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Stuck keys ISO advice

Started by Sancho, March 25, 2004, 08:53:12 AM

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Sancho

I have an old 1973 '88.  It has seen it's share of abuse, however, I have cleaned it up very nicely and it's been sitting in my living room for a while now.  

The problem is, I have been experiencing stuck keys every so often.  Sometimes it's only one or two, sometimes as many as 6 or 7.  The problem is intermittent.  What can I do?

thanks for any advice!

Sancho

tmusicnyc

many things can cause stuck keys. the easiest thing to try is a little silicon or other lubricant to the action. sometimes lubing the guide pins for the keys themselves will do the trick (see the rhodes super site to understand how the rhodes is put together).
another source of sticking keys could be that as the hammers swing upward, they catch on the damper as it moves downward and the pressure of this motion will "lock" the two together. you need to observe closely their interaction to notice this. if this is the case, you need to alter the geometry somewhere (usually by bending the damper module slightly).
the last cause of this problem could be a misalignment of the harp assembly and the action. in this case, the hammer becomes "locked" from its upward swing this time not onto the damper module, but something within the tines, pick-ups, or other part of the harp assembly. this is fairly easy to fix with changing the geometry of the harp and the action. simply unscrew the harp and stick a 1/32" or 1/16" (a piece of cardboard or several folded sheets of paper) between the harp and the action to "shim" it.
hope that helps..

Mark Ross

If your keys are sticking, it may mean that your bushings (the red felts in the holes in the keys) are fluffy and fat.  This is a good thing.  With a pair of easing pliers from a piano supply shop, you can pinch these bushings down to the right fatness.  
Also - I do not recommend putting silicone on the pins.  Use fine steel wool to polish each pin, then use "McLube" - also available at piano shops, to protect the pins from corrosion.  In the end, a clean pin and snug bushings make for the sweetest action.


Mark Ross

Mad Scientist Keyboard Revival
madscientistkeyboards.com
Los Angeles, CA

Dave


Sancho

I've played with it a bit more and have discovered that the keys getting stuck is almost a time-released thing.  if it's just sitting there and I haven't touched it in a day or so, NO keys will stick.  after about 15 min of playing, keys start sticking.  is it possible that the friction of playing is causing something to expand, hence the sticking???