I need some knowledgeable info and opinions on a problem I am having with a Korg X5D I sold on eBay. I certainly don't want the buyer to feel scammed, but I know I sent him a board in tip-top shape. Any ideas on the problem or a possible solution?

My buyer wrote,
...I USED THE X5D FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES AND THE NOTES ON THE KEYBOARD WOULD ONLY SOUND INTERMITENT. NO REAL PATTERN. I HAVE TO TURN OFF AND TURN POWER BACK ON TO RESET IT FOR ANOTHER FEW MINUTES....

He says he loaded the preset b voices. And in conversation it sounds as if there is a polyphony issue, but with 64 voices even a heavy combi shouldn't fall out. Can anyone help? !!!

[This message has been edited by cassp (edited 05-11-2007).]

Has he done a complete factory reset? It's possible there may have been some internal damage to the board during shipping.

Are the lights flickering as well? Could be a voltage problem, or faulty power supply.

Cable fault?

He says the problem is worsening, so I'm having him send it back to me. I will get it checked out and repaired. Maybe it's something minor or a result of shipping, we'll see. You can't sell faulty equipment and expect to keep a pristine reputation, even if it's not your fault.

I'll keep us posted.

You're gonna file a damage claim right..??? You sent the guy a fully functional unit, it gets damaged. You're refunding his money, yet in the end you're the one left with a broken synth. I'd file a report.

I'm certainly considering it. Once I figure out what the real problem is. It was not a big sale, so I didn't use extra insurance. Will that make a difference? Has anyone had experience with filing such a claim with FedEx?

I just received the keyboard back. When I press the test buttons, I get: error- TGL2 NG. The Combi, Prog, Global, Multi and 10's Hold buttons light up and flash simultaneously. I quick call to a local repair shop = this advice. The error is for a tone generator, but that seems unlikely. IT's $85 an hr. labor plus parts. I can't afford that for this little board.

I need HELP!

SOLVED!

The error stemmed from a loose CPU chip on the motherboard. I took off the bottom of the keyboard and there it was, right in front of me - a big Korg 64-voice chip on a sisterboard. I pushed the board into its socket and it held securely. Problem solved. The board goes back to Florida tomorrow.
Whew!!!

SOLVED!

The error stemmed from a loose CPU chip on the motherboard. I took off the bottom of the keyboard and there it was, right in front of me - a big Korg 64-voice chip on a sisterboard. I pushed the board into its socket and it held securely. Problem solved. The board goes back to Florida tomorrow.
Whew!!!

Pack the hell out of that box.... Clearly it got bumped around during shipping. Those chips don't just fall out on their own A box can get a pretty good jolt, and not really show signs of heavy damage.

Very good , you solve the problem . And pretty good for the buyer cause x5d is nice board . With 64 polyphony + all year 80 and 90 voices , it can handle all kind of music . I have x5dr and sould never sell it even now i use t2 , motif es , motif xs but i can add x5dr to get more rich sounds . Thank you .

Even though I see this is solved and you won't need to file a claim with FedEx, I would like to mention what happened to me so that it can possibly benefit someone else in the same situation.

The only time I ever had any problem sending or receiving any gear was when I sold my Roland E35 arranger on ebay. The guy told me it didn't work.

To make a long story short, after FedEx screwed around for awhile, I talked to one of their representatives by phone. She told me they would not pay for the damage because it couldn't be proved that it worked when I sent it.

I told her that if they did not pay in full, I would get on the forums on ebay and tell them exactly what happened to the point that it became apparent it could lose them a lot of business and money.

With that, she changed her story and said that yes, they would pay in full, which they did.

Scott

Good to know, Scott. I was lucky it was just a loose socket, so FedEx got saved this time. But I see your point, if you send something in good working condition and your buyer says it doesn't work, you have to do something to keep the peace.