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Roland FR1X fault with treble buttons

Colin L

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Joined
Jun 27, 2024
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Hay on Wye
8 adjacent treble buttons in one row have suddenly stopped playing. Anyone else had this problem? What was the cause and solution? Any suggestions for repairs in the UK?
 
Hello,
1 pin of a connector has probably a bad contact...
if you are able to open the accordion and restore the connectors contacts (by disconnecting/ reconnecting).
You should solve the problem.
have a nice day !
Serge

Note : if you indicate which buttons do not operate, I should be able to tell you which contact is bad ....
 
Hello,
1 pin of a connector has probably a bad contact...
if you are able to open the accordion and restore the connectors contacts (by disconnecting/ reconnecting).
You should solve the problem.
have a nice day !
Serge

Note : if you indicate which buttons do not operate, I should be able to tell you which contact is bad ....
Hi Serge, second row in from the bellows, top 8 buttons when I am holding the accordion in playing position.
 
Hello Colin,
I am not at home during this week-end,
I will provide the required information when back.
Have all a nice week-end !
Serge
 
Serge you are a star. I will add a photo showing the buttons that have stopped working. It's the group between my finger and thumb.
 

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Hello Colin,

Checking rapîdly, my view is as following :
you should have 2 flat ribbon cables between the upper treble keyboard and the PS-Amp Board.
- largest ribbon cable is 22 pins
- thinest is 16 pins
The cable connection to correct should be the pin 8 of the 22 pins cable.
This cable is connected on the side of both the PS-Amp Board and the Upper treble keyboard.
(the other 16 pins cable is connected in the middle part of both boards).

Disconnecting and reconnecting this 22 pins ribbon cable should solve your problem.
Take care not to discharg on the boards (with risk for the components) !

By the way, my view is that you should have 7 buttons not operating.
Do you confirm that you have 8 buttons not operating ?

Regards,

Serge
 
Hello Colin,

Checking rapîdly, my view is as following :
you should have 2 flat ribbon cables between the upper treble keyboard and the PS-Amp Board.
- largest ribbon cable is 22 pins
- thinest is 16 pins
The cable connection to correct should be the pin 8 of the 22 pins cable.
This cable is connected on the side of both the PS-Amp Board and the Upper treble keyboard.
(the other 16 pins cable is connected in the middle part of both boards).

Disconnecting and reconnecting this 22 pins ribbon cable should solve your problem.
Take care not to discharg on the boards (with risk for the components) !

By the way, my view is that you should have 7 buttons not operating.
Do you confirm that you have 8 buttons not operating ?

Regards,

Serge
You are right, it's the first 7 buttons not 8!

Are these ribbon connections accessible by removing the panel behind the treble buttons above the battery compartment.

How would I earth myself to prevent static discharge affecting the components?
 
. . . How would I earth myself to prevent static discharge affecting the components? . . .
I remember "grounding mats" that technicians would stand on when trouble shooting I/O cards in cabinets that had PC boards with IC chips. The "mat" would be connected to the ground of the I/O cards. They would stand on the mat when trouble shooting guaranteeing that they would not establish a high voltage potential, between them and the I/O card, when they would contact a PC board component.

You can do the same thing by connecting yourself to the "common" on the FR1X. You can do this by inserting a standard TS 1/4" jack into either the L/Mono or the R/Mono receptacle at the bottom of the 1X. The output of the jack will have the + and - (+= signal and - = common). You want to connect a wire to the common and hold the other end of the wire in your left hand. Now you can "poke around" and do anything you want to the PC boards of the 1X and be confident that you will not hit any component with a high static discharge voltage.

I'm sure there are many different ways to get your "body" to "earth" yourself to prevent a high voltage static discharge to the circuit board components. This is one that I know will work.
 
Hello,
Concerning the access to the Ribbon cable, it is not clear to me if removing the Register buttons panel is sufficient, or if you also have to unmount the keyboard part.
But you should be lucky as the ribbon cable to reconnect is attached on the side of the boards.

Has anyone experience on this subject ? or have an opened FR1x ?

Regards.
Serge
 
Hello,
my fr1xb also has problems with some buttons. The first 5 buttons at the top of the third row do not sound if pressed individually. If I press them simultaneously (as in a chord) they work instead.
 
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I got to the same point and chickened out for fear of breaking the case. I have located the UK repairer but they are in Southend which is a long way from my town. Roland will respond with your.countys repairer but they seem to be few and far between.
 
Solved.

I opened the register buttons panel (unscrewing the two screws at the top and the two at the bottom) and moved the 2 ribbon cables connectors.
Now it works

Thanks Serge
 

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seems we are hearing a lot of partial keyboard fail issues..

is this an indication of Italy vs: Asia build quality control ?

is this an indication they changed the specs on the ribbon
cable and connector to a less robust design or part assembly ?

is the EUROPE warranty still multiple years ?
(USA warranty is currently 2 years, an improvement over the former 1 year warranty)

just wondering.. we would need more data to see a definitive curve

and also, are they still sinking the screws directly into the Plastic body parts ?
or have they improved the R&R sequence with metal inserts ? if just plastic,
do-it-yourselfers must be extremely cautious on dis-assembly and possible
voiding of the warranty
 
seems we are hearing a lot of partial keyboard fail issues..

is this an indication of Italy vs: Asia build quality control ?

is this an indication they changed the specs on the ribbon
cable and connector to a less robust design or part assembly ?

is the EUROPE warranty still multiple years ?
(USA warranty is currently 2 years, an improvement over the former 1 year warranty)

just wondering.. we would need more data to see a definitive curve

and also, are they still sinking the screws directly into the Plastic body parts ?
or have they improved the R&R sequence with metal inserts ? if just plastic,
do-it-yourselfers must be extremely cautious on dis-assembly and possible
voiding of the warranty
Mine is from november 2015...
 
Solved.

I opened the register buttons panel (unscrewing the two screws at the top and the two at the bottom) and moved the 2 ribbon cables connectors.
Now it works

Thanks Serge
Can you post a photo showing which screws you actually took out?
 
I feel my FR4x treble buttons need cleaning and inspection. Seems once in a while my middle C fails? These are rubber contacts which are in most all keybeds. On my Korg PA3x had to change them as the contacts became pitted. But most of the time, a good cleaning. Not familiar with button contacts, but would like to learn how they are set up.

Although, not related to the treble keys:
My middle register on the FR1x is not working. Will check it out and give a report in another thread.
 
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Hello Gap,

Considering your 5 buttons problem, only the larg Ribbon cable should be concerned.
You were lucky that it was on the AMP board side.
Could you see if the other side of the cables could easily be unconnected and reconnected ?

Could you also see if the 3rd cable between the 2 Keyboard PCBs could easily be accessed and reconnected ?
(this cable may have to be reconnected if a group of keys on the first 2 rows (thumb side) was not operating anymore....

Serge
 
Hello KeysFla,

If you have a problem with the Middle Register key of the FR1x, you may have to reconnect the 5 pin Ribbon cable between the Left Register Board and the Bass Board...

Serge
 
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