Fatar keyboards durability

Hello all,

Today I tried Fatar wooden keyboards. They looked great and I enjoyed the feel of them.
One comment the gentlemen showing me the keyboards made was that the plastic puffs (that create the tracker feel) could last up to 5 years before needing replacement. This has me a bit worried because I do not want to have to open my console every 5 years to replace parts.

That being said I would like to know of your experience with the Fatar keyboards with regards to durability, other thoughts and recommendations.

Thank you.

Stéphane

Five years is possibly conservative generally speaking. Contained in that are many variables, such as how often and hard the manuals are played and even the location climate. Unfortunately, everything wears out including organ players.

Rgds,
Ed

I would expect this to be the case. The contact strips would certainly wear out in 5 years of heavy playing in that time frame. Things that would last indefinitely for an amateur like myself give different mileage for those who practice a number of hours every day.

I'm curious what experiences our professional organists can share.

I use 3 beautiful ebony keyboards. I had a problem with a key contact after months of use, but placing the replacement strip was very easy. I recommend to get and keep several replacement parts just in case.

Thank you for your replies.

The keyboards on the console are from the 1980's and still work fine, but they are plastic keys.

In all honesty my hope, if I get new keyboards, is to install them and not have to open the console again ever!!!

If the Fatar will require repairs in 5+ years, can you recommend other wooden keys keyboards?

Thank you,

Stephane

I Utilized the original Contact Rails that came with my Wurli. Pipe console, after a thorough cleaning of the sterling silver wire, contact blocks, and the silver tipped shorting bars. I kept having missing notes on my organs and cleaning the contacts helped, only to have other notes go missing ! So I checked my options and decided to try Optical Switching rather than magnetic. "I HAVE NOT HAD ONE MISSING NOTE" in the past 5 Years.

All my keys, and all my pedals are optically switched, The keys have a very noticeable Positive feel when playing the organ ! I will provide you with any info you want if you, DM me !
---( No hysteresis & No Problems--- ! )

I would expect this to be the case. The contact strips would certainly wear out in 5 years of heavy playing in that time frame. Things that would last indefinitely for an amateur like myself give different mileage for those who practice a number of hours every day.

I'm curious what experiences our professional organists can share.

I worked in Musical Instrument repair shops, and Kept a sizeable supply of Rubber Contact strips as well as rubber key guides, for many keyboard makes, as in Professional Use, the bubble contacts simply did not last any longer than the Silver Contacts ! Best wishes, RSVP, Mel

Thank you for your replies.

The keyboards on the console are from the 1980's and still work fine, but they are plastic keys.

In all honesty my hope, if I get new keyboards, is to install them and not have to open the console again ever!!!

If the Fatar will require repairs in 5+ years, can you recommend other wooden keys keyboards?

Thank you,

Stephane

You may be able to get replacement Bubble Contact Strips,
If the old ones should fail, after long use !

Thank you for your replies.

The keyboards on the console are from the 1980's and still work fine, but they are plastic keys.

In all honesty my hope, if I get new keyboards, is to install them and not have to open the console again ever!!!

If the Fatar will require repairs in 5+ years, can you recommend other wooden keys keyboards?

Thank you,

Stephane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DweG2Ebo1_k

Rgds,
Ed

Can anyone recommend more durable keyboards then?

Thanks.

Can anyone recommend more durable keyboards then?

Thanks.

Sure for about $4,000/keyboard you can get wood keyboards from Europe that will be more durable.
I think that I can get Organ Supply Industries keyboards to you for around $3,000. These are keyboards that are probably good for 30 years or so of Sunday playing as they have gold contacts. Cheeks will add another $300 or so per manual.

If you do not play Rock and Roll on them in concert 5 nights a week Fatar keyboards will last a long time and if they fail just unplug it and put a new one in. It will still be cheaper than a pipe organ keyboard with tracker touch but if that is not one of your criteria, go for it.


Best regards,

Thomas

Interesting discussion about durability.
Many organists seem to decry the miracle of plastic keyboards.
My 19 year old Johannus SW-30 plastic keyboards work as good as new, and show no signs of wear. Also, they are easy to clean with Windex after some visiting organists smudge them up.
Plastic may not feel as good as wood, but it works and lasts--old Hammond keyboards, for example.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rodgers-Organ-TRIPLE-MANUAL-KEYBOARD-for-your-Digital-MIDI-or-Expansion-Project/172627477804?_trksid=p2060778.c100290.m3507&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160727114228%26meid%3D9c270e7da8024b76aaa89a3d18e23d74%26pid%3D100290%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D172627477804

Rgds,
Ed

Thanks Ed.

I purchased the keyboards on ebay.

Best,

Stéphane

I have the same (wooden) keyboards on my Rodgers 340. Beautiful touch and very reliable. Just be careful around the wire contacts under the keys. You don't want to disturb them. Appears all the wiring is intact including the wiring for the thumb pistons. Should make connecting everything relatively easy.

Rgds,
Ed