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 … Read more
I recently had a client request that I replace the stock GH3 action in her Yamaha CVP-305 with a Yamaha Natural Wood action, and so I had an opportunity to do some experimenting. Note that these action swaps are possible, but are in no way endorsed by Yamaha, and will result in voided warranties. The … Read more
A customer recently brought in their Yamaha P-105, complaining of no sound. Occasionally, it would emit a scratchy noise, but even that was inconsistent. After opening it up, I found the culprit: the amplifier chip on the DM board had burned out. The amplifier chip is a small surface-mount device (SMD) mounted directly on the … Read more
I recommend customers with worn-out floppy disk drives upgrade them to “Floppy Disk Emulators.” There are a couple of these on the market. However, the easiest to install and use is the Nalbantov USB Floppy Disk Emulator. I install these regularly in Yamaha Disklaviers, but they can also be installed in keyboards. If you order … Read more
As a piano technician with a subspecialty in keyboards, as well as digital and hybrid pianos, I’ve compiled this guide to address common issues. Drawing from my experience with brands like Yamaha, Roland, and Casio, I’ve put together a list of the most common problems I encounter! Why do my keys play at full volume … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more