Keyboards Connections

I would like the views of all those who owe a top of the range keyboard, not necessarily the latest one.

I found that in most keyboards the connections for output and input signals are not the sort of professional connection you would expect. I am saying this because from keyboards I fixed, seen and had, I found that for example the Audio Out Jacks of most keyboards seem to come loose from the Motherboard “SOLDERING DRY JOINT”and even so the jack connections they use seem to be Home kinda things and not for live performance, which means they are not heavy duty for our jobs.

It seems to me that most companies don’t take this into account; I would expect that they look after this matter because it is of utmost important,

Another point is the Micro Switches underneath all those Buttons we press like INTRO ENDING so on, I have changed many micro switches on WK4 and WK8, did any of you have any trouble with your keyboards switches, I am asking those who press them very often and not playing at home cause it makes a difference when you are in live gig.

I really would like to hear so we all can learn from each others experience.

Tony

Changed a few buttons on my G1000......& Kn5000
But never had "switch" problems on any of my Yamaha KBs to this day..

Luckily, I've never experienced a problem (yet) with either the audio connections or micro-switches with any of the arranger keyboards I've played, both currently or in the past (knock on wood):

Roland R800
Technics KN5000
Yamaha PSR2000
Yamaha Tyros

Most of the problems with keyboard switches I've worked on have been caused by the user--not manufacturing quality. Sure, there have been a few cold solder joints, and there is an occasional sticking button, but that's fairly rare. I have, however, known folks that have actually broken keyboard keys, worn out pots, and punched fill buttons so hard that the pads beneath the button were totally destroyed. For those folks, there's no keyboard on the planet that would be sturdy enough. In the past 20 years, and a dozen keyboards later, the only repairs I've had to make was replacing a couple floppy disk drives, and resolder one output jack to the PC board because it was not properly soldered during manufacture.

Cheers,

Gary

The Roland Gxxxx serie often show defective buttons... not the microswitches but the PVC parts. The buttons are mounted with thin joints that allow the vertical movement.

I had to replace microswitches once or twice in KN2000 and KN3000.

Because the modern soldering techniques are good alsmost no 'dry joints'.... only onboard RCA's have many problems. (they just are too weak for mobile setups)

In my SD1 I had to replace 2 switches after Ketron put a brandnew display/switch board in it. (for free)

I wished XLR's become standard-connectors some day. (much better)

Roel