Fixing a Roland FP-8 Digital Piano

I remember when the Roland has released the FP-8 back in the mid-nineties. At that time, I had a mixed experience with the Yamaha PF-15 (so-so FM piano sound) and I was looking for the PF-80, then Roland released the FP-8, which at this time, gained a lot of acclamations. The keybed was one of the best available (and is still very descent), and the sampled sounds were quite convincing, by the 90s standards.

This particular FP-8 was purchased brand new by my friend Charles, and given a few years ago to another friend, Dominique. One day, Dominique called me: the FP-8 is dead, declared beyond repair by Moog Audio. A nasty capacitor leak dissolved somes tracks on the SMC PCB. The capacitors haved been changed, but still no joy. "Could you take it?". Unfortunatelly, at that time, my workbench was full, no room for another keyboard, so I had to decline.

Few years later thouh, Dominique purchased another piano (a nice Kawai MP6), and was moving: the dead FP-8 was doomed to the trash bin. Dominique called me: "Last chance!". "Ok, ok, I'll grab it today". I admit than one wasn't easy, and the FP-8 laid a couple of weeks (hmmm, should I say ... at least several) with its guts on the bench, but I finally nailed it: a bad via! The fix was easy, and the piano now sings again.