Very disappointed - faulty CT-X800 keys

[vbdx66]

Hi everyone,

 

I have been working on an arrangement for the song “Imagine” by John Lennon and as some of you know, the intro of the song has a series of chords which all end on a C note for the right hand, so you play a row of C notes with the right thumb on each second eight note of each beat during two measures which are repeated twice before the song begins.

 

While playing this intro, I noticed that there was a problem with the C4 key. I then checked all the keys to see whether other keys had the same problem, and apparently C5 has the same issue. Both keys are flimsy and make a clicky noise, which is completely abnormal.😖

 

I am attaching two short videos in which one can distinctly hear that C4 and C5 are abnormally noisy, the first one with the piano sound, the second one with the volume fully turned down:

 

 

 

 

 

I didn’t notice this issue before, otherwise I would have sent the keyboard back to Amazon France for an exchange or a refund. Unfortunately, the 30-days period during which I could sent the CT-X800 back for a refund without any explanation ended a week ago 😢

 

I am wondering whether it is my particular unit is defective or whether this is a misconception of this particular model, or of the whole CT-X range, which would be particularly unfortunate.

 

After having played both the CT-X3000 for two weeks, then the CT-X800 for a month, I suspect the second hypothesis is the right one (misconception of the keybed of the CT-X700/800) because I remember that @TheBradge had the CT-X700 at home to try out for a week, and he also complained about flimsy keys. At the time I didn’t pay much attention, because I thought maybe his particular unit was faulty, and also because when my CT-X800 arrived 5 weeks ago, I noticed no particular issue with the keys and found the feel of the keybed rather pleasing.

 

I supposed I should return the CT-X800 and ask either for a repair (but I doubt that anything can be done) or a replacement, but I fear that only a keyboard player can spot the fault and that Amazon might simply refuse to let me use my warranty.

 

Do you guys have any idea about what I should do? I have been looking for a nice portable keyboard for months and after having tried the CT-X3000, then the Yamaha PSR E463 and finally the CT-X800, I opted for the later because of its feather-light weight, its great sounds and its friendly UI.

 

Now I am at a loss, esp. since in one month I have to travel back to Belgium for a few weeks, and I intended to take the keyboard with me to be able to practise during my sojourn, so I am not very keen on sending the keyboard back because I suspect that proving my point and getting a replacement could last several weeks, if not months. 😭😭😭

 

Thanks for helping.

Edited March 28, 2019 by vbdx66
Typo

[Brad Saucier]

Locate your nearest Casio warranty repair center and contact them.  They'll take it from there.  

 

https://www.casio-europe.com/euro/support/product-repair/musical-instruments/#tab

[vbdx66]

Thank you very much @Brad Saucier.

 

Have you watched the videos and from your past experience, do you think that these faulty keys qualify to activate the legal warranty?

 

I will call them tomorrow first thing (it is almost 🕦 P.M. here in France).

[Brad Saucier]

Describe what is happening and they should be able to tell you if it's covered.  I can't guess what they'll say or do.  

[vbdx66]

OK thanks.

[vbdx66]

So I phoned them and sent them an e-mail with the invoice, the keyboards’s serial number and the two short videos I uploaded here. I really hope that they will either repair the keyboard or send me an exchange it since it is really unplayable as it stands.

 

When I’ll get more news I’ll come back here.

Edited March 29, 2019 by vbdx66
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[jenny]

vbdx66

 

I would like to know ... What was the problem? ( When they answer. )
And will the entire series CT-X have problems with the keyboard in the future?

 

 

 

[vbdx66]

Hi @jenny two keys, the C4 and the C5, have became flimsy and noisy.

 

Watch the two short videos I uploaded in my original post if you want to know more.

 

I do hope that it is my particular keyboard which is faulty and that this defect doesn’t impair the CT-X700/800 model more generally. I had the CT-X3000 for a couple of weeks and it worked flawlessly, though.

 

I am currently waiting for an answer to the email I sent to Casio’s repair service in France. I hope they will promptly repair my keyboard.

[G777]

Hi vbdx66,

 

Was the issue with noisy keybed resolved ?

[vbdx66]

Hi @G777 I got the CT-X800 back quite promptly after I send it for repair. Actually according to time of receipt and time of departure of my keyboard from the repair shop, they had it for less than one hour (!), then they sent it back to me and claimed it was repaired.

 

In such a short time, I suspect that all they did was unmou ring the keyboard and greasing the keys... I will monitor whether things stay OK in the long term. For now everything works fine, but I strongly suspect that a fragile keybed might be the weakest point of the CT-X line. Which is a shame, because sound wise, Casio is flying miles above Yamaha’s PSR E series in my opinion.

 

Regards,

 

Vinciane 

[G777]

Long story short: the way the keys are designed, nothing to worry about.

I was owner of CT-X3000 and after almost 10 month of light usage keys started making clicking sound. Mostly C4, C5, etc as vbdx66 said...

Couple of weeks before my warranty expired I brought it Service Center.

They hold it for couple of weeks and call me to get it back. Once I arrived I asked what they fixed.

They said not much, just tightened the screws. 

To see more how the keybed designed, follow this thread:  "CT-X700 Teardown from Youtube"

Once I learned all this stuff, I bought second hand CT-X800 and stopped worrying about keys.

Casio did great job.