Volume Slider Corrosion on Korg
A customer reported that no sound was coming from his Korg Triton and that the volume slider had snapped off. Liquid had clearly been spilled directly onto the fader, but—fortunately—the corrosion was confined to the slider assembly itself.
Be careful! Spilled drinks can severely damage keyboards. I regularly am repairing damaged contact boards, main boards, and mechanical components that have gotten covered in corrosive, sticky soda.
A 1/4″ Jack on a Nord Electro 3
The photo shows the main output jack on the rear panel of a Nord Electro 3. The instrument had been dropped in transit; several jacks were bent, but this one suffered the worst damage. I also wrote an article on switching this Nord Electro 3 between 120 / 240 V power supplies with this same instrument a few years back.
It’s a very good idea to invest in a high-quality case for your instrument, especially if you’re traveling internationally! Although flight cases are expensive, they protect you from repair costs. Plus, it’s much more convenient to have your keyboard never get damaged in the first place!
Mysterious Buzz in a Roland FP-90
In this case, the customer reported a buzz on certain keys. It sounded to me immediately like a harmonic buzz—a vibration that occurs only at certain frequencies—but it was a bit challenging to locate. It turned out to be two loose screws: Specifically, the screws that hold on the headphone holder!
Harmonic buzzes are notoriously difficult to locate. They can come from loose screws on the case, or from small metal objects in the room. Baseboard heaters, light fixtures, and other objects containing sheet metal are particularly likely to contribute. But always start by searching for loose screws on the instrument itself.
Looking for a power adapter for the Roland FP-90? Check out my Roland power adapter lookup tool!
