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Vintage Synth Repair

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Korg Trident keyboard contact

Korg Trident keyboard contact

2017-05-06 by peter@...

Hey everyone,


I'm fixing a Korg Trident (Mk I).
As you can see the small piece of wire soldered to the contact springs has fallen off on a couple of them and they need to be replaced.
http://i.imgur.com/0NiJgfg.jpg

Does anybody know:

1. EXACTLY what wire they used for the contact area on these?

2. A GOOD replacement that will take solder and won't tarnish in a couple of decades?

For 1, I suspect it's the same wire material as the one wound around the plastic "bus bar", seeing as it hasn't tarnished like the springs, it's most likely a precious metal, probably plating. I'm thinking gold plated copper wire, but I prefer not to guess, so does anybody know for sure?

For 2, again I'm thinking gold plated copper wire, like jeweller stuff. 18k plating perhaps since it's more durable and 24k plating might wear off too easily? But maybe it'll wear off too quickly anyway, so possibly even solid 18k gold wire, but that's kind of expensive.

Also, any tricks to soldering these? Heat dissipation... Plating releasing from the wire.. Regular solder working with whatever alloy it is...

Cheers,

Peter


Re: Korg Trident keyboard contact

2017-05-16 by hr.public@...

Could that be pure gold wire? Reason for guessing it’s a expensive material is the fact it is so short.

If it is pure gold I would try to contact a jewel maker if you intent are to restore to original.

If not there are the possibility to solder new contact material to both sides of the switch.


hans

Re: Korg Trident keyboard contact

2017-05-22 by winking_n_nodding@...

I am sure that that will be fine. The original contact was copied from cross bar switches, because it was proven technology for the 1930s.

I would just solder a gold plated key contact wire in place of the broke contact wire, because I do not have a spot wielder that was used back then. But gold is softer and you will not get the million cycles out of it that was wanted back in the day with both the bus rod and the contact cross connecting.

Many in this group probably have a contact of this type or similar in their junk draw that you might salvage the actual wire from. I will keep an eye open. They once were common spare parts.

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