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hey...for those of you who have a digital keyboard.... i have a question...a couple of days ago..one of my key (B note) is kinda stuck... when i press it, it's really slow getting up and sometimes its like stuck half way up....i dont know how to fix this..i know they CAN fix this on grand or acoustic piano but i have a digital piano...is there ANY way i can fix it? has anyone had the same problem??? please respond...thanksssss

If you provide make/model maybe someone can help. I just fixed two broken A keys on a Yamaha GH3 keyboard. It's not difficult, but I have no idea about other models.

What make?

I have a Yamaha YDP 121... it had the same problem, and it happened out of warrenty period. To have a tech come and fix 4 keys cost 140 bucks... I watched him, and it looks pretty easy to do. He told me if it happens again, he will sell me the keys for $15 a piece.

Well it did happen again... and I called yamaha almost 2 years after buying it and they are sending my technician a whole new key assembly, and paying him to replace it. I was quite suprized that they did this! Says a lot about Yamaha.

The problem is, is that the key is plastic, and at the insertion point there is a small (usually but could be large and obvious) hairline crack. He showed me the keys he replaced and I couldnt fathom how that TINY crack could cause the key to missallign and mess up the action... but it does. According to him, it is pretty common on the digitals, and that Yamaha had a run of bad keys on some models. My serial number was not one of them... (which is why i was suprised that Yam offered to replace all 88 when I am out of warrenty!!).

If you are in your warrenty period... call... if you arent... call anyway! (CANT HURT!)

This is the 5th instrument I own by yamaha, and the first I had any trouble with (2 guitars, 3 keyboards)... and I will be buying a Yam U1, U2 or U3 in the summer. Great customer service, and they stand behind their products...

Good luck, and keep us posted!

The model is Yamaha P-60, and thanks for your advice.

How do you replace Keys on a Yamaha 121 then, please, Denise?
I have got the problem with one key on mine [ about 5 years old now, so can't complain to Yamaha
I thought if I undid it first and tried to clean it it may work?
Thanks
Soo

i would fix it myself if i were you, and just buy new keys from Yamaha. i don't think it's too complicated.

Yes...Yamaha did have some bad keyboards, and in some cases, Yamaha would repair/replace them after the warranty had expired. Given the cost of a new keybed, plus the cost of labor, Yamaha probably loses money in these cases - however, they keep the customer.

I agree with your comments. In my experience, Yamaha & their dealers stand behind their products - that's one of the reasons I buy them.

Yamaha can determine if the keyboard "may" be defective based on the serial number. A simple phone call or email to Yamaha Corporation of America is all it takes.

With time, this probem __will inevitably__ spread to other keys. Either order a dozen in advance or ...learn how to permanently fix them in under 10 minutes. Ask if interested.

I'm asking ?

Some of the time this type of problem can be caused by a piece of debris wedged between keys on both acoustic and digital's, use a flashlight to check, just maybe you will get lucky!
note-this was a response to original question in this old thread.

Open the kbd (remove screws that hold the casing and the keybed) and extract the faulty key (press down with a knife where the arrow on the key points and pull the faulty key out while pressing with the knife).
Careful, don't brake anything. This requres some experience, but can be done in just a few minutes. No step requires excessive force.

Now, you will see a corner of the key is chipped off, which leads to key tilting on one side and creates friction that makes the key sticky.
Tear it off.
Take a steel needle, heat it to red heat and quickly melt ~5 millimeters into the key wall, so that it would stick just where your chipped corner once was. The needle will serve to restore the missing key corner. Carfully cut the excess of the needle with metal or regular scissors such that only ~7 millimeters of the needle remain sticking out in the key.


good

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broken

[ ----chipped corner
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fixed
[ : ---needle sticks out here
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This trick helped me to fix >20 keys over the last three years in Yamaha P80; none of the fixed keys ever broke again. With my experience it takes me <10 min total to restore one key, disassembly/assembly of the keyboard included.

Good luck.

alekkh, i am trying to understand what you said about fixing the keys. i suppose the broken key has a chipped corner on bottom of the key, right? otherwise, a needle you 'glued' on the key would stick out on the keyboard surface? if my assumption is correct, then the purpose of the needle is to serve as a 'leg' to level the key, right? also, assume it's true, then there must be some other ways to level the key with something else (like some glue or some stuff to stick to the chipped key corner).

also, i wonder why not replacing the chipped key with a new one rather to use a needle to fix it. is there any reason for you to do that, or just because it works and save some money?

i'm trying to understand it because i might have to do it some day.

Thank you Alekkh I will let you know how we go on [and will pray for the Debris -Synthnut!!

I drew a picture to illustrate my method -

http:\\www.netcpp.com\TMP\Yamaha_Key_fix.jpg

Clear now?