Korg MS-20 Kit User manual
2
Precautions
Location
Using the unit in the following locations can result in a malfunc-
tion.
• In direct sunlight
• Locations of extreme temperature or humidity
• Excessively dusty or dirty locations
• Locations of excessive vibration
• Close to magnetic fields
Power supply
Please connect the designated AC adapter to an AC outlet of
the correct voltage. Do not connect it to an AC outlet of voltage
other than that for which your unit is intended.
Interference with other electrical devices
Radios and televisions placed nearby may experience recep-
tion interference. Operate this unit at a suitable distance from
radios and televisions.
Handling
To avoid breakage, do not apply excessive force to the switches
or controls.
Care
If the exterior becomes dirty, wipe it with a clean, dry cloth. Do
not use liquid cleaners such as benzene or thinner, or cleaning
compounds or flammable polishes.
Keep this manual
After reading this manual, please keep it for later reference.
Keeping foreign matter out of your equipment
Never set any container with liquid in it near this equipment. If
liquid gets into the equipment, it could cause a breakdown, fire,
or electrical shock.
Be careful not to let metal objects get into the equipment. If
something does slip into the equipment, unplug the AC adapter
from the wall outlet. Then contact your nearest Korg dealer or
the store where the equipment was purchased.
THE FCC REGULATION WARNING (for USA)
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15
of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide rea-
sonable protection against harmful interference in a residen-
tial installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radi-
ate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interfer-
ence to radio communications. However, there is no guaran-
tee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If
this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct
the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiv-
er.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different
from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for
help.
If items such as cables are included with this equipment, you
must use those included items.
Unauthorized changes or modification to this system can void
the user’s authority to operate this equipment.
DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY (for USA)
Responsible Party : KORG USA INC.
Address :
316 SOUTH SERVICE ROAD, MELVILLE, NY
Telephone : 1-631-390-6500
Equipment Type : MONOPHONIC
SYNTHESIZER
Model : MS-20 Kit
This device complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference,and (2)
this device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation.
Notice regarding disposal (for EU)
When this “crossed-out wheeled bin” symbol is dis-
played on the product, owner’s manual, battery, or bat-
tery package, it signifies that when you wish to dispose
of this product, manual, package or battery you must do
so in an approved manner. Do not discard this product,
manual, package or battery along with ordinary house-
hold waste. Disposing in the correct manner will prevent harm
to human health and potential damage to the environment.
Since the correct method of disposal will depend on the ap-
plicable laws and regulations in your locality, please contact
your local administrative body for details. If the battery con-
tains heavy metals in excess of the regulated amount, a
chemical symbol is displayed below the “crossed-out wheeled
bin” symbol on the battery or battery package.
* All product names and company names are the trademarks or regis-
tered trademarks of their respective owners.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO CONSUMERS
This product has been manufactured according to strict spec-
ifications and voltage requirements that are applicable in the
country in which it is intended that this product should be
used. If you have purchased this product via the internet,
through mail order, and/or via a telephone sale, you must ver-
ify that this product is intended to be used in the country in
which you reside.
WARNING: Use of this product in any country other than that
for which it is intended could be dangerous and could invali-
date the manufacturer’s or distributor’s warranty.
Please also retain your receipt as proof of purchase otherwise
your product may be disqualified from the manufacturer’s or
distributor’s warranty.
3
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the Korg MS-20 Kit Monophonic Syn-
thesizer.
To ensure trouble-free enjoyment, please carefully read this
manual and use the product correctly. In addition, be sure to
store this manual in a safe place for future reference.
The MS-20 Kit is a reincarnation of the original MS-20, which
was released in 1978.
The MS-20 Kit uses analog circuitry to faithfully recreate the
sound and characteristics of this legendary instrument. We rec-
ommend reading the reprint of the original Owner’s Manual for
in depth descriptions of the various controls and their functions.
Since this manual contains additional information and details on
new functions, we recommend that you carefully read this man-
ual together with the original Owner’s Manual.
* The original Owner’s Manual contains terms and phrases used
at the time of the original product release in 1978. The manual
may also contain information that differs from the MS-20 Kit or
may mention products that are no longer available. In addition,
the specifications contain details and measurement standards
from the time of the original MS-20 release, which differ from
those of the MS-20 Kit.
About the MS-20 Kit
The MS-20 Kit and the original MS-20 differ in the following
ways:
• Equipped with MIDI IN connector and USB port:
By connecting the MS-20 Kit to a computer, you can per-
form with it while using a sequencer.
• Equipped with earlier and later filters:
Different VCFs were installed in the earlier and later ver-
sions of the original MS-20. The MS-20 Kit is equipped with
both filters, which can be selected with a jumper wire on
the circuit board.
• AC adapter specifications:
Although the power supply has been changed to an AC
adapter, the internal voltage specifications are identical to
the original design.
Assembly
Precautions before assembly
Avoiding injuries while handling parts
Carefully handle the circuit boards to avoid injuries that could be
inadvertently caused by protruding parts. Protect your hands by
wearing (cotton) work gloves. In addition, be sure to wash your
hands with soap when finished with the assembly procedure.
Properly aligning screws and nuts before tightening
Tightening screws and nuts inserted at an angle may damage
the threading, preventing them from being fully tightened. Be
sure to align screws properly before tightening them.
In addition, be careful not to tighten screws with excessive force
or overtighten them, otherwise the parts may be damaged.
Preventing injuries and scratches to parts while using tools
When using tools to tighten screws and nuts, be careful to avoid
injuries, for example, to your fingers. In addition, carefully han-
dle tools to avoid scratching panels, etc.
Provide a sufficiently large work space to complete the assem-
bly procedure, and prepare work mats so parts will not be
scratched.
Preventing loss of screws and nuts
Carefully handle the included screws and nuts so they will not
be lost. In addition, do not use screws or nuts other than those
included for assembly, and do not use the included screws and
nuts for any other purpose.
TIP Extra screws and nuts are included. Use them as spares.
Tools to prepare
Phillips (+) screwdrivers: Use the screwdriver that’s appropri-
ate for the size of the screw. Using a screwdriver of the wrong
size may damage the screw or may not properly tighten the
screw.
Box-end wrench (included): Use for tightening 11 mm and 12
mm hex nuts.
4
Checking package contents
Before beginning the assembly process, make sure that all of the parts are available.
If any part is missing or damaged, contact your local Korg distributor.
TIP More screws, nuts and washers than the number that will be used are included.
Front panel 1
Rear panel 1
Bottom panel 1
Left side panel 1
Right side panel 1
Left side shield 1
Right side shield 1
L-shaped bracket 2
Spacer sheet 1
Keyboard unit 1
Wheel unit 1
Rear jack circuit board unit 1
VR circuit board (large) 1
VR circuit board (small) 1
Panel jack circuit board &
switch VR circuit board 1
Nut (A): 12 mm hex 70
Washer (A) 35
Nut (B): 11 mm hex, VN 3BC7 6
Nut (C): 11 mm hex, VN 3BC9 30
Screw: FE B 3BBC 3X8 36
Washer [B]: WK 3BBC 3 13
Knob (large) 7
Knob (small) 29
Rubber bushing 10
Rubber feet 4
Cord hook 1
Box-end wrench (included) 1
Front Panel
Rear Panel
keyboard unit
Wheel unit
VR circuit board (small)
VR circuit board (large)
Rear jack circuit board unit
Panel jack circuit board
+ switch VR circuit board
Bottom Panel
L -shaped bracket
Left side panelRight side panel
Left side shield Right side shield
Spacer Sheet
Box-end wrench
Knob (large)
Knob (Small)
Rubber bushing
Rubber feet
Cord hook
Screw: FE B 3BBC 3x8
Nut (A)
Washer (A)
Nut (B): VN 3BC 7
Nut (C): VN 3BC 9
Washer (B): WK 3BBC 3
5
Assembling the bottom panel section
1. Affixing the side shields
Affix the left side shield to the left side panel.
Peel the backing paper from the double-sided tape on the shield, and then use the guide pins on the side panel as reference to
affix the shield so that it does not extend from the panel.
Affix the right side shield to the right side panel in the same way.
double-sided tape double-sided tape
guide pin
2. Attaching the wheel unit to the left side panel with screws
Using the guides as a reference, install the wheel unit, and then secure it with the two screws.
Caution: Be careful not to pinch the cable during this process .
3. Attaching the rubber feet to the bottom panel
Install the rubber feet in the four locations on the bottom panel. Insert the rubber feet into the installation holes in the bottom
panel, and then insert the tip of the screwdriver into the center of the rubber feet and secure them.
Caution: Be careful to avoid injuries from the tip of the screwdriver.
Screw
6
4. Attaching the keyboard unit to the bottom panel with screws
Place the keyboard on the bottom panel with the mounting tabs on the bottom panel aligned with the two cutouts on the key-
board. After sliding the positioned keyboard forward, then to the right, secure it in place with the eight screws from the back of
the bottom panel while making sure that the keyboard does not shift.
Caution: Be careful not to pinch the wire harnesses during this process.
5. Attaching the rear jack circuit board unit to the bottom panel with the included screws
Position the rear jack circuit board unit with its guide tabs aligned with the positioning holes on the bottom panel, and then secure
with two screws.
guide
Screw
Screw
7
6. Connecting the keyboard cable to the rear jack circuit board unit
After twisting the keyboard wire harnesses together several times, plug them into the appropriate connectors on the rear jack
circuit board, making sure of the correct orientation.
Secure the connected wire harnesses with the clips attached to the keyboard.
Caution: When making connections, hold the circuit board to firmly insert the connectors.
clips
7. Attaching the left side panel section to the bottom panel with screws
Install the left side panel section, assembled in step 2, with its two guide pins aligned with the positioning holes on the bottom
panel, and then secure it with three screws.
Install the right side panel section in the same way, and then secure it with three screws.
Caution: Be careful not to pinch the wire harnesses during this process.
Screw
8
Assembling the front panel section
1. Mounting the rubber bushings on the front panel
Install the rubber bushings in the ten locations on the front panel.
Caution: Make sure that the installation locations are correct.
rubber bushings
2. Attaching the L-shaped brackets to the left and right sides at the rear of the front panel with the
included screws and washers (B)
Align the screw holes on the front panel and the L-shaped bracket, and then secure it with the two screws and washers (B).
Complete the installation on the left and right sides in the same way. There is no difference between the left and right L-shaped
brackets.
L-shaped bracket L-shaped bracket
Screw
Washer (B)
3. Attaching the VR circuit board (large) to the front panel with the included nuts (C)
Caution: Be careful to avoid injuries to your hands from the terminals.
Caution: Be careful that the panel is not scratched when the included box-end wrench is used to tighten the nuts.
Caution: If the nuts are overtightened, the controls may not move smoothly.
VR circuit board (large)
9
Verify that the LEDs
fit through the front
panel.
Nut (C)
4. Attaching the VR circuit board (small) to the front panel with the included nuts (B)
Caution: Be careful to avoid injuries to your hands from the terminals.
Caution: Be careful that the panel is not scratched when the included box-end wrench is used to tighten the nuts.
VR circuit board (small) Nut (B)
5. Attaching the switch VR circuit board to the front panel with the included nuts (B)
Disconnect the wiring harness (to be connected to the panel jack circuit board) from the switch VR circuit board, and then attach
the switch VR circuit board to the front panel.
Make sure that the orientation is correct by aligning the guide pins with the guide holes on the panel, and then secure it with the
included nuts.
Caution: Be careful that the panel is not scratched when the included box-end wrench is used to tighten the nuts
switch VR circuit board
guide pin
Nut (B)
10
6. Installing the spacer sheet on the panel jack circuit board
Make sure that the three LEDs are correctly positioned, and then install the spacer sheet.
Secure all of the jacks with the included nuts (A).
Caution: Be sure to firmly tighten the nuts so the spacer sheet does not move out of place.
Caution: Be careful that the LEDs are not scratched with the tools.
7. Attaching the panel jack circuit board to the front panel with the included washers (A) and nuts
(A)
Caution: Be careful to avoid injuries to your hands from the terminals.
Caution: Be careful that the panel is not scratched when the included box-end wrench is used to tighten the nuts.
Panel jack circuit board
Feed the wiring harness for the switch VR
circuit board through the hole.
Verify that the LEDs
fit through the front
panel.
Washer (A)
Nut (A)
Nut (A)
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