Tear down video S88 Mk2? Noisy Keys

Hello, does any one have a tear down video for the S88 Mk2. I want to open it up to try and trouble shoot the plastic noise coming form certain keys.

It is now becoming worse and worse. I feel it just needs lubricating or something, but would like to research before I go ahead and open it.

Any one having similar issues, its not really loud, but its annoying, it seems to come from either, lateral movement and vertical. If i tap them lightly i hear it most. Are these keybeds only supposed to last 1.5 years, then they start to play up?? I expected it to last a lot longer for the price.

I an not shy about opening it up, just like to know what to look for, where the grease points are, and the trouble some areas to look for..

See Video Here:


Any advice would be appreciated..

 

Hello rdalcroft,
Have you tried getting in touch with support ? If you haven't please do : https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003345418
You'll get in touch there with our hardware support.
Then send me your ticket number in PM, ok ?

 

Hello
my ticket number is: 2292538

I am also uploading a video of my problem, ill post link when its done.

 

Hey rdalcroft My colleagues got back to you already.

 

I had my S88 replaced under warranty because of this same noise. Less than a year later and out of warranty the loose keys are coming back again. Now what? Has NI changed to a different manufacturer of the keyboard? Can I put a higher quality keyboard in it? Is there an upgrade kit I can install to make it long lasting? Thinking I should just sell it and get something built to last and then buy the NI machine to have on the side.

 

Hey DW1, please get in touch with our hardware department, see what can be done in your case, please send me the ticket number by direct message when you submitted a request through this typeform :
https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/360009441878

 

My S88 which is just around 9 months "old" has the same problem. My B(3) key is really noisy when I release it. And some of the black keys seem to "rub" or make a "rubbing" sound when pressing. I have submitted a ticket today. I am confident that it will be resolved. The guys at NI have always been helpful in the past. Have a great weekend all. Cheers, Roland

 

Just a quick update: I had submitted a ticket to NI last Saturday and received an automated confirmation right away. The confirmation reads "...we will reply as soon as possible". BUT, since then (and it is WEDNESDAY TODAY) - I have not heard a word. Should I begin to be worried?

Cheers, Roland

 

Hey Roland, sorry that you didn't get a reply yet, you did the right thing contacting me, no need to worry, my colleagues should get back to you.

 

Hello Jeremy,

Thank you!

Have a great weekend and take good care. Cheers, Roland

 

Good Luck with your replacement, it will go the same way after about 8 months or so. NI sould really release a maintenance manual so we can re grease our own keybeds, they will eventually go out of warranty. It would be nice to have a guide on doing this, its not a difficult job. I am sure NI knows what it is that makes the keys go clicky after some time.

I think its the key because its in 2 parts, and the join, which is a double pivot, needs lubrication, this is what causes the clicky noise.

Please issue a guide, so we can fix our own keys, what lube to use, ect..

 

can you confirm that the s88 has a short life with a poor quality ? it seems that after 8 months, the s88 is dead....the s61 is reported on youtube with massive issues....
This post should be pinned for any new user....like me, I will pass the s88 if it has a poor quality.

 

You need to keep issues reported into perspective when shopping...

There is no product in the world that is 100% reliable for 100% of people 100% of the time in 100% of uses. Of course there will be some cases where issues arise from either a manufacture issue, material/manufacture issues, shipping, usage or just plain users. Consider that most of the threads with people having issues have maybe 5-10 replies compared to the possible 10,000 units sold a month. Even ISO9001 manufacture accreditation for highly reliable products would pass this kind of ratio.

If you can find an issue with at least 1000+ people experiencing the same thing, then yes there is a problem, otherwise it is unfortunate that people have issues but within the acceptable expectations of life.

 

This is my replacement 8 months and noisy rattly keys again 8 or so it’s progressive over time. It will get worse.

I can’t say every keybed will go bad. It’s by no means dead! Buy by design, it’s a noisy keybed, the keys come in 2 parts, and I feel it’s the joint that eventually causes the rattle in the keys. As the grease wears out over time.

the dead keys has never happened to me with either keyboard I have had. But that’s an easy fix. It’s just some dirt between the rubber membrane for the velocity strip.

my keyboard works as it always has, but with 8 or so noisy keys, very annoying, but still functional.
I will eventually open it up, once it gets bad enough. And figure out where to re-grease it.
Re felt it if I need to.

it’s fine for Native Instruments to offer replacements, but to what end, I’d prefer instructions on how to fix it myself.
Eventually I’m going to be out of warranty.
And I will have to open it up anyway.

I would urge NI to re-think their next keybed design for the Mk3. If there is to be one.

 

I dont want to ask a replacement every 8 months until the end of the warranty, this s88 is for me a fail. The s49 has a much longer life and I will keep it, no need to buy a s88 with a 8 months life.
I was so excited to buy the s88, now I don't want it anymore.

 

Will be a struggle to find a product that has 100% of people happy and without any issues at all. I can guarantee you there are some users here (I know of several) that have had an S88 for years and had no such issues.

I have never had issues with an S61 MK1, A61 or S61 MK2 in the last 6 years, not a noisy key, faulty screen/led, bad USB port or any other issue that may have cropped up but if you are concerned enough from the several people that have had an issue then best to keep looking at options that offer better statistics I guess, just not sure you will find an option that will meet the 100% defect free and 100% reliable for 10 year expectation.

 

s61, a61 are not full weighted, so it's normal that there is less issue.
But when a s88 owners has an issue, has a replacement, and has again the issue, it's obvious to state that the s88 mk2 has a serious problem, and of course it depends of the use, and I will have a massive use.
there are is 100% safe product, but the s88 mk2 seems to have a massive issue.

Finally I think I will buy something more solid and more professional like theYamaha CSP-150 B
I'm sure this product can have a 10 years life easily or more (it has 5 years warranty)
https://www.thomann.de/gb/yamaha_cs...iZ2IiLCJjdXJyZW5jeSI6NCwibGFuZ3VhZ2UiOiJlbiJ9

 

again, please don’t use my experience to make you change your mind, there are a lot of people who have this keyboard and who are very happy. A lot of famous you tubers/musicians.

I will call it a maintenance issue, not a defect, I have never had velocity issues, dead keys, or light guide issues.

u use my keyboard every day and enjoy it very much.
Yes the noisy keys get on my nerves because I know it’s there. But it does not affect the playing or recording of it in to my DAW.

Is really just the feel of the rattle. Hard to explain.

I am not frightened to open keyboards up. But some people will.

think about it a piano needs to be re-tuned and re-felted every number of years. So why shouldn’t it be the same for these. The felt has to wear out over time eventually same goes for the greasing of the keys.

Native Instruments just have to publish a maintenance manual. And, for me, all will be well.

 

If that is your perception then fair enough but I am yet to find that 100% perfect product in life and have never bought a single thing where I have not found someone who has complained of an issue.

I just purchased a Toyota Hilux which is revered as one of the most reliable cars to own and has fantastic reviews for the model/year I chose but I also researched 3 months and found numerous people that issues from from leaky gaskets to prematurely failing clutch and drive gears to many other problems that can arise. However if I chose to only buy a car that did not have anyone having any kind of issues in 10 years i'd be riding a bike (which also has its own set of issues)

Life is a gamble sometimes. You can either walk out the front door knowing the chance of being stabbed is almost non existent, or give in to the fear that occasionally things happen and it "could" happen to you so best not open the door. Would you change your tune if someone were to state they have had their keyboard for 3 years and not had any of these issues? While you say my position is not the same, there have been reports of issues with MK2 keyboards also, probably the same level of issues reported with screens not working or fading, LEDs burning out, loose keys etc but again, no issues affect me. Same with my Ableton Push, people have had issues there also but I never have. Either I am just one of the super lucky ones of the issues are just not as common as you are fearing they are.

 

I do get what you are saying.
But I do have one issue with Native Instruments. Regarding maintenance. You can’t ask them for replacement parts, their answer is always to send it back in for repair.

tou can’t purchase single white or black keys from them, parts that can easily replaced. Their only offer is to send it back to them, and in most cases they send you out a refurbished keyboard. So you no longer have your original keyboard.

for a small repair this is insane. And their unwillingness to offer a guide to maintain the s88 seems like there expecting you to just purchase the next model. Mk3 if it comes out.
But for most of us this was already a big investment and I want it for at least 5-8 years.

so I want to be able to do the required maintenance on it. And having a guide, what grease to use, where to grease, thickness of the felt strip, where to buy the felt strip. Etc .