Awesome vid thanks man! I had this problem with my Nord Electro 3 73 and I could fix it in no time. At first I was a little bit nervous about opening the Nord and such, also because this video features the Electro 2, but it's almost the same. The only differences are 1.) the 3 73 has three screws at each side 2.) the connector between the top circuitboard (attached to the red piece of the keyboard) and the lower circuitboard has two pins on the side that you need to toggle outwards before you can disconnect. When reconnecting, it will lock automatically 3.) when you unscrew and take the actual 'keyboard' out, there are 3 connectors attached to the circuitboard underneath the keys, two of which are nearly the same as the NE2 and one which is connect to a small, separate chip. Do not try to disconnect this one by pulling it, because the little chip is screwed to the circuitboard. You just have to unscrew that and it'll come off by itself. 4.) The NE3 has contact strips of 16, so I was lucky I only needed to fix C5, that so happens to be was the last one on that strip. Or else I would've have to take the whole strip out. It was a pretty easy fix, and at first I wasn't sure it would work, because the contact wasn't dirty at all. There was just 1 tiiiny black something, but lo and behold, removing that tiiiny speck solved the problem. Hope somebody finds this handy, and good luck!
Very helpful for NE3. Especially the little connector which has to be unscrewed before removing. Where did you order the contact strips? Thanks for your help.
Zach!!!! I used your video yet again!! 2024!!! To fix my Nord electro 6D 73 …. Think I’ve used it 3-4 times over the years to fix different electros when the velocity screws up!!! Thank you yet again!!!
Dude the pencil trick saved my life! Replaced all the contact strips on a stage2 and was getting frustrated trying to get the smaller bumpers in! Cheers mate.
@@jamesfornoff2513 but the when I get to the step "remove jumpers" it's very different in my Electro3...did you not run into that issue? 3 separate ribbons. 2 of them thin and white (almost paper-like) + 1 small multi-wire with red down the side?
This SAVED me!!! My A4 key on my electro 5D one day all of a sudden started to play softer than the rest so we Took it all apart just like this videos There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with the bumper, no noticeable dust or dirt, but we swabbed it with some alcohol, put it back together, and it was right as rain! Not sure why it was wonky, but I wouldn’t have been able to fix it without this vid. THANK YOU FOR THIS VID🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Thank you so much Dude. I just repaired my Nord Electro 3 HP with the help of your video. Until step 6 it was pretty much the same, but instead of getting all the action outside of the case I just lifted them a little bit so I could remove some of the keys. This way I reached the rubber contacts (which are the same on the HP version) and lifted the contact of the dead key. I cleaned underneath the rubber contact with some isopropyl alcohol and reasembled everything. Works perfectly. No need to replace the rubber contacts. Just some cleaning.
This tutorial was a godsend! I bought a used electro 2 that had 2 loud keys, and while I didn't think it could be as easy as just pulling the contacts off and pushing some compressed air in there, wouldn't you know that did just the trick. Not only did this video help me fix the keyboard, but I feel much better knowing how to pull the whole thing apart safely. Thanks!
thanks for the video! really helpful! edit: my keyboard had a frikkin smudge of dirt or dust or something, right under one of those rubbery thingies. I did try to fix it once before, but I was stupid and didn't remove that smudge or I don't know what I did but I didn't fix it, and now after opening it up again YEARS LATER and giving it another shot, I got it to work! believe in yourself folks and open that damn keyboard. you can do it!
Hi Zach, great explanation ! This morning I cleaned and replaced some dead keys on my Nord Electro3 73. They had been bothering my for quite a while. This video gave me the confidence that I could do such a repair myself. You covered all the right steps while reminding of some pitfalls. My Nord sounds right again from lowest F to highest E.
Thanks Zach, second time following your tutorial to fix a dead or stuck key on my electro 2...extremely helpful and took just under an hour from start to finish! Anyone can do this if you follow the very detailed instructions. Thanks again!
Thanks AGAIN! had to fix a note on my Nord Electro 5D-73, referred back to this video! Thank you SO much.... even though there are more screws and they’re hex heads now instead of philips.... ideo essentially helped me the same way!!!! You are awesome!!!!
Zach! I am SO grateful to you posting this video!!! I have referred back to it over ther years since you first posted it! Such a great explanation... and video , I am fixing my 3rd Nord keyboard... all with velocity problems due to dirt interfering with the note..... I have had both full velocity and no sound.... both fixed with this video. THANK YOU!!!!!!! I have somewhat fixed my Nord Electro 6 but the note is still weak after blowing out the contacts. Looks like I’ll need to order a set or 2 of the contact sheets. Again many thanks!!!!
Thank you so much! It took about 3 hours and some creative swearing while trying to get get the nubs to poke through, but once I got the hang of it it wasn't too bad, and it worked perfectly once it was put back together. One comment about this though: I really couldn't find anything wrong with the bubble contacts. Mine weren't cracked or anything. I did notice that the ones that were failing looked like they had some type of film or were a little dirty on the 4 little black points of contact on the circuit board. I used a barely damp cloth to clean them off, of course made sure that they were completely dry (but I barely got them wet so that wasn't hard), then put the whole thing back together, and it worked great. Not sure if my cleaning of the contact point made any difference or if it was just the new bubble contact strips, but thought I should mention that if anyone does the fix and doesn't get the desired result. Good luck out there, & thanks again zlapidus!
I love you and you fixed a great problem. I have, with the aid of this video, solved this problem on a electro 5. You are the man. I felt like Doc Brown when my F started singing again.
Thanks so much for this excellent tutorial; so helpful to be able to play it realtime while I fixed my keyboard. I discovered that the iPhone sim card ejector tool is just perfect for reseating the contact strips - took no time at all. Thanks again!
Thank you man! You just saved my life! Working very well! My Bb was super noisy and that was so annoying! The sound is back! Your video is super clear and the links in the description are very useful!
Dude thank you. I just fixed the middle A flat on my NE3 61 key. The a flat stopped working for the piano settings and then a week later the organ started glitching on that same key. I opened it up and pulled off the little rubber pieces that you replaced in the vid and just cleaned them and put it back in because I couldn't find a rip and now it works fine again. Thank you so so
Hi Zach, Thanks for the vid, it was a great help. I've discovered that the anomaly regarding the screws on the underside is actually because of differences between model revisions. My Electro is the 4D and it has only one screw connecting the upper panel to the base on the underside. Also, there is an additional small cable between the keyboard and the motherboard that needed to be disconnected.
Thanks for sharing this video. I just fixed a dead key on my Nord C2 organ modelling from this video. I didn't find anything wrong with the contact when I finally got to that stage. I thought to cut the row of four contacts from the bass end of the top manual and swap the 'broken' row of four (E4 of the lower manual) anyway as I have a recording session this sunday and didn't have time to order a new contact. After turning on, I had every key working, both the original dead key on the lower manual and the top manual where I had done the contact swap. Makes me think it was a dust or alignment issue … I thought to share as I haven't seen anything like this on the 2 manual organs… Cheers
+Danny May How did you get to the contacts on the lower and upper manuals? There were screws I couldn't reach when I opened up my C1 organ. I gave up because I didn't want to break anything internally. I still have a dead C4 on the lower manual...
This is a great video with detailed instructions. Thanks for posting! Helped put me at ease too as I attempted to fix a dead E on an Electro 4D. Didn't need to change any of the rubber contacts, a simple cleaning sufficed!
Thanks for the video, I have the stage 2 73 so quite similar. But has a couple of extra connections, but as long as you take photos before you should be ok. The screws are exactly the same. This video was a big help. I was able to just clean under the pad and I have just put it back together, with everything crossed it works!!! Cheers.
This was super super helpful. Thanks so much! One thing worth noting- I had a key on my Electro 2 that had lost its velocity sensitivity, and I was able to fix it without replacing the contacts. I took out the contact in question and shot compressed air on it, which did the trick. (I even saw the spec of dirt that was probably the culprit.) But I couldn't have done it without knowing to cut on the line and the mechanical pencil trick!
Thanks very much, Zach. Just fixed my Electro 3 73 with a LOUD A3 key thanks to this video (so great to be able to see what to do) as well as a 13-page photo-illustrated pdf called "Nord Stage EX SW73 Compact Velocity Repair" (google it, folks). But the pdf instructions were kind of intimidating to me and I never would have even tried the repair without this most excellent video. Thanks again. If there is ever a Nord Electro Hall of Fame, I'm nominating you.
Thank you so much for the video. Excellent bookmark links as well so I could skip back during the repair job. I have the Electro 76SW and it's basically the same deal. The bass cable connector is smaller than the connector on the keyboard PCB so you have to be sure to align the connector the the pin 1 line on the cable. Other than that, once I swapped the contact strip with another one higher on the same keybed it seems to work okay. I'll order another to be safe but thanks again!
Thanks so much for this video. I have a Stage 2 which has slightly more complex guts, but basically the same housing. I was able to deconstruct it and clean a bad contact, and now it works. Hallelujah!
Nick Landess Look who I found here. What's up buddy? Hope you and your Nord are doing well. I replaced mine with the Hammond Sk. It's a toss up. They have their pros and cons. Tim Fiato.
Hey Tim - doing well, indeed. Got a Ventilator II to beef up the hammond - it's awesome. Thinking about an sk as a backup. I've heard a local guy playing and sk2 and it sounded great.
I remedied B4 (weak attack and sometimes dead) and D5 (full velocity after lots of use per session) by swapping their respective 4-key sections with the lowest and highest sections. Thanks for the video! I should buy some contact strips as a backup, but for now the "money" keys are in good shape, and the lowest/highest are as good as they need to be.
hey man - this was super helpful - and translates more or less perfectly to the 3 as well. thanks so much for taking the time to do it. worked like a charm.
Thanks man - very cool video - helped me a lot! I have a Nord Electro 3 73, and a few things are different but the basics are the same..... had a little trouble putting back the bass ribbon connector - (it's weird on the newer word's trust me) (the male pin is larger than the connector on the key side.... (makes no sense) .... but I was able to blow clean air on the note (Ab) above middle C - that was giving me full velocity all the time - it's back to normal. Yeah these keyboard get filthy inside - hauling them around all the time - I actually own 2 Nord Electro 3's just in case 1 goes down I have a backup - (pretty decadent - but I work a lot - so can't wait for keyboard repair. Thanks so much for your video !!!! excellent explanations.
It is very generous of you to share this knowledge. At the point when you have the red cover off and the keys fully exposed, is it an easy matter to change a key? Just the plastic key cover, I mean. I'm a piano tech btw: Anything I can help you with anytime. John
Thank you very much, I just fixed my nordmodular keybord the same way, it has only 2 octaves so it's much easier! But the case and all screws are nearly exactly like the big brother! Thanks again for sharing, cheers from Russia !
Great vid, very useful. Turned out there was a crumb (?!) in the contact of the key that wasn't working (on either piano or organ) on my Electro 2 61. All working again now, thanks! x
I watched your video here and learned a lot. Thanks! I need to clean all the top patch switch and perimeter push button contacts on my Nord Piano 2. They are sticking. Any thoughts on accessing that circuit panel where those contacts are and what possibly to expect? I was thinking about cleaning them first with canned air and possibly some audio fader contact cleaner. I value your thoughts and tips on what to possibly expect. Thanks🎹✌🏻
Thanks Zach! Pleased to report this also works for the Electro 4D. There is one extra ribbon inside that is just attached using another screw so, easy to just unscrew and detach.. A tricky thing (for me) was to pay attention to which way the ribbon for treble and bass are configured before unhooking them. I did not... ended up fixing the key and the losing my entire bass side because I put it back on the wrong direction... But I'm a bit slow like that. Thanks again!
Thank you Zach :) this made my day !! I had no new gummipads, but it turned out to be dust under them. had to operate from above, then I have a Nord Electro 3 HP with weighted keys. approximately the same procedure tho :) tangents readily pop out with minimal force. Once again Thank you for spending time to post this :) :) a tip :) I used a paper clip to press down :) bend out one stick, and there you have tools for both the big and the small rubber rods :)
Great video. I have a dead key problem with the D above the middle octave on an Electro 2 61, but I don't have replacement rubber strips yet (didn't want to buy yet for 5 dollars + 14 dollars transport cost to Denmark), so I hoped that if I found that the rubber thing was dirty or whatever I could fix it even without replacement strips. I found that the broken note had one of the small rubber thingies not perfectly stuck in its hole, so I stuck it victoriously but that didn't fix it. I guess until I buy replacement strips I might try to switch the broken strip with another area on the keyboard (such as the lowest octave), in order to minimize the annoyance for the moment... Anyway, just wanted to share my experience. Good luck everyone else! And thanks again for the video!
Hello, thank you very much for your help! I'm having contact problems with two keys, but I'm having trouble fixing them. Can you tell me what screwdriver sizes are needed for each screw? thank you!
I got the same problem with an elektro Nord 3. Are the contact stripes identical for both types. Where can I order the correct type? Thanks for the little hints and tricks, in order not to mess up the whole thing.
fixed my stage 2 which is roughly the same but loads more to take off. Mine had metal filings from the bracket covering the pad? The key to this operation is getting that pad strip completely flush so it sits flat on the PCB. Thanks ever so much for the video though!
Hi..enjoyed your repair video! I have the Nord 4D..my keys all work good but on a couple of sounds are hardly recognizable but that's it the rest of my sounds all work great with no keys out!...very strange! That tells me the problem may be electrical in the pots on effects knobs! Any ideas how to fix that? I,ve sprayed them with electrical spray and it not working much!..any ideas?...Jerry Smith
Repair parts, I would think these contact strips sets are/were originally designed for some industrial device. Parts get cheaper when you can find where they came from. But $ 120.00 would motivate me a lot. Oil on hands (?) , white linen gloves or surgical rubber.
Hi thanks so much for posting this - it's the most informative video I could find on replacing the Nord contact strips. A quick question for you: do you know if the contact strip is responsible for the sustain function? I dropped an amp on my keyboard and the sustain is stuck on from g(71) and higher and am wondering if replacing that half of the circuit board might fix my problem.
Benjamin Hehn Thanks man, you're welcome. Sorry to hear about your keyboard! Um...the contact strip could impact the cutoff of notes, because the bubble stops making contact when you lift a key up, but it sounds like you might have a different problem, as I'd be surprised that the keys wouldn't just be dead outright if the strip was the problem. Maybe you are lucky and a section of strip is misaligned? If I were you, I'd open the keyboard up and see whether there's damage to the circuit board, and make sure the strip is flush with the board. You could also experiment with taking a strip from somewhere else on the piano (somewhere that works, obviously) and swap it in, see if that fixes your problem. Good luck, hope you get it working!
Zach, I have a Nord 2 73 that my brother left me. He passed a few years ago. I treasure it as he played it all the time, and I play it a lot these days. Unfortunately the keys click as I believe the felt needs replacement. Do you know where I can get a felt? I appreciate your expert help.
Same on Stage 2 SW73 Mine had a dud key, was dirty contact. They have a vent to let air in and out of each pad and this seems to be why they suck any dust in that falls between the keys.
Thank you so much for this video! I'd be lost without it. Is your TH-cam name a reference to Saturn's moon, Iapetus, as in Arthur C. Clark's novel, 2001: A Space Odyssey (not the Kubrick film)?
@@zlapidus Hey Zack, I was wondering if you could give me advice. My board is an Electro 2, just like yours in the video. I went ahead and ordered all new key contact circuit boards (I had lots of wonky notes, and doubted my ability to replace the contacts by hand up to factory spec.). After I installed them though, my A3 key was still completely dead, an issue I'd had before. Not a big deal. I checked under the keybed to make sure the actual key was not broken, but it was in the same condition as the others. I figured maybe there was some schmutz in the ribbon connector or something. So I took the board apart again, removed the ribbon cable at both ends, and blew out the ports and connectors with some compressed air. Then I replaced the ribbon cable, and uh-oh: No response from the low side at all! I feared that I damaged the new contact circuit board, so I reconnected the old one and tried some of the functional notes, and still absolutely nothing. The high side of they keyboard plays and sounds absolutely fine. Have you ever had a ribbon cable go bad on you? I pray that it's not the main circuit board. I've tried to be extremely delicate and easy with everything inside of there and keep my hands clean while doing it. I know I sound like a crazy person, but if you have any advice or direction I'd really appreciate the help. I hope for sanity's sake it's only the ribbon cable!
Thanks for the great vid, just took mine apart, had a key that didn't work. Looked like s little spilt beer Replace bubble contact (13) .fixed Then even thought I put in the bubbles for the b flat below middle C (12) It still seems a little loud on PIANO SETTING. any ideas on that? Thanks Craig
Just a tip there is no danger in over torquing the screws when you back them out. A cordless drill would be usefull. But it's when you tighten them is when you need to be careful
Thanks so much for making this video! I have a Nord Electro 5D, and one of my notes does not sound for any patch on the Nord except for Organ. It also does not register as MIDI through a DAW such as Logic (the computer doesn't recognize that I am playing the note even on an Organ MIDI VST). Does this suggest a similar problem, such as dust on one of the contacts or a damaged contact? Thanks!
Hey Reuben, you're welcome -- if it works on the organ sound on the KB but not through MIDI, I'm not sure why that would be -- when my contact was shot, it would register as a Velocity 1 in Logic, and Logic would detect it, even if I couldn't hear it. I'd recommend replacing the strip, maybe that would work?
Getting the rubber strips in is much easier using round toothpicks. Click about an eighth inch of one end and then use that (now fatter) end to push through the fatter rubber protrusions, then use the normal thin end to push in the smaller ones.
I have an Electro 2, and the keys are real noisy/clicky, which leads me to believe that the felt barrier (does it have those?) has slid out somewhere on the lower end of the keyboard. Would I use this same method for that fix?
Help- my NS3 piano 88 keys, one of the keys (low F) works only in organ sounds but not in piano & synth. This is only 4 months old.. seldom used and always have dust cover.
I just called a local keyboard repair shop. I asked if I could purchase contact strips for my Nord Electro 2 from him. He said yes, if I brought the strip in. You mention a "Fatar" contact strip. Is there a model number or recognizable size of the strip I need for the Nord Electro 2? I just put it back together so I could use it until I'm ready to fix it. So, what I need to be able to do is recognize the correct strip without comparing it to the one in the Nord.
They look like this: syntaur.com/Items/4156.html You can look at the picture for comparison. Will probably be sold in groups of 8 or 12 notes. I believe they are the same contacts used in the Korg Triton.
+zlapidus Thanks for your reply....I have been thinking that perhaps I would buy both control panels, which should bring my Nord 2 back to pristine condition. I am guessing but I think buying two of those control/contact strip shells would cost around $120. After looking at your video again, I'm not sure why I would do that, versus replacing the necessary contact strips only, as the second fix would cost much less....Any thoughts on replacing the whole part, instead of just the contact strips?
Thanks Mark! I don't know, never having done it myself on the Nord Electro 3...but another commenter below you said that it translates pretty well to the 3. If it works for you or if anything's different please let me know, as that'd be great info to have. Good luck!
I'm having an issue where a few keys on my Nord Piano 4 will sometimes play a second note just a millisecond after and at the same volume as the first. Do you think the problem might be solved with this method?
Hi, sometimes the keys A, F, Cis, A, F ( right side from middle C ) doesn`t generate sound anymore ( same time work or not, all of them ). Do you have any suggestions?
Would you say the process/mechanism is similar for an Electro 3? I have one and my problem is where one key is stuck at maximum velocity. No warranty. Just nervous of opening it up. The note that is "broken" is C5.
I've had to take apart 2 of my Nords a few times because of dead keys. In each case there was a speck of dirt on the contact. And I mean a speck - about the size of the tip of a hat pin. The first two times was my fault - it was in the days where rock musicians were allowed to smoke in a rock club. So, in two cases, I had to remove a speck of cigarette ash with a soft, clean paint brush. A year ago, somehow, a speck of wood dust got on a contact. Took it apart, brushed it off, put it back together. Problem solved. Nord needs to look into solving the problem of dirt/dust easily getting inside their keyboards. Roland has solved this problem by placing a thin strip of velvet between the top of the keyboard chassis and the top of the keybed. Right now, a couple of keys on my new Nord 88 S2 are creating an unusual clicking sound. These clicking sounds are mechanical related and have nothing to do with dirty contacts. Seems that the weakest links in Nords are the keybed and, lately, noisy power transformers in the Lead A1.
6noteblues i have an electro 2 73 keys. Alot of keys not working these are keys 1,2,3,4,5,6,9,10 and 67. Also the 65 is too loud. is there any suggestions? Do i need new strips? Or only needs cleaning?
yo dude awesome vid, hey i have a problem with aftertouch on one. doesnt work. is this the same issue? is there some other sensor that does the aftertouch? thanks!
Hey paul, thanks for your comment. you know, I don't know, my nord electro 2 just has no aftertouch at all, so i'm not sure where that would be picked up.
Hello, Could you in theory use one of the "unused" notes as a replacement bubble contact for another? would it have enough bumpers to hold it in place?
No, sadly it wouldn't have enough bumpers. Perhaps you could hold it in place with adhesive, but I wouldn't recommend it. If you were to do this, not only would you need to firmly attach the replacement single note, but you'd have to hold down the other 3 notes in the group, as two of the bumpers on a side would not be connected if you did this surgery. I think a string of 4 notes is the minimum you can do.
i have an electro 2 73 keys. Alot of keys not working these are keys 1,2,3,4,5,6,9,10 and 67. Also the 65 is too loud. is there any suggestions? Do i need new strips? Or only needs cleaning?
I don't know. sounds like a whole row of contact strips is out if 1-10 are shot. I would just get new strips, honestly. if any one of those bubble contacts is punctured you'll need to replace the whole strip, even if you end up cleaning out the rest.
Awesome vid thanks man! I had this problem with my Nord Electro 3 73 and I could fix it in no time. At first I was a little bit nervous about opening the Nord and such, also because this video features the Electro 2, but it's almost the same.
The only differences are 1.) the 3 73 has three screws at each side 2.) the connector between the top circuitboard (attached to the red piece of the keyboard) and the lower circuitboard has two pins on the side that you need to toggle outwards before you can disconnect. When reconnecting, it will lock automatically 3.) when you unscrew and take the actual 'keyboard' out, there are 3 connectors attached to the circuitboard underneath the keys, two of which are nearly the same as the NE2 and one which is connect to a small, separate chip. Do not try to disconnect this one by pulling it, because the little chip is screwed to the circuitboard. You just have to unscrew that and it'll come off by itself. 4.) The NE3 has contact strips of 16, so I was lucky I only needed to fix C5, that so happens to be was the last one on that strip. Or else I would've have to take the whole strip out.
It was a pretty easy fix, and at first I wasn't sure it would work, because the contact wasn't dirty at all. There was just 1 tiiiny black something, but lo and behold, removing that tiiiny speck solved the problem.
Hope somebody finds this handy, and good luck!
this is my exact problem with the 73c... will report back.. wish me luck
Very helpful for NE3. Especially the little connector which has to be unscrewed before removing. Where did you order the contact strips?
Thanks for your help.
Very helpful video! Now I have the knowledge (and courage) to fix the keys that play too loudly on my Electro 2. Thank you!
This video saves me every year 🙌
I've used this video to help me fix my nord many times. thanks a million for posting
Zach!!!! I used your video yet again!! 2024!!! To fix my Nord electro 6D 73 …. Think I’ve used it 3-4 times over the years to fix different electros when the velocity screws up!!! Thank you yet again!!!
Dude the pencil trick saved my life! Replaced all the contact strips on a stage2 and was getting frustrated trying to get the smaller bumpers in! Cheers mate.
I found that the back of a needle worked really well too!
Thank you so much! My Electro 3 repair was a bit different but not by much. I really appreciate you taking that time to teach and give confidence.
Did you run into an issue in accessing the contact board?
@@JacobJeffries No. Just a bit tedious using the hand held screw driver.
@@jamesfornoff2513 but the when I get to the step "remove jumpers" it's very different in my Electro3...did you not run into that issue?
3 separate ribbons. 2 of them thin and white (almost paper-like) + 1 small multi-wire with red down the side?
@@JacobJeffries Yes. There are two. I took time to be careful as I separated them.
This SAVED me!!! My A4 key on my electro 5D one day all of a sudden started to play softer than the rest so we Took it all apart just like this videos There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with the bumper, no noticeable dust or dirt, but we swabbed it with some alcohol, put it back together, and it was right as rain! Not sure why it was wonky, but I wouldn’t have been able to fix it without this vid. THANK YOU FOR THIS VID🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Had to go back in today because my filter effect wheel stopped working again. Glad to see this vid was still available. Thanks!
Thank you so much Dude. I just repaired my Nord Electro 3 HP with the help of your video. Until step 6 it was pretty much the same, but instead of getting all the action outside of the case I just lifted them a little bit so I could remove some of the keys. This way I reached the rubber contacts (which are the same on the HP version) and lifted the contact of the dead key. I cleaned underneath the rubber contact with some isopropyl alcohol and reasembled everything. Works perfectly. No need to replace the rubber contacts. Just some cleaning.
This tutorial was a godsend! I bought a used electro 2 that had 2 loud keys, and while I didn't think it could be as easy as just pulling the contacts off and pushing some compressed air in there, wouldn't you know that did just the trick. Not only did this video help me fix the keyboard, but I feel much better knowing how to pull the whole thing apart safely. Thanks!
thanks for the video! really helpful!
edit: my keyboard had a frikkin smudge of dirt or dust or something, right under one of those rubbery thingies. I did try to fix it once before, but I was stupid and didn't remove that smudge or I don't know what I did but I didn't fix it, and now after opening it up again YEARS LATER and giving it another shot, I got it to work! believe in yourself folks and open that damn keyboard. you can do it!
Nice one Zach, thanks for talking me through the process, got my dead key fixed with your help! All the best
Hi Zach, great explanation ! This morning I cleaned and replaced some dead keys on my Nord Electro3 73. They had been bothering my for quite a while. This video gave me the confidence that I could do such a repair myself. You covered all the right steps while reminding of some pitfalls. My Nord sounds right again from lowest F to highest E.
Thanks Zach, second time following your tutorial to fix a dead or stuck key on my electro 2...extremely helpful and took just under an hour from start to finish! Anyone can do this if you follow the very detailed instructions. Thanks again!
Thanks AGAIN! had to fix a note on my Nord Electro 5D-73, referred back to this video! Thank you SO much.... even though there are more screws and they’re hex heads now instead of philips.... ideo essentially helped me the same way!!!! You are awesome!!!!
Zach! I am SO grateful to you posting this video!!! I have referred back to it over ther years since you first posted it! Such a great explanation... and video , I am fixing my 3rd Nord keyboard... all with velocity problems due to dirt interfering with the note..... I have had both full velocity and no sound.... both fixed with this video. THANK YOU!!!!!!! I have somewhat fixed my Nord Electro 6 but the note is still weak after blowing out the contacts. Looks like I’ll need to order a set or 2 of the contact sheets. Again many thanks!!!!
Thank you so much! It took about 3 hours and some creative swearing while trying to get get the nubs to poke through, but once I got the hang of it it wasn't too bad, and it worked perfectly once it was put back together.
One comment about this though: I really couldn't find anything wrong with the bubble contacts. Mine weren't cracked or anything. I did notice that the ones that were failing looked like they had some type of film or were a little dirty on the 4 little black points of contact on the circuit board. I used a barely damp cloth to clean them off, of course made sure that they were completely dry (but I barely got them wet so that wasn't hard), then put the whole thing back together, and it worked great. Not sure if my cleaning of the contact point made any difference or if it was just the new bubble contact strips, but thought I should mention that if anyone does the fix and doesn't get the desired result.
Good luck out there, & thanks again zlapidus!
Thanks this is still super helpful 8 years later! 😃
I love you and you fixed a great problem. I have, with the aid of this video, solved this problem on a electro 5. You are the man. I felt like Doc Brown when my F started singing again.
Thanks so much for this excellent tutorial; so helpful to be able to play it realtime while I fixed my keyboard. I discovered that the iPhone sim card ejector tool is just perfect for reseating the contact strips - took no time at all. Thanks again!
Thank you man! You just saved my life! Working very well! My Bb was super noisy and that was so annoying! The sound is back! Your video is super clear and the links in the description are very useful!
Dude thank you. I just fixed the middle A flat on my NE3 61 key. The a flat stopped working for the piano settings and then a week later the organ started glitching on that same key. I opened it up and pulled off the little rubber pieces that you replaced in the vid and just cleaned them and put it back in because I couldn't find a rip and now it works fine again. Thank you so so
Thanks for the how-to video. Very helpful. Nice playing at the end as well! I'd enjoy hearing a longer vid of some of your talented playing.
Hi Zach, Thanks for the vid, it was a great help. I've discovered that the anomaly regarding the screws on the underside is actually because of differences between model revisions. My Electro is the 4D and it has only one screw connecting the upper panel to the base on the underside. Also, there is an additional small cable between the keyboard and the motherboard that needed to be disconnected.
Thanks for sharing this video. I just fixed a dead key on my Nord C2 organ modelling from this video. I didn't find anything wrong with the contact when I finally got to that stage. I thought to cut the row of four contacts from the bass end of the top manual and swap the 'broken' row of four (E4 of the lower manual) anyway as I have a recording session this sunday and didn't have time to order a new contact. After turning on, I had every key working, both the original dead key on the lower manual and the top manual where I had done the contact swap. Makes me think it was a dust or alignment issue … I thought to share as I haven't seen anything like this on the 2 manual organs… Cheers
+Danny May How did you get to the contacts on the lower and upper manuals? There were screws I couldn't reach when I opened up my C1 organ. I gave up because I didn't want to break anything internally. I still have a dead C4 on the lower manual...
Even after 5 years, an extremely helpful video. Thank you! I will be attempting a similar repair to a Nord Stage 2 Compact.
This is a great video with detailed instructions. Thanks for posting!
Helped put me at ease too as I attempted to fix a dead E on an Electro 4D.
Didn't need to change any of the rubber contacts, a simple cleaning sufficed!
Thanks for the video, I have the stage 2 73 so quite similar. But has a couple of extra connections, but as long as you take photos before you should be ok. The screws are exactly the same. This video was a big help. I was able to just clean under the pad and I have just put it back together, with everything crossed it works!!! Cheers.
This was super super helpful. Thanks so much!
One thing worth noting- I had a key on my Electro 2 that had lost its velocity sensitivity, and I was able to fix it without replacing the contacts. I took out the contact in question and shot compressed air on it, which did the trick. (I even saw the spec of dirt that was probably the culprit.) But I couldn't have done it without knowing to cut on the line and the mechanical pencil trick!
much gratitude for your video that teaches how to safely perform this procedure.
Thanks Jack just repaired my Electro 2 and now it works perfect!
Thank you for making this video.
Ive used this video twice now to fix my Electro 3. Thanks man
Serviced my Nord Electro 5 D by watching this vid.....all went great. Poor key velocity Volume now again perfect .
Many thanks!
Thanks very much, Zach. Just fixed my Electro 3 73 with a LOUD A3 key thanks to this video (so great to be able to see what to do) as well as a 13-page photo-illustrated pdf called "Nord Stage EX SW73 Compact Velocity Repair" (google it, folks). But the pdf instructions were kind of intimidating to me and I never would have even tried the repair without this most excellent video. Thanks again. If there is ever a Nord Electro Hall of Fame, I'm nominating you.
Thank you so much for the video. Excellent bookmark links as well so I could skip back during the repair job. I have the Electro 76SW and it's basically the same deal. The bass cable connector is smaller than the connector on the keyboard PCB so you have to be sure to align the connector the the pin 1 line on the cable. Other than that, once I swapped the contact strip with another one higher on the same keybed it seems to work okay. I'll order another to be safe but thanks again!
Thanks so much for this video. I have a Stage 2 which has slightly more complex guts, but basically the same housing. I was able to deconstruct it and clean a bad contact, and now it works. Hallelujah!
Nick Landess Look who I found here. What's up buddy? Hope you and your Nord are doing well. I replaced mine with the Hammond Sk. It's a toss up. They have their pros and cons. Tim Fiato.
Hey Tim - doing well, indeed. Got a Ventilator II to beef up the hammond - it's awesome. Thinking about an sk as a backup. I've heard a local guy playing and sk2 and it sounded great.
I remedied B4 (weak attack and sometimes dead) and D5 (full velocity after lots of use per session) by swapping their respective 4-key sections with the lowest and highest sections. Thanks for the video! I should buy some contact strips as a backup, but for now the "money" keys are in good shape, and the lowest/highest are as good as they need to be.
Just fixed my Electro 2 by myself in 2023. Thank you!
p.s. I just clean the contacts, instead buying new ones. It works too!
hey man - this was super helpful - and translates more or less perfectly to the 3 as well. thanks so much for taking the time to do it. worked like a charm.
Thanks a lot, glad it helped you, and really glad it works for the 3 too!
Just repaired my stage compact using this video! Saved me money by doing it myself! Thanks for posting this video! Awesome work!
Thank you Zach! I did it to my Electro 4 and actually I just had to swap the ribbons of the bubble contacts to get it back working.
Thanks man - very cool video - helped me a lot! I have a Nord Electro 3 73, and a few things are different but the basics are the same..... had a little trouble putting back the bass ribbon connector - (it's weird on the newer word's trust me) (the male pin is larger than the connector on the key side.... (makes no sense) .... but I was able to blow clean air on the note (Ab) above middle C - that was giving me full velocity all the time - it's back to normal. Yeah these keyboard get filthy inside - hauling them around all the time - I actually own 2 Nord Electro 3's just in case 1 goes down I have a backup - (pretty decadent - but I work a lot - so can't wait for keyboard repair. Thanks so much for your video !!!! excellent explanations.
It is very generous of you to share this knowledge. At the point when you have the red cover off and the keys fully exposed, is it an easy matter to change a key? Just the plastic key cover, I mean. I'm a piano tech btw: Anything I can help you with anytime. John
Thank you very much, I just fixed my nordmodular keybord the same way, it has only 2 octaves so it's much easier! But the case and all screws are nearly exactly like the big brother! Thanks again for sharing, cheers from Russia !
Wow. You are the most thorough teacher. Thank you! Gonna try this out now
Great vid, very useful. Turned out there was a crumb (?!) in the contact of the key that wasn't working (on either piano or organ) on my Electro 2 61. All working again now, thanks! x
Fixed my Electro 5D 73!! Thanks for posting this!
Rad tutorial. Thanks Zach! Will be endeavoring to fix my board soon…
I watched your video here and learned a lot. Thanks! I need to clean all the top patch switch and perimeter push button contacts on my Nord Piano 2. They are sticking. Any thoughts on accessing that circuit panel where those contacts are and what possibly to expect? I was thinking about cleaning them first with canned air and possibly some audio fader contact cleaner. I value your thoughts and tips on what to possibly expect. Thanks🎹✌🏻
Thanks Zach! Pleased to report this also works for the Electro 4D. There is one extra ribbon inside that is just attached using another screw so, easy to just unscrew and detach.. A tricky thing (for me) was to pay attention to which way the ribbon for treble and bass are configured before unhooking them. I did not... ended up fixing the key and the losing my entire bass side because I put it back on the wrong direction... But I'm a bit slow like that. Thanks again!
Thank you Zach :)
this made my day !! I had no new gummipads, but it turned out to be dust under them. had to operate from above, then I have a Nord Electro 3 HP with weighted keys. approximately the same procedure tho :) tangents readily pop out with minimal force. Once again Thank you for spending time to post this :) :)
a tip :) I used a paper clip to press down :) bend out one stick, and there you have tools for both the big and the small rubber rods :)
I am having trouble at the "remove jumpers" step with my Nord Electro3HP...different jumper/ribbons than the video here...any suggestions?
cheers! very helpful! I have a key on my stage 2 which is doing something similar.... I'm assuming it's going to be a similar fix.
Saved me some money there!. Had problem with note sounding loud quick removal and clean up did the trick
Great video. I have a dead key problem with the D above the middle octave on an Electro 2 61, but I don't have replacement rubber strips yet (didn't want to buy yet for 5 dollars + 14 dollars transport cost to Denmark), so I hoped that if I found that the rubber thing was dirty or whatever I could fix it even without replacement strips. I found that the broken note had one of the small rubber thingies not perfectly stuck in its hole, so I stuck it victoriously but that didn't fix it. I guess until I buy replacement strips I might try to switch the broken strip with another area on the keyboard (such as the lowest octave), in order to minimize the annoyance for the moment... Anyway, just wanted to share my experience. Good luck everyone else! And thanks again for the video!
Craig here, Not Mary like I just commented,using her name, Anyway dude you are a lifesaver ...Craig
Hello, thank you very much for your help!
I'm having contact problems with two keys, but I'm having trouble fixing them.
Can you tell me what screwdriver sizes are needed for each screw?
thank you!
I got the same problem with an elektro Nord 3. Are the contact stripes identical for both types. Where can I order the correct type?
Thanks for the little hints and tricks, in order not to mess up the whole thing.
fixed my stage 2 which is roughly the same but loads more to take off. Mine had metal filings from the bracket covering the pad? The key to this operation is getting that pad strip completely flush so it sits flat on the PCB. Thanks ever so much for the video though!
hey thanks alot!! this helped me repair some dead keys on my nord lead
Sooooooo helpful. Tremendous thanks for sharing this wisdom.
Hi..enjoyed your repair video! I have the Nord 4D..my keys all work good but on a couple of sounds are hardly recognizable but that's it the rest of my sounds all work great with no keys out!...very strange! That tells me the problem may be electrical in the pots on effects knobs! Any ideas how to fix that? I,ve sprayed them with electrical spray and it not working much!..any ideas?...Jerry Smith
Thank you so much for this thorough video! You saved me!
Thank you zlapidus, this helped me very much!
Repair parts, I would think these contact strips sets are/were originally designed for some industrial device. Parts get cheaper when you can find where they came from. But $ 120.00 would motivate me a lot. Oil on hands (?) , white linen gloves or surgical rubber.
Hi thanks so much for posting this - it's the most informative video I could find on replacing the Nord contact strips. A quick question for you: do you know if the contact strip is responsible for the sustain function? I dropped an amp on my keyboard and the sustain is stuck on from g(71) and higher and am wondering if replacing that half of the circuit board might fix my problem.
Benjamin Hehn Thanks man, you're welcome. Sorry to hear about your keyboard! Um...the contact strip could impact the cutoff of notes, because the bubble stops making contact when you lift a key up, but it sounds like you might have a different problem, as I'd be surprised that the keys wouldn't just be dead outright if the strip was the problem. Maybe you are lucky and a section of strip is misaligned? If I were you, I'd open the keyboard up and see whether there's damage to the circuit board, and make sure the strip is flush with the board. You could also experiment with taking a strip from somewhere else on the piano (somewhere that works, obviously) and swap it in, see if that fixes your problem. Good luck, hope you get it working!
Zach, I have a Nord 2 73 that my brother left me. He passed a few years ago. I treasure it as he played it all the time, and I play it a lot these days. Unfortunately the keys click as I believe the felt needs replacement. Do you know where I can get a felt? I appreciate your expert help.
Thank you but kindly share a link to buy one of these rubber strips
Hey Brother awesome video! Do you think the contact strips shown in this video will be exactly the same for an electro 4?
what is the whole part number? Where can i buy it?. Good job friend. Im from Perou. Thanks
Same on Stage 2 SW73 Mine had a dud key, was dirty contact. They have a vent to let air in and out of each pad and this seems to be why they suck any dust in that falls between the keys.
Fixed a dodgy G key on my Electro 5D 61. Thanks!
Thank you so much for this video! I'd be lost without it. Is your TH-cam name a reference to Saturn's moon, Iapetus, as in Arthur C. Clark's novel, 2001: A Space Odyssey (not the Kubrick film)?
You’re welcome, glad it helped. No, it’s my actual name. Some of us are just lucky, I guess.
@@zlapidus Hey Zack, I was wondering if you could give me advice. My board is an Electro 2, just like yours in the video. I went ahead and ordered all new key contact circuit boards (I had lots of wonky notes, and doubted my ability to replace the contacts by hand up to factory spec.). After I installed them though, my A3 key was still completely dead, an issue I'd had before. Not a big deal. I checked under the keybed to make sure the actual key was not broken, but it was in the same condition as the others. I figured maybe there was some schmutz in the ribbon connector or something. So I took the board apart again, removed the ribbon cable at both ends, and blew out the ports and connectors with some compressed air. Then I replaced the ribbon cable, and uh-oh: No response from the low side at all! I feared that I damaged the new contact circuit board, so I reconnected the old one and tried some of the functional notes, and still absolutely nothing. The high side of they keyboard plays and sounds absolutely fine. Have you ever had a ribbon cable go bad on you? I pray that it's not the main circuit board. I've tried to be extremely delicate and easy with everything inside of there and keep my hands clean while doing it. I know I sound like a crazy person, but if you have any advice or direction I'd really appreciate the help. I hope for sanity's sake it's only the ribbon cable!
Thanks for the great vid, just took mine apart, had a key that didn't work. Looked like s little spilt beer Replace bubble contact (13) .fixed Then even thought I put in the bubbles for the b flat below middle C (12) It still seems a little loud on PIANO SETTING. any ideas on that? Thanks Craig
Just a tip there is no danger in over torquing the screws when you back them out. A cordless drill would be usefull. But it's when you tighten them is when you need to be careful
Thanks so much for making this video! I have a Nord Electro 5D, and one of my notes does not sound for any patch on the Nord except for Organ. It also does not register as MIDI through a DAW such as Logic (the computer doesn't recognize that I am playing the note even on an Organ MIDI VST). Does this suggest a similar problem, such as dust on one of the contacts or a damaged contact? Thanks!
Hey Reuben, you're welcome -- if it works on the organ sound on the KB but not through MIDI, I'm not sure why that would be -- when my contact was shot, it would register as a Velocity 1 in Logic, and Logic would detect it, even if I couldn't hear it. I'd recommend replacing the strip, maybe that would work?
Lapidus, like in LOST!
Huge help! Thanks so much for this!!!
used this to clean out my rev2 which i spilled sweet tea on (OOOOOP). Thank you!
Getting the rubber strips in is much easier using round toothpicks. Click about an eighth inch of one end and then use that (now fatter) end to push through the fatter rubber protrusions, then use the normal thin end to push in the smaller ones.
I have an Electro 2, and the keys are real noisy/clicky, which leads me to believe that the felt barrier (does it have those?) has slid out somewhere on the lower end of the keyboard. Would I use this same method for that fix?
Help- my NS3 piano 88 keys, one of the keys (low F) works only in organ sounds but not in piano & synth. This is only 4 months old.. seldom used and always have dust cover.
I can't seem to access Nord Electro 3HP contact board. That step seems to be different from this video...any ideas?
I just called a local keyboard repair shop. I asked if I could purchase contact strips for my Nord Electro 2 from him. He said yes, if I brought the strip in. You mention a "Fatar" contact strip. Is there a model number or recognizable size of the strip I need for the Nord Electro 2? I just put it back together so I could use it until I'm ready to fix it. So, what I need to be able to do is recognize the correct strip without comparing it to the one in the Nord.
They look like this: syntaur.com/Items/4156.html You can look at the picture for comparison. Will probably be sold in groups of 8 or 12 notes. I believe they are the same contacts used in the Korg Triton.
+zlapidus Thanks for your reply....I have been thinking that perhaps I would buy both control panels, which should bring my Nord 2 back to pristine condition. I am guessing but I think buying two of those control/contact strip shells would cost around $120. After looking at your video again, I'm not sure why I would do that, versus replacing the necessary contact strips only, as the second fix would cost much less....Any thoughts on replacing the whole part, instead of just the contact strips?
+Terry Pursell I have upgraded to the NE 5, less than 30 days ago. So, whatever I do to the NE2 is for having a working product to sell.
Great help thank you, would it be very different for the Nord Electro 3 ?
Thanks Mark! I don't know, never having done it myself on the Nord Electro 3...but another commenter below you said that it translates pretty well to the 3. If it works for you or if anything's different please let me know, as that'd be great info to have. Good luck!
THANKS! well done and very helpful. you're a great player. nice stanky chords :)
I'm having an issue where a few keys on my Nord Piano 4 will sometimes play a second note just a millisecond after and at the same volume as the first. Do you think the problem might be solved with this method?
Interesting to see that the electronic board looks like it is the same than on suzuki piano and other labels.
a tip :) I used a paper clip to press down :) bend out one stick, and there you have tools for both the big and the small rubber rods :)
Hi thank you for this video but would this be the same process for the nord stage 2 or is it a little different?
Very helpful video!
Hi, sometimes the keys A, F, Cis, A, F ( right side from middle C ) doesn`t generate sound anymore ( same time work or not, all of them ). Do you have any suggestions?
Would you say the process/mechanism is similar for an Electro 3? I have one and my problem is where one key is stuck at maximum velocity. No warranty. Just nervous of opening it up. The note that is "broken" is C5.
I've had to take apart 2 of my Nords a few times because of dead keys. In each case there was a speck of dirt on the contact. And I mean a speck - about the size of the tip of a hat pin. The first two times was my fault - it was in the days where rock musicians were allowed to smoke in a rock club. So, in two cases, I had to remove a speck of cigarette ash with a soft, clean paint brush. A year ago, somehow, a speck of wood dust got on a contact. Took it apart, brushed it off, put it back together. Problem solved. Nord needs to look into solving the problem of dirt/dust easily getting inside their keyboards. Roland has solved this problem by placing a thin strip of velvet between the top of the keyboard chassis and the top of the keybed. Right now, a couple of keys on my new Nord 88 S2 are creating an unusual clicking sound. These clicking sounds are mechanical related and have nothing to do with dirty contacts. Seems that the weakest links in Nords are the keybed and, lately, noisy power transformers in the Lead A1.
6noteblues i have an electro 2 73 keys. Alot of keys not working these are keys 1,2,3,4,5,6,9,10 and 67. Also the 65 is too loud. is there any suggestions? Do i need new strips? Or only needs cleaning?
yo dude awesome vid, hey i have a problem with aftertouch on one. doesnt work. is this the same issue? is there some other sensor that does the aftertouch? thanks!
Hey paul, thanks for your comment. you know, I don't know, my nord electro 2 just has no aftertouch at all, so i'm not sure where that would be picked up.
You saved my day! Thanx a lot!
soooooo helpful. Thank you so much for the vid.!!!
Hello,
Could you in theory use one of the "unused" notes as a replacement bubble contact for another? would it have enough bumpers to hold it in place?
No, sadly it wouldn't have enough bumpers. Perhaps you could hold it in place with adhesive, but I wouldn't recommend it. If you were to do this, not only would you need to firmly attach the replacement single note, but you'd have to hold down the other 3 notes in the group, as two of the bumpers on a side would not be connected if you did this surgery. I think a string of 4 notes is the minimum you can do.
Thanks!! Great video
i have an electro 2 73 keys. Alot of keys not working these are keys 1,2,3,4,5,6,9,10 and 67. Also the 65 is too loud. is there any suggestions? Do i need new strips? Or only needs cleaning?
I don't know. sounds like a whole row of contact strips is out if 1-10 are shot. I would just get new strips, honestly. if any one of those bubble contacts is punctured you'll need to replace the whole strip, even if you end up cleaning out the rest.