# Keybed Direct Installation - Doepfer Alternatives?



## Gavin McMahan (Jan 29, 2020)

Does anybody have experience installing just the keybed of a keyboard into their desk without using Doepfer?

I’m building a new desk and want a built-in keyboard under the condition that it uses the smallest footprint possible, so my QWERTY keyboard and mouse are still ergonomically close.


Getting a Doepfer without the case seems to be what most people get to achieve this because then the distance between you and the QWERTY keyboard and mouse is just the keys themselves.

But…

They’re a fortune.
They have mixed reviews in regard to key noise and other faults, necessitating repair.
I’ve read about some people disassembling keyboards like a Yamaha P-35 to get the same effect for a fraction of the cost.

Does anyone have any experience with disassembling keybeds like that and installing them into a desk?

I don’t need faders, knobs, pads, or even a mod wheel.

All that matters to me is that it’s hammer-action and is just the keybed.


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## jonvog (Jan 30, 2020)

Studiologic SL990 Pro over here. It’s a fatar keybed, I like it a lot. 
i think the ssl90 pro is discontinued though. 
The only problem is the wheel section. The mod wheel was constantly sending random values, so I had to disconnect it. I now control CC1 by fader and pitch bend via an iPhone app (I don’t use pitchbend very often so this works okayish).


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## edhamilton (Jan 30, 2020)

I'm looking to do this also.
As I prefer the older yamaha FS series keybeds, I'm looking for a box like the brain part of the doepfer or maybe pulling the bed out of a synth, finding a longer cable so I can put the brains/guts behind a rack or something.

Anyone solve this?


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## Robert Kooijman (Jan 31, 2020)

jonvog said:


> Studiologic SL990 Pro over here. It’s a fatar keybed, I like it a lot.
> i think the ssl90 pro is discontinued though.
> The only problem is the wheel section. The mod wheel was constantly sending random values, so I had to disconnect it. I now control CC1 by fader and pitch bend via an iPhone app (I don’t use pitchbend very often so this works okayish).


This is a very common problem with Fatar keyboards. But it's easily fixed by spraying a tiny bit of K60 in the wheel potentiometers. https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0107XE94W/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=kontakt+k60&qid=1580468878&sr=8-2 (Kontakt K60)


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## jonvog (Feb 6, 2020)

Robert Kooijman said:


> This is a very common problem with Fatar keyboards. But it's easily fixed by spraying a tiny bit of K60 in the wheel potentiometers. https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0107XE94W/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=kontakt+k60&qid=1580468878&sr=8-2 (Kontakt K60)



Yeah, I tried this, it didn’t help unfortunately. 
But I control CC1 via fader or breath controller anyways and don’t use pitch bend too much. So it’s alright.


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