Sticky Key On Plastic Key Mark II Rhodes

[coachdobbs]

Guys,

I have a G1 key that is sticking on my Rhodes Mark II. The rest of the keys play great. This is my first plastic keyed model and let me just say that I now truly appreciate the craftsmanship of the wooden key design lol. What would make one key on this particular model stick?

[David Aubke]

The first piano I worked on was a plastic-key Seventy Three. I didn't know much about what I was doing at the time but I recall seeing no other option but to widen the mortise in two keys to keep them from rubbing on their guide posts. I used a small round rasp.

[The Real MC]

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[The Real MC]

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[David Ell]

You know what my answer is going to be. It will make it less noisy as well. Just use an eye dropper.

[Ben Bove]

It is strange to me that a key is sticking on a plastic key model.  It can happen much more commonly on wood key models with moisture swelling etc. plus, the plastic guide pins (unless they were malformed) can't be bent, they'd just break off.

Can you test to make sure it's the key that's causing the problem?  Hold up the hammer with one hand or pick it up and push it up to the left or right side of the tine so it stays up out of the way, and the key should now be at rest in the down position.  Push down lightly and release on the back of the key inside, to see if it has free range of motion without interacting with the hammer or damper.  Should isolate if it's specifically key rub.

My guess if it is key rub, would be the front pin area.  Otherwise, it's not getting hung up on the front of the tolex case in the down position?

[David Aubke]

Mine weren't sticking, just rubbing slightly and it was annoying. I think one of them was a post I had repaired but the other was inexplicable - possibly a slight irregularity in the casting.

[Twanger]

Hi
i had a similar problem ona Stage 73. I believe one of the lugs holding the plastic hammer assembly might be worn causing the hammer action to bind on the key next to it when it returns. I made a temporary fix putting a thin piece of cardboard between the action on the two notes and it hasnt stuck since. Will probably have to source the plastic action for that note and replace sometime.
Twanger