From our email:
‘I would like to rebush my Moog Source and was wondering to what extent the bushings you have for sale are “used”? In a similar vein, I’m wondering if it would be possible to order 37 of them that are all of consistent use level? I.e., so there is no difference in feel across the keyboard?’
…and my response:
It seems like this type of key bushing doesn’t really wear out, but instead they can split and then fall completely off the mounting tang. (This is compared to a Minimoog bushing, for instance, where it gets harder and brittle over time, and gets deformed from the key pressing against it.) So in other words, if a #4269 bushing hasn’t split, it likely works as well as ever.
So when we stock these from a used keyboard, we throw out the ones that show any sign of splitting, and the rest are all pretty consistent looking. I don’t think they affect the feel of the keys much at all - their purpose is to ‘guide’ the key, keeping it from wobbling as it is pressed down and released. The felt strip(s) that run laterally across the keybed cushion the key as it hits the bottom and top of its travel. Again, this is different from a Minimoog keybed, where the rubber bushings have a profound effect on the keyboard feel.