Yamaha S80 -- (1) note loosing It's Velocity Mojo.

[engineerjoel]

One of the Keys (in particular, the Bb above middle C) has recently began loosing its velocity and stiffness Mojo.

 

At rest, the Bb key has begun to limply sink into the keybed (meaning the key is not uniform with all the other black keys). Also, if I slightly depress the key, the key bounces just a bit. When I play this note, the audio output is very weak.

 

In order to match the velocity level of the other notes played softy, I have to play 'this particular note' very hard....forget trying to play velocity levels below V=64....the note's audio becomes almost nonexistence. The rest of the 87 Notes on the keyboard are all performing quite well.

 

Any clues to a quick fix????

 

I have downloaded ALL the Yamaha S80 Service Manuals and Parts list, but I'm not 100% sure what what parts need to be replaced.

 

thanks for your support!

 

[synthizen2]

I have some experience replacing rubber velocity strips on Yamaha digital pianos, such as the Clavinova line. But you only want to replace THAT piece if you are experiencing velocity problems on more than 1 key (or typically a small range of keys, like C3 to F3, something like that).

 

If it's just 1 key, and that key is also experiencing mechanical failure as you described above (sinking into the keybed), then it looks like hammer-weight failure rather than contact-strip failure to me. Yamaha uses different keybeds and weight devices on different models, so you will have to inspect the S80 keybed hammer mechanism to see where the failure is.

 

May not be an easy job if you've never done keybed repairs on your own before. Check with a local synth repair guy, or a Yamaha service center.

 

[WesG]

This sounds like a problem with the action and not the contact strip to me. But it's tough to say as I don't know that particular action.

 

You're an engineer, Joel..open it up!

 

At the very least, you might be able to swap it with your lowest Bb.

 

Wes