Cleaning contacts on a Prophet600

phoenix224 · Post by **phoenix224** » Thu Jul 25, 2013 5:51 pm

Hello,

I bought a Prophet600 on eBay recently, and some of the keys don't play. If I press a non-playing key repeatedly, it eventually comes back to life.

I'm pretty sure the keyboard contacts need cleaning. I've seen two videos on youtube showing methods; one uses isopropyl only on the rubber parts, the other uses a pencil eraser on the rubber parts.

A friend recommends contact cleaner sparingly.

This is my prized synth, so I don't want to make the problem worse.

Anybody here have a proven method for doing this, or should I just take it to a technician?

Thanks.

calyx93 · Post by **calyx93** » Sun Jul 28, 2013 4:01 am

This is SO much easier than dealing with a Pratt-Read assembly - just thank your lucky stars it isn't a Prophet-5.

Just follow the instructions - it's really quite easy. Just go slow, be organized and be gentle with the rubber strips and keeping the contact board level/straight. Don't force anything too hard.

BTW - I used an eraser and swabs lightly damp with 91% isopropyl - first "erased" then cleaned with a couple swipes of the swab.

Took me about 1 hour when I did it - response was MUCH improved. Well worth the small time investment.

Casshern · Post by **Casshern** » Sun Jul 28, 2013 5:09 am

I used non lint leaving q-tips. Wiped twice w/ isopropyl, then dried by hand with another q-tip. I also did a wipe down of the board surfaces.
Result was like new!
I would be concerned about using erasers on the pads....

phoenix224 · Post by **phoenix224** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:38 am

Great. Thanks for the tips.

Wine Country instructed me to clean the contacts and rubber with soap and water. Helped a lot, but didn't solve the problem completely.

WC sell contact strip replacements, but it's $200 for the set. Still, good to know that option exists.

Post by **analoglsd** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 3:39 am

calyx93 wrote: BTW - I used an eraser and swabs lightly damp with 91% isopropyl - first "erased" then cleaned with a couple swipes of the swab.

+1

You don't need to be aggressive with the eraser, but from what I've been told, it's one of the least abrasive methods for cleaning contacts.(and it works like a charm)
I also use it on Pratt-Read buss bars, and have never had them come back to life so quickly.

Cleaning contacts on a Prophet600

Cleaning contacts on a Prophet600

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