Keyboards Archives - Alex's Piano Service

Substitute for Yamaha TX000671 (VCN03010)

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.

One day, when working on a CLP-645, I found myself in a pinch, and used an improbable substitute: The 48-inch Orange Ground Mount Reflective Rod (or common driveway marker)!

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!

Yamaha PSR-S750 Two Common Problems

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.

EPROM BINs

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.

During my search, I encountered several enormous repositories of EPROM dumps (such as this one at dbwbp.com, which is worth checking out), and decided to reproduce them on my website, should anybody need one. They’re listed below, and all ROMs are mirrored on my MEGA drive.

Korg PolySix - (klm8049-klm8048).zip2.93KB
Korg-707-870904-_27C256_-IC7.zip20.15KB
Roland SRV-2000 - Version 1.5.zip17.78KB
yamaha_avs10.zip9.8MB
Yamaha EX5 - Version unknown.zip1.52MB
Roland MKS-30 2.0.zip5.91KB
Roland - DEP-5 - ROM - V1.6.zip55.93KB
Roland SD-35 - Version 1.02.zip46.66KB
Yamaha_dx7iid_eprom_v1.9.zip41.69KB
yamaha_mu100r.zip1.45MB
Kurzweil K1000 Pro2 Chip Data.zip.zip10.73MB
yamaha_deq7.zip480.17KB
roland_xp10.zip486.15KB
Yamaha_TX81Z_ROM_v1.6 _03-Feb-88.zip34.33KB
Yamaha RX11 v1.0 OS ROM.zip18.82KB
yamaha_pss680.zip486.5KB
Kawai K1m version 1.1.zip21.7KB
Roland_JD990-ROM_V1.00.zip272.07KB
Roland JV-2080 v102.zip824.07KB
Roland SCB55_MKII.zip2.92MB
Casio CZ-230S EPROM Firmware.zip36.43KB
Kawai K1m 1.5 P105E.zip21.44KB
Korg_DDD-5_OS-27C512.zip26.99KB
YAMAHA AN1x 1.04.zip366.07KB
Yamaha_PSR-2000.zip9.22MB
Roland_Alpha_Juno-2_v2.5U_IC24.zip157.98KB
Roland_S550_Firmware_V2.0.0.zip8.62KB
Roland Alpha Juno 2 2.4.zip12.26KB
yamaha_psr60.zip36.31KB
Roland_DJ-70MKI_v01.01_IC22.zip171.1KB
Roland R-8 (2.02).zip55.85KB
Yamaha-DX9-IG11470-YA3128.zip19.38KB
Roland GR-50.zip60.42KB
Yamaha_DX7IIFD_Service Manual and Part List.zip1.62MB
Yamaha_SY55_OS_V1.06.zip429.98KB
Yamaha DX21 Firmware v1.5.zip20.84KB
Korg_DS8_870214.zip20.18KB
Korg-DW8000-EXTENDED(Musitronics-AngelCity exp).zip13.97KB
Roland Jupiter-6 - factory OS.zip12.74KB
Korg M1 - Rev 19 Firmware.zip90.12KB
Yamaha_MCS2_ROM.zip4.38KB
KorgTrinity.zip46.35KB
Roland D-110 v1.07.zip1.01MB
ROLAND_MKS7_ROMS.zip10.93KB
Kurzweil K2500 Firmware.zip1.13MB
Kawai SX210 Firmware ROM (2P25A).zip6.83KB
Roland_JD990-ROM_V1.02.zip278.41KB
Roland D-550 v1.02 EPROM Firmware.zip30.67KB
Yamaha_MU80_Ver1.04_firmware.zip288.28KB
yamaha_mu80.zip506.99KB
ROLAND KR-370.zip171.05KB
Yamaha-MU100-R-XU50720-OS-v1.11_-1999.08.03-_M27C160-42-pin_-IC11.zip442.47KB
Casio CZ-101 EPROM Firmware.zip13.96KB
Roland MS-1 OS v1.12.zip68.72KB
Kawai K4R V1.2.zip30.06KB
Roland_GR-1_v1.04_Binary.zip81.94KB
Roland Jupiter-6 rev6.zip3.74KB
Yamaha SY85 IC8 1.10S.zip189.69KB
Roland Jupiter-8 v3.2.zip6.55KB
Korg NS5R - OS 960821.zip351.38KB
Roland - S750 Turbo Kit.zip6.67KB
Yamaha SPX1000 v1.1 [Toshiba TC571000D-20].zip60.11KB
korg_dvp-1.zip199.39KB
Yamaha TF1 TX816 (MBM27128-25) CA00H.rar10.5KB
Yamaha TG500_IC101_XL682-C0_H8-532_V110_CS32-0x0053C9C7.zip8.68KB
Yamaha DRC-20 - V1.20.zip34.5KB
Roland_SP-700_v1.12_IC54_and_IC55.zip213.64KB
Yamaha - CX5m.zip651.97KB
Yamaha_RX5_OS_IC21-27_XB722.zip38.82KB
roland_jd-800_waveroms.zip7.55MB
Yamaha WRC-01 Standard - Waveform Data Cartridge ROM.zip472.76KB
Yamaha_TX802_ROM_v1.5.zip22.2KB
roland_srv-2000_v12_v15.zip68.29KB
Yamaha SU700 - version 1.0.zip282.08KB
Korg 01Wfd-Pro-Prox_v58.zip293.56KB
Yamaha_EX-5-5R-7 TG1 (L and H) V1.14 XT352206.zip755.92KB
Kawai SX-240 ROM Firmware Binary.zip9.94KB
yamaha_psr730.zip3.72MB
Roland SRV-2000 - Version 1.4.zip18.26KB
ROLAND_SC88_VL (1.04).zip797.2KB
Yamaha FS1R EPROM Firmware v1.20.zip767.25KB
Yamaha - TG-33_OS.zip79.12KB
Roland TR-626_Sound_Rom.zip395.64KB
Yamaha_HS6_ROM_ORG7.zip48.59KB
Yamaha_MJC8_XA958(B)_ROM_V1.1_IC2.zip1.72KB
Roland GC-8 ROM V1.01.zip15.13KB
Roland CR-78.zip1.92MB
korg_a2.zip356.2KB
Kurzweil K1000 GX Chip Data.zip.zip13.42MB
Korg DSS-1 - Other firmware.zip59.82KB
YamahaRX15_v1-0_HN27128AG.zip11.62KB
KAWAI MM-16.zip13.65KB
Roland D-550 Ver 1.01.zip30.64KB
yamaha_psr530.zip1.68MB
Roland TR-505_Sound_Rom.zip211.35KB
Roland Juno 106 EPROM Firmware (Voice and Assigner Boards).zip6.37KB
yamaha_psr-260.zip2.67MB
Kurzweil K1000 Pro1 512nd ROMs_1.zip2.7MB
yamaha_psr-160.zip2.64MB
Roland_D50_EPROM (v.2.10).zip29.41KB
kawai_gb1.zip979.68KB
Kawai KSP10 ROMs.zip368.53KB
Kurzweil K1000 Pro3 Chip Data.zip.zip10.42MB
Korg WaveStation SR v1.15 (latest version).rar201.06KB
Kawai K4 v1.3 P206B (27C512).rar32.66KB
yamaha_psr40.zip285.92KB
Roland mc50_mkII firmware v.0060 (2020).zip1.54MB
YAMAHA MU-50 (ver.1.04).zip1011.36KB
Yamaha TX81Z EPROM Firmware (v1.6).zip34.31KB
Korg M1REX 1.12.zip93.73KB
roland_ra-30.zip683.25KB
Roland MKS-70 v103.zip29.89KB
Roland TR-707 sound ROMs.zip99.48KB
Roland JX3P (v4) EPROM Firmware [8C93].zip6.17KB
Yamaha-TQ5-ROM-V1.00.zip72.72KB
casio_sk-10.zip156.44KB
Yamaha Clavinova CLP 550 wave ROM.zip1.43MB
Roland D-70 OS EPROM Firmware (v1.10).zip80.36KB
Yamaha PTX8 EPROM Firmware.zip17.05KB
Kawai R50-R50E-R100 PCM ROM.rar911.08KB
Korg Poly-800 II (851005).zip9.91KB
Roland GR-50 v1.14.zip1.52MB
Kawai K5 (1.3).zip38.2KB
Korg EX-800 (unknown).zip6.08KB
Yamaha TX81Z EPROM Firmware (v1.4).zip34.31KB
Roland JX8P 3.1 A rom.zip9.73KB
KorgP3.zip8.96KB
yamaha_pss595.zip1.74MB
Roland TR-909 (4.0).zip6.46KB
Roland D-10 EPROM Firmware v1.02.zip39.52KB
Kurzweil K1000 Pro2 512nd ROMs_2.zip2.61MB
Roland D-10_OSv1.06.BIN.zip138.9KB
Kurzweil K1000 Pro1 Chip Data.zip.zip11.06MB
Roland RC100 Eprom 27C128.zip8.58KB
Casio_VZ1_service_manual.zip4.24MB
yamaha_ydg2030_ydg2006.zip190.95KB
Roland_Alpha_Juno-1_v2.6U.zip69.53KB
Kurzweil K1000 Pro76 Chip Data.zip.zip10.88MB
Korg DW8000 1.3 AT27C128.zip11.27KB
Yamaha DX5 v6.zip24.39KB
Korg DW8000 1.3 AT27c512r.zip11.83KB
Yamaha - A4000_A5000 - OSv1.07.zip1.6MB
Yamaha_HS6_ROM_ORG.zip48.63KB
Yamaha A3000 EPROM firmware v2.zip536.49KB
Casio RZ-1 ROM [OS].zip10.25KB
roland_u110_u220.zip8.77MB
Casio_CZ5000_Service_Manual.zip9.43MB
korg_sas-20.zip14.85KB
Roland_JD990-ROM_V1.04.zip275.94KB
kawai_k1.zip1.3MB
Roland D-70 OS EPROM Firmware (v1.19).zip80.87KB
Roland JP8 - Version 5.1 - 27128.zip14.19KB
Kawai_K4r_ROM_v1.4_P207C.zip36.84KB
YAMAHA PCV87A XM453C0 27C240.zip189.67KB
Korg M1EX 1.29.zip95.21KB
Yamaha SY77 WaveROM (IC220_8_MSB).zip322.98KB
Roland_XP-10_Ver1.02_96-10-11.zip7.99MB
Roland TR-727_OSv_1.0_HN4827128.zip10.53KB
Roland W-30 (1.03).zip14KB
Yamaha-MU100-R-XT71420-OS-v1.05_-1997.09.19-_M27C160-42-pin_-IC11.zip441.52KB
Kurzweil K1000 Pro3 512nd ROMs_2.zip2.58MB
Kawai R100 - Revision B.zip181.19KB
Roland_U-220_v1.02_IC8.zip198.15KB
roland_ra50.zip526.17KB
Yamaha QY700 Version 1.10.zip1.8MB
yamaha_qy70.zip1.11MB
Yamaha DX7S V1.3 with service manual - 27C256.zip11.59MB
Kurzweil K1000 Pro1 512nd ROMs_2.zip2.68MB
Yamaha TX81Z EPROM Firmware (v1.1).zip34.29KB
Casio MZ [Unknown model].zip45.09KB
Korg 01RW (latest OS version).rar225.05KB
Kurzweil K2000 v3.87C (Calvin) OS Firmware ROMs.zip403.57KB
Yamaha - QX5FD - OSv XE724B0.zip37.17KB
Roland GC-8 System Card for R-880 V2.00.zip66.23KB
casio_cz5000.zip237.42KB
Kawai SX210 Firmware ROM (Version A).zip6.83KB
Roland TR-505 Firmware.zip105.36KB
Yamaha SY35 firmware.rar84.36KB
Roland_GR-1_v1.02_Binary.zip135.17KB
Yamaha_O2r _v2.16.zip619.85KB
Yamaha TX81Z EPROM Firmware (v1.2).zip34.3KB
yamaha_playcard_216pcs.zip211.25KB
Roland_E-20_02.03.zip10.8KB
Roland D-110 (1.13).zip22.08KB
Yamaha_RX21_ver1.0_85.03.28.zip12.47KB
kawai_gmega.zip6.16MB
Roland MKS80 rev5.zip12.05KB
Kawai_R100_6P13C_U18-27C256.zip9.25KB
Roland_S-220_v1.04_IC25.zip40.96KB
Roland SC88 Version 1.01.zip164.74KB
Roland SCC1-SCC1A_Roms.zip3.13MB
Korg_DDD-1_OS-27C256.zip19.52KB
Yamaha_MEP4_Ver.1.01_19851224_XA686-C.zip10.75KB
Roland - MC300 - OSv1.01 [27c64].zip4.88KB
Yamaha TX81Z EPROM Firmware (v1.5).zip34.35KB
Korg Trident MKII - MCUs ROMs.zip1.89KB
Roland_S-760_v1.11.zip32.89KB
Korg DRV-1000 Digital Reverb 861201.zip4.53KB
Yamaha_TF1_iN0104-2.zip10.94KB
yamaha_psr79.zip1.42MB
Roland R880 eproms.zip80.74KB
Korg DW-8000 OS v12.zip11.25KB
Kurzweil K2VX Setup V5.zip196.61KB
Korg_M1_Plus1.zip19.28MB
yamaha_dsr-1000.zip212.76KB
Kawai K3 and K3m waveform and program ROMs.zip165.4KB
Roland SCC1 Control Rom.zip52.64KB
Kawai_K1r_v1.4_IC7.zip22.09KB
Kurzweil K2000 Setup EPROM firmware v13.zip146.68KB
roland_gi-10.zip292.01KB
Korg DSS-1 Firmware.zip154.81KB
Roland GX-700 Firmware 1.10 27C2001 (2MB).zip103.76KB
KorgPolySixMIDI.zip5.43KB
Korg_Poly-61_MIDI_Kit.zip2.98KB
Roland MT32 (various OS _ extra ROMs.zip1.06MB
Roland JX-10 v2.3SE CFG.zip20.74KB
yamaha_cvs10.zip334.67KB
Korg DSS-1 Version 34.zip96.62KB
Roland_JX-10_Firmware.zip295.88KB
Yamaha TX7 (v1.4).zip12KB
yamaha_mu90.zip540.26KB
yamaha_pss390.zip163.94KB
Korg_microKorg_v1.03.zip497.65KB
Roland S-770 V1_12 BIOS.zip6.47KB
Roland_JD990-ROM_V1.01.zip.zip272.41KB
yamaha_music_cartridges.zip394.51KB
Roland SRV-2000 - Version 1.2.zip18.31KB
Kawai_K1r_v1.3.zip22.34KB
Korg Wavestation AD v1.18 EPROM Firmware.zip129.87KB
Roland - MC300 - OSv1.02 [27c64].zip4.91KB
Kawai ACR20.zip53.72KB
Yamaha TX81Z Firmware Changelog (1987 Service News).zip1.02MB
Kawai-Q80-ROM-U3-P130A-E5DP.zip43.37KB
Kawai-Q80-ROM-U3-P130C-E5DP.zip43.06KB
KORG PROPHECY 1.01 IC2-IC22 tms27c240.zip179.99KB
yamaha_pss-12.zip525.6KB
Yamaha_QY20.zip257.9KB
Korg_Poly61_MCUs.zip5.67KB
yamaha_dx7_(original_maskrom).zip169.22KB
KAWAI SX-240 - TAUNTEK FIRMWARE.zip137.82KB
Roland - VP-9000 - OSv1.12.zip1.67MB
Roland_MKS-50_v1.02_IC7.zip12.59KB
Yamaha DX27-DX100 Overall Circuit Diagram and manuals.zip3.77MB
Roland_JW50_v1.02.zip130.52KB
Roland SC55mkII.zip124.26KB
Roland_D-70_v1.09.zip112.42KB
Kurzweil K1000 Pro2 512nd ROMs_1.zip2.61MB
yamaha_psr-16.zip28.75KB
Roland S-10 (2.07).zip34.62KB
Roland D50 PCM ROMs.zip864.46KB
yamaha_psr230.zip2.37MB
Korg Wavestation & Wavestation EX Firmware (v3.19, last released update).zip599.13KB
kawai_k11.zip270.28KB
Roland sc55 v 1.21.zip2.94MB
Roland Jupiter 4 8048-012 firmware (main board CPU).zip912B
Korg Poly-800 (830230-830236).zip12.17KB
Yamaha W7 - Version 1.0.zip361.52KB
Casio SK-1.zip3.01MB
casio_sk5.zip686.62KB
Yamaha TX81Z EPROM Firmware (v1.0).zip34.26KB
Korg-Prophecy-v1.7.zip179.67KB
Kawai-K4r-v1.2.zip30.21KB
Kurzweil K2000 (v3.54J) OS Firmware ROMs.zip389.11KB
Roland Jupiter-8 v3.1.zip6.32KB
KAWAI K1r v1.4.zip21.49KB
Roland_JX8P_v2.1.zip14.54KB
Yamaha_DX7II_GrayMatter.zip77.67KB
Roland Jupiter 6 Voice Board EPROM B v3.0.zip3.59KB
Roland S50 Firmware.zip18.83KB
YAMAHA_REV5_V1_0.zip29.08KB
Yamaha FS1R EPROM Firmware v1.1.zip765.93KB
Korg MEX-8000 Memory Expander EPROM Firmware.zip1.91KB
Kurzweil K2000 v3.54C (Calvin) OS Firmware ROMs.zip389.77KB
casio_csm10p.zip3.04MB
Korg Ex8000 v850905.zip11.27KB
Kawai Q80EX - KP058F.zip50.75KB
Yamaha_TG77+musitronicsPCM_v1.02.zip106.61KB
Kawai_K4_v1.4.zip36.73KB
Roland D50 (220rw) [CFW, patched!].zip32.09KB
Korg DSS-1 Version 36.zip54.84KB
roland_d70.zip8.43MB
Yamaha V50 v1.03 1989_01_26.zip142.82KB
Korg DSS-1 Version 31.zip54.73KB
Roland D-70 OS EPROM Firmware (v1.12).zip80.62KB
Kawai_R100_6P14C_U16_U18-27C256.zip31.33KB
Yamaha RM50 ROM XL007A0 IC13 V1.05.zip87.98KB
Korg DSM-1 Version 13.zip78.25KB
Korg Wavestation EX ROMs.zip1.55MB
Kawai K1 Firmware V1.04 P104E.zip21.58KB
Yamaha rev7 V1.0 TC57256D-20.zip12.69KB
yamaha_pss102.zip273.97KB
Roland TR-909 (v1, correct) [2CFF].zip6.63KB
Roland_Sh101_8049_ROM.zip1.36KB
Korg 01Wfd-ROM-62 (latest OS version).zip292.81KB
Yamaha spx90ii tmm24256ap.zip20.63KB
Yamaha - A4000 - OSv1.5.zip974.84KB
yamaha_mu5.zip2.02MB
Roland_JD990-ROM_V1.05.zip275.97KB
Roland_GR-1_v1.03.zip121.05KB
roland_srv2000.zip246.33KB
Korg Poly-800 MDK (unknown).zip9.28KB
yamaha_psr-36.zip556.65KB
Yamaha_SY99_v.1.57_EPROM-Images.rar292.49KB
Yamaha_RM1X_ROM_OS_V1.13.zip624.33KB
Kawai K1R MK2 V1.0.zip21.95KB
Korg 03RW (0.13).zip134.44KB
Roland Juno Alpha1.zip12.14KB
Kawai K5M (1.2).zip38.18KB
Kawai K4 v1.0 P206 (27C512) E5DP.rar32.5KB
Yamaha QY20_FW_1A0_93-01-12.zip258.23KB
casio_cz-1_cartridges_rc-10_rc-30.zip335.67KB
Yamaha_P9000PS_V3.zip1.3MB
Roland SRV-2000 - Version 1.2-2.zip18.15KB
Yamaha DX5 v5.zip24.18KB
Korg ES-1 All Blank Reset [Bank].zip1020.23KB
Roland D110 (v1.06, v1.10 OS _ extra ROMs).zip969.11KB
Roland_MKS-100_v1.04_IC26.zip36.89KB
Yamaha_TX802-jp_XB536-B.zip15.56KB
Roland JX8P V21-Rev490600.zip14.49KB
yamaha_mk100.zip237.75KB
Yamaha YS200 Firmware V1.0.zip70.7KB
Korg KR55 uPD2316EC-608.zip979B
Kurzweil K1000 Pro3 512nd ROMs_1.zip2.58MB
Korg DW6000 (840905 -840805).zip10.88KB
yamaha_pss480_pss580.zip501.29KB
Roland MC50 MKI.zip204.24KB
yamaha_psr740.zip2.98MB
Roland_Juno-6.zip1.76KB
Casio FZ-1.zip45.43KB
Kurzweil K2000 v2.07C (Calvin) OS Firmware ROMs.zip285.92KB
Yamaha_EX-5-5R-7 V1.11 (L and H) XT350I01.zip722.28KB
Yamaha_FB01_ROM.zip17.93KB
yamaha_dx7_voicerom_cartridges.zip178.32KB
casio_ct6000.zip208.09KB
Roland_D-550_EPROM (1.0.0_.zip30.67KB
Korg Poly 800 EPROM Firmware (various).zip18.53KB
Roland JX-305 OS (V1.05-1.06-1.07).zip2.01MB
Yamaha_DX-7 Schematics and Service Manual.zip1.39MB
Kurzweil-K2000-v3.54-_Janis_-OS-Audio-extra.zip495.47KB
Roland - CM32L - CONTROL.1989-12-05.v1.02.ROM.zip29.66KB
Yamaha DX11.zip40.18KB
Yamaha SPX990.zip30.44KB
Yamaha DX21 Firmware v1.4.zip20.72KB
Korg_X5DR_v12.zip243.91KB
yamaha_dd55c.zip3.44MB
casio_ctk750.zip1.69MB
Yamaha_MU128_Upgrade_V2.0.zip1.47MB
Casio HT-6000 EPROM Firmware.zip29.94KB
Yamaha_SPX90_ROM_V1.1_XB410B0_IC151_TMM24256AP.zip19.71KB
Roland - CM32L - PCM Maskrom.ROM.zip928.3KB
Yamaha_TX802_ROM_v1.4.zip38.81KB
Roland SCC55_IC23.zip77.82KB
Korg-DW8000-V0713.zip11.25KB
Roland_JV-880_v1.01_IC17.zip102.83KB
Roland Alpha Juno 2 OLED Mod (2.5).zip20.75KB
Roland HS-80 - Version 5.0.zip12.68KB
yamaha_psr280.zip3.92MB
Yamaha_DX100_ROM_v1.1.zip20.48KB
Roland TR-707 (IC13, 27128) OS ROM Firmware.zip10.47KB
Korg KR-55B ROM.zip1.87KB
Korg Wavestation EX Sample ROM (WS to EX).zip1.55MB
Roland R8 MKII EPROM v1.0.3.zip54.83KB
KORG 05WR-(7.1).zip851.94KB
Roland MT-120 - Version 1.01.zip98.52KB
yamaha_psr16.zip133.55KB
Yamaha_RX5_OS_IC77_XB723-27C256.zip15.86KB
Yamaha DX7 II v1.8.zip41.91KB
korg-ex8000 firmware.zip11.03KB
Korg_DW8000_Waves.zip86.51KB
Korg Prophecy v20 Firmware.zip313.51KB
Kurzweil K1000 v2.1 OS & KeyScan EPROM.zip94.45KB
roland jd800 v1.01.zip95.54KB
Korg Electribe ES-1 mkii (MK2, metal face) Firmware v1.00.zip5.73MB
Roland PG-200.zip592B
Kawai k4r V1.3.zip30.21KB
Roland SCC1-Card.zip984.77KB
Roland S-770 V1_00 BIOS.zip6KB
Roland_MKS-70_Firmware_v1.06.zip28.88KB
yamaha_spx990.zip376.23KB
Roland-U-110-v2.00-_-2.03.zip52.75KB
Yamaha_DX7IID_ROM_v1.3.zip41.47KB
casio_pt280.zip443.34KB
Kawai_K1_ROM_V1.3_IC_U20_27C256.zip21.57KB
Casio_MT-540_Sound_Rom_Dumps.zip576.83KB
Yamaha SPX90.zip19.83KB
Roland SDE330.zip189.68KB
Yamaha-SU700-v101-103.zip283.9KB
Yamaha-DMP9-16-v1.10-20.01.1994.zip112.89KB
Yamaha_DX7_Special_Edition_ROM_SER7.zip1.37MB
Korg TR-Rack OS 1.04 update kit.zip831.68KB
Korg M1R 1.06.zip88.98KB
Roland S-750 1.02 27c256.zip6.67KB
yamaha_psr350.zip5.86MB
Roland D50 (1.06).zip32.06KB
Yamaha_DX7IIFD-E!_v1.20.zip76.33KB
Kurzweil K2000 (v3.87J) OS Firmware ROMs.zip402.5KB
yamaha_ry30.zip3.52MB
Roland_GR700_v1.4.zip.zip7.91KB
Roland_U-20_v3.03.zip64.6KB
Roland D-70 OS EPROM Firmware (v1.16).zip80.7KB
Yamaha_QX3_v1.50_XD074(G)_IC40.zip60.33KB
Yamaha_CBXD5_ROM_v2.09.zip80.47KB
Roland D-110 - V 1.06.zip21.99KB
Yamaha_HS8_ROM_ORG and V2 + software.zip2.42MB
Yamaha_RM50_ROM_V.1.06.zip88.28KB
Yamaha-DMP9-16-v1.02-10.11.1993.zip108.61KB
casio_sk-2.zip84.26KB
Korg Electribe ES-1 MK1 Factory Reset [Bank].zip1016.7KB
Yamaha TX81Z EPROM Firmware (v1.3).zip34.31KB
Boss VF-1 v1.13 (from Roland Germany).zip473.53KB
Yamaha_DMP7.zip38.14KB
Roland D-110 (1.07).zip22.02KB
Yamaha - A5000 - OSv1.5.zip1.23MB
Yamaha_SY99_ROM_v.1.13.rar291.31KB
Kurzweil k2000 OS V3.01J.zip5.29MB
Korg Wavestation AD v1.25 EPROM Firmware.zip599.3KB
Roland_PG-1000_v2.00.zip5.39KB
Korg_Z3.zip25.44KB
Roland_SB-55(SoundBrush)_v1.03.zip36.61KB
KORG M1 IC32 D23C512.zip49.19KB
Casio RZ-1 Stock PCM ROMs.zip539.28KB
Roland-R-8M-v1.04.zip44.46KB
Yamaha AN200 - 1.03.rar423.78KB
Yamaha EX7 OS.zip1.44MB
Roland D-70 OS EPROM Firmware (v1.14).zip79.7KB
Korg Electribe ES-1 mki (MK1, plastic face) Firmware v1.04.zip9.43MB
Kurzweil_K2000R_GODOT_PSEUDO_GALS.zip1.21KB
Yamaha_DX7II_ROM_V1.9.zip41.96KB
Yamaha_DX7 E! Preset EPROM Rev-2.2.zip20.32KB
Yamaha_TX802_ROM_v1.3.zip151.19KB
Roland S-750 V1_00 BIOS.zip6.52KB
Roland_U-220_v1.01_IC8.zip64.93KB
Kurzweil_K2000R_Setup_Rom_V1_0.zip209.27KB
Roland MKS-80 EPROMS Rev 4.rar11.64KB

Yamaha GH3 Substitutions

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.

Yamaha P105 with No Sound

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).

Nalbantov Floppy Disk Drive Upgrades

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Speed: USB floppy disk emulators transfer data faster than traditional floppy disk drives, making it easier and quicker to transfer large amounts of data.
  4. Convenience: USB floppy disk emulators can be easily connected and disconnected, making it easier to transfer data between different computers or to store data.
  5. 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!

The USB stick that comes with the Nalbantov is a standard, full-size USB stick. This protrudes rather far, and I’ve now run into multiple circumstances where the drive has been damaged by an incautious pianist. See my post on the Best USB Stick for Nalbantovs. Hint: It’s the SanDisk Ultra Fit.

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.

My solution/old solution: My previous 3D model in STL format of a floppy bezel simply filled in the gap around the Nalbantov, but didn’t help with mounting. You can 3D print this yourself, or I can mail you one. I adhere it to the replacement Nalbantov with a bit of hot glue, and then slide the whole assembly in. However, you’ll need to improvise a way to actually mount the floppy drive. I use mounting assemblies from old Yamaha slim floppy drives, but these appear to now be discontinued.

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.

Digital Keyboard FAQs

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.

If the Yamaha uses a three-sensor keyboard, you might consider upgrading to a natural wood action at the same time. If it uses a two-sensor keyboard, this isn’t an option.

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.

Nord Electro 3 Fuse Replacement and Voltage Change

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!

Casio PX-5S No Media Error

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.)

The Solution

The firmware can be downloaded from my MEGA directory here, if you’re looking for the PX-5S firmware specifically.

Alternatively, you can download the zipped archive from Casio directly. You’ll need to extract it.

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.