PA3X 76 note from new

Craig E · Post by **Craig E** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 9:57 am

Hi this is a message for all those who purchaed a PA3X pro from new.

When you first turned it on, did the motorised display move to a position, or did it remain flat waiting for you to move it to where you want it?

The faders, were they all fully rasied, flat, or all in different positions?

The mic settings buttons, what position were they in, all left, centre, or all right?

Was there a cover over your touch screen?

The mains cable, was this in a plastic sealed bag? Did it have a cable tie around it, was there a plug protecter over the end of the plug?

Thanks in advance for any answers

MuratE · Post by **MuratE** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 10:46 am

Hi,
I had a little issue about this, so I think this is a good question.
I bought my pa3x76 new about 3-4 months ago. The box sent was completely open! and the power cable wasn't in a plastic bag! There was even dust in the box although the keyboard still had the red sticker on its screen. I complained and sent it back. The screen should have a red sticker on it. The knobs can be at various levels. The music note holder should be in a plastic bag also covered with a plastic cling film like material. The manuals and the DVD should also be in a sealed plastic bag. The box shouldn't be open! Preferably with the seals still intact.

Craig E · Post by **Craig E** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:21 am

Thanks for replying.

The screen cover on mine was actually in the bottom of the box. It had not come unstuck otherwise it would have been in the cover around the keyboard and not in the bottom of the box.

The plug looked as though it had simply been wrapped around someone's hand and then tied and thrown into the box. It was actually knotted, filthy (dust), not in a plastic cover, no cable tie or protective cover on the plug.

The box where you can see the staples, it looks like the staples have been taken out and new ones put in, as you can clearly see holes at the side of where the new ones are.

Fader wise, almost perfect for a mix. Upper 1 full up, upper 2 and 3 slightly below upper 1, lower and pad half way, bass 3/4 up, accomp and drum almost full up, acc sng half way up, master volume up full and also mp3 up full.

The gain for the mic at the rear was about 3/4 the way up and the mic buttons appear set. The screen when first turned on moved to about half way up.

The box itself not great but acceptable. Lots of tape unstuck at the sides.

Obviously not the shops fault who sold this to me as they have not opened it, but I'm wondering if it has been an ex demo keyboard and then simply boxed back up by Korg.

Can't say I'm impressed and unfortunately the 3rd F key working up from the left is faulty. It makes a terrible noise every time you play it, so I've got to send this back either for a refund or replacement, but I doubt a replacement as this has put me off completely.

I've had lots of Korgs in the past mainly synths and use a Kronos X, but out of all those I've purchased, I've never come across anything in this state before

Also 1.62 and not 1.63 although depending how long Korg have had this, that can explain an older OS. Only 10 mins to update anyway.

MuratE · Post by **MuratE** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 12:49 pm

Hi Craig,
Ok, here is what you can do (that's what I did at the time).
Firstly, make sure the serial number on the box and under the keyboard match up.
Secondly, call Korg customer services and they will confirm how old the keyboard is. It maybe sent to the dealer only a few days ago. But you are saying the sticker was under the keyboard and there were some dust on the cable. This sounds like the first keyboard I had received and sent back.
If the dealer becomes difficult (they really should help you!) just call Korg and complain.
Can I ask you where you bought the keyboard from and how much did you pay? If the dealer becomes difficult you can post it here with a new heading so people will avoid them.
Cheers,
Murat

Craig E · Post by **Craig E** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 1:47 pm

Hi Murat.

The store is spot on, never had an issue in the past and they always look after me. I'll not mention the name as they are willing to sort things.

I had initially ordered a new PA3XLE, then I found a second hand PA3X76 being sold at another store for the price of the LE. I rang my store back to mention this. They didn't have a second hand one in, but instead gave me a good price for a new one. More to pay than the PA3XLE and a little bit more than the second hand one elsewhere, but still a good deal which I decided to go for.

I've not rang Korg myself (I will do this afternoon), but the store has and Korg have mentioned that they can and do open keyboards in the warehouse, sometimes to update the OS and to check them out. To me this sounds very odd, if they open them and mine clearly has been, why on earth did they not update from 1.62 to 1.63, why did they not have the sense to put the cover back on the screen and how on earth did miss the faulty key - why would they open boxes in the first place?

I was told my keyboard was new and sealed direct from Korg at the time of my order and that is what I expected. I've actually part exchanged my Tyros 4 and paid the difference, so I can have that back and the price difference refunded, have another Korg PA3X76 which Korg have said they will update and check or they can send out to me unchecked, or I can go with something else.

At the moment I'm 99.9% certain on having my Tyros 4 back, but I have over the weekend to decide.

The serial number underneath does match the one on the box, but you can tell from the staples that the original ones have been taken out and then others put back in different places.

My opinion of Korg which has always been high has definitely gone down, but things can and do happen. I just wondered if this was a one off, or if others have had similar happen to them and from your reply, it's not a one off.

karmathanever · Post by **karmathanever** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 5:00 pm

I really can't remember, but you can generally tell from the wrap which is tight and sealed (well mine was) - would be hard to take off and replace that well.
The box should have appeared sealed and not "re-sealed".

When you first turned it on, did the motorised display move to a position, or did it remain flat waiting for you to move it to where you want it?

The last person to test it pre packing could have caused this to happen.

This is designed feature and an option for you…..

If you like the screen at a certain position, then just before power off MANUALLY lower it (don't use the motor) - when you next turn on it will remember its position and raise accordingly….

Pete

kgardner53 · Post by **kgardner53** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 5:17 pm

With all the details you supplied, it is obvious and evident that it was not factory-direct. It might have been a demonstrator transferred from another dealer or store of that chain. When I was representing the Farfisa distributor in Toronto, we had to open and quality check every unit since nearly half had problems shipping from Italy. Your national distributor may have felt that was necessary but can you imagine not having a spare euro-chord around the test bench? ! ! Unthinkable. Just think how many you have form old computer equipment etc.

Another tell tale sign would be to check and see if any user banks had anything programmed. That would be a dead giveaway! As far as this being KORG's doing, ... can't imagine KORG ever allowing this to happen. Are you absolutely certain of the chain of custody from factory to you? Not what you are told but what you have personally witnessed .

Mine came brand new in Canada and was not opened as per your staple observation which is a reliable observation.

Dikikeys · Post by **Dikikeys** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 6:41 pm

You have to understand that brick and mortar music stores are in a very tough position these days...

You want the same price from them as you get from an online store, that has no retail outlets to operate. You want to be able to walk in the store and try everything that's out there, side by side to compare. So you make the store carry a ton of product, some of which may not sell very quickly.

But heaven help them if they sell you the model they had on the store floor!

Internet dealers have none of this product they have to unbox and display. If you want to hurt brick and mortar stores even more than they already have, insist that they charge the same price as an online dealer, insist they carry every model keyboard you want to ever try... but insist they NEVER sell you the floor model!

Best of luck finding anything to play in a store again! What's their upside to letting YOU play one in the store, if you also insist that, once you try a bunch out to compare, they MUST sell you a brand new one out of the box..? They might as well close their doors, sell the retail venue, and just have a warehouse and a bunch of minimum wage morons on the phone lines, like all the online places already do! And there goes your opportunity to compare...

Cut your local dealer some slack... either be prepared to pay a bit more for the item than the online dealer (this is what I do when I can) and get an unopened box unit, or, if you want the same price from them that an online, no showroom dealer offers, don't get bent out of shape if you get the floor model.

Brick and mortar stores are disappearing daily, and those left carry fewer and fewer lines and models to display. And more of this attitude can only make things worse. Imagine a day where you couldn't try ANYTHING before you buy it... That's the direction where this is heading us in.

Personally, I want to compare, I want to listen to stuff side by side. I'm prepared to pay for the privilege. Shouldn't you, in one form or another?

Craig E · Post by **Craig E** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 7:20 pm

Having spoken with Korg this afternoon who were very helpful, to cut a long story short, it's obvious that this has been opened somewhere.

Korg think it was possibly opened in Italy before coming to the UK, as a trace on the serial number doesn't show it was opened here and the music store (not an online retailer either as they have 8 shops in the UK) only received this from Korg on Monday and it was sent out to me Wednesday. They haven't opened it, it was sent out as it arrived from Korg.

The F key mentioned is definitely faulty, so it is being returned to the store and then back to Korg.

It isn't a shop floor model either, as they have only recently started stocking Korg arrangers (they do sell the synths), but I do think it may have been used as a demo a few years ago. The way the faders and mic settings were set and the gain up at the rear makes you wonder....

Decision time anyway, do I have Korg send me another PA3X76, do I ask for my Tyros 4 back and refund of the difference paid, or do I go with something else (definitely not a Tyros 5 yuk).

Thanks for all the replies

karmathanever · Post by **karmathanever** » Sat Oct 18, 2014 1:51 am

If the PA3X is clean, unscratched, works fine, has everything that should be in the box and you have a reputable dealer AND a full warranty, then I would keep it!!!
You've already said goodbye to your Tyros 4 which would have been heartbreaking enough

Best of luck

Pete

Craig E · Post by **Craig E** » Sat Oct 18, 2014 10:44 am

Hi Pete.

It doesn't work fine as the 3rd F key from the left hand side has a serious fault. Every time you press the key, there is a terrible noise coming from it.

Hard to explain, so I sent a video (a small .mov file) back to the store and they have also sent this to Korg. Korg have acknowledged this fault and it's got to go back to them.