Yahoo Groups archive

Vintage Synth Repair

Index last updated: 2026-04-28 23:41 UTC

Thread

Restoring a Minimoog keyboard

Restoring a Minimoog keyboard

2011-03-13 by bliepelt

Hi, new to the group and Hello to everyone!

Might as well jump right in. I have a very nice Minimoog but over the years the keyboard has become practically unusable. There were weird pitch glides and squeaks on certain keys, other stick up.

So I bought a grommet replacement set and started on my self-assigned task.

Alas - little springs started to jump out and I gathered all the already disassembled parts and the keyboard up, packing everything into one box in hopes of salvaging the situation somehow.

I have a quote of $350 for the repair but I wonder if someone might be able to point me in a less expensive direction or if maybe someone has a Minimoog keyboard assembly they'd like to sell me.

Thanks for reading and hopefully I will find a solution.

Ben

Re: [vintagesynthrepair] Restoring a Minimoog keyboard

2011-03-13 by Mike de Vries

Easy job to do.. it'll just take some time.
 
I prefer to take out the old rubber grommets with the keys still attached to keyboard mechanism.
 
I slice them in half with a scapel or sharp blade, then remove them with some kind of hook. (I actually use a real small allen key)
 
Once they are all off, and all bits of old rubber are removed, I slide the new ones back on.. also note that they have two different sides.. doesn't really matter which one you choose, but keep them consistent.
(It does help sliding the new ones on if you use a bit of silicon grease for lubrication.. but the smallest amount)
 
The grommets will fix up the 'feel' of the keyboard.
 
As for pitch warble etc, that will most likely be the buss bar contacts. There are plenty of ways to fix that. the easiest would be clean the contacts with isopropyl alcohol and a bunch of cotton buds. This does not always work if the buss bar is badly tarnished.
 
Kind regards from Australia.
 


--- On Mon, 14/3/11, bliepelt <bliepelt@...> wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
From: bliepelt <bliepelt@...>
Subject: [vintagesynthrepair] Restoring a Minimoog keyboard
To: vintagesynthrepair@yahoogroups.com
Received: Monday, 14 March, 2011, 5:52 AM


  



Hi, new to the group and Hello to everyone!

Might as well jump right in. I have a very nice Minimoog but over the years the keyboard has become practically unusable. There were weird pitch glides and squeaks on certain keys, other stick up.

So I bought a grommet replacement set and started on my self-assigned task.

Alas - little springs started to jump out and I gathered all the already disassembled parts and the keyboard up, packing everything into one box in hopes of salvaging the situation somehow.

I have a quote of $350 for the repair but I wonder if someone might be able to point me in a less expensive direction or if maybe someone has a Minimoog keyboard assembly they'd like to sell me.

Thanks for reading and hopefully I will find a solution.

Ben

Re: Restoring a Minimoog keyboard

2011-03-13 by Quazimodo

The little springs you mention are situated underneath the actuating levers - like "knees" that pull the draw-bars over, which carry the contact springs onto the bus-bars. You really need to know and understand how the keyboard works... and they should be easy to replace, if you persevere..!

Take yor time, analyse and keep cool..;c) It's not rocket science. Honest.

Let us know how you get on.
Cheerz,
TOM





--- In vintagesynthrepair@yahoogroups.com, Mike de Vries <mrjdevries@...> wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> Easy job to do.. it'll just take some time.
> Â 
> I prefer to take out the old rubber grommets with the keys still attached to keyboard mechanism.
> Â 
> I slice them in half with a scapel or sharp blade, then remove them with some kind of hook. (I actually use a real small allen key)
> Â 
> Once they are all off, and all bits of old rubber are removed, I slide the new ones back on.. also note that they have two different sides.. doesn't really matter which one you choose, but keep them consistent.
> (It does help sliding the new ones on if you use a bit of silicon grease for lubrication.. but the smallest amount)
> Â 
> The grommets will fix up the 'feel' of the keyboard.
> Â 
> As for pitch warble etc, that will most likely be the buss bar contacts. There are plenty of ways to fix that. the easiest would be clean the contacts with isopropyl alcohol and a bunch of cotton buds. This does not always work if the buss bar is badly tarnished.
> Â 
> Kind regards from Australia.
> Â 
> 
> 
> --- On Mon, 14/3/11, bliepelt <bliepelt@...> wrote:
> 
> 
> From: bliepelt <bliepelt@...>
> Subject: [vintagesynthrepair] Restoring a Minimoog keyboard
> To: vintagesynthrepair@yahoogroups.com
> Received: Monday, 14 March, 2011, 5:52 AM
> 
> 
> Â  
> 
> 
> 
> Hi, new to the group and Hello to everyone!
> 
> Might as well jump right in. I have a very nice Minimoog but over the years the keyboard has become practically unusable. There were weird pitch glides and squeaks on certain keys, other stick up.
> 
> So I bought a grommet replacement set and started on my self-assigned task.
> 
> Alas - little springs started to jump out and I gathered all the already disassembled parts and the keyboard up, packing everything into one box in hopes of salvaging the situation somehow.
> 
> I have a quote of $350 for the repair but I wonder if someone might be able to point me in a less expensive direction or if maybe someone has a Minimoog keyboard assembly they'd like to sell me.
> 
> Thanks for reading and hopefully I will find a solution.
> 
> Ben
>

Re: Restoring a Minimoog keyboard

2011-03-14 by Doug

Sounds like you've got good advice from the others on replacing the rubber grommets.

As for the spring contacts and buss bars, I HIGHLY recommend "Deoxit" contact cleaners.  You can get them at Radio Shack.  Spray on, then work the heck out of the keys.  After using other products with so-so results for years, this stuff is incredible on Mini's.!  Works great on the panel switches too.

www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104746


--- In vintagesynthrepair@yahoogroups.com, "bliepelt" <bliepelt@...> wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> Hi, new to the group and Hello to everyone!
> 
> Might as well jump right in. I have a very nice Minimoog but over the years the keyboard has become practically unusable. There were weird pitch glides and squeaks on certain keys, other stick up.
> 
> So I bought a grommet replacement set and started on my self-assigned task.
> 
> Alas - little springs started to jump out and I gathered all the already disassembled parts and the keyboard up, packing everything into one box in hopes of salvaging the situation somehow.
> 
> I have a quote of $350 for the repair but I wonder if someone might be able to point me in a less expensive direction or if maybe someone has a Minimoog keyboard assembly they'd like to sell me.
> 
> Thanks for reading and hopefully I will find a solution.
> 
> Ben
>

Move to quarantaine

This moves the raw source file on disk only. The archive index is not changed automatically, so you still need to run a manual refresh afterward.