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As promised, here's a link to a few pictures of my now complete Roland RD-300s Restoration project.

PlatonicSolid, congratulations: this is really amazing!
So much time and effort and what a result!
Very nice pictures too.

Thanks for posting the pics.

Wow, nice work indeed It was a couple of months from your original post in this thread:

Key Grease? What is it?...

...and now you got the thing restored. I was wondering if you still re-applied key grease for each key or was the grease still in "good condition" so much so that you didn't need to apply new ones to each key.

But anyways, well, you got yourself another DP...just don't show the restored RD-300s to your friend who gave it to you...he might want it back after he's seen the good work you did with it

I have lots more pictures in high resolution, so if someone wants to see more detail on something, just ask.

The existing key-grease was all carefully preserved during restoration.

Amazing how much braver you become regarding disassembly when it's not your primary keyboard and your not risking any money. The keyboard was also completely unusable when I got it, so I had nothing to lose. I'm not sure if I'd have the guts to do this to my Kurzweil (and fortunately it doesn't need it). I also think the Roland RD-300 is likely a much simpler design than most newer keyboards. I'd love to see pictures of other keyboards disassembled to this level.

I jokingly told my friend I'd sell it back to him for $600, which is what I think is fair for parts ($50) and labor. I know he doesn't want it back anyway though, as he purchased it originally for his kids who have all grown and left the nest. Thus, it ended up stored in his garage. I'm not sure what the keyboard itself would sell for on the open market these days.

Platonicsolid do you have the manual?

If not you can download it HERE

PS: I saw prices from 670 to 900 US$ on the net!

Cool, thanks for the manual link. I do have the original paper manual. There's obviously a huge difference between the 300s and 300sx, as the 300s doesn't have anywhere near the level of features shown in the 300sx linked manual. Still the 300s has some decent built in sounds with enough effects to keep them interesting, plus the weighted action is quite good for such a simple design. It'll never replace the Kurz, but now I have a keyboard that I can take to a party without feeling like I have to constantly guard it (as I have the few times I've taken the Kurz out).

OK I know that the thread is very old, but still... thank you thank you thank you!
I own a RD300s that I bought new in 1988, and some keys didn't work anymore. It was my first digital piano and I have used it extensively for many years, so I couldn't just throw it away.
With the help of the pics, I thoroughly cleaned the interior, and apparently cleaning the contact points under the membranes resolved the problem. I'm taking the good old RD300s back to the rehearsal room this week!
All the best from France,
Onno

someone should mirror those pics off the private server if that's cool with svend

Restoring Steinways is a lucrative business. I fail to understand why anyone would restore an old DP? In the end it still has technology of the day, which is probably not going to sound as good as Roland's latest offerings.

Next, someone will restore an RMI or a Univox.

I'm impressed. Nice work!

I also own a 300s that I will not part with. I bought it in March 1990 and used it regularly until buying the new digital.

In fact I haven't played it since I bought the RD700NX in August 2 years ago and I was recently thinking how much I would enjoy playing my newly learned pieces on it.

Despite the limited polyphony I never had a problem with it and loved the "piano 1" tone on it and the Harpsichord, vibes and clavi. Both EP's were acceptable too.

It was even dropped in 1998 by an idiot removal man who thought he would, "just take the keyboard in for you..."

I had a real problem getting used to the very slippery keys on it though.

RD 700 NX much better for that IMO.

You mentioned replacing the felt. This is an area I am most interested in as it affects the feel of the keyboard so much. So how did you find the new and improved felt? I am curious how we can change the feel of our pianos by choosing an appropriate density and thickness of felt. And how long it usually takes.

In case you carefully preserved the original key grease because you did not know which to use - it is white lithium grease ^^ It could definitely do with a full replacement of the stuff after this many years. Most of the grease will be dust, skin flakes and tallow by now ^^

You mean the many years since the piano was built or the nine years since the thread was started. Or the eight years since the OP last posted?...

Funny!

LOL hadn't noticed that XD AH well - anyone doing the same thing or looking for the information will find it now ^^

Your shame is forever chronicled in the annals of the internet!

I respond to dead threads all the time, I think the fact that they do keep coming back supports the idea that additional information is always a good thing.