machined parts made from wood and other materials
Superior Screen Printing
Industrial screen printing
Steven Label
Polycarbonate control panel overlays
Nice Rapid
Low-volume injection molding
Zhilicorp
Custom knobs, injection molded parts, display windows machined from sheet acrylic with options for screen printing and pre-applied adhesive