LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Noisy keys on P80?

orson -- 01/12/2005, 03:01:49 -- #10310

For the past week or so, I've been noticing that the keys on my Yamaha P80 make a surprisingly loud noise on the return when they hit the felt.  Sort of a dull thump/vibrating sound.  Now I can't decide if I've just started noticing this or if they've always done this, but thinking about it is distracting me. How often do you need to replace the felt on these things?  Is it even possible?  (I'm guessing the keys are similar on all yamaha P series keyboards)

Jazz+ -- 01/12/2005, 16:25:23 -- #10314

All the P actions make a thunk, don't worry. By the way how do your hands feel after playing fast bebop solos for a couple of hours on the P action? For me, the down action is too heavy, the up action is too firm, and the bottom is too hard.

orson -- 01/12/2005, 17:22:55 -- #10315

To be honest, me playing fast bebop solos for a couple hours is something that hasn't ever happened (yet!).  However, I would agree with you about the bottom, it can feel it in my wrists after a long session. My previous instrument was a cheap korean upright piano (Ottostein), which was purchased because it was what I could afford.  I left it behind when I changed jobs and changed countries, and decided to get a keyboard instead-- better suited to late-night playing  in an apartment without making enemies, and it also gives me portability, which then got me into jazz.  The Ottostein had a good sound but the action was REALLY heavy, I had to build up some giant muscles, and often when I played softly there was a cut-off below which notes wouldn't sound at all.  So in comparison, I really like the P80, it gives me more confidence in pianissimo passages and I don't find it too heavy.  Not exactly piano-like as you pointed out, but I'm pretty happy with the purchase, I was not expecting to like it this much.

Scot -- 01/12/2005, 17:51:14 -- #10316

Sometimes when you start hearing a clicking and thumping in your weighted action keyboards it's because you are starting to (or already  have) broken through the felt they use to stop the key action. My Roland RD 300s from the "old days" did this every nine months when I played it four hours a night at a house gig. You might want to open your keyboard up and see if that's what is happening.  I eventually replaced the felt in my RD 300 with a high tech foam rubber thing that worked better than the felt and never wore out.

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