It seems to worry some pp, however despite the humble looks the build
quality of the MFB synth is not bad.
For those who want them some hard facts...
The plastic housing is a standard housing used for industrial control
applications.
Maybe the housing doesn't look flashy but it is made to survive a factory
workfloor.
The pots in the MFB are Alps "RK9" pots (or equivalent from other brand).
The same model is used in a truck-load other equipment for example the Korg
Electribes.
A big plus for the MFB is the front panel acting as a extra support for the
pot shaft.
This improves the durability of the pots quite a bit.
The buttons are ITT D6 switches, silver contacts, >2,5 million operations @
max power.
This is a quality component, not the el'cheapo dome or rubber thingies found
in almost every other box.
The knobs are a widely used Sifam brand model, indeed Sherman uses the same.
Sifam part number 3/03/DR110 006, your local electronics store may have
them.
Still I agree with those who argue that Manfred might care a bit more about
the looks of his stuff.
There is more expensive equipment out there with less build quality than the
MFB synth.
But hey, those look better, so nobody questions the build quality.
Cheers,
Theo
(MFB distributor for the Netherlands)