Here’s a rare glimpse at a long-running synth repair shop in Sichuan, China
“At the time I stopped by, he was wrist-deep in a Nord Piano, so I realise he’s a man with no fear”
Image: YukesMusic via Reddit
Like shamans, witch doctors or traditional healers, there’s almost always a legendary synth repairman in every territory in the world; and in Sichuan, China, there’s Master Xú.
Thanks to Redditor YukesMusic who shared the story to r/synthesizers, we get a glimpse into the magic of a repair shop that continues to stand the test of time.
“On the very bustling street outside Chengdu Conservatory of Music sits a little hole-in-the-wall repair shop of master Xú,” begins YukesMusic. “He’s got one of the longest-run repair shops dedicated to electronic music instruments in the country. Inside it’s smokey and packed full of old synths for sale.”
He notes that Master Xú is “arguably ‘the guy’” for complex fixes, before explaining, “People ship him gear from all over the country to get stuff repaired. Between him and a pedal repairman/customiser called Doublefish, these are the two repairmen that most touring musicians are aware of.”
YukesMusic later notes that he almost felt embarrassed bringing him a pair of 30-year-old Toy Division organs (following a recent documentary on the subject), and notes that Master Xú even directly told him, “these aren’t worth anything”. “At the time I stopped by, he was wrist-deep in a Nord Piano, so I realise he’s a man with no fear,” he comically said in the post.
According to YukesMusic, Master Xú is going to be the subject of a mini documentary he’s made which is set for release in the coming months, where he will share the story of the “weird and wonderful little place in Sichuan”.
Previously, he has dropped a documentary on the Yema YM-8501, one of the earliest electric organs made in China. You can watch it in full below:
