Korg Kronos Felt replacement(4 month wait)

[fabeandles]

I have had my keyboard at a repair center for 2 months waiting on a felt for middle E. Part number 500422008813, im told it will not be in stock until late December!!! what the heck! Ive always been a Korg fan but its gone to crap! I can understand a few weeks to get parts but 4 months!!! Come on Korg, what happened to you?

[GregC]

I have had my keyboard at a repair center for 2 months waiting on a felt for middle E. Part number 500422008813, im told it will not be in stock until late December!!! what the heck! Ive always been a Korg fan but its gone to crap! I can understand a few weeks to get parts but 4 months!!! Come on Korg, what happened to you?

I don't agree with your repair center holding your Kronos hostage, waiting for this part to show up.

[fabeandles]

No its not the repair place. It started with it arriving to repair center, they called Korg and said they don't have estimated time for part. I had to ship to them so I thought it will be a few weeks. I don't want to have to pay for the return when its going to be a short wait. I called a few weeks later and they said they cant get a date for the part. I start trying to find part on internet but with no luck. I called Korg personally and they said their parts dept will email me. Finally got an email saying it will be December. How do you not have replacement parts on hand? Now I got to pay for the return shipping, play with a clicking key, then pay for it to get back to them.

[GregC]

No its not the repair place. It started with it arriving to repair center, they called Korg and said they don't have estimated time for part. I had to ship to them so I thought it will be a few weeks. I don't want to have to pay for the return when its going to be a short wait. I called a few weeks later and they said they cant get a date for the part. I start trying to find part on internet but with no luck. I called Korg personally and they said their parts dept will email me. Finally got an email saying it will be December. How do you not have replacement parts on hand? Now I got to pay for the return shipping, play with a clicking key, then pay for it to get back to them.

very frustrating. Why can't they or the e repair center give you a loaner ?

[fabeandles]

I live in New Mexico, the closest repair shop is North of Texas called A&E electronics, they are not an official music store just one of Korgs authorized repair centers so they don't have loaners, that would be awesome if they did...
I've had so many things go wrong with this lemon and they have been good at getting the repairs done in the past. The other authorized repair centers in NM had a 3 month wait just to diagnose the problem. Im in a no win situation. I just called them and asked them to send it back to me. Im just disappointed Korg doesn't have replacement parts.

[GregC]

I live in New Mexico, the closest repair shop is North of Texas called A&E electronics, they are not an official music store just one of Korgs authorized repair centers so they don't have loaners, that would be awesome if they did...
I've had so many things go wrong with this lemon and they have been good at getting the repairs done in the past. The other authorized repair centers in NM had a 3 month wait just to diagnose the problem. Im in a no win situation. I just called them and asked them to send it back to me. Im just disappointed Korg doesn't have replacement parts.

that really s%$#ks. Did you buy your Kronos new ? Factory box sealed ?

Anybody reading this would be concerned. Since many of us depend on a fully functional Kronos

[fabeandles]

Yes, brand new from the box. At first the warranty was covering repairs but just like anything else, it keeps having issues after warranty expires. Like I said, I've ALWAYS bought Korg workstations starting with the Trinity. Im pretty much done with Korg. Customer service is not a huge win for them....this last product I bought (Kronos) hasn't been reliable. Im not one to rant, just at that point of throwing my hands in the air....

[burningbusch]

The felts aren't for a single key, they go the whole length of the keyboard. Is yours a 73 or 88? 88 is in stock. I don't know why one couldn't take an 88 and trim it to 73. I just had my Kronos open and removed all the keys to clean it thoroughly. I know those felts. I'm not sure why you need a replacement strip for one key. What exactly is the problem with this key?

Busch.

[fabeandles]

its an 88 key. The repair guy called Korg and they said he needed upper and lower felt which is parts 500422008813 and 500422008845. when I play that key it clicks like there's no padding.

[burningbusch]

I don't know. It's hard to diagnose those issues from a distance. It's possible it's the felt but those are thick and continuous. After six years of playing, mine don't need replacement. When you get it back, check to make sure the front aluminum keyboard strip (goes along the entire length on the outside) isn't too close to the keys. The keyboard can be shifted slightly and that's enough to cause a noise.

The front felts are in stock but not the back.

Busch.

[fabeandles]

yeah, ill check. Thanks. I ordered the ones in stock and had them shipped to the repair center. before I get the keyboard sent back to me I asked them to at least get those in.

[burningbusch]

yeah, ill check. Thanks. I ordered the ones in stock and had them shipped to the repair center. before I get the keyboard sent back to me I asked them to at least get those in.

Hope it all works out for you.

Busch.

[quinn47]

I have had my keyboard at a repair center for 2 months waiting on a felt for middle E. Part number 500422008813, im told it will not be in stock until late December!!! what the heck! Ive always been a Korg fan but its gone to crap! I can understand a few weeks to get parts but 4 months!!! Come on Korg, what happened to you?

Yep, me too. My Kronos 88 has been in an authorized repair shop for about 8 weeks so far. They received one half of the felts (from Korg) after 8 weeks now. AFAIK, there is no ETA on the delivery of the other (required) set. And on top of that, the repair cost is $450. I must say - I was a completely-dedicated Korg lover -- up to this problem.

This has tarnished my opinion of Korg, probably irreversibly. I will likely now look beyond Korg for my next keyboard. I had enough high-end keyboards to get through a 2017 summer of festivals. But, now I am in the studio recording and I need that Kronos back. And, I really don't know if I will ever see it again. To me, this problem - and Korg's response is something that has ended a 30 year love affair with Korg.

[GregC]

I have had my keyboard at a repair center for 2 months waiting on a felt for middle E. Part number 500422008813, im told it will not be in stock until late December!!! what the heck! Ive always been a Korg fan but its gone to crap! I can understand a few weeks to get parts but 4 months!!! Come on Korg, what happened to you?

Yep, me too. My Kronos 88 has been in an authorized repair shop for about 8 weeks so far. They received one half of the felts (from Korg) after 8 weeks now. AFAIK, there is no ETA on the delivery of the other (required) set. And on top of that, the repair cost is $450. I must say - I was a completely-dedicated Korg lover -- up to this problem.

This has tarnished my opinion of Korg, probably irreversibly. I will likely now look beyond Korg for my next keyboard. I had enough high-end keyboards to get through a 2017 summer of festivals. But, now I am in the studio recording and I need that Kronos back. And, I really don't know if I will ever see it again. To me, this problem - and Korg's response is something that has ended a 30 year love affair with Korg.

I would be p/o , too. I am trying to look at the bigger picture.

The keybed , is by far, the most expensive part of a Kronos. I also suspect, thats the same with the Montage, FA08, any expensive keyboard.

With that, there are many user type comments where the keypads for all these boards, are not up to a prior high standard, to make a long story short.

I am not defending any co. I was expecting my Kronos to last 10-15 years as is.
And it might, no one can say.

But these keybeds, etc, its discouraging to read of the parts problem.

I have to say, I am not opposed to getting a 2nd Kronos 88, really as insurance
since I do not want to experience any down time. and the alternatives to a Kronos are practically non existent. ( other than a DAW, an entire new platform to learn)

The fact there is no reasonable alternative to a Kronos is the main point. IMO

[DeltaJockey]

I have to say, I am not opposed to getting a 2nd Kronos 88, really as insurance

I agree Greg,

that's the main reason why I have 2 Kronos. At times I feel the capitalistic twinge about how that must look to folk who can't even afford one, but as you say, there's really no replacement and it's a very important part of my life.

I have found some joy in using Kontakt vst based instruments played with my Casio PX5S, but they provide more of a compliment than a replacement. It's the overall sum of the value added package of the Kronos which makes it unique.