Key noise on a few keys

[Chris2020]

Does anyone have a video tutorial on how to tighten up the keys, or lessen the clacky key noise on a CTX3000? It's only on a few of the keys and it's not a big enough deal for me to want to mail it back for repair. I just thought that if it's easy enough to do at home I will.

 

Otherwise, I absolutely love this keyboard! So happy with it.

 

 

[Brad Saucier]

If you're under warranty, I would send it in for service.  Otherwise, you'll void your warranty by opening it up.  

[Chris2020]

Ok, sounds good. It doesn't effect the performance or the touch sensitivity so I'll wait for now. Thanks

[vbdx66]

I had the same problem,with my CT-X800. I sent it back for repair, they sent it back promptly but after one week the problem was back, so there’s nothing much to be done really 😒

[Chris2020]

That's what I gathered from some of the other posts. I only started to notice it now that I'm home more and trying to play quietly through the speakers.

 

I rewatched a video I took when I first got it and that noise is there. For some reason it didn't bother me until recently. It must be like fridge buzz. Once you notice it, you can't unhear it.

 

But again, I love my CTX. I still can't believe the sounds I can get out of this for the price point. A little key clacking is a minor tradeoff 😆

[vbdx66]

I agree with you. It can get a bit annoying when you try to play a piano piece through the speakers, though.

[RCCASGAR]

 

[Craterus]

On 4/26/2020 at 10:50 PM, Chris2020 said:

Does anyone have a video tutorial on how to tighten up the keys, or lessen the clacky key noise on a CTX3000? It's only on a few of the keys and it's not a big enough deal for me to want to mail it back for repair. I just thought that if it's easy enough to do at home I will.

 

Otherwise, I absolutely love this keyboard! So happy with it.

 

 

Hello Crhis, What did you finally choose to do? Is your proble solved? Cause today  I just received my, otherwise almost perfect,  brand new CT-X 5000 and it has a clunky-noisy E on upper right part. It makes a kind of crackling sound when pressed suddenly, with speed but even without force. It sounds like some grease is missing and the plastic parts are hitting on each other. I think i just need to open it up and grease it instead of returning the whole unit back to the reseller, as its very possible that the replacement unit will have the same problem. I 've watched a very detailed video on YouTube but it was on a CTK-7XXX model and I don't feel comfortable trying to open my brand new baby without a detailed video first. Suggestions?

[Craterus]

On 4/27/2020 at 8:24 PM, vbdx66 said:

I had the same problem,with my CT-X800. I sent it back for repair, they sent it back promptly but after one week the problem was back, so there’s nothing much to be done really 😒

Hello vbdx66, as I stated somewhere in this post I just received my brand new ct-x 5000 and it has one clunky E, would send it back for just this? 

Did the repair team reported you back what they did? Was it just a grease? Thanks

[ConfusedRedditor16]

Wow, that’s scary. Mine is the opposite, my CT-x9000in doesn’t have any clacks keys but it was overlubed and I’m worried the lube will attract dust lol

[vbdx66]

12 hours ago, Craterus said:

Hello vbdx66, as I stated somewhere in this post I just received my brand new ct-x 5000 and it has one clunky E, would send it back for just this? 

Did the repair team reported you back what they did? Was it just a grease? Thanks

Hi @Craterus I am afraid that the repair didn’t help much. Unfortunately I had to let go because I went off to Belgium for one month immediately after having received the keyboard back, then a few days after flying back to France, my husband had a stroke and eventually passed away sixth months ago.

Now the keyboard warranty is done in a few weeks so I think I won't do anything, this is too much hassle.

The repair service never said what they did - I suspect that they open and closed the case and did nothing much, maybe they greased the keys. Apparently the keyboard was sent back to me on the day of its arrival at the repair service so they can’t have done much anyway! At the time I sent it back to them, the keyboard was one month old, I honestly think they could have replaced the unit.

 

I am very disappointed and in as much as a like the CT-X sounds, I think that my next keyboard won’t be a Casio because what is the point of beautiful sounds and rhythms if the keyboard build is not reliable?

 

Regards,

 

Vinciane

[vbdx66]

@Craterusso to answer your main question if ithe keyboard is brand new, by all means send it back for repair and it is probably best to have a phone talk with the repairing service to have information about what exactly they are doing to the keyboard to be sure that they actually do something.

 

Better yet, if you still have the possibility, send the unit back for a refund and by a replacement unit afterwoods.

 

Regards,

 

Vinciane

[Craterus]

On 4/28/2020 at 12:17 AM, Chris2020 said:

That's what I gathered from some of the other posts. I only started to notice it now that I'm home more and trying to play quietly through the speakers.

 

I rewatched a video I took when I first got it and that noise is there. For some reason it didn't bother me until recently. It must be like fridge buzz. Once you notice it, you can't unhear it.

 

But again, I love my CTX. I still can't believe the sounds I can get out of this for the price point. A little key clacking is a minor tradeoff 😆

Indeed, that s exactly as you said, once you notice you can't unhear it. The only think that makes me worry about that sound in my case is if its not just a matter of proper lubrication, or a minor bug, but something thay may affect the keys response and functionality in the long term.. 

[ConfusedRedditor16]

5 hours ago, vbdx66 said:

Hi @Craterus I am afraid that the repair didn’t help much. Unfortunately I had to let go because I went off to Belgium for one month immediately after having received the keyboard back, then a few days after flying back to France, my husband had a stroke and eventually passed away sixth months ago.

Now the keyboard warranty is done in a few weeks so I think I won't do anything, this is too much hassle.

The repair service never said what they did - I suspect that they open and closed the case and did nothing much, maybe they greased the keys. Apparently the keyboard was sent back to me on the day of its arrival at the repair service so they can’t have done much anyway! At the time I sent it back to them, the keyboard was one month old, I honestly think they could have replaced the unit.

 

I am very disappointed and in as much as a like the CT-X sounds, I think that my next keyboard won’t be a Casio because what is the point of beautiful sounds and rhythms if the keyboard build is not reliable?

 

Regards,

 

Vinciane

Ohh, I'm very sorry for your loss

[ConfusedRedditor16]

One of my Es (second octave) does sound a little less greased than the other keys, so I'm worried as well, if the keyboard will get clacky with use 

[RCCASGAR]

I hardly wanted a CT-X5000, but due to this issue I bought a Korg EK-50. I must say keybed is excellent, so happy with it.

[Brad Saucier]

As I said somewhere else, Casio has been using the same basic design for around 30 years. It is a proven robust design. 

 

Key noise is probably the #1 complaint on all keyboard instruments from all brands. You can try to escape it with another brand, but you might land on yet another keyboard with eventual noisy keys. Do an internet search for "Yamaha key noise", and repeat that search for Roland, Korg, Nord, etc.  You'll be reading complaints for days.  I've been on many different music forums over the years, and I've seen it countless times.  

[vbdx66]

@Craterusso to answer your main question if ithe keyboard is brand new, by all means send it back for repair and it is probably best to have a phone talk with the repairing service to have information about what exactly they are doing to the keyboard to be sure that they actually do something.

 

Better yet, if you still have the possibility, send the unit back for a refund and by a replacement unit afterwoods.

 

Regards,

 

Vinciane

[vbdx66]

Hi @Brad Saucierof course, other users might have quite a different experience but as far as I am concerned, I have had a number of Yamaha entry-level keyboards over the years and I never had any problem of clacky or noisy keys and these instruments were always very reliable.

 

What I have noticed, though, is that over the years, the touch quality of their entry-level keyboards, the PSR E series, is unfortunately not what it used to be. The keys are not noisy and the keybeds are still very reliable over time, but the feel of the keybed is not as precise and nice as it used to be.

 

I had the CT-X3000 for a couple of weeks and I loved the touch of the keys (on par with that of the at the time much more expensive Yamaha MOTIF pro keyboard), but unfortunately the keybed of the CT-X range deteriorates too quickly, at least this is my personal experience.

 

I have got the general feeling that as time goes by, entry-level keyboards of all brands have more and more nice sounds and lush functionalities but that, unfortunately, the build quality is not what it used to be, because keyboards have become consumer goods, where they should simply be music instruments meant to resist the passing of time.

In the 1990’s keyboards where built to last for decades. Now if you can keep an entry-level keyboard for 5 years, you can consider yourself as lucky.

 

This is a pity because if you buy a keyboard, even an entrey-level one ( I am not speaking about toys, but about real music instruments such as the CT-X range or Yamaha PSR E series), you will want to keep it because you’ll get used to its sounds and rhythms, which you are not sure to find back even in a newer, more powerful instrument.

 

Just my 2 cents,

 

Vinciane

[Casiofun]

What you should keep in mind also is that digital pianos and keyboards are made in China with cheap materials--ie plastic. With plastic comes cheapness, noise, and light weight. All major brands of keyboards have complaints about the keybeds. Noise and short pivot length which makes playing the keys more difficult towards the back of the key are among them. Just hit the forums of other brands and you will see the complaints. The more features they cram in the more cost cutting decisions come into play to keep manufacturing costs down and ultimately the selling price of the board. 

[ConfusedRedditor16]

9 hours ago, vbdx66 said:

Hi @Brad Saucierof course, other users might have quite a different experience but as far as I am concerned, I have had a number of Yamaha entry-level keyboards over the years and I never had any problem of clacky or noisy keys and these instruments were always very reliable.

 

What I have noticed, though, is that over the years, the touch quality of their entry-level keyboards, the PSR E series, is unfortunately not what it used to be. The keys are not noisy and the keybeds are still very reliable over time, but the feel of the keybed is not as precise and nice as it used to be.

 

I had the CT-X3000 for a couple of weeks and I loved the touch of the keys (on par with that of the at the time much more expensive Yamaha MOTIF pro keyboard), but unfortunately the keybed of the CT-X range deteriorates too quickly, at least this is my personal experience.

 

I have got the general feeling that as time goes by, entry-level keyboards of all brands have more and more nice sounds and lush functionalities but that, unfortunately, the build quality is not what it used to be, because keyboards have become consumer goods, where they should simply be music instruments meant to resist the passing of time.

In the 1990’s keyboards where built to last for decades. Now if you can keep an entry-level keyboard for 5 years, you can consider yourself as lucky.

 

This is a pity because if you buy a keyboard, even an entrey-level one ( I am not speaking about toys, but about real music instruments such as the CT-X range or Yamaha PSR E series), you will want to keep it because you’ll get used to its sounds and rhythms, which you are not sure to find back even in a newer, more powerful instrument.

 

Just my 2 cents,

 

Vinciane

true, I bought my ct-x last week, I tried the action of a psr e3xx and didn't really like it, I like the softer action of the casio, one my my 2nd octave keys has started feeling a little ... dry so I hope the keys dont get too bad'. I've played on a 3-4 year old ctk-7200, and an old ck870in so I know they can get loud, but the feel doesn't get too bad even with age

[vbdx66]

4 hours ago, ConfusedRedditor16 said:

true, I bought my ct-x last week, I tried the action of a psr e3xx and didn't really like it, I like the softer action of the casio, one my my 2nd octave keys has started feeling a little ... dry so I hope the keys dont get too bad'. I've played on a 3-4 year old ctk-7200, and an old ck870in so I know they can get loud, but the feel doesn't get too bad even with age

Hi @ConfusedRedditor16 I am curious, which key precisely got some problems? In my case I noticed that the C keys were more problematic, I guess this is where the keybed of the CT-X809 is divided into octaves.

[ConfusedRedditor16]

7 hours ago, vbdx66 said:

Hi @ConfusedRedditor16 I am curious, which key precisely got some problems? In my case I noticed that the C keys were more problematic, I guess this is where the keybed of the CT-X809 is divided into octaves.

It was a second octave E, it isn't very bad, but when I push it hard, it feels less lubricated than the others, mine came really well lubed from the store 

[Craterus]

On 1/21/2021 at 9:07 PM, vbdx66 said:

@Craterusso to answer your main question if ithe keyboard is brand new, by all means send it back for repair and it is probably best to have a phone talk with the repairing service to have information about what exactly they are doing to the keyboard to be sure that they actually do something.

 

Better yet, if you still have the possibility, send the unit back for a refund and by a replacement unit afterwoods.

 

Regards,

 

Vinciane

Hello again Vinciane, and really thanks for your opinion. I finally contacted the reseller and he told me that it's a matter of grease. He told me that he could arrange everything etc but reassured me that its nothing important to make me worry about. I decided to keep my Casio, cause I already loved it and to be honest this noise is reeeaally nothing important for me and the keyboard generally has a very good feeling when I play. So..we will see 

[Craterus]

And because many people are reading this forum ( and many of them are potential buyers) , reading stuff here to make a decision I d like to be honest with them, not scare them, and also I d like to be honest with Casio as well. I am 100 % happy with my new CT-X 5000  and not only I have not regret it but I fall in love day by day. This, low intensity insignificant, noise on 1 key is not a criterion.  The overall feeling of the keyboard is very satisfying (my opinion) . 

 

@RCCASGAR said that Korg EK-50 have not issues with noisy keys. Maybe that was the case for him, maybe. But generally that's not accurate at all and as  @Brad Saucier stated above anyone can find this out by doing the proper search on google. All brands have issues with some keys . As for my old Yamaha PSR-2500 ( which was a replacement for my Casiotone 610 back in 1990 ) it started to have many noisy keys in the first year. Unfortunately,  I don't have the proper equipment this moment to upload a video comparison of the old Casiotone 610 keyboard (which has zero noisy keys after thousands of hrs ) and the Yamaha psr-2500 ( which has almost all the keys making sounds.

Anyway ct-x 5000 is an amazing instrument  for its price range and provides so many functions along with great sounds