Vintage Synth Repair

Below each button is a tactile switch or tac switch. Often because they are going bad, they require greater pressure to make contact and this damage the plastic button,  Korg today does not stock as many parts and often on older models, the buttons are not available.  Soldering a new one onto the circuit board is easy, harder is removing the defective switch without damaging the circuit board. 

Tac switch failure is common.  If you buy replacement switches, make sure to use the higher quality Alps and Panasonic over the Chinese ones.

I typically replace all tac switches if a couple are bad as quite often other will fail next week if I do not do all today.  Getting the button boards out and re-assembling the keyboard require much time,   Having to redo because another failed is costly.  The switches are cheap, labor is expensive. 

Make sure each replaced switch is all the way down on the circuit board, as if not, the force of pressing down during use will break the circuit traces and you will have to redo you previous work, plus repair the damage circuit board!.   


On Friday, April 11, 2014 2:50 AM, Samuel Adams <SamuelAdams7@adelphia.net> wrote:

 
>
>Hi,
> 
>While not a real vintage synth, I
recently got a used Korg KARMA and noticed that one of the "Chord Trigger
Buttons" does not work and another one works sometimes, sometimes not.  I
was wondering how difficult it would be for a novice to replace these buttons
and where can I get a set?  I can solder fairly well and can usually take
apart and put things back together but have no experience
torubleshooting.  I'm thinking that the buttons just need replaceing due to
wear. 
> 
>Any thoughts or
suggestions? 
> 
>Thanks
> 
>Greg
>
>
>