How to Replace a Broken Key on a Yamaha Montage 

Thank you for this video! I just picked up a Montage 6 at a great price and FedEx broke my right side panel, bent the metal side frame and snapped the same under part on the top key! I now know exactly what to do in terms of obtaining a repair estimate and finding replacement parts.

Very useful instruction. I needed to open mine, you showed and described it beautifully

Thank you so much for sharing this knowledge - I've just successfully changed a chipped 'E' key on a Montage 6. I couldn't have done this without your video. Thanks again!

One small hint: Yamaha uses an special grease for their keyboards. It is NOT cheap, but does really work perfectly and I prefer it to using generic greases. The code for the grease is G-1066Y. I bought a 50g tube and it has already been used in several keybeds and there is still more than half left. Definitely recommended, it made my MOX8 keybed work like new (I got that MOX8 in very bad shape, mostly because of the tons of dirt, which affected the key contacts, and also with several broken keys. Now it is working like new!)

Oh dear. As someone who mothers all of my equipment it breaks my heart to see loved synths being trashed during transit. They literally have one job, take a package from A to B and deliver it the same state as it was picked up in. Glad to see it's nearly fully mended.

@Syntaur has fantastic customer service. They are my go-to for synth parts.

You made my day!. I own two Montage 6 (one black, one white), both bought used and pretty cheap. They did not suffer any transport damage, luckily. One was a pickup buy and the other came with the original box. But on the older one, a 2016 unit (bought used in 2019), the jog wheel misses some steps from time to time. And also one scene selection buttom didn't work for some time (now it works, but I am not too confident). So I planned to replace the encoder and the push-button for those two functions. But had not yet looked at how to open the unit. And, wow, it is fair easier than, for example, my MOX8!. I love the way the Montage is built. It recalls me the DX7 I also own!. Again, many thanks for sharing this. BTW, I work fixing radio communication electronics at my home lab, and have worked on some synths earlier (SY77, DX7, MOX8, Xio 25, DX11, K1 and such). But the crown of the collection, the Montage was still a mystery to me... Now it is no longer that way! 🥳

No damage on my Montage yet, but a very interesting and useful video. Thanks Scott!

I'm working on some music I'll play in the church this weekend on my MODX7, and wach your Montage 7 let me mouth watering! What a beautiful machine! Surely the unavoidable next step for me! I'm happy to see your instrument working like new now! Nice video!

I thought it was good enough to subscribe, but already did. Enjoying your videos. Keep posting and I will keep watching.

Your passion must be higher than mine, I'd superglue that broken tangent.. Done it before and still works fine... I love disassembly and assmebly vids always :)

Excellent Scott. When I first bought Motif, I thought that a degree in computer science wouldn't be a bad idea. Now after watching your video, I think a degree in Mechanical Engineering would also be useful.

Wow Scott you certainly don’t have much luck with couriers them boxes and orders with errors I was going to use ups for my wife’s business but I think I’ll give that a miss 😂 fantastic video buddy take care 👊

Happy you got it back to working order :) nice video

The same thing happened to me! Broken key and bent frame. I was able to bend the frame back in place and replace the key... Everything done very easily. Also got the Montage 8 for a steal! Had a recent mishap with a Kawai K5000 that was in mint condition... No longer thanks to UPS 😭

Wow. Those packages looked terrible. Especially if that happens to an expensive synth like the Montage. Luckily it's a professional synth that is a lot easier to service. And a professional Scott who knows how to get it fixed 🙂

Thanks for this peek into the insides of the Montage, hope I never have to open mine up to fix something!

Excellent video! Now I am pretty certain I won't be moving the Montage around :D But it is obviously very well built (and serviceable), inside out. Thomann have also sent me a wrong part once, they were very quick in fixing the mistake though. It's nice to know there are real professional shops selling and servicing instruments.

I had to erplace several keys on my Motif. Someone tried moving it by picking it up by the keys. Glad the Montage is easier to take apart. Working on the Motif 6 was a nightmare.

Excellent video Scott, as usual. I've never seen a package in such a state. Ups threw it like some garbage. I guess it would have not be so easy to repair in the ModX.

Wow... Those packages are a disgrace.. did you make an insurance claim on your Montage?..... here in the UK.. our version of UPS is Parcelforce .. they damaged my M3 cheek when i shipped it with them to a buyer on eBay... then an employee told me the staff actually kick and throw the boxes around in the warehouse, so ive never used them again... Would be interested in seeing whats in my Modx.. if you feel like tackling that one sometime .. love your channel and great video as always Scott, keep up the great work 🙏❤️

Very helpful video Scott! My Montage6 White’s keybed is noisier than my previous Montage6. Would you recommend putting a felt strip somewhere? If so where?

Scott, this may not be the easiest question to ask, but if you could only have one keyboard out of these three in your studio, which would it be? 1. Montage 2. Fantom Flagship 3. Fantom 00 Series I use a TON of VSTs in my recordings, and will continue to do so, but I miss just slappin' on a keyboard and jamming without any computers and latency involved.

Nice video. I need to study up on how to replace a key on my MODX6 should I ever need to. I've been playing synths since the original DX-7 was king. I've never broken a key yet in all my synths, but it could happen. I've had a couple that needed the rubber pads cleaned though. I received two free keyboards in the past year with broken keys however, a Roland and a Kuzweil. Sad that UPS has been so careless for you. It also goes along with my theory of "don't buy a Montage because it has a more durable case thinking it's less likely to break if dropped". Heavier, metal keyboards fall harder than light plastic keyboards. I've seen plenty of metal keyboards hit hard and break. Not that plastic couldn't too, but the theory that it is better protected that many probably have is not necessarily true. And if the MODX was dropped and broke, the replacement cost is half or less, and likely replacement parts could fit it. I have a couple plastic Casio CZ's I gigged with for years. Never broke. Just be careful transporting gear. The only probably I ever had was when I allowed others to carry my gear. Others don't handle with care the same as we might. One person dropped my Roland rack in a metal case not only time, but on two occasions. The 2nd tend bent the metal. Still worked though. That said, a few weeks ago in the dark unlit milll parking lot at band practice, I nearly slipped on solid ice with my MODX. That wouldn't have been good. Maybe I could have put in a claim to the building owner if that had happened for having such a hazard. Did that with a laptop at work one time and it was the end of it (unlit dark parking lot, solid ice), but fortunately I was already shopping for a newer replacement.

Does anyone have a vid taking apart a Yamaha motif XF6?

Fedex is no better. My brand new Nord Stage 3 arrived as if the keyboard and cardboard box were shipped separately. The delivery guy stood the Nord up against the wall and sort of draped the torn box around it.😧 Guitar Center didn't even double box it but simply stuck a mailing label on the stock box. Sweetwater ALWAYS double boxes everything and with lots of padding. Surprisingly there was no damage but I later discovered it was missing the stretchy keyboard cover that I thought was optional and bought one separately. On another note, Guitar Center messed up the paperwork for my 48 month interest free financing. Three weeks later Sync Bank sent the first bill and it was set up for 30% financing!!! The promotion had already ended and nobody could correct it, so I had to return the Nord to my local Guitar Center, torn box and all, and I showed them pics of how it arrived, to explain taping the box back together. I was going to buy another one the next time they offered 48 months, but they never did.

Any idea how to replace the screen on the montage?

Hi Scott, are the same steps for MONTAGE 8, i want to clean all keys?

Is this key the same one used by motif?

Can you tell how to fix the black keys when they are not sturdy? The shakes easily from side to side

Where can I order some keycaps for the Modx 8? 🙋🏻‍♂️

Hi Scott, love your channel and content. Have a question on the Yamaha fader front. Have a main volume fader on my trusty old Yamaha P-200 GHS88 (plastic/carbon) that delivers intermittant noise when raising/lowering master volume. Didn't buy a cover for it :) I've tried blowing it out with air to no avail. Next up is a Deoxit F5 treatment; going to give that a try when I get the product. Other ideas? If that doesn't work will probably resort to ordering a new PCB and replacing the assembly. Have you a lead on where to order parts from Yamaha? Buena Park? Thanks

My MODX8 broke twice under warranty. What a giant headache to ship it back and forth. Now that it's out of warranty, pads are falling off internally, causing the keys to make a horrible clacking sound upon release. Is this an easy fix? I'm fairly terrified of tearing this thing apart. Where are the dampening pads? I didn't see any when you removed the key.

Excellent! Is this a GHS keybed (my MODX8)? Are there differences?

I have never received a package this mistreated as yours in my country. But god knows how the service will be in a couple of years given the delivery guys have to work more and more for less money...

Is it possible to upgrade the keys on a Yamaha Modx? Or a way to quite them a bit? I’ve seen on the Zyntar website some extra keyboard cushion. Is this what makes the Montage keys so quite?

The idea of putting a screwdriver to my montage gives me cold sweats. It's bad enough having a 7 year old near it with a glass of juice🫣

Yamaha Montage has Universal Power supply ?

Was your montage brand New or used?? The dealer should send a New one 😢. Similarly when ı bought my brand New montage 6 in 2018, after opening the box, I found the left bottom styrofoam had broken. I was so shocked and checked the left side panel several times. Thanks god there was no damage. I think wooden side panel is more reliaable for those heavy keyboards. Heavy construction creates big impact to weaker sides