LinnStrument Darker Mod

[drake-n]

I will not have sufficient funds to order a nice cinema camera such as the Sony FX3

By the way, I work professionally in video. I recommend against the Sony FX3. If you want something like that go with the a7s III (unless you need the "cinema" tag for a Netflix doc or something).

The image is identical and you save you more than a $1000 if you go used. Plus, you get a viewfinder and a longer lasting battery. You can buy an Sony's audio handle for it too which I have good experiences with.

The fan in the FX3 is redundant as overheating is not a problem in the a7s III, and just drains the battery quicker, and man it sucks not having a proper viewfinder on a camera with that formfactor.

[FranklyFlawless]

I will not have sufficient funds to order a nice cinema camera such as the Sony FX3

By the way, I work professionally in video. I recommend against the Sony FX3. If you want something like that go with the a7s III (unless you need the "cinema" tag for a Netflix doc or something).

The image is identical and you save you more than a $1000 if you go used. Plus, you get a viewfinder and a longer lasting battery. You can buy an Sony's audio handle for it too which I have good experiences with.

The fan in the FX3 is redundant as overheating is not a problem in the a7s III, and just drains the battery quicker, and man it sucks not having a proper viewfinder on a camera with that formfactor.

I do not use the EVF, the touchscreen is enough. This is just for video, not stills. The fan and battery life are not as important, but I will take note of your hands-on experience for the future. Your suggestion of looking for used cameras is good, but I have not seen any recently, B-stock or otherwise, so I will be continuing to keep an eye out for either models.

My plans for my live music setup have changed, now my music priority list looks like this:

1. Prepare office/studio setup for the Anyma Omega Desktop this December 2023.
   • Upload a video to the web server during Winter.
2. Prepare live music setup in Spring 2024 or thereafter.

Basically I am not interested in performing live music during Winter, and it makes more sense to record and upload a video to the web server while I am indoors during its season.

[FranklyFlawless]

I made a revision to the LinnStrument Darker Mod with additional assistance from Roger.

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Requirements

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• A LinnStrument (128) with the Darker Mod
• Original countersunk screws (from McMaster)
• Screwdriver with a Phillips #1 and Phillips #2 driver bit
• Scissors or knife
• Access to a local powder coat shop
• 141cm by 35cm bamboo fabric from Contrado
• 3mm and 4mm fabric hole punchers (special thanks to TigerPalm)

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Instructions

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1. Preparations
   1. Remove the pan head top panel screws on the LinnStrument (128) using a screwdriver with a Phillips #1 driver bit, then remove the steel top panel.
   2. Go to a local powder coat shop, then request for abrasive media blasting and a new powder coating for the steel top panel.
   3. After the abrasive media blasting and powder coating process is complete, retrieve the steel top panel, then remove the outer silicone playing surface.
   4. Remove the pan head wooden side screws and washers on the LinnStrument (128) using a screwdriver with a Phillips #2 driver bit, then remove the two wooden sides for the next task.
2. Bamboo Fabric and Wooden Sides
   1. Wash the 141cm by 35cm bamboo fabric to shrink it.
      • If necessary, you can iron or steam the bamboo fabric to remove creases, folds, and other imperfections, then wait for it to fully dry before doing the next task.
   2. Cut the bamboo fabric into two pieces of approximately 70.5cm by 35cm for the LinnStrument 200, otherwise cut into three pieces of approximately 47cm by 35cm for the LinnStrument 128.
   3. Place one piece of the bamboo fabric on top of the LinnStrument (128), then align it so that there are equal amounts of excess fabric on every side.
   4. Wrap the bamboo fabric around the LinnStrument (128)'s sides, then use one of the 4mm wooden side screws to carefully mark the three screw holes on one side.
   5. Slowly apply pressure using the 4mm hole punch against the bamboo fabric and edge of the screw hole underneath it to create a 4mm hole, then repeat for the other two previously marked screw holes.
   6. Use a screwdriver with a Phillips #2 driver bit to reattach the wooden side, its screws and washers.
   7. Tension the bamboo fabric across the other side of the LinnStrument, then repeat the last three steps to reattach the other wooden side, screws and washers.
3. Steel Top Panel and Countersunk Screws
   1. Place the outer silicone playing surface above the bamboo fabric, then the steel top panel in the original orientation above that.
   2. Use one of the 3mm countersunk screws to carefully mark each screw hole through the steel top panel and outer silicone playing surface to the bamboo fabric underneath, then remove the outer silicone playing surface and steel top panel.
   3. Slowly apply pressure using the 3mm hole punch against the bamboo fabric and edge of the screw hole underneath it to create a 3mm hole, then repeat for the other previously marked screw holes.
   4. Place the outer silicone playing surface above the bamboo fabric, then the steel top panel in the original orientation above that.
   5. Use a screwdriver with a Phillips #1 driver bit to thread each countersunk screw through each layer while keeping the fabric stretched.
   6. After this process, you can cut off the excess fabric past the edges of the LinnStrument (128) using scissors or a knife for a clean finish.

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Notes

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Pros:

• Reutilizes the countersunk screws while retaining the Darker Mod aesthetic for a flush appearance.
• Additional tension between the wooden sides allows effortless vertical and diagonal finger slides across the playing surface regardless of applied (polyphonic) pressure.
• Cleanly cut holes on the bamboo fabric allow easy realignment and reuse if washing is required later.
• Fully backwards compatible with the original Darker Mod.

Cons:

• Countersunk screws cannot be utilized as tactile reference points, so use the original Darker Mod for that purpose if necessary.
• Not backwards compatible with the LinnStrument's printed labels.

[Rune_7s]

Man, that looks great! Really slick looking; I'm really tempted to give this a shot with my Linnstrument 200. It's probably only a matter of time before I try it.

[FranklyFlawless]

Great, if you encounter any issues during the modification process, contact me or Roger and we will be happy to help.

I should mention that the bamboo fabric curls up in humid environments, so if that happens, let it dry and retension itself before performing on it again. Keep the LinnStrument in climate-controlled venues to eliminate any potential downtime.

[monch1962]

This mod is quite beautiful. Congratulations on making the Linnstrument even more eye-catching

[BobDog]

Does look good doesn't it.

I'm thinking of doing it, will keep the metal panel writing though, even with the text I forget what I am doing!

[FranklyFlawless]

Sure, I am slowly working on my own custom firmware, so the labels and their listed features are literally not part of my vision.