Stage 3 88 noisy keybed

[andrewrohn]

Thanks everyone. I've had my Stage 3 for 4 or 5 years. I've never loved the action, but didn't hate it. It felt a little stiff and a little loud, but it rarely felt like a problem. In the past few months it's developed a new issue-- a "clack" upon release on some of the more-used white keys, around the middle of the keyboard. I found this helpful video showing how to lubricate keys and plan to try it. I hope this improves it, but I saw on this thread (I think) people mentioning getting felt pads replaced, and that was my first thought -- that whatever cushioned the release had gotten compressed or worn out. I hope I don't have to shell out for that.
Still, a far smaller problem than my Korg SV-1 keybed -- on many keys the plastic just snapped and they were unusable, and I never got Korg to admit there was any problem with their keybed. I had never broken a key before or since, you bastards!

[andrewrohn]

oops, forgot to include link to repair video:

[Mr_-G-]

WD40 on plastic??? What for? I would just use the silicone grease

[FZiegler]

WD40 seems to have different formulas in different countries -- but nevertheless, I wouldn't use it or recommend it for use on anything that can get softened or brittle by applying solvent or oil respectively.

[andrewrohn]

Update: I've disassembled my stage 3 twice now to address clanking. I'm not real skilled at this. I realized the problem the 2nd time was that, while screwing it together, the top metal "cover" (what do you call it, with all the knobs?) shifted slightly so it was now touching the white keys in the middle range of the keyboard -- when they sprang back to resting position the keys would clack on the metal. I loosened the side and back screws--no clacking. So I wedged some folded paper between the top cover and the white keys and gently tightened the screws again, and I now have a millimeter or so of clearance -- very little clacking. It may have helped that I also slightly loosened that one bottom screw that secures the middle bracket that connects the top and bottom.

And yes, I've read elsewhere that petroleum WD40 will slowly disintegrate plastic. I got some silicone WD-40.