Pianet N "Sticky Hammers"

[Electroharmony]

I have recently come into possession of a niceee Pianet N, and the previous owner had a novel idea he used to repair the original deteriorated "sticky hammers".  He used that "blue-tack" stuff-  Ya, that stuff you use to hang pictures!  And believe it or not, it did work to some extent, although not really usefull in any kind of serious application.  However, if you are in a bind and have a dead note or two, give it a shot.

I also would like to comment on the clavinet.com replacement hammers that are available.  A bit pricey, but they do the job very well.  Like other people have described, there can be an excessive "clicking" after these new hammers are installed.  Adjusting the "hammer" further away from the pickup works to a certain extent to quiet this noise down.  However- I had excellent results using the "dielectric grease" mod, which has been described on other threads.  Basically, you just apply a small amount to the bottom of the pad and smooth it with your finger, no big deal.  Worked wonders on my new piano- nice and quiet and decent attack still.  Curious to see how this mod holds up-  though even if one had to reapply, the whole keybed would only take about 20 minutes or so.

Thought I would share this for anyone interested!

[maestro]

They key-bender tool is worth its weight in gold (and it is heavy)...My friend worked at a machine shop and whipped one up for me, but this is a must have when replacing the pads as the hammer height will be all over the map - most of the pads will press the reed down beyond its resting point, encouraging mechanical noise when the piano is played, as well as uneven notes. The new pads are a fixed height, whereas the old sticky pads had a layer of foam built in and would compress over time.

Love the new sticky pads but a key height adjustment should not be overlooked

[DRJUSTIN]

This post is a little old but I thought I would chime in for anyone doing research. I used the clarinet.com sticky pads but found them mostly useless due to the click. I got a set from kenrichsounds.com that replicate the originals and they are perfect. Now the pianet sounds just like the old recordings.

[coolkeys]

Thanks. Just checked their website. Looks like these replicas are so good, they also fall apart just like the originals.. 

From his website:

PLEASE NOTE ~ We realise that this original "sandwich-style" sticky pad design was changed by Hohner due to problems with them falling apart over time, but we feel the most important thing when reproducing a vintage product is that it sounds like the original and is made to the highest quality possible for its design.

There's no point having a sticky pad that will last forever if your Pianet doesn't have the sound of the original!

Leaving your vintage keyboard exposed to heat or moisture will accelerate the sticky pad's degradation, not to mention the keyboard itself. So make sure you treat your vintage Pianet like you would a vintage car, and avoid exposing it to these conditions.

$120.00 a set...I think I'll make my own.

[kenrichsoundservices]

Hi coolkeys

It's only fair to note that when you say "fall apart like the originals" that this takes a substantial amount of time, severe heat/moisture exposure and/or other abuse. Things break in mechanical keyboards, due to age, wear and simply their mechanical nature. At least a sticky pad can be glued back together in some cases. A broken reed or tine must be replaced, and at $30+ for a tuned reed/tine most players will spend $120 one this one aspect maintenance of their Wurly/Rhodes every year. In the case of these Pianets the part that deteriorates is the pads more than reeds. You certainly wouldn't be spending $120 on replacing your pads every year though.

In regard to the statement you've copied from our website, it's actually been reworded since your posting as has been planned for a number of weeks now, but it's been so busy with tour season that we haven't had a chance.

The real reason behind the change of sandwich-style sticky pads to the solid Pianet T style was to keep up with the increasingly competitive keyboard market in the late 70's, not because Hohner decided the sandwich style was a "failure". Rhodes also, and other successful keyboard brands, changed the way they made their keyboards in the late 70's simply so they could be manufactured cheaper and their prices kept competitive in the growing keyboard market. The falling apart wasn't the real motivation for the change.

I'm posting this here as it may seem the statement on our Pianet stick pad listing has been changed because of your post - and this isn't the case at all.

Regardless of opinions on the sandwich pad design's longevity, we stand behind all our products and would happily offer a refund or replacement to anyone who wasn't happy with the quality of the pads, or any of our other products. We also include 5 spares as extra insurance in an emergency.

Once you've been through making you own you are likely to see the great value of the $119.95 price tag. But I certainly wish you the best with it.

Regards,

Ken

[Pianet Martin]

The main failure mode for the old pads seems to have been the foam degrading into mush.  I wonder if currently available foam materials will perish like the old orange foam did, or if there have been some improvements in material formulation since the late 60s?  Making your own pads is quite possible, but it is quite a bit of work and you may have one or two false starts while you get the materials right.  In particular, finding the right leather took some experimentation.   In my own case I had more time than money and I quite enjoy this sort of thing, but if you want something that works first time with minimal hassle, the $120 is probably quite reasonable. 

[coolkeys]

Where did you get your leather from? Do you have a parts list? I just cant see this costing more than $30 in materials and a couple evenings to rebuild the rubber pluckers with new foam, leather and oil. Maybe what they should do is just offer a rubber plucker exchange service for half that price.

[Pianet Martin]

There are a couple of threads on here which go through the materials, so those are worth a look.  I ended up using an offcut of soft kid-leather which came from an upholstery supplier.  Other types of leather work to some extent, but not nearly as well, and it took me a while to find the right stuff in small quantities. 

[Europanaut]

Having completed the replacement of my Pianet N's sticky pads about two hours ago, I'd like to add my opinion to the discussion.

I've owned two Pianet N's, and both suffered from the same pad issue. The pads pretty much fall apart after a few years.

I researched the options for new pads, and opted to purchase the Ken Rich product. Josh at KR was very helpful, and the pads were sent out the day that I placed my order. They arrived a week or so later.

All the pads arrived neatly laid out in rows, with the sticky sides against what appeared to be a plastic sheet. This was then sealed in a plastic zip lock bag with the KR logo on it. All very sensible, with a professional presentation. (I own a small recording studio which specializes in providing interesting vintage keyboards to clients, so I may be a bit ocd about this kind of thing. Or maybe all of us gear-enthusiasts are like that?)

The pads were easy to install, and I was able to quickly voice each key, without having to resort to bending anything. It sounds very good. The right sort of mellow richness, with a bit of bite, and a nice growl in the low end.

Longevity-wise, if I get a couple of years of regular use from the pads, I will consider that it was money well spent. I'd rather have an original sounding instrument, even if it means that the parts have an "original life span". It's like with guitar strings. I know that coated strings last longer, but to my ears, they don't sound "right". So I'm ok with changing my non-coated strings every few weeks. It's a satisfactory trade-off for me.

Hope this helps!