I have a 70s Korg Sigma in pieces for an overhaul and it has about 20 bushings split apart. I’m hoping someone will recognize them and know of a source. The only ones I’m seeing all over are Pratt Reed bushings which look quite different. They’re wider and more complicated. These are basically just tubes of rubber. They have two shallow ribs but I think it’s just from the mold.
Worst case I guess I could find a rubber tube and slice bushings off it, but I’m not sure which material is best/safe. Any ideas?
I saw those but was not too excited by them being used. Mine are all very dry and crispy with no flex left. I’m hoping to not have to go through all this again in a year as I’m sure they’ll keep splitting. I’d love a more modern substitute.
There aren’t new reproductions of these bushings available. While our stock is used, we make sure that none of the pieces are showing signs of splitting before they go into stock. These keybeds were manufactured about 50 years ago, and I think that for the most part, whatever splitting is going to happen in these bushings has already happened.
My only other option is visiting Synthchaser.com. He offers repair services and makes many overhaul kits for 70’s vintage synths. He may have something, or know of another option that will work for you.
This might work fine actually. I’ve come to realize that these bushings don’t perform a buffering function like the PrattReed bushings do. All the key buffering is done with felt strips. These bushings are just to soften the key guide forks so the steel fork isn’t scraping against the sides of the keys.
Excellent idea! It served the dual purpose of holding the original bushing together, and one layer of heat shrink brought it up the perfect dimensions. No more side slop. Unless those original bushings shrank significantly then it might have been sloppy since new.
