Original Message:
Sent: 3/15/2023 8:07:00 AM
From: Barbara Bernhardt
Subject: RE: Yamaha U1 Keytop Replacement
I have a newer customer with a Yamaha GB1X Grand made in 2012. She phoned yesterday and said 3 keytops had come off. My understanding is that this piano may have been manufactured in Indonesia. Has anyone on the list encountered this model with this problem? Customer has the piano sitting next to a large southwest-facing window in an arid environment. Just curious - I plan to contact Yamaha though.
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Barb Bernhardt
Montrose, Colorado
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-21-2023 10:33
From: Carroll Arbogast
Subject: Yamaha U1 Keytop Replacement
Thank you everyone for your advice and contact info. Chris Storch from the Boston chapter very kindly gave me some spare Yamaha keytops, so I'm all set on that. For the moment, I'm going to consider the situation with some circumspection.... if they continue to fall off, I'll have a discussion with the client.
- Carroll
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Carroll Arbogast
Piano Technician
CMA Piano Care, LLC
Needham, MA
(617) 283-0443
Original Message:
Sent: 02-16-2023 19:51
From: Peter Grey
Subject: Yamaha U1 Keytop Replacement
That's what warranties are for. 😀 Stuff happens.
Peter Grey Piano Doctor
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Peter Grey
Stratham NH
(603) 686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
Original Message:
Sent: 02-16-2023 17:06
From: Bill Ballard
Subject: Yamaha U1 Keytop Replacement
As I remember, it was in the mid-'80s that 10-y-o Yamaha keyboard were going grey, and Yamaha service personel were running around the country, replacing one key set after another.
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William Ballard RPT
WBPS
Saxtons River VT
802-869-9107
"Our lives contain a thousand springs
and dies if one be gone
Strange that a harp of a thousand strings
should keep in tune so long."
...........Dr. Watts, "The Continental Harmony,1774
+++++++++++++++++++++
Original Message:
Sent: 02-16-2023 11:06
From: Roger Gable
Subject: Yamaha U1 Keytop Replacement
I find this thread strange, as I own 21 Yamaha U1 spanning new from 1990 to 2021; no gray market pianos and I have not experienced any keytop problems. Seattle is a mild climate area that may point to the problem of expanding keysticks as the source of delamination. Just a thought.<o:p></o:p>
Roger<o:p></o:p>
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Roger Gable RPT
Gable Piano
Everett WA
(425) 252-5000
Original Message:
Sent: 02-16-2023 10:47
From: Wim Blees
Subject: Yamaha U1 Keytop Replacement
Yes, Mike does them. He did an excellent job for me last year.
Original Message:
Sent: 2/16/2023 9:57:00 AM
From: Peter Grey
Subject: RE: Yamaha U1 Keytop Replacement
Carroll,
Considering the fact that typically keytops of any sort last several decades longer than this, you should have the entire set replaced under warranty (even if the piano is technically put of warranty).
I believe Mike Kurta has done many Yamaha keytop jobs under warranty.
Peter Grey Piano Doctor
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Peter Grey
Stratham NH
(603) 686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
Original Message:
Sent: 02-15-2023 21:18
From: Geoff Sykes
Subject: Yamaha U1 Keytop Replacement
Carrol --
I second Wim's suggestion. Yamaha had one factory that, for a while back then, was using an unconventional method of glueing on keytops. They are failing. Give David a call and talk to him about the problem. Make sure you have the serial number. There is a chance this could be a no charge warranty repair.
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Geoff Sykes, RPT
Los Angeles CA
Original Message:
Sent: 02-15-2023 14:29
From: Carroll Arbogast
Subject: Yamaha U1 Keytop Replacement
I received a call from a client to re-glue a natural on their 10 year old Yamaha U1. This would be the 2nd I've done for them and a 3rd had been done by another technician. Piece of cake!
So why do I need a replacement? As I removed the fall board to get access to the keys… crack! The keytop had been placed on the cheek block and I had failed to move it to a safe place! I thought I had learned to always keep parts, tools and anything else in a safe and organized way, but I guess I needed another lesson.
I went ahead and made the repair; the break is almost invisible, but promised the client that I would replace the broken keytop as well as another cracked one (I didn't do it!). So I have two questions for the forum:
1) Is it unusual for the keytops to be coming off a 10 year old U1? I've measured the relative humidity on both occasions at about 40%. Also, this piano was made in Japan.
2) I would like to get replacements from Yamaha. How does one order parts from them and how might I contact them to set up an account?
Thank you all - Carroll
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Carroll Arbogast
Piano Technician
CMA Piano Care, LLC
Needham, MA
(617) 283-0443
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