Yamaha GH actions require the insertion of a “rod” (as it’s referred to in the service manuals). Yamaha sells a specific tools—specifically part TX000671 (VCN03010) during disassembly. The rod blocks the hammers, relieving the pressure on the contacts and contact circuit boards, allowing you to easily remove and reinstall them.
The tool Yamaha sells (TX000671 / VCN03010) is a steel dowel, of a suitable length and diameter to conveniently fit between the hammers and the frame.
Not only is this the correct size to fit nicely in both the Yamaha GH actions, but I actually find it easier to use. The tapered, pointed end means it slips more easily between the hammers and the frame. It’s made of fiberglass, so it’s less likely to cause unintentionally scratches. And in fact, the far end even comes with a ready rubber bumper, just in case you lose track of it and whack a wall with it!
The TX000671 (VCN03010) currently costs $187.0 to the public on Yamaha 24×7, whereas the trusty 48-inch driveway marker costs $3.27 at Home Depot (prices as of 9/9/24). It’s an option worth considering!
I recently encountered a Yamaha PSR-S750 with a couple of issues that appear to be quite common in this series. I wanted to share my experience in the hope that it might help someone in the future.
Sudden Shutdowns
The customer initially reported that the keyboard would display an error message at irregular intervals and then require a restart. This issue turned out to be related to a known problem with the main DM board. Apparently, early versions of this board have a tendency to delaminate, leading to errors such as the following:
“Unexpected error! Turn the power off and on again.”
However, the board can fail in various ways, including issues with powering on, sudden shutdowns, and more. The recommended solution is to replace the DM board (part #WZ353701). Unfortunately, this is not a cheap fix—the part currently costs around $503 on Full Compass (as of August 2024), though a Yamaha service provider may be able to offer it at a lower price.
Keyboard Turns On but Won’t Turn Off
This is an interesting issue. The power switch on this keyboard is a rubber button that, when depressed, completes a circuit to ground. Over time, as the button ages and the graphite on its underside degrades, it does continue to complete the circuit, but the resistance increases. Eventually, this high-resistance path is enough to signal the keyboard to turn on, but not enough to signal it to turn off. Diagnosing this issue can be tricky because the button consistently powers the keyboard on, even though it is the source of the problem.
The replacement button is part #WZ960401. Replacing it involves removing the entire front panel, making it a somewhat involved process. It would be wise to have a copy of the service manual on hand before attempting this repair.
Notably, the same issue can occur in the PSR-S770, PSR-S950, and PSR-S970.
Finally, make sure to update your Yamaha PSR-S750 to the latest firmware!Download the latest firmware file, put it on a USB stick, and insert the USB stick into your PSR-S750. Then Power On the keyboard while holding the Start/Stop button (below the LCD screen). You’ll be guided through the update.
I was working on a Roland KR-370 that had been through a lightning strike, and I was looking for the BIN file to program onto a replacement EPROM (IC2). I did eventually find one, posted by a very helpful individual in the Badcaps forum.
I recently had a client request I replace the stock GH3 action in her Yamaha CVP-305 with a Yamaha Natural Wood action, and I had an opportunity to do some experimenting.
The Yamaha GH3 keyboard action can be replaced with the NW-GH3 action, the GH3X action, or the NWX action. All four of the actions below seem to be interchangeable, with the features as listed:
Plastic
Wood
No Escapement
GH3
NW-GH3
Escapement
GH3X
NWX
Her favorite action was the NW-GH3. Although there’s some subjectivity, we mutually agreed that the natural wood actions were lighter than the plastic equivalents (which is a bit counter-intuitive initially), and that the escapement added perceived weight.
In other words, we found that the NW-GH3 action was the lightest action, perceptibly, and the GH3X was the heaviest.
I recently had a customer report their P105 was producing no sound, although occasionally, it emitted a scratchy noise. Attached to this post is a picture of the burned out chip I found inside the unit. The solution was a replacement DM board (Yamaha #ZJ257000).
I’ve recently started recommending customers with worn-out floppy disk drives upgrade them to so-called “Floppy Disk Emulators.” There are a couple of these on the market, but it looks like the easiest to use and most reliable is the Nalbantov USB Floppy Disk Emulator. I use these regularly in Yamaha Disklaviers, but they can also be installed in keyboards. I install these quite regularly. If you do order from Nalbantov directly, make sure to use the AlexPiano for a 5% discount on orders from Nalbantov.
Why Upgrade?
There are several reasons why you might want to replace an old floppy disk drive with a USB floppy disk emulator, including:
Increased reliability: USB floppy disk emulators are more reliable than traditional floppy disk drives, as they have no moving parts and are less susceptible to mechanical failure. Most customers reach out to me after their floppy disk drive has failed.
Compatibility: USB floppy disk emulators are compatible with modern computers, which may not have floppy disk drives built-in or may no longer support floppy disks.
Speed: USB floppy disk emulators transfer data faster than traditional floppy disk drives, making it easier and quicker to transfer large amounts of data.
Convenience: USB floppy disk emulators can be easily connected and disconnected, making it easier to transfer data between different computers or to store data.
Cost-effectiveness: USB floppy disk emulators are often more cost-effective than purchasing a new floppy disk drive or repairing an old one.
I’ve found some floppy disk drives now cost more than the replacement USB emulators, especially if they’ve had minimal use. And hardly anybody knows how to actually repair a floppy drive—that’s a nearly lost art.
Operation
After the Nalbantov is installed, you can use a single USB stick to represent up to 1000 floppy disks. Because it’s a floppy disk emulator, the Disklavier actually believes you’re inserting a different floppy disk. As you switch between virtual “disks” by pressing the arrows, you’ll see the display on the Disklavier behave as though you’ve inserted a new disk. Of course, if you have more than 1000 floppy disks, you can invest in another USB stick, although I haven’t run into this particular situation yet!
This is the #2 track on the #27 floppy disk stored on that USB stick!
Installation
Some customers opt to install the Nalbantov unit themselves. Depending on the design, this is quite doable, although I don’t recommend attempting it with most Yamaha MX100II Disklaviers (see below). It is a very easy installation on, for instance, the DKC5R and the DKC500RW, just to pick a couple.
With some generations of Disklavier (most notably Mark II / MX100II / MX100A / MX100B devices), the floppy disk drives are mounted behind a shaped plastic piece. In these cases, you’ll need to cut away the old plastic facing (a pair of flush-cut nippers is helpful here), install the new drive, and put some kind of buffer around it. I’ve experimented with a few different choices for something functional and attractive. Purchasing neoprene strips is a cheap solution.
New solution: I have a 3D model of a floppy bezel that’s sized to fit around a Nalbantov. You can 3D print this yourself, or I can mail you one. This mount holds the Nalbantov in place, and also fills in the gaps around the edges. It’s an all-in-one solution for mounting the Nalbantov, and allows you to reuse the same screws the original floppy disk drive was installed with.
For backing up your current Disklavier floppy disks to a format that can be stored on your USB stick, see my article on Backing up Disklavier Floppy Disks. They can then be moved onto a virtual “disk” with Nalbantov’s proprietary tool.
One or more keys play at full volume even though I’m hardly pressing them!
Keyboards use very sensitive contacts to determine how fast you’re pressing the key (or the velocity). A keyboard with dirty contacts (such as the one pictured below) will misjudge velocity, and will cause the key to play at incorrect or, often, persistently loud volume. In the case of the picture below, that wood chip would cause a perpetually quiet key—if it moved to the depression directly above it, then it would cause a perpetually loud key. Cleaning is sometimes an effective option.
They can also simply wear out. If you play your keyboard for hours a day, the rubber itself will eventually degrade, as will the graphite pads on the button. In that case, they’ll need to be completely replaced, which is typically possible for keyboards that are less than ten years old, but becomes progressively more difficult with age. Replacement is usually the best option.
In desperate times, if contacts just aren’t available, you can swap contact strips from the ends of the keyboards to replace keys you play more typically. There are products like Oak Tree Vintage’s Key Contact Repair Kit, but I view these as an absolute last resort. Direct rubber contact strip repair is a desperate measure.
Here are some typical keyboard contacts from a Yamaha Clavinova. There appears to be some kind of wood shaving in one of the contacts (toward the center of the image). This will cause misfiring.
One or more keys don’t play at all.
A common cause of silent keys are bad or damaged rubber key contacts. See above. They should be cleaned or replaced.
Another common cause of silent keys is a damaged or corroded key contact printed circuit board (PCB). These PCBs are, for late-model keyboards, typically available—particularly for Yamaha and Roland. They can also sometimes be repaired: In the case of the image below, some cleanup and a wire jumper fixed the problem.
If there’s sufficient corrosion on the contact circuit board, it will need replacement. In this case, I was able to add a wire jumper to bring life back to this particular board, and then coat the area to prevent further corrosion.
My keyboard doesn’t turn on!
There are many common reasons for this. The most common, in order, are damaged power cords or adapters, a blown fuse, a damaged power inlet (see below), or a damaged power switch. It can also be a sign of an electronics failure somewhere else in the keyboard.
Start by replacing the cord. That’s something fairly inexpensive you can do yourself. Try to find a direct manufacturer replacement. If you require any assistance in this, you can contact me, or you can reach out to a local piano store. In the case of a power cord with an adapter, both the voltage and the polarity have to be correct.
Somebody broke off the power inlet on the back of the keyboard.
This is a common problem. Nearly every pedal inlet for nearly every keyboard is available. I replace them regularly, particularly in schools where the cord might get forcefully pushed or pulled! Depending on the way that it was broken, there might be some collateral damage. For instance, a Roland I repaired recently had the fuse assembly ripped off when the power inlet, acting as a battering ram, scraped the electronics off the rest of the inlet circuit board. However, there’s nothing particularly complicated on there, and their story ends happily!
I’ve got a Yamaha Clavinova and some keys are sticking.
This is a very common issue in Yamaha Clavinovas from the early 2000s. Unfortunately, the tails of the keys would crack, resulting in sluggish behavior. Then they would fully break, causing a sticking key. More than once, I’ve gotten a call after a rowdy child will walk up to the keyboard and spontaneously break a dozen or so keys—it’s not their fault. These keys can be replaced.
I typically don’t recommend doing them one-by-one unless you’re going to be replacing them yourself. It’s much better to replace the entire keyboard assembly or to replace all the keys. This is an expensive repair, but it’s much less expensive than a brand new Clavinova, and if the rest of the electronics are in good shape, it’s worth considering.
I’ve got a Roland RD-xxx and one or more keys are staying down. They seem loose.
Roland RD keyboards from the 2000s and earlier used plastic hammers that crack and break. Unfortunately, Roland no longer manufactures these hammers. If you have such a keyboard, you’re at the mercy of used parts dealers and eBay. I maintain a small stockpile for customers, but this condition is usually terminal.
This is a very distressing situation for me, so if you have any further information that might assist in fabricating these or are aware of a stockpile of these, please contact me. Currently, single replacements sell up to $100 on eBay.
Cracking Roland hammers. All of these are splitting, both horizontally and vertically, around the encased lead weight. They are, unfortunately, irreplaceable.
I’ve got a Yamaha, and it makes a clacking sound when I let go of or hit a key.
Yamaha Clavinovas and portable keyboards have a strike felt and a rest felt. In nearly all cases, rest felts will wear out within a decade. This causes keys will make a clacking sound when released. With heavier use, strike felts can also wear out. Both felts are relatively easy to replace. Both lead to a noisy keyboard.
This is a worn out hammer strike felt on a Yamaha Clavinova. (It had, in fact, already peeled off when I opened the keyboard and was resting on the hammers.) The keyboard rest felt is toward the bottom of the keyboard assembly. It’s the piece the metal hammers are resting on.
In 2022, I had a customer ask me how to change the voltage on his Nord Electro 3 from North American to European. I made this brief write-up to help him.
This also includes how to replace the Electro 3’s fuse. If you’re a world traveler, this might be worth printing out and keeping in your bag—perhaps along with an extra fuse!
A customer recently came to me with a Casio PX-5S that displayed “Error: No Media” after booting, and which wouldn’t produce any sound.
The Problem
The customer had already researched the issue themselves, and they had determined they needed a firmware update. He’s not alone, and Casio helpfully provides the following message to those with similar struggles: “Well, we’re not 100% certain. […] Casio has worked very hard to try to replicate this problem on units that have exhibited this behavior and have never been able to replicate it.” (See their post on Casio Music Forums.)
Once you have the “update.bin” executable file, either by downloading it directly from me or by extracting their archive, you’ll put that file into the root directory of a USB stick.
Note that the USB stick must be formatted FAT32—the keyboard cannot read NTFS or exFAT.
If you download from Casio, do not put the ZIP file on your USB. Only the “update.bin” file.
At that point, you can simply plug the USB stick into the keyboard, and the update will automatically begin. It takes about fifteen minutes.
