About Us

Rosen Sound LLC is a brick & mortar shop located in sunny Burbank California that specializes in vintage synthesizers. We provide a comprehensive suite of services ranging from restoration work, sales of vintage synth gear, and rental of vintage synth & related gear.

Headed by Rob Rosen, Rosen Sound LLC boasts 5 full time technicians and a 3 person executive staff, resulting in a high level of logistics and customer satisfaction.

While a small business, we stand tall by providing professional level logistics including local cartage, air cargo for all services, and behind the scenes logistics handling including custom road cases & tour prep work. While generally geared towards working with professional musicians and composers, we welcome all to utilize our services. 

Rosen Sound LLC is a vendor for most major labels & production companies. 

(Updated: 2/22)

Shop Rate: $150 per hour, one hour ($150) minimum bench fee per item. Some exceptions are made for certain very small jobs, such as battery changes in certain units. The bench charge is applied towards the final invoice. Time is billed in 15 minute increments.
Note: As of January 2022 we have raised our labor rate from $100 to $150 per hour, a 50% increase. If your project is here now or you have already booked in your project at the previous labor rate, we will of course honor our previous rate of $100 per hour. No action is required on your part.
This increase was decided upon for a number of reasons, including growing inflation and increases in the cost of doing business, including a growing workforce. We still believe we offer the best value for your money considering the quality of our work. 

Estimates: Many routine repair jobs can be completed in 1-3.5 hours or so. Less routine repairs can take longer. Restorations can take weeks of time. Due to the nature of vintage synthesizer repair, there is factually no way that we can know how much your bill will be (billed by the hour) until it’s finished. When you inquire about your project, we will send you a password protected webpage with the most common synthesizers we take in and their associated estimates. We are very careful about sticking to estimates and not surprising our customers with a huge bill. 

Parts: Parts are not free. Parts are never included in our estimates unless it’s explicitly noted. Repair parts (this is different from accessories) provided by customer must be approved and arranged before hand and provided with unit on drop off. In the case of retrofits and the like, it’s of course fine to provide that with your unit. We stock over 2000 parts, rare and common, and price them fairly considering we are able to test them for their authenticity. Yes, some specific integrated circuits can be quite expensive. We assure you our $80 chip will work and that the $15 one on eBay is very likely to be a fake.

Communication: As of January 2021 all jobs must use email as the primary method of communication. This is *critical* for the simple reason that we cannot spend all day on the phone and we need the paper trail to make sure each process is documented and we (and you) have something to look back on. Emails are answered within a couple of business days of receipt. 

Rush Fees: We are able to offer rush services on routine work that we assume will not involve days of troubleshooting. Our rush rate is $200 per hour plus a $200 surcharge added to your bill. If you would like to borrow the same or similar gear from our rental suite while you wait for your rush order, we will charge 50% of the estimate up front plus all surcharges.

3rd party billing is not an option for rush orders. A valid debit/credit card must be on file. 

Turnaround Times: We know this is one of the most important factors before choosing a shop to work on your gear. We are blessed to be entrusted by thousands locally and worldwide to provide top notch service, and with that has come great trial and error to solve the issue of turn around. While “first come first serve” would be ideal in a perfect world, it surely doesn’t work for a repair shop with the clients we are so lucky to serve. We have separated our turn around categories into two distinct service levels

Queue Level:
We expect the majority of our current and future clientele utilize this level of service

This is the normal queue system we are now utilizing. Contact us about your repair so we can discuss pricing and availability. We will then send you a deposit invoice for you to pay to reserve your spot in our queue. 

This level qualifies for rush rates. If your time-line needs are faster than we can currently accommodate, we can discuss an increased labor rate to help speed it along.

Pro Level:
This clientele level involves leaving a retaining deposit (often multiple thousands of dollars) for future repairs in order to receive the fastest service we can possibly provide (usually completed within days-weeks instead of months). We will then bill against your retainer, which should be refilled once low.

This level of service doesn’t actually cost any more than getting into queue, but the upfront cost is higher. These upfront costs provide security to our operations so that we can afford to stop an expensive restoration job to fix your synth that may only need a few hundred dollars in labor to fix. 

We only allow a maximum of 5 pro level clients at any given time. Currently only 1 space is available as of 12/21.

Warranty & Service Level: No other shop on planet earth offers the generous warranties we provide.
We separate our warranties into 2 different categories. This category is noted on your invoice and described in detail below. 

Restoration Level: We define a restoration as any project where we will not only repair present issues, but also preemptively handle all issues that will likely crop up in the future, within reason. In more detail, these jobs involve your synthesizer being completely disassembled and each area being carefully serviced for current and expected future faults. This includes recapping where appropriate, attention to keyboard action, cleaning or rebuilding controls, cosmetic touch ups and cleaning, updating to the latest factory firmwares, checking of all precision parts and replacement of hardware where needed. In other words, doing it our way.

This category qualifies for our lifetime warranty against work related defects. Work related defects mean any process that we were responsible for or “should have caught”. We can offer this type of warranty because we will perform a level of work that results in future works likely being minor in scope. This warranty is not transferable if you sell the synthesizer (unless we sell it for you).
Example #1: We determine your synthesizer requires many wiring harnesses to be replaced. 2 years later an issue crops up that stems from the harnesses we made. We will handle it at no cost. 
Example #2: We restore your synthesizer and end up replacing many IC’s. 10 years later, one of the few IC’s we did not change dies. Troubleshooting is short and easy. We will likely change the failing components at no cost.
Example #3: We restore your synthesizer and end up replacing many IC’s. 10 years later, one of the few IC’s we did not change dies. Troubleshooting is complex and generally unrelated to any issues we handled a decade ago. We will likely charge nominally for the work.

Note: We do not include parts in our warranties however we usually will not bother to charge for most low-cost parts. If the part needed is in the hundreds of dollars, most likely a “rare part” so fabled in vintage gear, we require you to cover that cost.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maintenance Level: We define a maintenance level job to be any job where

 

 

the unit is brought in to have one or more issues repaired and nothing else. Perhaps your synthesizer was previously serviced with decent work done to it and now some issues have occurred.

This category qualifies for a 1 year warranty against work related defects specific to the issues we solved.
Example #1: You bring in your poly synth and one voice will not tune. We identify 2 issues causing one voice not to tune and fix both. 6 months later one of the chips we changed dies. We will change it again. 1 years later another fault happens with the same voice, you will have to pay for the labor. 
Example #2: You bring in your new-to-you minimoog you just got on reverb and the keyboard contacts are malfunctioning. The action has been rebuilt with crappy bushings but it feels okay and we can fix the bad contacts. 6 months later the same notes are bad again. We will fix again. 1 year later the same notes are bad again. This time we will suggest that you have us rebuild the action and contacts our way, however at an additional cost. 
Example #3: You bring in your poly synth with voice 2 malfunctioning. We repair it. 6 months later, a different voice is malfunctioning in the same way voice 2 was. You must pay for additional labor. 1 year later, another voice goes out. Still have to pay because neither is the first issue you brought it in for.

We reserve the right to cancel any warranty for any reason we see fit, especially if you are keeping your synths exposed to the elements or in a room with heavy smoking action. 

Payments: We are proud to accept all types of payments including cash, credit/debit card, check, wire, paypal, cattle, and shillings. Yes, we even consider gear in trade if that suits you. As of 2021 we are also accepting BTC as a method of payment.

Pickup: Once you’re notified that your gear is finished, you should pick it up as soon as possible. Any equipment left over 2 weeks past completion will incur a $10 a day storage fee. If you don’t think you can pay right away or pick up right away, just let us know so we can adjust our schedule accordingly. 

Note 2/2022: Space is starting to become a luxory again. If your gear is done, come get it. If you cant and maybe a friend can, have them get it please.

(Updated: 12/21)

Renting synths is one of the most exciting parts of our business. With that excitement comes numerous frequently asked questions you can find answers for below.

How much does it cost?
That depends on the synth! However, as a general set of guidelines:
Most synths that are valued less than $10k are between $1-150 per day
Most Expensive, usually polyphonic synthesizers are slightly less than $200 per day.
Most very expensive synthesizers (CS-80, Eight Voice, etc) are much more expensive per day. 

Do you offer multi day discounts?
Like all LA rental houses, we bill daily or weekly based on a four day week. So if you pay for 4 days, you can keep it for 7. Some ask if there is a discount if they actually only need it for 4 days, and the answer is no.
Similarly, if you pay for 3x 4 day weeks, you can keep the synth for one calendar month. 

When does a day start, exactly?
Exactly? I don’t know. This is where reason comes in. If you call us at 4pm to book your rental same day, we will count that day as your first day. Similarly, if you book it for the following morning but really need a “setup day” the day before, and we can more or less verify that its actually a setup day and not a use day, the first “use” day is the morning you booked for and the setup day is given as a courtesy.

A little more specifically, we count a day of “use” as any day, after 12pm, that someone else couldn’t retrieve the same synthesizer for their own rental use. So say you picked up a drum machine Monday at 5pm and returned it Wednesday at 5 pm. That is a 3 day rental even if you technically only had it for 48 hours. In that same scenario, if you returned it wednesday before noon, it would be a 2 day rental. 

Can anyone rent from you?
The short answer is yes. The long answer is that the first time you rent from us we will require that we deliver the rentals to you and we may also put a hold on your credit card for the value of the gear. There is a vetting process.

(Updated: 2/22)

Our studio features a complete and carefully curated collection of the finest vintage synthesizer gear available. While the synths are the main draw, we can’t stress it enough that the studio is fully wired to professional standards. 

How much is it per hour?
We do not rent the studio by the hour. We only rent the studio by the day. You’re welcome to come by and check it out with an appointment at no cost. 

How much is it per day?
Our day rates depends on your needs. 
The base rate without an engineer is $800 per day. 
The rate increases if you need an engineer, and increases again if you need an engineer who is also providing sound design. 

Elaborating the engineer pricing structure:
Without engineer: This means you are self sufficient and will not require someone to be in the room full time with you to hit the record button. We will still be available to you to help patch things, configure things, and help out in general. 

With Engineer: This means someone will be in the room with you full time helping you out with recording, patching, and helping you use the synths.

With engineer providing sound design: This means the engineer will also man the synths for your recordings or samples. Essentially you are hiring a sound designer (which was a real job when these synths were new). We added this rate in 2021 after doing many sessions where too much leaning was done on our talented in house engineer for great sounds. 

Our engineer’s are very talented, and you may be tempted to have them perform on your recordings. You will have to discuss a co-write situation with them which is handled external to our business and does not change the studio rates, even if they are now your collaborator.

If you are one of the many who are making samples packs, please inquire so we can discuss your needs. 

How long is a day?
As an official policy, our “days” are 8 hours. If you want to book for 10 hours, the rate goes up nominally and we ask that your start time be before noon.

Can I lock out the room for multiple days, weeks, or months? Does the price go down?
Yes to all. We would structure a deal with you depending on the length of time. 

Can I bring all my friends?
We ask that you limit the amount of entourage, friends, significant others, barbers, etc for your session. Of course it’s fine if you have a few roll through, but the room just isn’t big enough for 15 people who aren’t doing anything. Please don’t have your haircut here.

Can I host my birthday party there?
At this time, we are not booking events in the studio. 

Is the studio 420 friendly?
No, it is not. You are welcome to partake in your car. While we wish it could be 420 friendly, it’s just not good for the synths.

My sessions usually start at 1am, is that cool?
The short answer is no. The long answer is that if you’re willing to pay for it, we can host night-owl sessions. 

The Rosen Sound web store is not your average place to buy parts for your synthesizers. 

Most parts ship same or next day if it’s a standard stocked part. Any part or kit that requires assembly or part-gathering will likely not ship so fast. You will be contacted with the lead time if it’s more than a few days. If your order is urgent, please communicate that. 

Return policy:
We do not accept returns unless the parts delivered were somehow defective. Even in those cases, our preference is to replace the defective part. If you are unhappy with this policy and choose to open a PayPal case or issue a CC chargeback, you will be banned from our web store and services for life. 

If the event we do accept a return, a 25% restocking fee will be deducted. 

I ordered a kit that is incompatible with my synthesizer. Can I return it?
This is handled on a case by case basis. If your kit required special configuration, it’s probably going to be a no. If you need component or two exchanged or further help with your specific situation, we’re happy to help at a reasonable cost. We’re here to help! 

You may consider reselling your kit on reverb.com or eBay. If you’re a tech, you might consider holding onto it for a future job.

I’m not a tech… can I install your parts?
Our parts are generally meant to be installed by qualified technicians. You may find it difficult to install some of our kits unless you’re very well versed with electronics. We’re not responsible for any damage you may cause nor are we likely to help you if you don’t know much about electronics. 

If you need a recommendation near you, email us.

If you’re the end user who “knows just enough to be dangerous” you may have luck installing our kits yourself. Please reach out if you have questions. 

I never received my package. Can I have another for free or cheaper?
This policy has been added after a couple of people put in the wrong address and the packages were delivered but they never got their parts. Sorry, there’s just nothing we can do, especially if you for some reason want to blame it on us. You’re welcome to purchase another. 

In some instances, a package will be returned to us by the courier. Unfortunately, this can often take some time. If this happens, we will of course re-send it to you wherever you might be. Just give us the right address this time!

Finally, our policy is that once it’s out of our doors, it’s no longer our responsibility. The buck stops with the courier.

Will you lie on customs forms for me or ship to x so I can avoid import fees?
No. Stop asking. If you don’t like your government’s import fees, you might consider moving or writing your local law makers.

I live in Canada/elsewhere and your shipping is expensive to ship to countries outside the US. Can you send it somehow slower and cheaper?
No. For two reasons… For one, that’s actually how much the shipping costs. Actually, sometimes we lose a bit on the shipping charges. For two, shipping it slower requires more effort and you’re probably going to complain about the shipping time anyway even though you asked for it. If you don’t want to pay for shipping to your country for synthesizers worth a lot of money, you can’t be helped. 

Can I burden you with my companies invoice structure and get a specific quote to ship to xxx?
NO!! Please just add what you want to the cart and buy it! If you need something you think we have but isn’t listed, contact us. We have methods for having those items be added to your order before submitting your order. 

Who should I contact about my order?
Our web store is managed by the brilliant Stephi. She can be contacted via email addressed to stephi (at) rosensound.com

History:
Rosen Sound was started in Rob’s mom’s garage when Rob was a mere 16 years of age. A high school drop out, Rob resented the idea of finding a proper job and instead began buying, fixing, and selling Yamaha DX7’s to make money with his passion for synthesizer equipment. Eventually, Rob got burned on enough deals and dealings with tech shops that he began repairing most of the DX7’s (and others) himself. Once Rob realized a natural skill for fixing electronic equipment, he began offering repair service for a paltry $25 per hour. Rob ended up helping everyday musicians he found through craigslist, and eventually ended up doing work for the keyboardists of The Eagles, Rick Springfield, Billy Idol, and many of the top studios in Los Angeles.

A “real job” was had eventually during these early years, but once Rob’s position was terminated at his job in late 2013, he decided it was time to open Rosen Sound as a real brick and mortar. A few maxed out credit cards later, Rosen Sound opened on the Oak street location in early 2014 with big aspirations that were soon to be checked.

With the doors opened, Rosen Sound hosted a variety of tech services, including synthesizer repair (by Rob) and other services handled by others including guitar repair, amp repair, and pro audio repair. A recording studio was also on premise. The realities settled fairly quickly that a repair shop and studio are probably the worst businesses to run if you’d like to survive, and were it not for some smart business equity positions, Rosen Sound would have likely died by 2016.

Luckily, thanks to smart sweat equity positions, Rosen Sound carried on until word really got around the city that there was a new game in town. The rest, as they say, is history

Company Milestones

By 2016, Rob was able to hire his first proper employee, Mike Oor, who still works alongside Rob to this day.

By late 2016, Rosen Sound expanded into an additional 1200sf next door to the 1008 location

In 2017, Rosen Sound began offering synthesizer rentals and added 2 new tech positions

In 2018 Rosen Sound once again expanded to two more adjacent spaces to the 1008 location, now totaling 10,000sf of synth madness

In late 2018, Rosen Sound opened the web store on rosensound.com. This proved to be a logistical nightmare.

In 2019, Rosen Sound created the Rob’s Rare Synths catalog of synthesizers for sale, and added one more tech position

In late 2019, Rosen Sound Studios (né The Cabin) was built next door to the restoration shop.

In 2020, Rosen Sound survived the sudden pandemic situation thanks to a loyal staff.

In 2021, Rosen Sound added 3 new positions, including 2 executive staff positions and 1 more tech position. The web store is no longer a nightmare. Included in the executive positions was adding a Head of Operations, a day to day manager of shop projects and bookings.

About The Owner:

Rosen Sound is ran by owner/operator Rob Rosen. Born into a family of jazz and classical upright bassists, Rob was exposed to great music quite early, leading to him taking up the drums. Rob discovered synthesizers in high school and put the sticks down not too long after.

Rob found his love for synthesizers from listening to bands like Rush, Van Halen, and other keyboard/synthesizer laden heavy metal bands from Scandinavia. Although Rob listens to and appreciates synthesizer roots in classic pop and electronic records, Rob is a bonafide headbanger, and is probably the worlds biggest Iron Maiden fan.

Tech work came naturally from a young age born simply from not being able to afford repairs while playing in local bands. A career was chosen of it after the realization that he was more interested in what and how his gear was accomplishing sonic awesomeness than actually playing them, though he still is an avid player and practicer of keyboard instruments, even still playing the occasional gig in his heavy metal band.

After doing gear repair out of the garage for 5 years, Rob opened Rosen Sound as a brick & mortar in early 2014 at the original 1008 W Oak location. Today, Rosen Sound now occupies 10,000 square feet of real estate spread across 4 neighboring addresses to the original 1008 location.

Rob’s days now are comprised of working on the more gratifying electronic and restoration work that is in queue at his shop, alongside managing the day-to-day of owning a business. Other passions and activities include 3D CAD work, circuit design, smoked BBQ, being a dad to his 2 young sons (and dog, Buster), and collecting synthesizers.