Korg 01/W sticky keys repair

This is meant to be a description of my experiences concerning the „sticky keys“ problem with the Korg 01/W. See the excellent On-Line Guide to the 01/W by Ken Westover or join the 01/W mailing list to get more information on the 01/W. Maybe you want to listen to the 01/W factory demo while reading this stuff. Recorded it with the 01/W directly plugged into the AX-44 expansion unit of my Yamaha DSP-Factory.


Update (May 15, 2007):
Emmanuel KATZ sent me his french translation Réparation du symptôme des «touches collantes» du KORG 01/w of this article with the kind offer to provide it here for download, available either as zipped MS Word document (8.2 MB) or as PDF file (1.5 MB).
Besides owning and playing synths like Korg 01/W, Korg 707, Roland U-20 and E-MU Classic Keys, Emmanuel’s profession is being a project leader in development. Visit him at OSymbian.com.


Update (May 20, 2007):
Robert Viands posted a link to his website where he describes his experiences with fixing sticky keys on the 01/W without taking it completely apart. Check this out.


Update (August 03, 2008):
My 01/W suffered from a „no sound“ problem due to leaking electrolytic capacitors on the mainboard. See this article for a description of how this could be remedied.


Got the 01/W in 1992 as the winner of the monthly Keyboards Give-Away. Since then there were many hours playing the instrument on stage and at home. About four years ago some keys moved more and more sluggishly until they finally got stuck every now and then. Recently the battery went low and I decided to get rid of the problems by fixing them myself.

Unplugged the power cable and put the 01/W on a thick cloth to prevent damage on the panel. Removed the bottom plate and looked at tons of printed circuit boards. Decided to avoid static electricity and sat down to have a coffee and meditate.

bottom-side up

The joystick panel shield. It had to be removed to get the keyboard out.

joystick-panel

Part of the CPU board. The CPU board had to be removed to get the keyboard out. Red circle showing the battery holder. The battery is a CR2032.

part of the CPU board

The aftertouch board and a closer look on the activator strip.

aftertouch board and a closer look on the activator strip

The CPU board after being removed. Again decided to strictly avoid static electricity.

CPU board after being removed

Lots of screws lying around well assorted for later reassembly.

lots of screws

Even more screws, and again assorted.

even more srews

The keyboard after being removed without any hurts. Thought the fridge would be a nice background. Paid attention to the aftertouch strip.

keyboard after being removed

The aftertouch strip.

aftertouch strip

The remains of the 01/W, bottom-view.

remains of the 01/W

The remains of the 01/W, top-view. Nice fridge, isn’t it?

remains of the 01/W

The keyboard viewed from the left. Tried to come across the mechanism. Basically it all works without the grease. The key is hanging on a small plastic clamp on the bottom side. The action feeling is produced by the combination of a spring in the middle and a lead weight on the inner front.

keyboard viewed from the left

It took some time, still tried. I have learned that it is not just the lubricant getting sticky which then causes problems but the lubricant combined with the dust & dirt getting stuck even worse then in the mechanism. After cleaning the keyboard it slightly worked without any grease as there is nothing in it to rub inherently. The lubricant does it’s job if you deeply strike the keyboard bending the keys to the left or right.

took some time..

Meanwhile put the keyboard onto the table and removed the fixing strip.

the fixing strip

Removed a key and meditated.

removed a key

Removed some more keys and meditated.

removed some more keys

Removed all keys and suddenly knew where all the dust and dirt had gone. Ken Westover writes: „Several users highly recommend completely removing the delicate activator strip before doing any work. This takes more time, but activators are easily damaged while working on the keys.“ Didn’t believe this and thus had to pay my bill: Later, while re-fixing the keys, there were three activators bent off. Thank god, they did not break and I had a fair chance to fix it. Of course, I had to remove the activator strip for this, so why not do it right now ?

removed all keys

Cleaned the keyboard and fussily removed the sticky old grease. Spent a long time looking for the right lubricant. Took an ivory key with grease on it and went to some electronic and modelling shops to hear what they would recommend. Actually Klüberpaste, which is also used for VCR or tape-deck repairs, made it. Did not try teflon-lubricants that may be the better choice in the long run (out of stock). Prepared 10ml of Klüberpaste in a shot.

cleaned the keyboard

The freshly greased keyboard. Needed only 2ml. Reassembled my 01/W and got lucky. It’s a bit like having a new one. New battery and one of the best keyboards one can have. Don’t know how long the lubricant will do it, but yet it works great.

freshly greased keyboard

PS: Still great in 2022 ;-)

168 Responses to “Korg 01/W sticky keys repair”

  1. HanS sagt:

    Hello – I have a sticky key problem with only 1 key of my 01/W. I called the service store and they charge over 200$+ to repair this. Your experience with the same problem is very interesting and I printed out all the steps mentioned above. My only fear or concern is the activator strip. I don’t want to break even more the keyboard while trying to fixe only 1 stickey key. Any hint, more details, or explanation about this activator strip. How to remove? What to pay attention to? Any more pictures on this specific part? MANY THANKS in advance for your help!!! =) HanS

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Hans,

      fixing just one key is the same time and effort as fixing all keys, at least if you do it the way I did. And as far as I know there is no other way around and no kind of „quick fix“ available, even not i.e. for replacing a single key which for other instruments can sometimes be done in a few seconds and without disassembly.

      I would recommend to either do the „whole thing“ right now or maybe later until more than one key got sticky. Alternatively you may try Ken’s Online Guide for other people’s recommendations.

      No need to be afraid of dealing with this activator strip, just remove it before removing keys and install it after installing the keys and there will be no problem.

      All the best ;-) and sorry: no other pictures available.

  2. paul sagt:

    I live in st. louis mo. I bought my 01w pro new in the 80’s and never needed any repairs to it. Really amazing that it kept on working so well.But now I would like to have my 01w referbished like new. do you know if korg would do that or if there are any repair men that love these keyboards that would repair all the problems. Yours Truly Paul

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Paul, many thanks for your interest. The 01/W and probably all other Korg synths are truly built to last decades. Did you try Korg’s Service Locator at their US website? Just did, and found two service shops nearby you. Hope this helps.

  3. John sagt:

    Having dismantled my O1W, on several occasions, to re position the offending spring it occurred to me that it might be possible to remove a single key without dismantling the keyboard.

    Would it not be feasible to remove a side panel, after removing the bottom plate, and then slide out the white strip that keeps the keys in place thus enabling you to remove the offending key from the front in order to reposition the spring. I don’t think there would be a problem doing this „blind“ provided you have a clear understanding of how the mechanism works.

    This possible idea came to me after having put the keyboard together, so there may be some obvious reason why it can’t be done this way and to be honest can’t be asked to remove the bottom plate AGAIN!! to have a look… your comments would be appreciated. John

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi John, nice idea but would not be feasible IMO for several reasons: left side panel is not available (joystick), right side panel only remains. After being unscrewed, you would need a long-nose pliers to take hold of the white strip, thereby maybe damaging the strip or the top white key (strip would not just slip out but needed to be pulled forcefully). Finally, a key has to be lifted upwards for removal, but as the keyboard is still mounted there is no opportunity to do so. Just my 2 cents, anyway ;-)
      Thanks and best regards, Hajo

  4. Bernard sagt:

    I finally got around to fixing my sticky keys using your pics as my guide and lo and behold, I too have keys that feel like butter. I love it. Thanks so much for the info.

  5. wc sagt:

    hi,
    thanks for that excellent description. i lost my concerns whether
    i can do that. in 5 minutes i changed the battery. everything works
    now fine again.
    tip: be careful when turning the 01w upside down an put
    two wood blocks under the 01w to avoid damage to the keys and
    the control stick.
    wolfgang

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Wolfgang,
      thanks for your comment and suggestion. To underlay cushioned wood blocks or styrofoam is fine art on a real life workbench, and it is always recommended over dropping your pants and putting the 01/W on the kitchen table ;-)

  6. Dave sagt:

    Hi Hajo,

    I’ve been using your guide to take apart a recently acquired 01/W, a nostalgic sonic replacement for an 01/W Pro-X I parted with several years ago. This will be a display backlight (and battery) replacement operation.

    One question – is there any need to remove the plastic joystick panel assembly to get the panel PCB out? I don’t suppose you snapped a photo of the underside of the 01/W with the keyboard removed?

    I’m hoping things will become a bit clearer once I get the keyboard out (next step). Thanks for keeping this page active – your photos have been a tremendous help in deciphering the Korg (dis)assembly so far.

    Best,
    Dave

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Dave,

      thanks for your interest and compliments. There is no need to remove the joystick panel itself, it is just the panel’s shield (a foil) that will get loose if you unscrew the keyboard. The corresponding photo is this one:

      http://hajo.kessener.net/wp-content/posts/01w/01w-08.jpg

    • Hajo sagt:

      Well, just looked at the photo again and must admit that you may have to remove the panel after all. But if you do, it shouldn’t make things much more complicated. Sorry, I cannot answer your question exactly ;-|

    • Dave sagt:

      Hi Hajo,

      Your second reply more or less sums it up. After removing the keyboard, I removed the long silver cross-member (with big foil still attached). Doing so forces you to remove about half of the joystick panel screws at the same time.

      The cross-member lifts right out, and then the display/control PCB is a piece of cake. You can probably get away with not removing the cross-member, but PCB removal and later alignment during reassembly could get nasty. For anyone attempting this job, keep track of all those screws!

      Thanks for that photo! You should add that one to the body of this page – you’ll end up with an excellent how-to guide for completing most of the additional disassembly for getting at the display.

      Best,
      Dave

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Dave,

      thanks for your detailed report and clarification, much appreciated.
      The photo is in the body, it seems that you’ve overlooked it.

      Kind regards,
      Hajo

  7. Lemel sagt:

    I fixed the keys on my kork 01/w bu now when I put it back together the power doesn’t come on. Im not using the power cord that came with teh keyboard I was attemping to use a computer power cord. Could that be why I isn’t working, or did I forget to plug something back in. I just looked one of teh pictures and I think I forgot to plug something back in I will try to make the picture match teh keyboard and see what happens. Ill get back to you inf it fixes the problem.

  8. Daniel sagt:

    Dear friend,

    We need repair 03 keyboard Korg 01/W. Both are with defect in sound.
    Can you send Service Maual or just Block Diagramn?

    Thank you

    Daniel

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Daniel,
      I’m sorry but I don’t have the schematics or a block diagram. Honest. You may try to ask Ken Westover wether he is able and willing to help you out. Of course, the best bet would be Korg US.

      Kind regards,
      Hajo

  9. Gianluca sagt:

    Great!!, I’ve buyed a old 01, great sounds (some years ago I played with a T3) but sticky keys, I’ll try to use your „repairing manual“ after having found the correct lubricant.
    I’m searching also a sound editor for this keyboard, free download, do you know where I can find it?

    Ciao!!

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Gianluca,
      I’ve never used an editor software with my 01/W. Call me a lamer, but I mostly prefer third party patches over my own creations on the 01/W.
      Moreover, I’ve never felt really comfortable with editor programs, so I stopped to observe what’s going on in this area.

      Sorry and regards,
      Hajo

  10. nacjalil sagt:

    merci beaucoup

  11. Rob Doak sagt:

    This site’s a great resource but so far hasn’t covered my O1/W problem.

    I get digital distortion of patches and combos (hashing noises, variable volume, random notes, etc.). The basic sound generation is probably okay with a later effects stage stuffing it up.

    The global section, disc drive, etc. still works okay, and I use the synth as an unweighted midi controller.

    The problem was looked at by a technician, who advised that the motherboard required replacement at ~$1,500. Does this sound like the problem? Are cheaper motherboards available in the US (I’m in Australia)?

    Rob

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Rob,

      here’s a little story: When I got my brand new 01/W in 1992 from a german mag’s Give-Away I soon wondered about a slight but noticeable digital noise floor on any sound playing, no matter if I listened to it over headphones or speakers. Then I called Korg Germany and visited them (a few hundred kilometers by car) to get it professionally serviced. The technicians fixed it and told me that they had resoldered some cold joints on the D/A converter (possibly some of the less significant bits).

      Referring to your description, this solution won’t apply to your 01/W, but it shows that only deeply qualified technicians will have a chance to locate and fix errors on the complex 01’s mainboard; I’m not sure if I’d been successful asking the next organ or guitar repair shop. My recommendation for you is to ask Korg Australia for an estimate and if they want more than what would cost another 01/W on eBay then you should go for the latter.

      Hope this helps,
      Hajo

  12. RobD sagt:

    Hello to all,
    My wife has owned a 01/W proX for about 9 years (we bought it 2nd hand). I must say I have always been very impressed with it and what it can do. I’m a drummer my self and i don’t play keyboards. Anyway recently I have notied the screen fade on it. Even with the contrast up full u can see the text but it is very dark. Is this a common problem and can I get it repaired? and how much to repair or can I fix it myself?

    Any help is much appreciated, Thanks!
    RobD

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Rob,

      this is a common problem on LC displays with an EL (electroluminiscence) backlight; EL backlights have a limited lifetime and get dim over the years.

      Basically the LC display is a piece of glass mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). Between the glass and the PCB there is a plastic foil (the EL foil) that lights up the display from the back. Now you can either replace the whole display or just dismantle the display and pull out the foil to replace it. In both cases you’ll have to completely dismantle the 01/W and know how to use a soldering iron, so depending on your own technical abilities it may be better to have it done by a professional.

      See this german website for a replacement howto with fotos; they also offer EL foils for the 01/W and many other instruments with shipping worldwide. And if you search for „01/W backlight“ on eBay.com it brings up a seller in the US.

      Hope this helps,
      Hajo

    • RobD sagt:

      Thanks for the fast response and the help! I’ve taken apart the keyboard before to replace the battery. Is it much more of an effort in taking the keyboard apart for replacement of the backlight? (just to pull it out I mean).
      I live in Australia too and I know there is not much support for keyboards like these so I do the most I can on it myself, as most companies here will give you the runaround.
      Thanks
      RobD.

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Rob,

      if you look at this photo on my page you’ll get an impression of the effort needed on the 01/W, yet the shielding foil and possibly the panelboard wait for removal until you get your hands on the display. Due to the different housing it may be less or more difficult on the proX.

      The most important rule for this kind of „missions“ is to keep your mind cool and your workplace assorted, so let yourself time and expect it to take at least one day.

      Regards,
      Hajo

  13. Doc sagt:

    Hi Hajo, my O1/w has developed the „sticky key“ problem gradually over the last few years. I’m determined to fix this myself and your site has inspired me. I’ll let you know how it goes.
    Where there any particular stages you would have liked more photos of ?
    My problem is only with a few black keys – is that common or do the white keys develope the same condition ?

    Cheers
    Doc
    Australia

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Doc,

      on my 01/W it also were mainly the black keys that got stuck. I do not have a clear explanation for it, probably this is due to the different lever balancing.

      Your photos and comments are welcome – there’s not much traffic on my website in general but the 01/W page is very popular, so obviously people share a lot of interest in this. Drop me a line if I should link to your website, or send me your photos and comments and I will put them in here.

      Good luck for your repair.

      Kind regards,
      Hajo

  14. Giancarlo sagt:

    Hi Hajo,

    I’m owner of a Wavestation EX with one single black sticky key. Being in the middle of keyboard I want to fix it, and I think I’ll try soon your guide. My sticky key is just something out of his place, I think is the spring as the key remains ‚pressed‘, it seems the spring is just out of place.

    All other keys are ok … I have to use lubrificant or can I simply disassemble the all thing and try to fix that single key/spring? Any other simpler way available in your opinion?

    Anyway thanks for your great and uniqie work.

    Giancarlo

  15. Joshua sagt:

    Hi. I have a 01/W, and unfortunately, some time ago a fender guitar belt mounting screw got inside (on the lower metal covering) and since then the synth powers up, and then the „01/W“ – script freezes and remains that way. In the meantime the synth was in service many times, but no repairguy ever had enough patience to find the little thing that died. A few days ago I bought a 01/W fd, and I was thinking about taking them together to a friend who’s a repairguy, maybe he can check the components one by one in one and then the other synth, or am I just a romantic? :) Because korg Croatia told me I shuould sell it for parts when I described the problem, they never even tried to fix it….

  16. homey sagt:

    worked great thank for the lesson

  17. Rudy sagt:

    Hi, I have been an 01/w owner for over 12 years now. I have owned 3 different 01’s. As for Rob Doak’s problem..I too had the same issue…. some sounds were distorted. I took it a pro repair guy and told me that one of he sound engine processors had gone bad…repair would cost over $800.00 bucks!! I sold that board for parts and got another on ebay. I currently have an 0/1 that has a „popped up key“ and the back light is kinda dim. I will probably fix these myself. I have opened an 01/w before, one that was none functioning so I kinda know my way around it…but your page surely is of great help. I will let you know how it goes. Bottom line the 01/W is the one of the greatest boards ever. Thanks

  18. sassophono sagt:

    hey there. my o1/w circa 1991 has been sitting in my closet for 2 years. when it went into the closet the only problem was the battery and one sticky black key. everything else had been working great, but i just wasn’t using it. i just slid it out of the closet yesterday and stupidly caught it on something i didn’t see and it broke 2 black and 2 white keys (g, a flat, a, b flat) in a cluster in the middle of the keyboard. Upon opening the bottom cover, it’s clear they’re no longer seated and there are plastic bits shuffling around in the case.

    naturally insanely upset with myself now, i am inclined to disassemble and repair it myself…

    i probably would want to clean and fix the one sticky key and overhaul the rest while i’m at it according to your guidance here (thanks). also probably would want to change the LCD display as it is a bit dim… so i would need that part as well.

    can i get replacement keys from korg or elsewhere? what about the LCD display? are there part numbers?

    -or- do you know someone in the area who might want to fix it for me for cheap? i’m in San Francisco CA…

    any guidance and advice you can give would be greatly appreciated. thanks Hajo!

    • Rudy sagt:

      Sassophono,
      I can get the keys you need…I need to know exactly which keys they are and I can get them for you at a great price. Just let me know.

  19. Gustavo Marquez sagt:

    Please Ineed circuit description of the Korg 01/Wfd

    Excuseme my Ingles is very bad

    Saludos

    gmb

  20. hgir sagt:

    Ran across your website thinking my problem was sticky keys. But I’m not sure. Problem is that certain notes continue to sound after being played and clash with new notes being played. Any insight where I can get help?

  21. Martin sagt:

    Hello Hajo, I have just unstuck the keys on an 01/w belonging to a friend. Keys ok now but the last twelve notes don’t play and some of the programming buttons don’t function. This may have been a fault before I dismantled it as I didn’t check everything before repairing. Have you any ideas as to a remedy?

    Martin

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Martin,
      I’d suppose that the programming buttons didn’t work before your repair and need some contact cleaning. Concerning the missing notes you should check the wiring and connectors from keyboard to mainboard and maybe also the keyboard (the activator strip) itself. The scanning mechanism is organized as a diode matrix, so if there is just one single row or column missing (pin or cable) you may see a complete octave fail.

      Kind regards,
      Hajo

    • Martin sagt:

      Hello Hajo,
      Ref: March 23 2007. Many thanks for the help. Inspired by your comments I returned to key contacts (the activation strip) and with a multimeter found a short circuit in the area of the faulty twelve keys. The short dissapeared as I loosened the screws to remove it again and I noticed that I had bent one of the contacts at right angles so that it was shorting to the metal chassis. Having carefully straightened it the keyboard worked perfectly and all the function buttons were active again. The moral – be extra careful when removing, storing and refitting the activation strip.

      Many thanks,
      Martin

  22. sergio sagt:

    Hello Hajo, I own a 01w fd and the buttons seem to malfunction, I have taken it appart once for the keys and I’m about to do it again to clean the buttons. What type of cleaner do you recommend to clean them with and, do I have to de-soder the buttons from the circuit board? thank you.

    sergio

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Sergio,

      if it is for rubber contacts you should use an eraser and isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol) with Q-Tips, see this link for a howto:

      http://www.oldcrows.net/~oldcrow/synth/korg/polysix/keyclean2.html

      Isopropanol is generally a good choice for cleaning operations as it doesn’t contain any agressive acids compared to contact spray (i.e. „Kontakt 60“), which does more damage than well in the long run unless you wash the sprayed parts thoroughly afterwards.

      If Korg used PCB-mount switches on the panel you will be better off with a replacement. Or you may then indeed try contact spray, let it sink in for an hour and then wash the hole PCB in dish liquid and blow-dry it.

  23. Manu sagt:

    Hello Hajo,

    Yesterday, I decided to follow your steps by repairing my Korg 01/w. Everything seemed to be ok but, when I finished to clean my keys and replaced them into my synth, I tried to play some notes : damned ! A lot of keys now produce no sound ! Did I forget a step ? Did I broke my synth ??

    Have you got an idea ?

    Thanks.

    • Hajo sagt:

      Manu,

      thoroughly check the activator strip for bent contacts.

      Kind regards,
      Hajo

    • Manu sagt:

      Hi there !

      You were right, Hajo, that was the activator strip. Now, all is perfect and it’s a great pleasure to use that great „new“ 01/w :))

      Thanks a lot, again !

      @+
      Manu

  24. Robert Viands sagt:

    I have fixed my Korg without taking it completely apart.

    The web site is here

    http://www.nogodforme.com/korg-01wFD-sticky-keys-repair.htm

  25. M.D. Vermette sagt:

    Hajo…

    Just FYI, your disassembly instructions and photos got me through a battery replacement job on my Korg T3, which features the backup battery in the same location as the O1/W. Fortunately, I had kept the 15+ year-old floppy for all of my sounds, and everything was restored without problems. It takes 17 screws to get the bottom panel off of a T3 – Korg really *does* build them for the long haul. Thanks again for your work!

  26. John sagt:

    Hi Hajo..
    had a bit of a problem just before a gig this weekend! Plugged my O1W to power source….. for some reason there was a break in power and it went out. When I switched the keyboard on again the entire memory had been wiped out – blank! Initialized! Empty! LOL. Fortunatly I was able restore factory patches and do the gig. Any ideas why this happened? Is this a warning sign that things are not as they shoukd be? Also, display back light has not been working for a few monthes and a vertical black line appears on the display. Hope you’re well….regards John.

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi John,
      you should try to sort things out one by one to see if there really is a problem with your 01/W.

      First of all, where did the power break, was it on stage or at home? If on stage, it may have been preceeded by a voltage surge which could also have caused the loss of memory (I assume that it is not the buffer battery being empty, as otherwise you would have seen the „battery low“ warning before). If at home, did it blow the fuse, and if yes, when did this happen, while plugging in / powering on the 01/W or rather for another reason?

      Concerning the backlight, is it just dim or really no longer working (check this in the dark)? And the vertical black line on the display, is this one or more columns of pixels being active (looking like „bad pixels“ on a TFT) or just a shading due to the dark backlight?

    • John sagt:

      Thanks for reply Hajo.

      Power break occured on stage, so it seems likely that a power surge caused loss of memory. Buffer battery is ok.

      The backlight is still working, just dim. The black line looks just as if I’d got a black pen and drawn a vertical line. Doesn’t look like shading. It appears a minute or so after turning on the keyboard. Any ideas?

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi John,
      again a question in return on your display: On my 01’s display (photo below, click to enlarge) you can see a few artifact-like vertical lines in the background from the dim backlight. Is it like that (probably more intense at your’s)? If yes, it shouldn’t be a problem, you can remedy this by replacing the backlight. If not, and if your black lines are active pixels, this indicates a problem either with the display itself or even with the 01’s mainboard. You should then try another display or just wait and see how this evolves in the end.

      Kind regards,
      Hajo

      Click to enlarge

    • John sagt:

      Many thanks for your help Hajo…will wait and see! Regards John.

  27. Paul sagt:

    Hello Hajo
    I replaced the RAM battery but my RAM was wiped (my keyboard was in storage for a few years). I am trying to get my keyboard operational again. However, I misplaced the disks that came with the keyboard. Any ideas on how to reset the factory patches without paying an arm and a leg?

    thanks
    paul

  28. frank marano sagt:

    hello hajo, i found this trouh a friend from an o1w fd group. i have to change my battery in my korg. i found out how to do from yahoo korg o1w fd group. i like your forum and the tips. have a good day frank

  29. Ariel sagt:

    Hi Hajo,

    So far all the info is fantastic. I have a T3 and have some black key issues after some buddies used it for some gigs. Never lend your keyboard out! What was I thinking??! I had about 6 black keys that when pressed would press the surrounding white keys with it. After reading much online, I learned (on Ken Westhover’s site) you can snap them back into place. That worked for a few of them. I still have three that will not stay snapped in place. I decided to open it up (had to change battery as well). I am about to start the dismantle process and check to see what parts I need to order from Korgparts.com. Is there anything I should know before I start? I will keep track of all screws and such, and try to be gentle. Also, is there anything you recommend I do as maintenance since I will have it open? I plan on only fixing the keys, changing battery, and carefully removing dust.

    Appreciate any suggestions at all!

    Best regards,
    Ariel

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Ariel,

      there’s nothing to add from my side, you’re on the right way. Maybe, if your T3 suffers from a dark backlight, you could take the opportunity to also fix it.

      Kind regards,
      Hajo

  30. willand sagt:

    my 01/w was working until i shipped it to honolulu. it was working for
    some time but suddenly the no sound would come and there was a blank
    light on the display. i’ve tried to initialize it but no avail. what could have
    happen?

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Willand.

      difficult to answer from afar. I’d suppose that it’s just something simple, i.e. a broken wire, blown fuse or the like. Have it checked by a technician.

      Kind regards,
      Hajo

  31. a sagt:

    12/17/2007
    does anyone know what store in the u.s. sells Kluberpaste 46 MR 401?
    thank you.

    • a sagt:

      i took my 01/W apart to fix the sticky keys and have these notes:

      * 01/w disassembly/reassembly is similar to working with the internals of a pc.

      * use an empty egg carton (12 count) to keep track of the screws. make a few notes and you will find it easy to match the screws in each compartment to the parts of the keyboard

      * the description of the activator strip as „decorative weatherstripping“ elsewhere on the web is very inaccurate. it’s a long narrow green printed circuit board with 61 metal tabs and a flimsy plastic cage housing. right after you take off the back plate of the keyboard, remove and set aside the activator (several screws).

      * i bought sewing machine motor lube (singer brand) at joann’s fabrics. i bought a veterinary syringe at a local farm store for applying the grease (useful for applying glue too, i imagine).

      * masking tape is useful for taping cables out of the way while you’re removing and inserting pieces

      * each plastic key has a plain metal strip/band behind it and positioned to act as a spring. all the keys have the same strength spring and i realized that the black keys are harder to press down because they are shorter and thus have less leverage than the white ones to work the spring. they should have put a shorter spring behind the shorter keys to make the action uniform.

      * each plastic key straddles a rubber nub. as a key is pressed the key rubs against the nub with increasing resistance since the nub gets fatter at its base. the contact area between the plastic key and the nub is a source of friction and needs to be greased. lint and dust will eventually stick to the grease and gum up the works, causing sticky keys.

      this is the *second* time that sticky keys had developed (the first time was cleaned and relubed by a pro). since i never want to deal with this again, i decided that merely re-lubing was not a permanent solution. so after cleaning every key and nub with alcohol, i shaved *slightly* the sides of all the nubs with an x-acto knife so that there would be no contact with the plastic keys. this took a long time and may seem like a radical approach but now the action is super easy the way i like it. i considered applying grease anyway but didn’t because it needs none.

  32. Steve sagt:

    What an excellent site!!!! Terrific work and pictures!

    My tried and true 01WFD has some sluggish and sticking keys. I would like to thoroughly disassemble my keyframe and remove all the keys to clean all friction points. Since our local KORG service centre in Vancouver BC Canada has closed, the only other service area is Montreal Quebec. I have not been able to find out the benefits of using NO lubricant in the clean reassembly of the KORG keyboard onto its keyframe. There are conflicting opinions whether or not to use a lubricant. One tech I had asked cautioned me to never user a lubricant of any kind as it actually attracts lint and other contaminants. Still other sources support the use of lubricants.

    So… should I use fine machine oil, or non at all?… IS there something else that is a friction reducer that does not attract dust and debris?

    Piano technicians use a lubricant that dries as a slippery dry film called Mc Lube. Oil can never be used in traditional acoustic upright & grand piano actions. When pianists ask to have their keyboards and piano actions regulated, to improve the touch response, using a little bit of this lubricant on the keys middle pin (balance rail pins) and the front guide pin ( guide rail pin ) greatly reduces friction. Keyboards never work faster!!!.

    Your thoughts….

    • Steve sagt:

      I just wanted to thank you for your detailed picture & procedure in disassembling the O1W. I have discovered that this keyboard was manfactured by Yamaha and is the same keyboard used in many Yamaha and Korg Synths / workstations. I opened up my Trinity 61 V3 to find the same keyboard. It looks like they used a different lubricrant in the Yamaha keyframe and keyguides. I have 3 Korg 0I/w’s and completely disassembled 2 of their keyboards and cleaned all the paste from the frame and keys with Windex and a toothbrush. I used as small amount of white lithium grease on the frictiion areas and reassembled. The aftertouch strip itself beneath the keys did NOT have to be removed. But the Yamaha actuator assembly that rides above the action in the black cage had to be carefully removed and put aside. The leaf springs sense the timing of note off / on and other data which is sent along with after touch data to the motherboard. It is best to take the time to carefully remove this as those thin metal strips are easily disturbed.

      For those that like repetition, replace the under key rest felt strip ABOVE the keyboard. Over the years the felt compress and the key dip is allowed to slowly deepen. The deterioration of felt results in a deeper keystroke with a later note engagement time. Replacing this stip with the correct thickness restores the key dip and automatically restores early engagement time. It basically feels like a faster keyboard with crisp and immediate repetition. So who says these keyboards can’t be modified!!!! And there is more you can do to customize the touch. I Prefer the touch on these Korgs to my other boards.

      There are plenty of tricks I have learned servicing Acoustic grand and upright pianos as well as their actions that apply here. Even their 61-76-88 keyboards touch resistance is adjustable. This is one area where the Korg’s 88 note weighted action needs some TLC to rival that of its acoustic grand piano touch cousin or for that matter, the Yamaha weighted workstations and digitals.

      Just beware of static!!!! Ground yourself out before you touch those old boards!

      Thanks again…. great site

  33. Reed sagt:

    I have an o1wfd that I have used for years. I have two problems that I have not seen an answer too. The bender lever does not spring back, and the sustain pedal no longer works. Can you help me with this please?
    thank you,
    Reed

  34. Greg sagt:

    Have a used 01/Wfd that is essentially now a 01/W as the floppy will not work at all. Was looking through the photos here trying to get an idea of what might be involved in getting to the drive to try replacing it. I should not have a problem locating an old compatible 720 drive, but if disassembling the keyboard, etc. is involved will probably just skip it…Not sure if anyone else here has made this repair….

  35. Fran sagt:

    I recently replaced the LCD backlight on my 01/Wfd. I bought it from Telesis and it works great….BUT…. now I have that „annoying whine“ sound eminating from the display. I tried the reverse polarity fix but that didn’t work. Has anyone found another solution?

  36. David Edwards sagt:

    Need to replace battery in my T3 but everyone has me scared I will lose all data. I have factory demo disk that came with machine. I think it probably has all data on it to restore function but not sure‘ Every time I turn it on it will only make one funny sound no matter what setting it is on but as soon as I load any disk with any of my sequences on the everything is fully restored. Will I be okey to change battery and then just reload from floppy disk like I am currently doing? Thanks for your help and your great website Dave

    • David Edwards sagt:

      PS I forgot to tell you that it has been stored for ten years and when I turn it on , the led reads Init program or combo until I load any of mysongs from 3.5 floppy disk ,then it works perfectly until I turn it off again for any period. Thanks By the way the Korg disk that came with it is a blue disk that says T2 T3 program/combination/demo sequence Internal pre-load data and ai am pretty sure it is the right one but do not understand instructions from guy I purchased battery from. Instead of just loading the disk , he says you have to set midi to enable global5 + up d up f up h up and set memory protects to off global 6 down + b down +B down and then Sysex transfer original factory sounds from the Factory backup file. Don’t have a clue to what he is talking about. Why can’t I just load the information from the disk like I am now?

  37. Niall - Irl sagt:

    Hi Hajo.
    Just found you. How kind of you to share your time and info. I got my 01W/fd in 92 and have been without any problems even though a drunk knocked a pint of beer into it at a New Year gig many years ago. I now have a dimming screen and I am wondering is it battery or that foil under the screen that has been mentioned. What are the symptoms of each problem.
    With thanks
    Niall

  38. Michael Mish sagt:

    Looking for instructions for replacing the T3’s internal battery.!?!?!?

  39. ATEF sagt:

    Thank you very much for your ideas and work

  40. Miah sagt:

    Hey there Hajo, You seem to be the smart one here… I have a T3 that my church has had in storage for years because they lost all of the sounds and the disk has been destroyed i guess… :( When i turned it on it says that the internal battery is low and so i am going to change it. What i am wondering is how do i set up the t3 to receive the midi reload info from my pc… I have sonar and i downloaded the midi file from the Korg.com… but i dont know how to set this keyboard to receive the midi information. Thanx for your help.!

    • Hajo sagt:

      Miah,

      check the T3’s global settings to disable sysex filtering (and thus allow reception of sysex data). Please also set the T3’s global channel to 1. Unfortunately I can’t help with Sonar, but if it won’t work then, you may consider using Syxloader (see my Freeware category) to get it done.

      Hope it helps.

    • Miah sagt:

      DUDE… Your awesome!!!! Thanx!

  41. KORG boy sagt:

    hi there, do u have any idea, where can I repair my KORG, today while on my way home, I placed my KORG on my car, and had some bumper on the way, later on I tried to play the lower notes, they wont play, 8-9 keys respectively. I’m worried abt that, do u have any solution for that….please help me out…….I have KORG Triton, music workstation/sampler…….any suggestions or ideas ??

  42. john cannata sagt:

    i have a 01wprox all my upper register A notes go blank no sound at all then out of the blue the first a5 triggers and sounds a small tap below stops the sound and it all works again sometimes it wont on very hot days or when it warms up it will play fine the upper a;s of course do i need a circuit board or is it a cold solder any help is great or service center in syracuse area thanks jc in ny,

  43. Mike in good ol' Germany sagt:

    Got a problem as well: Bought a 01/W FD used. Even after Factory Reset (Initialization and Preload) the programs A01 and B01 are not what they are meant to be (i.e. pianos). Instead, it’s like a wild mix of sounds. I cannot change sounds to acoustic piano (A.Piano) if I try to edit a program. acoustic piano is simply not there. Some sounds are sometimes distorted. Might replacing the internal ROM battery be a remedy? Any ideas what is wrong? cheers Mike

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Mike,

      this is a strange problem, and it doesn’t sound to me as if this could be remedied with a battery replacement. If it was my 01/W, I would open the unit to see wether there is something going visibly wrong, and if I had no clue then, I would call Korg Germany to get in contact with a service technician, who may have already seen this kind of problem before and could give me a hint.

      Regards,
      Hajo

    • Mike sagt:

      I’ve just read your thread on corroded caps. In fact, after opening the unit up, there are some corroded capacitors and some other small parts on the pc board bear signs of corrosion. I guess I first try to clean it up and see…
      cheers for your answer. Viele Grüße

  44. jamie sagt:

    First off I would like to say thank you so much for this website, it is truly awesome and has been of great help. Also the 01 guide by Ken is just absolutely wonderful.
    My dad purchased a korg 01w back when I was about 10 and that was the greatest keyboard. Unfotunately about 2 years ago it got stolen and my heart was broken, so when I got the opportunity to pick up a Korg 01w/proX for a really, really good price about 7 months ago than I jumped all over the opportunity. Unfortunately it came from another state and so it had to be shipped and I never got the chance to see it in person. Everything key wise/screen wise worked perfectly, however it seems that the contacts on some of the # buttons was well worn and they will not work at all. a few others work but need to be pressed a few times or extra hard. Also the disk button on the left side of the main panel worked but had broken away from the plastic around it because it was loose. Then the worse part was that three of the 4 buttons that control (up/down/page+/page-) were completely gone. However the contacts work fine it is just I have to use a pen and push down on the contact in order to make those work.

    Anyway, my reasoning for writing is that I actually found a replacement for the far left panel that includes all new buttons (program/sequence/bank etc.) I can’t remember the name of the place I got it and I am at work right now but will post the company this evening at home for anyone else that might be looking for that piece (wasn’t cheap cost me $44 dollars shipped). My problem though now is I really would like to find the buttons for the up/down/ page+/page- section, however after taking the keyboard apart last night to install the new piece I got I discovered the reason I am having trouble finding that piece is because those buttons are attached to the whole piece of plastic surrounding the screen so therefore I need that whole piece. Anyone know where I can get a hold of that piece?
    This afternoon I am going out and picking up some deoxit contact cleaner and see if I work with that some if I can get all of my numeric buttons to work flawlessly again. I will give an update of how it goes. I think while I am working on this I am just gonna go ahead and clean/relube the keys so hopefully when I put everything back together I will have years of service without any issues.
    I am excited to join this group and hopefully be able to give some input while at the same time doing a lot of learning which I have already done so much by just reading everyone’s post.

    • Hajo sagt:

      Jamie,

      thanks for your post. There’s nothing I could tell you about the type of the up-/down-buttons right now, just one thing concerning the contact cleaner: Clean up any remains of this on the circuit board after work, maybe see also:

      http://hajo.kessener.net/electronics/korg-01w-sticky-keys-repair/#comment-2285

    • Jamie sagt:

      Wow thanks for the quick reply Hajo. Thanks for the heads up on cleaning any excess that might get on the circuit board. If it comes down to it I will replace the pcb buttons, but I am hoping maybe just cleaning will work, since I am not super comfortable with replacing all of those with all of the de-sodering and resodering. They make a great clicking noise like they should and have perfect response, so I am hoping that it is just some cleaning up that needs to take place within the contacts. Thanks again. This truly is a tremendous help to me.
      Do you or anyone else have an actual wiring diagram? I have been extremely careful and patient when pulling everything apart, however for some reason there is a green/white stripe wire that is coming off of the computer board that the lcd screen is connected to and the end of it has a round circle (like a screw is made to go through it), but it is not connected to anything. I am hoping that it wasn’t possibly connected to one of the screws I removed that holds the silver plastic material that goes around the screen on the back side. I am thinking maybe it did and is some type of ground, but I wasn’t sure. I left if undone last night while still having everything else plugged up and everything powered up and worked fine, so I am assuming that it does not connect to anything, but I wasn’t sure. Thanks

    • Hajo sagt:

      Jamie,

      the wiring diagram is available at the download section of the Korg 01/W Yahoo group. Concerning the strip wire, it sounds as if this is the ground wire for the display- & and panelboard, which should be connected (screwed) to the keyboard frame.

      Regards,
      Hajo

    • Jamie sagt:

      Hajo,

      Thanks again for the info regarding the wiring diagram. After looking around a little more I noticed a few other green/white stripe wires and saw they were all grounded to the chassis, so I new it was a ground wire then. As for my little clean up job on the contacts I have to say it went better than expected.
      For anyone interested I know that it is stated to always be careful when using contact cleaner on any plastic pieces or computer boards, so I decided I would go with a product called Deoxit. I don’t know what the actual chemical differences are between regular contact cleaner and Deoxit brand but I have read nothing but great things about the product and that it is completely different than regular contact cleaner and is safe on pretty much anything and also creates a new coating on any metal contacts.
      So anyway if anyone wants to check it out here is a link to there website:

      http://www.deoxit.com/

      I actually found a two kit set at Radio Shack. It was two little aerosol sprays about the size of one of those breath spary things. Here is the link for the kit I bought:

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

      I used the power booster first and then used the progold connector enhancer (works for all metals not just gold according to the company).

      I must say that the results were very surprising. I worked each button well and worked slowly using up all of both cans (like I said not very big so it’s pretty easy to use them up). It was pretty expensive stuff, but worth every penny. When I got the keyboard about 6 months ago three buttons didn’t work at all and 5-6 buttons were iffy, meaning I had to push them multiple times or push super hard to get it to connect.

      After using the cleaner all buttons began working properly and it seems that the more they get used the better they get. Now every button only takes a single push and works literally like brand new! So anyway, I can’t guarantee that it will fix all of the problems for someone else, but I can vouch that it did all of mine. I am more than satisfied with all buttons now and can quickly navigate wherever I need.

      As for the buttons that were completely broken off (the page +/- and the up and down), I was able to take some thick rubber foots made to stick onto the bottom of electronics (I also picked them up from Radio Shack) and cut them out the exact same size and as the original buttons that were there and add a piece foam sheeting behind the top panel for them to stick to. Surprisingly they work and look almost identical to the original buttons that were there. Later on if someone will let me know how to add a pic, I will post a pic up of the new buttons.

      So for now the keyboard is fully back together and functioning like new. While I was in there I went on ahead and relubricated the keys (didn’t notice a huge difference because they were all working great before, but I figured why not do it while I have it opened up. Also I was amazed at the size of a few dustballs that had built up inside the casing. So I cleaned the insides as well.

      If anyone ever runs across a place or someone that has a 01w they are wanting to part out please let me know as I would really like to get a hold of the panel that holds the lcd, so that I can have the original buttons back in place of the ones I made. Even though these are fine it’s always nice to have everything original.

      Thanks again Hajo for creating this great place for the 01w community to help one another out.

      • Edward sagt:

        Helo Jaime, I hope you get this inquiry. I too am having button problems and I am going to try your Deoxit solution but I have one question. Did you completely dis assemble the keyboard to do this? I would like to know how you were able to apply the Deoxit. GREAT SITE, GREAT INFO! Thanks.

  45. Morten sagt:

    Hi

    Thx for a great site! I have the KORG 01/W Pro. Works fine – and I have had it cleaned and repaired some keys a few years ago. But now the LCD is so dim that it has to be dark night to read anything from the display. So I bought a new backlight at eBay for 35$ – but after reading how to fix it (replace it) I got my doubts if I wanna try to do it myself?! Do I really have to take my good old 01/W Pro totally apart to get into the LCD-area? I can not see from the photos (not at this site or others) how to get there? And I really can´t (even if I use 110% of of my imagination) translate the text about how to do this into some hands-on-manual-how-to-do-things-right….?? I need pictures?? Sorry….Can anyone help with this issue or do I just have to send it to my repairman and spend some money on him instead of being frustated and eventually „kill“ my 01/W by accident?
    I am used to repair PCs and change RAM etc., but have never messed with my 01/W – have never darred because I spent 36.000 Danish kroner (about 6000$) to get it back in the 1993. Took me 6 years to pay the bank…so I never did have the guts to do anything beyond dusting the keyboard of with a soft piece of cotton. So is it pice of cake to do myself or should I get someone else to do it?

    Sorry for my bad english….and my looong post…!!!

    :)
    Morten
    Denmark

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Morten,

      no need to excuse for your long post; the backlight replacement will be a long repair and, yes, you will have to take your 01/W completely apart.

      There’s basically nothing exciting about the work itself – an experienced(!) PC repair guy can do it -, but you should take photos of the disassembly on each step and keep all those screws in a safe and certain place to get the 01/W reassembled correctly afterwards.

      I have not yet excercised the backlight replacement on my 01/W but will do and document it in the near future. To have photos and inspiration now, I’d recommend you to visit Nikolaus Riehm’s website, he is a professional technician:

      http://pics.studiorepair.de/Korg/01W/index.html

      Hope this helps,
      Hajo

  46. Jeremy sagt:

    Hi Hajo

    I’m based in England . I have got the dimming backlight problem and I saw a new display on Ebay going pretty cheap so I grabbed it and am waiting its arrival. 3 questions . 1) It is coming from Canada – is there an issue regarding different voltage in England and Canada (I should have thought of that before I bought it but it was cheap so if I can’t use it I could always relist it or put it down to experience.) 2) I’ve read your other posting on here regarding backlight replacement on Nov 2nd 2008. When you say that you have to take the 01 totally apart are we talking about taking out everything here – the power supply, the pcb’s, the FDD, the keyboard ??? It just seems such a massive undertaking when the display fits into the top section. 3) And I know I’m being really cheeky here because you have contributed such a massive volume of fantastic information for the 01 owning world, but you mention that you will be doiing an instruction piece on backlight replacement. When do you think you will doing that – If its not to far off I may as well wait as no doubt there will be some great tips. Thanks for all your help

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Jeremy,

      yes, we are talking about completely taking out the innards. I’ve experienced it recently by helping an acquaintance who repaired a dim display, lots of sticky keys, dead panel switches and also bad capacitors („no sound“) on his 01/W. He has taken a lot of photos, and I will put them here on my site and also will do the backlight replacement on my 01/W with a small post around that most likely within the coming 14 days.

      Regards,
      Hajo

      Edit: No issues regarding different voltages.

  47. GK sagt:

    Hi there,

    Great to see this page so active. Myself a proud owner of a 01/WFD. I have a problem with the MIDI OUT. Doesn’t work. Any links/ideas how to fix it?

    Best,

    GK

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi GK,

      supposing you have thoroughly determined the MIDI output to not being functional, start with checking the solder joints on the MIDI output connector. If necessary, observe the I/O signals on driver IC 41 (74HC05) with an oscilloscope to track down the problem. The schematics are available from the 01/W Yahoo Group’s download section.

      Regards,
      Hajo

  48. Ned sagt:

    Hi Hajo!

    I just wanted to thank you for the info on getting my lost sounds back into my 01/W Pro X Workstation and to tell you how excited I am anticipating having my favorite synthesizer back again. It too was in storage for a while until I could move into the new house. I haven’t done the work yet but will shortly. First I have to get the battery replaced.

    I do have another question: I have installed a pipe organ in the house and it has MIDI out on On the Great, Swell and Pedal. It’s a relatively new MIDI instalation and I’m assuming it’s GM. Do you have any idea how will the Korg respond or IF it will?

    Ned

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Ned,

      it will respond, but first of all, it’s a question of MIDI channel assignment. Switch to COMBI mode on the 01/W, set combi change filter on GLOBAL page 1 to PRG, enable reception of MIDI data for each timbre by setting MODE to EXT on COMBI page 1 (the same would apply for tracks in SEQ mode). I’d expect that your pipe organ operates on MIDI channel 1 for the upper manual, channel 2 for the lower manual and so on. After this has been worked out, you can go on and check the „knob on pipe organ’s panel vs. MIDI program select“ assignment and then arrange your programs on the 01/W appropriately.

      Regards,
      Hajo

  49. Martin sagt:

    where can i buy a motherboard for a korg 01/wfd serial number 752168

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Martin,

      another 01/W is your only option instead of buying a new motherboard. I’d recommend to try a repair instead.

      Regards,
      Hajo

  50. The.ONE sagt:

    Hi Hajo,

    I have an 01W/Fd and recently I tried to connect it to my PC using MIDI to SUB-D15 cable. It works fine. Now I obtained one master keyboard and one MIDI to MIDI cable and tried to connect master keyboard through MIDI THRU on 01W/Fd on to my PC and it will not work. I tested connection between only 01WFd and master KB, so that I connected master keyboard into MIDI IN on 01WFd, and this works. So, it seems that MIDI THRU on my 01WFd does not work. Can I repair this on myself, or is there some setting to make MIDI THRU work? Please help!

    • Hajo sagt:

      Not impossible that the MIDI-Thru is dead. Possible error cause is most likely one or more broken soldering joints on the connector/pcb due to mechanical stress. Before you open the 01/W, better try another MIDI device than your soundcard adapter on the 01’s MIDI-Thru with your master keyboard on 01’s MIDI-Input, just to be sure.

  51. Balboa sagt:

    Hi Hajo
    Great Site, Congrats.
    I have a 01w and some buttons in the panel do not work, the arrow keys for example. Is there a way to fix them?
    Best Regards

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Balboa,

      some folks do a button cleaning with DeoxIT, but as you have to completely dismantle the 01/W anyway, I’d recommend a replacement; the appropriate part is a 6x6x9.5 mm tact switch. See this article with photos.

      Regards,
      Hajo

  52. BigBillKahuna sagt:

    Hope I’m not asking a question that’s been asked before. A few questions re: lcd dimming problems on my 01/Wfd. Over the years it seems my lcd screen has lost much of it’s brilliance. It’s one of those things that happens very slowly over a long period of time so you don’t notice until…..
    I still use it in performance and it’s gotten to the point that I need to bend directly over the screen (in a darkened room) to view properly. I’ve read comments in this forum about replacing the „backlight“. Is that all that needs to be done, or do I need to replace the whole lcd „unit“? What part do I need to order and from where? The last time I brought the board in for repair/cleaning the shop had to wait 3 months for a part from China. Is there a place in the states that would have this part available? I intend to do it myself.

    TIP – For those who need to remove the scratches and polish-up the lcd screen clear plastic overlay (or any other clear plastic), I’ve used „novus“ scratch remover & polish kit with great success. If done carefully, following directions, it will virtually restore the clear plastic to like-new condition. It’s a 3-bottle , 3-step proceedure. Costs about $15.00. Actually a product that works „as advertised“!

    Thanks Hajo for a great, clean & simple forum. I can’t believe it took me so long to find out about it!

    • BigBillKahuna sagt:

      Sorry I forgot the „novus“ product info:
      NOVUS INC.
      http://www.novuspolish.com
      [edit: phone number removed by Hajo]

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi BigBillKahuna,

      for a reference on how to replace the el-foil, maybe see this article. It is not the whole display but just the backlight that needs to be replaced. I am not familiar with distributors in the U.S., so I would recommend to do a web search for shops nearby you. We ordered the backlight from MIDI-Rakete in Germany, who also ship worldwide, btw.

      Regards,
      Hajo

  53. johannes sagt:

    hello hajo,

    my 01w pro x has two sticky keys. how can i grease them. do you have any description or pictures of this weighted action keyboard?

    regards
    johannes

  54. LuisG sagt:

    Tengo un 01wProX (88 keys) y tengo que cambiar la batería, empecé ha hacerlo pero despues de quitar muchos tornillos no me atreví, incluso veo remaches. ¿Es posible hacerlo en este modelo?. Saludos y gracias.

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Luis,
      I don’t know the ProX model exactly but just would expect the mechanical construction to be more rugged due to the heavier keyboard. Nevertheless, things shouldn’t be too complicated in the end. If in doubt, you may download the ProX service manual from the 01/W group’s site at Yahoo; it contains detailed assembly instructions and views.

      Regards,
      Hajo

      • Karsten sagt:

        Hi, all!
        I got the same problem with sticky keys on my proX. I wanted to solve it for al long time, but never did. Right now im taking it apart (according to the dissasembly guide). I made my way to the keyboard (which weighs about 16 kg(!) and is made by Yamaha…) and just disassembled the first octave.
        Dissasembling is not as difficult as I expected, but I’m not sure if its possible to fix the sticky key problem just by cleaning… Also I’m still looking for some good grease like the „Klüberpaste“ HaJo mentioned in his manual – perhaps someone else has some experience? If I succeed at last, I will let you know.

        Of course I’m taking pictures all the way to share them in the web. For I don’t have a own website yet, I’m going to post it in the korg 01w yahoo group or send them to the ones interested.

        Greets and Korg on ;-)
        Karsten

        • Hajo sagt:

          Hi Karsten,

          thanks for your report and good luck for your repair in progress. The 01W Yahoo group will be the best place to share your experiences.

          Regards,
          Hajo

  55. Roman Wojnas sagt:

    Hello Hajo .
    I’m writing from Poland and I have used KORG 01 w fd with defect key’s .

    I’ve one questions for you .In my county I can’t buy kluberpaste but there is another product Paste Molykote D . Do you know is this the similar product or do You know another paste to use for resolve sticky key in KORG link to shop :http://www.e-lozyska.com/index.php?action=towar&id=1826719 may be another firm witch have dealer in Poland .

    I can buy kluber paste in Germany shop but its very expensive 14 EUR plus 16 Eur porto so Molykote D cost 28 PLN ist about 7 EUR . Sorry for my bad English language :)

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Roman,

      Molykote D is recommended for metal surfaces, as far as I understand. You should better look for a general purpose white silicon grease that is clearly specified for plastic lubrication. Molykote 44 Medium looks quite appropriate.

      Regards,
      Hajo

  56. gabriel sagt:

    I have a korg 01W fd and some sound now are starting to sound distored?
    Any one out there knows how to repair this problem?
    Please let me know..
    Thanks in advance.

  57. johnny clarkson sagt:

    thanx for all the excellent info. I now have a very bright backlight in the display after tearing the „fd“ down completely, cleaning and regreasing where needed on the keys & reassembling the „fd“
    BUT……….. now i have a problem with NO text OR graphics on the display. there are some instructions out there to reload mfg. programs……… but the display HAS to have text or graphics to accomplish this. can any one help with this.
    again thanx for your interest and your help with this delicate „first time project“.
    JOHNNY

    • Hajo sagt:

      Dear Johnny,

      the 01/W should start up and show text & graphics even uninitialized. If it does not, either the mainboard or the display do not operate properly. Please check the connectors on the mainboard – it is often simple cause and big effect. Did you disassemble the whole display (remove the glass) or just pull out the EL-foil? Do you hear any sound coming from the main outputs?

      Regards,
      Hajo

      • johnny clarkson sagt:

        Hi Hajo,
        Johnny here again. My reason for going into my Wfd to begin with was an all but blacked out backlight. Well, due to someone’s suggestion out there, I went
        back in again, looking for a loose wire , a ribbon not connected, etc.All was well
        inside as far as i could tell. I rechecked all connections on the mainboard and the backlight, no „spare wires“ hangin‘ around. The only screws i have left are for the bottom cover( which is a miracle in itself for me.) I have the unit back together now(the second time) and i’m looking at the backlight and display, a beautiful bright green light W/ no text or graphics. mmmmmm!
        to answer your question about the display, I had to disassemble the display
        because after unsoldering the blk. & wht. wires to the backlight strip, it wouldn’t pull out as easy as some had suggested. the reason became apparent,
        there was a very thin layer of a rubbery cement on the backside of the strip itself. I’m assuming the El- foil you refer to is the same as the backlight strip??,
        with the pink side to toward the glass.she is hooked up to my system now, i get no sound of any kind. could it possibly be i’ve experienced the „static“ dread?

        Hajo,
        thanx much for your time & patience W/ me.
        how do i donate to your site??
        Again, Thanx,
        Johnny

      • johnny clarkson sagt:

        Hi hajo,
        the reason for dismanteling my wfd to begin with was because of a nearly
        total blackout of the backlight. I had to disassemble the display because there was a very thin film like a rubbery cement about an inch long on the back of the backlight strip, it WOULD NOT pull out as easy as some suggested. I ordered a new strip, soldered it in place and had a bright green backlight but no text or graphics. I also disassembled the keyboard, cleaned & regreased the keys, now it fingers like a new one. I brushed up the felt strip across the indents ( careful to blow everything out). there were three contact strips on the aftertouch that were bent under, I straightened & leveled them w/ the other ones with a set of „mini pliers“. they seemed to be getting about the same travel after straightening them and reassembly of the keys.
        I took the advice of someone out there and went back in the second time,checking for loose wires, ribbons not connected,leaking electronics etc.
        every thing seemed to be ok but still no text or graphics on the backlight.I still get no sound at all from the unit.I hate the thoughts of taking my old buddy „in“, but i’m at a standstill now, unless you have something new for me to try. I’m not very knowledgeable of voltage measuring, checking for bad electronic components and the like. if you have any info in this, I am VERY willing to go back in and try anything new.
        Thanx for any furthur help,
        Johnny.
        how would I donate to your site????

        • Hajo sagt:

          Dear Johnny,

          happy new year! From your two posts I would assume that the 01/W made sound and was fully operational (apart from the dark display) until you started the refurbishment. You should now check the fuses on the power supply unit and operating voltages on the mainboard. Be careful and consult a technically-versed friend if you are unsure or feel unconfident. The backlight inverter is powered separately from the other circuitry, so a bright display does not mean that the other voltages are all present. There is also a good chance that you will have to disassemble the 01/W and get the display out again to re-adjust the position of the glass and have it tested „alive“, so this is the opportunity to reinspect the placement of all parts and connectors. I would not expect any „static“ damages, but just something fundamental.

          This site is a private fun project, so I do not ask for donations.

          All the best,
          Hajo

  58. steve sagt:

    how to replace battery on korg M1? I would try to connect a another cr 2032 battery with wire to mother board card before i remove the old
    battery. just to keep 3 volt during the replacement!

    is it possible to save memorycard MCR-03 data to midi sys ex. to a computer direkt from M1 . or must I load data to m1 internal memory first, and after that send midi sys ex info to computer. the internal data will be lost if card data load to internal memory so I will not do that

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Steve,

      I would strongly recommend to save the internal data via MIDI dump before opening the M1. Do it the same with the data on your MCR-03 memory card later on. Any other method will bear the risk of losing data, either sooner or later.

      Regards
      Hajo

  59. nitesh sagt:

    i im looking for complete display screen of korg 01/wfd keyboard fiji or New Zealand please help

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Nitesh,

      nothing precise from my side, but the information that you should look for an Optrex DMF5005N as a replacement part. Maybe see this image for reference: 01/W Display.

      All the best,
      Hajo

  60. alex sagt:

    Hy hajo I really want to thank you for your website, after reading about hou to fix a 01wfd, i was able to fix my korg, with no sound. This time is regarding my roland D-50,it has no sound wen you press the key but wen you release the key you get the 2nd part of the sound, or sound only wen you rease the key, can you please help, to this moment no tech will or nows how to.

    • Hajo sagt:

      Hi Alex,

      I can not help you, sorry. My D-550 is one of the few oldies that has not been in trouble yet. Did you check the supply voltages and capacitors? That is where I would start at.

      All the best,
      Hajo

      • alex sagt:

        Hey hajo, thanks for getting back to me,i’ll try your recomts. I just want to thank you again for your website,I w able to fix my 01/w korg 61, after spending a hole nite reading all your posts. Anyways if you or anyone has any info on how to fix my Roland D-50, please let me now.