Some keys have clicking/rattling noise (FP-10)

[Gearhead]

Interesting. Couple questions.

- so was the problem just a tiny bit of space that you took up with aluminum tape?

- did you do this with all 88 keys? Wow! Or just a few noisy ones?

- do you think the fix will be durable?

 

[Shalomjj]

I just got an RP501 with PHa4. It has a similar issue unlike my FP 30.

 

[Shalomjj]

What are your thoughts?

 

[CowboyNQ]

New or pre-loved? I find the more well-used keys on my keyboards tend to get noisier after a while. I bought a used Korg SV-1 a few years back and it's as noisy as hell on a couple of the C keys only. Previous owner must have played a lot of songs in C, heheh.

BUT - as I always say: I never consider keybed noise to be a big deal. I've never yet had a keybed I can hear on stage during a gig. And when practicing at home it doesn't bother me either, I'm often using headphones or playing loudly enough that it's not an issue. I own an acoustic piano and it makes mechanical noise too - they all do.

In fact, many stage pianos have artificially added noise to simulate the sounds of hammers returning to their original position, or dampers being raised/lowered, so some must consider it desirable.

 

[Shalomjj]

It’s brand new

 

[Gearhead]

" I find the more well-used keys on my keyboards tend to get noisier after a while....
I own an acoustic piano and it makes mechanical noise too - they all do....
In fact, many stage pianos have artificially added noise to simulate the sounds of hammers returning to their original position, or dampers being raised/lowered, so some must consider it desirable. "

Agree on the more central, more used keys. Makes sense. For most of us, the middle range is played orders of magnitude more often than the extremities of the keyboard, so mechanical wear has to happen.

The acoustic piano comparison is very interesting. You can't turn off the sound on a piano, so you NEVER get this situation many of us create (myself included), where we carefully analyze the noise coming off our keyboard with no other sounds happening In reality, that's an artificial situation or condition. And the fact that higher end keyboards now simulate the acoustic version of this is indeed interesting.

But I submit that the noises specifically discussed in this thread are a different type of noise that does not occur in an acoustic piano. We want to pay little and get a lot, and sometimes that has quality and detail consequences. I really didn't like the clacking that developed in my old YPG 625, but the truth is, it still felt pretty much fine and played fine. But there's a difference...acoustic keys are made of wood with felt bumpers at the right places. Even when that felt wears out, you get a woody thunk. Our keybeds are made of plastic. When a gap develops, even a tiny one, we get that annoying clack. Maybe that's a big part of it?? The plastic clack can be felt and heard differently than a woody thunk, and it's less pleasing.

Part of me says a little clickity clack is going to be normal for electric keyboards, especially as they wear, and will be a little different from unit to unit based on production tolerances. But the other part of me says, if it were mine, I would be bothered. Yeah, I'm a little OCD about some things...

 

[joeman]

Alright, I recorded a video of me testing out the keys (mostly the black ones) for you @CowboyNQ :

Yea I bought it off of Amazon @happyrat1 , and yea I'm aware of of that 30 day no hassle return policy. I'm just wondering if I should I return it immediately for a refund or wait until the local service center opened and take it in there to see if they can repair it. I think it's clear to me after reading everybody's comments that the piano should not be sounding like this, so making an effort to try and demo some other FP-10's or similar digital pianos doesn't seem worth it. According to this page on Roland's website, I'm covered under warranty for 2 years:

Roland - Support - Service & Repair - Warranty Information

Warranty Information

www.roland.com

Hi there, I've got exactly the same clacks after a week or so using my FP10. What was it, did you returned your keyboard or you convinced yourself that is a 'normal' thing you may live with?

 

[joeman]

So I did post a comment on this thread like 4 hours ago but I guess because it had a couple of links in it, its still waiting on moderator approval until it goes live. It was a YouTube video of me testing out the keys on my FP-10. And I also had a link to a page on Roland's website proving I think the warranty for my piano is 2 years.

So I'm not in a band, and I guess what I meant when I said live performance is just playing through the built-in speakers instead of recording or playing with headphones plugged in. Since I'm a beginner, I mostly just setup the piano in my room and play. You probably don't remember back when you first got your Equinox, @delaware dave if it started making noise on key presses quickly or not huh?

I'm leaning towards wanting to either return it or bring it in to get it fixed.

Hi @jmahones, so after these months, did you returned the fp10 or kept it?

I got one w/exactly same problem, clacks after a couple of weeks...

 

[zephyrholes]

Hi @jmahones, so after these months, did you returned the fp10 or kept it?

I got one w/exactly same problem, clacks after a couple of weeks...

I second this question... I just got an FP30 /yesterday/ and the A key just below middle C has the same tiny clicking when released. Now there's a shortage of these pianos because of covid crap, so I feel lucky to have one at all, but still frustrated.

 

[lorrainex10]

I've just experienced the same with my FP10 after 1 months of use.. One of the black keys, the A# right below middle C started to make this rattling/clicking noise. Almost all black keys have some level of clicking that I consider completely normal, but this one got louder from one day to another. It could be heard even with the speakers on high volume, and if I used headphones I could just feel the click, very annoying, definitely not normal.

However it seems that I could make it go away by just jiggling the key up and down for a while, so without letting it hit the bottom, going just slightly below the escapement point. I think I did that for about 10-15 seconds yesterday and so far it hasn't come back. It felt kind of like as if the escapement mechanism needed some "rewarming" (don't know how to better explain).

Maybe this helps someone, and I just hope it won't come back...

 

[askold_ws]

Alright guys! I solved that problem after 4 months of experimets! I made a little photo instruction, everything is pretty simple

Fp-10 keys fix

12 new items added to shared album

photos.app.goo.gl

Nope, after couple months the problem with black keys is back still experimenting with solving the problem..

 

[askold_ws]

Guys! Check out my new solution! this time seems it works.

Fp-10 keys fix

12 new items added to shared album

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[Dispiano]

That is amazing mate!!! On a youtube tutorial about problems with the keys on the FP-10 someone left a comment with that same solution (maybe you?).
This is nuts as I've just ordered a FP10 prior to read a whole bunch of people in several forums complaining about that issue. I'm going to be the total amateur that I am and ask you if you think the piano is worth taking the chance myself? Its my first piano which I'm counting on starting to learn. What would you do mate? Keep it and take the chance? Or, since I'm still waiting for delivery, send it back as soon as it gets here? I would really appreciate your thoughts on this. Cheers.

 

[Biggles]

Dispano

Welcome.

After only having keyboards with synth keys I decided that I wanted a Digital Piano, but did not want to spend a lot of cash on one.

I had a good in store test of a few different ones and whilst the FP10 had a good action and a great sound, that is all there was to it, I soon discounted it in favour of its bigger brother the FP30 which has the same keybed action but many more inbuilt sounds.

I would suggest that maybe you would be better with what is a brand new model design in the new Roland FPX 30.

After having the digital piano for 12 months I sold it and now I personally think that a Yamaha DGX 670 or Casio PX S3000 or Korg XE20 are better options for anyone wanting a home digital piano as these are the models that include auto accompaniment style playback.

This auto accompaniment feature is something that I missed having in my digital piano.

 

[Dispiano]

Guys! Check out my new solution! this time seems it works.

Fp-10 keys fix

12 new items added to shared album

photos.app.goo.gl

That is amazing mate!!! On a youtube tutorial about problems with the keys on the FP-10 someone left a comment with that same solution (maybe you?).
This is nuts as I've just ordered a FP10 prior to read a whole bunch of people in several forums complaining about that issue. I'm going to be the total amateur that I am and ask you if you think the piano is worth taking the chance myself? Its my first piano which I'm counting on starting to learn. What would you do mate? Keep it and take the chance? Or, since I'm still waiting for delivery, send it back as soon as it gets here? I would really appreciate your thoughts on this. Cheers.

 

[Dispiano]

Dispano

Welcome.

After only having keyboards with synth keys I decided that I wanted a Digital Piano, but did not want to spend a lot of cash on one.

I had a good in store test of a few different ones and whilst the FP10 had a good action and a great sound, that is all there was to it, I soon discounted it in favour of its bigger brother the FP30 which has the same keybed action but many more inbuilt sounds.

I would suggest that maybe you would be better with what is a brand new model design in the new Roland FPX 30.

After having the digital piano for 12 months I sold it and now I personally think that a Yamaha DGX 670 or Casio PX S3000 or Korg XE20 are better options for anyone wanting a home digital piano as these are the models that include auto accompaniment style playback.

This auto accompaniment feature is something that I missed having in my digital piano.

Thanks Boggles, unfortunately the

Dispano

Welcome.

After only having keyboards with synth keys I decided that I wanted a Digital Piano, but did not want to spend a lot of cash on one.

I had a good in store test of a few different ones and whilst the FP10 had a good action and a great sound, that is all there was to it, I soon discounted it in favour of its bigger brother the FP30 which has the same keybed action but many more inbuilt sounds.

I would suggest that maybe you would be better with what is a brand new model design in the new Roland FPX 30.

After having the digital piano for 12 months I sold it and now I personally think that a Yamaha DGX 670 or Casio PX S3000 or Korg XE20 are better options for anyone wanting a home digital piano as these are the models that include auto accompaniment style playback.

This auto accompaniment feature is something that I missed having in my digital piano.

Thanks Biggles,

unfortunately the reason why I have been looking for DP's in the price range of 500 euros/dollars is that I can't make my money stretch any longer, hehe. So I think it will be the same story with me. Use the FP10 for the first year (maybe two) learn what I can using one of the available apps and then move on to a higher level piano. What about my question about the (annoying) clicking sound of the keys? Do you get rid of it on higher end/priced DP's? Best regards

Dispano

Welcome.

After only having keyboards with synth keys I decided that I wanted a Digital Piano, but did not want to spend a lot of cash on one.

I had a good in store test of a few different ones and whilst the FP10 had a good action and a great sound, that is all there was to it, I soon discounted it in favour of its bigger brother the FP30 which has the same keybed action but many more inbuilt sounds.

I would suggest that maybe you would be better with what is a brand new model design in the new Roland FPX 30.

After having the digital piano for 12 months I sold it and now I personally think that a Yamaha DGX 670 or Casio PX S3000 or Korg XE20 are better options for anyone wanting a home digital piano as these are the models that include auto accompaniment style playback.

This auto accompaniment feature is something that I missed having in my digital piano.

 

[my name is dan]

There is another solution to Roland PHA-4 key sounds, but not sure it applies to all possible sound issues, or just one type of sound issue. For those it works for, the sound is a clicking sound, and it does not require opening up the keyboard:

If this does not work, askold_ws's approach may help (he links to it above).

Alternately, this other approach may help:

—note that askold_ws didn't find the above "grease method" to work for him, so he developed the "napkin" method.

 

[RSS]

RSS

The PHA-4 key action on your 10 is the same as is used in the 30 & 60 models and even in the new RD88, the FP 90 has a varient in the PHA-50 key action.

Hence as the RD88 and FP 60 which cost about 2x the price of an FP 10 the key action is hardly a cheap one.

Certainly the keybed action of the digital pianos in this price band that I tried before I bought my own were very similar except for a Kawai that was so noisy it would walk the neighbours if played with headphones on.

It would probably be best if you discussed the matter with your supplier with a view to returning it.

Yeap, I contact Roland Brazil and they told me to take it to a repair shop. Hope this is not a recurring problem!!!

Thanks for your reply.