H Series keyboard removal - help!

[John Vanderlee]

Hi, we just picked up an H100 series on a trade in. One key on the upper manual and one of the preset keys only goes down a fraction and stops with a hard "clunk".
I suspect some paperclips fell in as we found quite a few in the organ so far. How does one go about getting out the keyboard in both cases? Or at least get a chance to look underneath to see what's blocking things?
Thanks in advance!
John

[Bobmann]

That noise you hear is from a screw that has come loose and fallen out, probably from a broken key.
Look here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0nxkwR7CiI
That is a 2 part video.
You really do not want to frmove the keyboard, if all you want to do is to fix a few keys. It is a pretty involved job.

If you need some keys, I have many sets. I have a box already packed up with a complete set, upper, lower, including presets. Someone wanted them but changed their mind.

Bob

[John Vanderlee]

Thanks Bob! I 'll see how many are broken. I 'll PM you with what I need, but just in case how much for that box?
John

[Bobmann]

Thanks Bob! I 'll see how many are broken. I 'll PM you with what I need, but just in case how much for that box?
John

You can have them for cost of postage. The box weighs about 18 lbs, 15x10x10 (I think); you can figure the postage from 27613
If you don't need a whole set, I have several more sets, I can just send what you need.

Bob

[bnelson218]

Involving a particular run of H-series organs, Hammond used a faulty supply of keys that developed cracks over time, and for some reason, most susceptible are the black keys. The noise you're hearing is likely something that's fallen into the keybed, as you suggested, or more likely a piece of a broken key or a screw that's worked its way loose. Replacing an upper .manual key is an involved process to say the least, and there are several videos on YouTube to guide you through it. If you wiggle the black keys from side to side, it's like!y you'll come across more that are broken. Unfortunately, if you find broken sharp keys on the upper keyboard you'll find them on the lower also. And replacing a lower manual key can on!y be described as a nightmare. Hammond did not design organs to be easily disassembled. Whether it was Mr. Hammond's hubris, or simply their design protocol, it's as if they never dreamed their products would require any invasive servicing. I have an H324 here that needed all the sharp (black) keys replaced. And I say 'a!I' because it makes no sense to just replace the broken keys as more are bound to break later on. I wish you all the best, but unfortunately, you've acquired one of the most problematic organs out there. On the bright side, in this forum you'll meet people with a combined knowledge of literally hundreds of hours servicing these instruments and we're all eager to help.