last week I fortunately got a used Nord Piano 3 including Nord Piano monitors for a bargain price, in a worn-out and partially defective condition. I was able to fix all the problems and errors in a 10-hour repair odyssey. Since I believe there are other users with the same issues, I'd like to share my experience with you here.
Todo-List / problems:
• Cleaning the whole Keyboard (dirt, drinks, Cigarette smell) and also the monitors.
• Right split point LED very dim, just dying
other LEDs also glowed dimly when the dying LED was activated.
• one E-Key is completely dead
• At least 20 keys rattle extremely loudly when releasing the key (sounding like metal on metal)
• Operating system version 1.00, update not possible. Hence, presumably, this old version
• all pot caps were missing
• Completely disassemble the keyboard, clean all keys and grease all joints
• fixing a large dent in the left housing top
Cleaning the whole Keyboard (dirt, drinks, Cigarette smell) and also the monitors.
To clean it, I disassembled the entire device. Remove the wooden side panels, remove the screws at the back, and two on the bottom. When removing the red top, pay attention to the ribbon cables and unplug them from the motherboard.
I cleaned it with water, glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth. To remove adhesive residue, I used a special tar and resin remover that's actually intended for automotive use. I also had isopropanol on hand, but you have to be careful with it, as it attacks the paint!
Right split point LED very dim, just dying
other LEDs also glowed dimly when the dying LED was activated.
The right split LED can be accessed by unscrewing the circuit board with the control elements. It's a small additional circuit board. At first, I thought it was a contact problem with this board, but I found out that wasn't the case. The LED was defective, and since I didn't have an SMD LED on hand, I simply cut a standard 3mm LED to the correct length and soldered it onto the board. You can barely tell the difference, and it lights up perfectly again. The other LEDs also lit up correctly.
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one E-Key is completely dead
This problem was harder to solve than I originally thought. I was actually assuming the classic case: the contact under the rubber mat was stuck together by a drink that had been spilled over the keyboard. So I removed the contacts, cleaned them with isopropanol, and put them back together. They were really dirty, too. However, cleaning them didn't solve the problem with the E key. It still didn't work. I then spent a lot of time taking point-to-point measurements with my multimeter.
I was almost ready to give up when I found the problem: a so-called via, which connects the circuit paths from the bottom of the board to the top, had no continuity. Probably oxidized by a drink. I bridged the circuit path with a short cable, and the E key immediately worked again.
At least 20 keys rattle extremely loudly when releasing the key (sounding like metal on metal)
The metallic rattle of the keys was due to the worn felt/foam rubber that catches the hammers when the keys are released. Replacing this foam rubber strip is a pain. However, I found a much simpler solution with perfect results. I glued a strip of door sealing tape to the inside of the case. It took a bit of trial and error until I found the ideal position (see picture). Once the keyboard was reinstalled in the case, the rattle was no longer audible.
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Operating system version 1.00, update not possible. Hence, presumably, this old version
The OS version couldn't be updated using the normal method. The display kept going blank, and the update app froze. Fortunately, I found a tip in an update manual that you can force the update boot mode by holding down the Save and Shift keys while turning on the device. The OLED then indicated that it was now in update mode. When I ran the update app again, everything worked, and the update was complete after a few seconds.
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I have no idea what the previous owner did with the potentiometer caps. They were all missing, and I thought I was going to have a heart attack when I searched the internet for replacement parts. Seriously? €8-15 for a plastic/rubber potentiometer cap? Since I need almost 20 of them, I ordered the potentiometer caps for a fraction of the price from my trusted Chinese shipping company. I found a dealer in the UK who sells the original parts at reasonable prices. Unfortunately, they don't ship to Germany.
https://headlineaudio.store/products/50404
Completely disassemble the keyboard, clean all keys and grease all joints
I disassembled the keybed. There are many explanations of how to do this on YouTube. I then soaked the keys in dish soap and cleaned them. Afterward, I reassembled them. I first greased the contact points of the mechanism. The keyboard now feels like new. It doesn't rattle or creak.
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Before I completely reassembled the case, I was able to repair a large dent. I placed the red cover, without the control board, on a towel and tapped the inside of the case with two large hammers. I placed one hammer on the dent and tapped it with the other until it was gone.
It took me a 160 km drive to pick up the keyboard and about 10 hours of work to repair it. Now I have four NORD keyboards and I'm happy.
Best regards,
Olli
Wow that’s a great example of recovering an abused instrument! Good job! I especially appreciate all the detail in your report.
