Hi,

I bought a used Kurzweil PC-88 last night. I used to play the PC-88 years ago and loved the feel of the keys. Funny thing is that when my previous PC-88 broke, and I replaced it with a Rhodes/Roland MK-80 (same keybed as the Roland RD) I HATED the way the MK-80 felt. It felt cheap to me. Now when the cirmcumstaces are exactly the oposite - it seems that I've grown a liking to the MK-80 feel and don't the the PC-88. IN fact, it now feels cheap to me.

So clearly there's some psychology going on here.

Has this bizzare phenominon ever been discussed?

I'm confident that I will redapt - hopefully!

My other question is somewhat related. Just on the outside chance that this PC-88's keybed - the Fatar TP 10, could benefit from some TLC, and this is at least part of the reason why it feels different to me - might the TP 10 mechanisim need some sort of lubrication/grease? (I know what this thing feels like when the keys are broken - and I'm sure nothing is broken or in need of new felt.)

I'm not sure if its the TP 10 MDS or MDF. It's one or the other:

http://www.fatar.com/FOTO%20HIGH/TP_10MDS.jpg

http://www.fatar.com/FOTO%20HIGH/TP10_MDF.jpg

Here's a followup: Nothing is wrong with my piano. I just needed to adjust to it. It was all psychological. In fact, now I like the PC-88 much more than the MK-80.

Still, I'm not going to be completely content until I get a Numa Nero or MP10.

If it is between the TP 10 MDS or MDF, my bet is on the MDS. I believe the TP 10 MDF is in the K2600X series.

There are subtle differences in the design, but they are built very similarly. The MDF uses steel weights and the MDS may use lead. Maybe -- I know this was one of the main reason Fatar and Kurzweil changed the design (export reasons having to do with lead content). I do actually prefer the TP 10 of the PC88 and K2500X/S (same action). It seems like it has a softer bottom-out feel. The weights are also a different shape (but mounted the same), and the keys in the MDF are different (the fingers on the bottom of the keys which hit the hammers are in a different place).

I know it sounds crazy, but I once used Vaseline on a K2500XS to quiet squeaky keys. The portion it needed it was where the fingers on the bottom of the keys came in contact with the felt-lined hammer tops. I just spread some on the hammers to recondition the dried out felt.

I know how it is to adapt to different boards. Amazing how that happens. I usually find my K2600X keys to be too light and "hard bottoming". Then, after playing my K2000 at a few practices, my K2600X feels totally pianistic. Then, after playing actual digital pianos at the store, going back to my K2600X feels too light again. I guess that's the fun or Fatar boards (and the fact that the K2600/K2500/PC88 aren't designed to feel exactly like a piano). They tried to give an OK piano feel, while still having an action that makes sense for other instruments such as strings, brass, flutes, organs, etc.