Unlike full E3 systems, the DKC-800 and DKC-850 piggybacked upgrades are powered by external AC adapters, such as the PJP-PS02. The original Yamaha Disklavier E3 installations use the Disklavier’s power supply, but these piggybacked installations require their own source of power. I recently had a customer reach out to me using an aftermarket power adapter, … Read more
I recently had a customer reach out to me reporting that her Yamaha P-155 would not power on. When I inspected the piano, I found a destroyed power adapter and a burned power inlet. I’m not certain what caused it: Damage like this could be caused by not fully inserting the plug, by a power … Read more
Are you having problems with stale cookies? I recently assisted a customer via email who was having trouble using his Disklavier Piano Radio. I discovered the solution on Kevin Busse’s website; he in turn learned the solution from Yamaha’s Noah Jolly. You can read more about Noah Jolly on his website, Ground Grown Circuits. The … Read more
Look closely at the photo above. Your P-525 detects which key you play, and its velocity, with those little rubber contact strips. You can read more about them on my digital piano troubleshooting page. Those tiny white flecks mean the contacts no longer work correctly. The smallest debris—or even a single cat hair—can cause significant … Read more
So you’ve decided to back up your Yamaha Disklavier floppy disks. And now you need a floppy disk drive that can read them! So what’s the best USB floppy disk drive for our purpose, and especially for reading those earlier, pesky 720 KB double-density (DD) variants used by early Disklaviers? This article explores various options, including … Read more
As an authorized Yamaha Service Center, I’m often asked how to connect Disklaviers to the local network. I believe this updated approach is quite simple, inexpensive, and will allow for higher connection speeds as Yamaha’s technology advances. This is the approach I trust in my customers’ homes. Previously, I used Powerline adapters to connect Disklaviers. … Read more
If you own a Yamaha Disklavier Mark I, II, II XG, or Mark III, you’ve probably noticed that official upgrade paths are limited. The DKC-900 upgrade doesn’t support these models, and the DKC-850—once a lifeline—has now been discontinued for years. But now, PianoStream can offer your older Disklavier renewed life! PianoStream is an easy, affordable … Read more
If you own a Yamaha Clavinova from the early 2000s and you’re noticing some sticking keys or sluggish response, you’re definitely not alone. As one of the few authorized Yamaha Service Centers here in Maine, I get this call a lot. Unfortunately, it’s a design flaw from that era that eventually affects these otherwise excellent … Read more
When it comes to digital piano repairs, especially on Yamaha’s P series models, one thing’s for sure: There are a lot of screws! To open the plastic shell of a Yamaha P series digital keyboard, there are no fewer than sixty screws. Some of Yamaha’s DGP series keyboard have even more. This means just opening … Read more
A blank LCD screen can render your Yamaha MX-100II Disklavier nearly unusable. You can replace these with brand-new LCD screens, which are still available. In the MX-100II and HQ-100SX, this is Yamaha part VN635201, although it differs for other units. The screens are available on Yamaha 24×7, or for a bit cheaper on Synth-Parts (update: … Read more