Mike A Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 I have an old Yamaha CS1x (about 10 years old I'm guessing) where the "enter" button wasn't working properly for some time now but I didn't care much and recently one of the D keys stopped working! It works only 30% of the times I press it. How do I fix it myself? Can I fix it myself? Is it just a bit of cleaning the dust or do I need to replace stuff? How to open it up and not get the entire thing dismantled? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Matta Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Is it sticking, or just not playing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike A Posted November 1, 2007 Author Share Posted November 1, 2007 not sticking feels as usual just not playing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Matta Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Okay. If it were sticking I'd say blow a hair drier (hot air) on the key, a helpful tip I got a long time ago when dealing with Korgs. I bet it's a minor cleaning issue. I wonder if one of those cans of compressed air for computer keyboards might help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NEMO.BOFH Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Okay. If it were sticking I'd say blow a hair drier on the key, a helpful tip I got a long time ago when dealing with Korgs. I bet it's a minor cleaning issue. I wonder if one of those cans of compressed air for computer keyboards might help.ALL electrical parts should be cleaned with compressed air only IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike A Posted November 1, 2007 Author Share Posted November 1, 2007 so the question is how to take it apart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergroover Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 use a screwdriver? sos had a few articles on repairing old gear. tsjek cant find em quickly though.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NEMO.BOFH Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 so the question is how to take it apart?screwdriver, be careful! e. I need to repair and blow clean my juno alpha 2 as well, but I dont have any preassured air here, and its a holiday in Spain today, so I can not do it today Anyways, tomorrow I will go and buy some, and THEN i can do a step by step how I opened it up with photos and everything, if you would like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devious Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Mike A, I would also check the electrical circuits leading up to the key. If you notice a brownish color where the copper is, or a "break" between the copper too, it may not function due to this. You can simply use a number 2 pencil "cheap method" to trace the circuit back on, but press really hard, and make sure not to overlap any other circuits, or you can buy a silver circuit marker that is liquid, has silver in it, and conducts better than copper and works way better than the number 2 pencil method. Otherwise, a good cleaning is in play. And by cleaning, not compressed air. Despite popular belief, it isn't the best way to clean an electronic part. Specifically, the PCB circuit board with everything on it no doubt; do not desolder anything. it will be o.k.: - Full immersion in a saponifier bath (Alconox Detergent 8) @ 50°C for 10 minutes. - Full immersion in a water bath at room temperature for 1 minute. - Full immersion in denatured alcohol bath @ 50°C for 3 minute. - Dry component at an elevated temperature. That's the master's way of cleaning a synth. The boards will no doubt be good as new, and I would allow drying time to 48 hours just to make sure you don't turn it on when it looks dry and bam, it zzzzaps out. I get along fine with denatured alcohol and a rag as well as a vacuum -d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike A Posted November 1, 2007 Author Share Posted November 1, 2007 devious, thanks for the reply! but before i immerse my synth in chemicals, i would like to try something simpler. after all, it's just one key out of 61 which is not working and since i have no experience in it, i prefer not to. i rather have a semi working synth instead of a non working synth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devious Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 devious, thanks for the reply! but before i immerse my synth in chemicals, i would like to try something simpler. after all, it's just one key out of 61 which is not working and since i have no experience in it, i prefer not to. i rather have a semi working synth instead of a non working synth. I'd also recommend just pulling off the button then and just use 91% isopropyl alcohol and wipe it down really good. You could do this with denatured alcohol but I know most people have that isopropyl around. Just get the contacts nice and wet and wipe wipe wipe. -Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NEMO.BOFH Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Mike A, I would also check the electrical circuits leading up to the key. If you notice a brownish color where the copper is, or a "break" between the copper too, it may not function due to this. You can simply use a number 2 pencil "cheap method" to trace the circuit back on, but press really hard, and make sure not to overlap any other circuits, or you can buy a silver circuit marker that is liquid, has silver in it, and conducts better than copper and works way better than the number 2 pencil method. Otherwise, a good cleaning is in play. And by cleaning, not compressed air. Despite popular belief, it isn't the best way to clean an electronic part. Specifically, the PCB circuit board with everything on it no doubt; do not desolder anything. it will be o.k.: - Full immersion in a saponifier bath (Alconox Detergent 8) @ 50°C for 10 minutes. - Full immersion in a water bath at room temperature for 1 minute. - Full immersion in denatured alcohol bath @ 50°C for 3 minute. - Dry component at an elevated temperature. That's the master's way of cleaning a synth. The boards will no doubt be good as new, and I would allow drying time to 48 hours just to make sure you don't turn it on when it looks dry and bam, it zzzzaps out. I get along fine with denatured alcohol and a rag as well as a vacuum -d Of course, this is the hardcore way, but I would not recommend that to anyone that has never ever tried it before, and it might be a good idea to practice the above with an old motherboard (that you are not going to use) or any other circuit board. I know many that have had little to no experience that fucked their precious synth by being ignorant and trying things they are not experts at. Yeah and listen to devious about the drying time, it is REALLY an essence for the success! e. Maybe I should do a step by step with a water bath or other instead. Gonna think about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devious Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Of course, this is the hardcore way, but I would not recommend that to anyone that has never ever tried it before, and it might be a good idea to practice the above with an old motherboard (that you are not going to use) or any other circuit board. I know many that have had little to no experience that fucked their precious synth by being ignorant and trying things they are not experts at. Yeah and listen to devious about the drying time, it is REALLY an essence for the success! e. Maybe I should do a step by step with a water bath or other instead. Gonna think about it I've done 2 of these baths before, but not on synth gear. On as you say a motherboard, in my case, I've done power supply boards. Along time ago when I was about 9, I put in a 5 1/4" drive on a computer, put the case on, turned it on, and i just heard the infamous zzzap sound coming from the ps, sure enouigh, the capicitator blew up and there was a small fire coming from within the power supply. It was also very dirty and I became scared of dirty power supplies after that. I know also, since we're talking about synth repairs and cleaning, it is recommended to replace caps on the power supply pcbs every 15-20 years just to be safe. Usually okay anyways, but if the caps go, you risk destroying the microchips and other things on the other pcbs within the synth. My only real issue personally is doing a perfect soldering job with these new batteries. I hate fine soldering. So what Nemo says is true, practice board bathing on a board that you don't care about possibly risking. Do it multiple times until you are secure with the process. Compressed air is fine, but it'll still leave old 20 year old residue from dirt/dust/pube particles, haha. Using a air compressor at 75psi may work, but I wouldn't recommend it, although I know people who do it and live by it (scary thought is that when doing this, the soldered points will come lose or even snap). Now, in Europe, I shall recommend a place in the netherlands, vintageplanet.nl and for the United States, synthparts.com - have done business with both and are both awesome to deal with. -Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike A Posted November 2, 2007 Author Share Posted November 2, 2007 ok i opened it up, cleaned off all the dust, hair, tomato seeds, etc etc etc couldn't reach the contacts of the keys, it seems to be held in place by great pressure and i didn't want to break it. the "enter" key is still not working, seems like an electrical problem, as the button clicks properly. so what should I do? the unit is 11 years old... is it time to retire it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike A Posted November 22, 2007 Author Share Posted November 22, 2007 Seems like repair is going to be cheaper than I expected. I hope it covers all aspects of non-working stuff in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentris Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 hello, here you might get informations about repairing the AT: http://www.alphadial.org/tips.htm#after BTW: that's a very good alpha juno site! there was also a more detailed tutorial about that AT-rpair-topic somewhere in the net but i don't find the ling. google might help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike A Posted November 26, 2007 Author Share Posted November 26, 2007 wrong thread i think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowball Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 repairing synths is a pain in the ass...especially when you dont have the materials and have to order them from the other side of the globe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NEMO.BOFH Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 wrong thread i think i think he was referring to my opening up my juno alpha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentris Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 wrong thread i think ehm... yes but the wine was good anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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