Hi, I have a Roland RD-300s Digital Piano. It is in very good condition, but four keys stopped working recently. Is it as simple as replacing a few contact strips?
If it helps, I will list the specific keys. I know for sure middle G doesn’t work.
Thank you,
Connie Perry
Going by the parts listed, this uses the typical rubber contact strips against contact boards. It could be any number of things.
Knowing the specific keys might help you narrow it down. Are they near each other? Are there the same number of notes between each key? This could tell you if the problem is with one contact board or a bad connection.
I haven’t had to replace a contact strip yet, and I’ve worked on some rather old keyboards. But I have seen where some dust got under a contact strip and prevented it from making contact. The only way to find out is to remove the keys and check.
Hello,
Thank you for your response. The keys not working are Lowest E, third A sharp, fifth C, highest C sharp.
From your note, it sounds like I should open it up and look.
Would you attempt to clean the contact strips with isopropyl or something else?
Thanks again for your encouragement.
I failed to include the G just to the right of middle C.
I don’t recommend using any chemical around contact strips. Only use a slightly damp (water) cloth to wipe the surface of the contacts. You can use isopropyl for cleaning the contacts on the board, but let it dry before reassembly.
It doesn’t look like those keys have anything in common. That’s good. If it were every C, or a block of keys, I’d say that it was a board issue. It’s still possible, but not likely. You won’t know anything more until you open it up.
I don’t know how much experience you have in repairing keyboards, so I hope the following helps:
I was able to find a web page where someone was restoring one of these keyboards. It might help you to see what you’re getting into, as well as some tips to help you out:
http://www.svend.net/roland-rd300s/roland-rd300s.html
There is a service manual out there: Search for ‘Roland RD-300S repair.’ (I actually found one listed under images!) A couple of items I’ve run across so far is that the rubber contacts for sharps and naturals are different, so keep note how they are in place. There’s also a jig you can make to remove keys.
Take plenty of pictures as you go.This will help you when you are trying to put it back together. Pay particular attention to any connectors you have to remove.
