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I’m about to request a 2nd replacement (3rd x lucky?).

First pedal was fine until I decided to try half-pedalling in Vintage D. It became apparent that intermittently, on releasing the pedal, it would issue an involuntary echo. Cubase list editor showed a short string of sustain pedal controller values all less than 64 finishing on zero. This of course didn’t show up when earlier I’d been using the pedal as a simple on/off switch since ‘on’ requires a value of 64 or more. With half-pedalling enabled, the echo fault would make itself clearly audible by briefly triggering the string noises just as my foot was lifted clear of the pedal. In the short term I would have happily lived with the pedal operating satisfactorily in simple switched mode but then it developed an irritating squeak so decided it was time to ask for a replacement which I picked up on new-year’s eve.

All seemed fine at first, but yesterday and since it’s been quite difficult to coax a simple switched sustain out of the unit. If I press the pedal down to the floor it sometimes works but no sustain at all at the normal half-depressed state. Pressing the pedal to the floor and releasing, a cubase inspection shows a nice continuous curve of values, sometimes but not always reaching 64 - more rarely a little beyond.

Given its initial correct functioning I’m tempted to open the unit to see if there’s a height adjustment screw for whatever electro-mechanical device is doing the controlling – perhaps it’s slipped. That would save me a three-week wait for the next replacement. At least this one doesn’t squeak yet.

Anyone else having problems?

Dire Tonic,
I have no problems with mine - it goes from zero to 127.
The controller is a gear-driven pot. I could imagine the gear set screws having slipped. Here is a picture of the pedal insides. At the back are the gears, and behind them the pot.


This probable isn't your problem, but when I first hooked mine up, I had to remove some pedal conditioning I'd done in midi-ox to let the full range through.
There are some other pedal pix here:
http://www.joflaherty.org/VPC1/images/thumbs.html

I just remembered something else- I measured the pedal resistance a few days ago, and it ran from about 50 ohms to 13.5 Kohms.

I mentioned this in the other Kawai peadal issue thread, but the right way to do this is with a modulated IR beam or differential capacitance sensor. Constant beams and potentiometers are for the birds.

Jack, many thanks for the pics and the reply - I had a feeling you might be able to help having already pulled the VPC1 apart. “set screw” – yes that was what I had in mind though I’d forgotten what it was called.

Too cowardly to meddle with the insides of the VPC1 I’m more tempted to open up the F-30. When I fixed a standard on/off sustain pedal some while ago it was a minor headache trying to re-locate the return spring while simultaneously closing the thing up. Should I expect a shower of springs to bounce around everywhere when I remove the underside base-plate or are the three pedals self-contained in their own way? Any problems putting it back together?

I've no doubt you're right about this but with so many satisfied customers (with no one else having problems, that's what I'm bound to assume) I can't see them going to any great lengths to make those improvements. Alas...

Dire,
It's not too bad to get apart. Once you take the heavy base off (four screws), you have to remove a plastic keeper, which keeps the pedal base locked in to the cover shroud by straddling the three pedals; you might have to use a screwdriver at three places to unlatch it. To get to the point where you see the setscrew in my picture, no removal of action parts is required. I don't know if that will get you to the problem, but it's pretty easy to try.

Before disassembly, you might check the resistance at the stereo (three-terminal) phone plug, from tip to sleeve (ground). It should show about 50 ohms with pedal released, going up to about 13.5 K as the pedal is pressed all the way down.

The pedal seems to be a relabeled Fatar VFP3. I've seen them for about $70 online.

Bingo! It worked! As you say, it came apart without fuss and no bouncing springs. I've no meter here so I loosened the set-screw, gave the pedal a few good squeezes, something seemed to click (= move), I could see the screw had changed angle. Retightened. 0-127!

Couldn't be happier...I'll be in touch when/if I get shot of the let-off simulation..

cheers, Jack!

Glad to hear it's working!

There are indeed so many interesting ways to while away the unending boredom of the long Christmas/New Year celebrations.

My product of choice was a motorised satellite dish and putting my ladder through next-door's porch window gave us all much to jest and laugh about, such fun!

Good job I have really lovely, understanding neighbours!

haha, they're probably already plotting their revenge...

footnote:

Well blow me if this pedal didn't develop a squeak too!

Emboldened by my successful venture I re-dismantled (so easy when you've done it once before) and further tightened the two screws I've circled in red in Jack's photo of the pedal innards. The screws are hiding under the cable. Result!



Don't let the squeak get you down...

Bit of loctite might be in order maybe?

I've heard that works but never tried it...if the squeak returns I'll give it a go.

It would be SO NICE if we could find such units.
Do you know of anyone making such an aftermarket unit that I can buy in USA ?

EDIT:
This looks like PART of what could be used;
http://www.midikits.net23.net/infrared_6x2CC_midi/infrared_midi.htm
SOMEHOW add the output to this part;
http://www.midikits.net23.net/foot_pedalsx4_USB_MEGA/foot_pedalsx4_USB_MEGA.htm

...and of course you either need to gut out a pedal set from something or build the bits to step on - but those are "just details".
:END EDIT

Sadly for the past few weeks my vpc1 pedal start to develop similar problems using with Ivory2 that up on release the sustain pedal continuous sporatic echos are produced for about 3 second duration. Guess I will also have to take the pedal apart see if i can resolve the problem. I'm starting to wonder how many out there are with similar problems.

I'm a novice when comes to reading midi events output, but i notice when i start recording and looking at the midi event list, Sustain cc64 seem to output continous value ranging from 34-57 even when i did not press anything on the controller. Upon pressing sustain pedal, cc64 would give value 103-127 THEN goes back to continous 34-57 value. Is it normal for sustain to give out values even when nothing is pressed? Hope my explanation of the problem is not too confusing.

No it's absolutely NOT normal!

If you're not touching the pedal, there's no earthly reason why there should be any data stream. I had the same 'echo' as you appear to have.

I would return the pedal and ask for a replacement as I did.

My second pedal failed to provide the full range 0-127 but I was able to sort that out after reading Jack's post earlier in the thread . The echo problem you describe seems far more serious to me. Not a DIY job as far as I'm concerned.

Thanks Diretonic. Will call Kawai tomorrow. I hope its not due to fault of the controller chip itself.

I guess you're thinking about the chip in the VPC1? I wondered about that too, but the fault seems to have disappeared in the replacement pedal.

Maybe this needs to be checked again before the warranty expires. It's odd that the echo produced values for both of us, below 64, where - unless you were monitoring Midi - the malfunction would be hidden from those not using partial pedalling.

Interestingly enough the problem of pedal release echoing and persistent cc64 data streaming magically went away this morning when I switch the preset from ivory to galaxy D samples and back forth. I guess it was the chipset in the preset or the programming that was causing the controller persistently sending out data. The midi data seem to be back in normal range too.