Got my SK2. I love it. But one of the keys don't work.

[Bobadohshe]

My new SK2 arrived on Friday from Sweetwater. I couldn't touch it over the weekend because I was too busy with other gigs. Finally got to dig into it yesterday and today. And wouldn't you know it, the Ab right in the middle of the keyboard has stopped working. It first was touchy, then would only respond if played really hard, and now: nothing. I'm pissed. And in a bind. I need it for a gig on Sunday. An organ gig. I don't really have a choice, I'll have to play Sunday's gig without that Ab, though that sucks hard. Then I'll do what Sweetwater wants me to whether that be sending it back to them or getting it serviced.

 

I love the instrument though. So portable, but so B3like. We are spoiled rotten in the modern age.

[wmp]

Nothing brings out the rotten like a bad key.

 

That always harshes my buzz.

[Delaware Dave]

You don't buy a new keyboard so that the 1st thing you do is get it serviced. I would demand a new replacement. It doesn't perform as advertised right out of the box.

[mcgoo]

that does really blow. I'd push for them replacing it as opposed to getting it serviced locally under warranty. Could be other underlying issues for it to be bad out of the box. Also- a local service place may well have a 2-3 week turn around, whereas SW should send a new one out the day they get yours back.

 

btw- I'm really jealous that you have that board. I want one, bad!

[RudyS]

Weird that there are two topics about "one key not working on the SK1/SK2" right below each other...

[TKN]

 

And one regarding a loose key weight...

[HammondDave]

Must have been a bad day in the China sweatshop factory when they made your SK2.

 

Yeah return it. Don't get it serviced. why should you be inconvenienced?

 

They would love you to get it serviced because it will save them a lot of money. If you return it they have to pay two way shipping, plus they can't sell the bad SK2 for the same price as it is now an "open item".

[Stale]

I would call sweetwater right away. They have been great about making situations right and in a very quick time frame. You might get it by the weekend if you let them know.

[resigned]

If you return it they have to pay two way shipping, plus they can't sell the bad SK2 for the same price as it is now an "open item".

 

Sweetwater tried passing off a demo on me as a new unit... I bought a Novation X-Station 49 years ago and they sent me a demo unit, loose in a non-factory box with no packing or manual. I sent it back and made them send me a new one in an unopened factory-sealed box... they were not nice about it.

 

Then I made the mistake of ordering a Hammond XK3c from them - they sent me the bottom half of the XK System. They made good but it delayed my keyboard arrival for days. Sweetwater gets no business from me anymore.

 

I really hope Sweetwater makes this all right for you - let us know what happens. If anyone else wants to order a Hammond product try Wayne at B3 Guys in Nashville... he is great to work with.

[Bobadohshe]

I filmed the problem, threw it up on Youtube unlisted, and E-mailed me Sweetwater guy w the link and an explanation of what's happening. We'll see what he says.

[Bobadohshe]

Sweetwater tried passing off a demo on me as a new unit... I bought a Novation X-Station 49 years ago and they sent me a demo unit, loose in a non-factory box with no packing or manual.

 

Jim I've been thinking of this experience of yours the whole time. I wonder if that's what happened, though mine had the manual and the packing and looked factory sealed.

[Dana.]

Return it and get a Mojo.

[Jim Alfredson]

I would think Sweetwater would make the problem right.

[Bobadohshe]

Well they said they'd be happy to get me one by Sunday (when I have my gig), but they don't have any more in stock and won't for the next couple weeks, at which point they'll send me a new one.

 

I'll do the gig with a whacked out Ab I guess. I don't really see another solution.

[Ken Beaumont]

I have had them make mistakes before, they always made it right without complaint.

[JMcS]

I know of one other SK that had a non-working or no velocity note. I think one or two of the fingers that are pushed into holes in the pc bd. to hold it in place had gotten pulled up and out. If they are like the rubber pieces in some of the Fatar keyboards I have, there are several in a long strip. I think a piece of wire like the end of a paper clip can be used to push the finger through the board. It is possible the fingers weren't pushed in all the way at the time the keybed was manufactured.

 

I've taken one of my old Fatar controllers apart to clean some misbehaving key contacts and found a few of the fingers not completely inserted and folded over so they were like that from the day they were made but worked fine for years. The contacts that needed cleaning weren't the ones that were out of the holes.

[mate stubb]

This is a common problem with Nords and everyone else who uses those bubble membrane key switches.

 

Most likely could be fixed with a cleaning of the bubble contact, if you felt the urgency to disassemble it enough to get to the contact strips.

[Outkaster]

It's weird. I have had one problem with sweetwater in 19 years of dealing with them and it was really a problem with Mackie anyway. They have always been competitive and served me well.

[WesG]

Is anybody NOT using bubble membrane key switches anymore? (New B3 excepted)

 

I think the way Yamaha built my ~1990 PF-85 was positively brilliant; the hammer flies up (~single escapement) to whack two carbon strips which close the contacts. Because of this, the contacts are on the bottom of the diode board, so dust/dirt/liquid is less likely collect there. There are no bubbles to collapse, and you can rejuvenate the contacts in a pinch by shifting the whole strip 1/8" or so.

 

My 2006 DGX-620 has an action like the Fatar action described above. I believe it is an early version of the current Yamaha GHS action.