'preamp' - I mean op-amp

I love this synth - the bass is so warm and bouncy. It's a shame it's so limited, but you can do some awesome mods on it. The Analogue solutions mod kit is quite overpriced for what you get, and the instructions are terribly vague, but you can just google for instructions instead and buy the parts from Maplins - I recommend the FM mods for some really wild sounds.

The filter input is buggered on mine - the volume is really low. I remember someone telling me it might be the preamp - does anyone know whether it would be difficult to replace/repair?

Just finished restoring one of these! I love the sound, even though I may make some adjustments to the EG to make it a bit quicker, and give it a wider range of adjustment. The filter is amazing (hardly what I'd call "pretty standard"), and is built from 4 matched BA662A chips and precision caps. Self oscillates well enough to be a very useful sine wave oscillator. I like it much better than the IR3109-based filters. The sub-oscillator is awesome, can be one or two octaves below the keyboard, and is switchable from square wave to pulse wave on the lowest octave. Makes for some very cool varieties of tone! The keyboard can be a PITA to adjust, and I wish you could use the noise generator in conjunction with the sawtooth/square/PWM waves, but that would be an easy mod. Definitely a keeper, for me at least!

vv -- It's Nathan Fake! HA! That guy rules. I also love the filters on these old Roland monosynths. I am tempted to hunt down an SH-09 or an SH-2 on ebay, which are selling for slightly less ridiculous prices than the sh-101 these days.

this is from the prime era of roland's 70's design.. what you're getting is some fat analog op-amps, combined with tactile control. run this thru an old ampeg valve svt bass amp and buckle up for the ride :P