Stage EX: wanting to remove pitch stick and mod wheel

[FlametopFred]

Hello
New to Nord Stage but decades on everything else.
Just picked up an amazing Stage 2 EX.

Temporarily I want to remove the pitch stick and mod wheel.

Ok to do so? I would open the unit and disconnect and unbolt that mechanism.

I need the real estate on the left and generally use Aftertouch. If I want to solo with wheels, I would use another controller connected to the Stage 2 EX via MIDI

Plus, I can foresee accidentally harming myself or the Nord if I don't do this mod

Just thought I would check in here first ... pro? Con?

Cheers,
FTF

[harmonizer]

I wish my Nord Electro had pitch bend and mod wheel.
I would not remove them, even if I were convinced there was no risk in doing so.
What if you decide to sell or trade your Stage a year from now?

[Duplobaustein]

Plus, I can foresee accidentally harming myself or the Nord if I don't do this mod

[FlametopFred]

I would not open the Nord if I were you.. from other posts I've read, people have opened them and they end up damaging other parts by accident..

[FlametopFred]

Good tips. Thank you, all.

- any mods I make are always reversible and do no harm
- the pitch stick is in a place and of a design where I would probably hit it with my hand by accident
- been watching "repair your Nord" videos

While I like the organ sound, have been using a Roland VK-8M ... and need that part of the panel on the left to Velcro it down at gigs.

But am appreciative of all feedback - many thanks!

[FlametopFred]

Hi FTFred,

Removing mod wheel assembly should cause no problems. Pitch stick is hard soldered to panelboard, but simple enough to remove with an iron. Take a cell phone pic first. The only real problem you'll have is that when the booting instrument looks for the pitch stick and doesn't see it, the boot sequence will be interrupted to give you an error message. Press any button to acknowledge receipt of the message and continue boot process and everything will work just fine. And, as you said, whenever you decide to sell, all that stuff will go back in just as easily.

Bless, Pablo

[FlametopFred]

That is good to know, and the sort of super helpful "hey, wait a minute" sober 2nd thought I need ....

It may be that I can just unbolt the wooden stick and/or the wheel from their mechanisms.

So that there is no electrical or digital difference.

A great keyboard.

[cEgws]

If it were me, I would instead construct a small wooden riser tall enough clear these controls and put whatever it is on top of the riser. Have you considered that?

[FlametopFred]

I have done such things in the past on other workstations, keyboards.

For live playing, having the drawbars low and close to the keys is more ergonomic and better.

Additionally, when putting another keyboard above the Nord on a stand (say an Ultimate Stand) then you don't want things too high.

Plus, for years I played CS-80s and got used to playing via Aftertouch. In other words not relying on wheels or sticks, etc.

But thank you - I will look at that

[Duplobaustein]

Please post a pic when you are finished.