Metal Knobs (work in progress with pics)

I also dig your 1000 tony- cracks me up.


I do still think the pads look like they have dandruff though.

This entire project must now be put on hold because I am officially MPC-less. I didn't actually realise how bad it had become until I tried to use it today. The UP button now also triggers Play... so there's a unique short-cut

Practically EVERY tact switch is crumbling, and I need to replace the jog wheel encoder (this is my own fault though)... however...

F*ck you Akai and your appauling build quality. I've owned this machine from new and all I've ever had is problems since day one. Be it component failure or sketchy pads. Honestly, God bless JJOS for managing to convince me to stick with this machine for as long as I have.

Somebody sell me an MPC? Nothing made in Taiwan, or with a faulty screen, or with bugs in the OS, or with dodgy pads...

What model? 1000? Just curious...

' Somebody sell me an MPC? Nothing made in Taiwan, or with a faulty screen, or with bugs in the OS, or with dodgy pads... '


Er, Scoob, hate to break the bad news, bud, but no such unit exists in the real world !

1000 Black b.reazle. So it's not like I can even allow the pads being that poor as it's not the blue/red version.

Bought it brand new in second year of uni, it's barely used to be honest, and I'm a very cautious user when it comes to electronic goods anyway.

Disappointing. Although I've contacted MPC Stuff immediately to see if they have any of their right side PCBs in stock.

Such a love/hate relationship with these machines.

inthemix wrote:Er, Scoob, hate to break the bad news, bud, but no such unit exists in the real world !

You know that. I'm going to see how much it will cost to get her up and running again, because it's still one of my most treasured pieces. If it's going to cost a bomb then I'll probably just try and cop a 2000 or something on the cheap and pray the screen doesn't burn my house down.

Or possibly a 500 so I can use lovely battery power.

' Or possibly a 500 so I can use lovely battery power.'


Doctah Wizard's your man in that case


Sorry to hear that you have had such troubles - that's shit karma, dude. I guess I've been real lucky with my unit ... not a problem at all. I've also taken it to pieces to customise it 'all black' and, despite some worrying moments piecing it back together, it's worked beautifully all through.

Less karma, and more down to poor component selection in the Taiwanese factory. My worker must've been having an off day.

Also, I know you're a software dude at heart. I bet your 1000 hasn't been switched on more than 20 minutes in total? Ergo, you should sell it to me, very cheaply so that your children have extra Disney pounds.

It's all good Mike from MPC Stuff has priced me a right hand side PCB, which will hopefully be back in stock in the next couple of months. It comes to just over a ton with postage, which is painful but not the end of the world. And unless I happen to stumble upon something un-noticed on eBay it's the only real option I have.

Yeah, I bet the unit wasn't constructed in a air-tight, hermetically sealed lab either by that Taiwanese worker ? He was prolly smoking that special oriental chi-cha-chong right over the PCB as he was installing it. I must admit that I found some curious looking grey ash on the inside of my unit when I first opened it ... and it sure as hell weren't anything I deposited anywhere in or around it ?! Still, when you're paying peanuts, you know what you get, eh ?!!

Pity I didn;t know you were experiencing issues a short while back, as I had a couple of people who were off-loading their MPCs - one a 1K and the other an older 2000. The prices were silly at the time ( £260 for the former and £180 for the later ). The 1K was the 'red' one, though ... and not too sure if it had had the pad upgrade ?

I'll have a dig around for the contacts, if you want ? Might be worth checking them out ... it was a while back, though, but you never know ? If I can find them, I'll PM them over ...

I've got one or two bits on eBay right now so I'm probably going to hold out for the PCB from Mike unless I spot something ridiculous.

I'm half tempted by that 2000 though, seems a reasonable price. Although just checking on Gumtree now and there's a 1000 Black for £200, which seems disturbingly low.

Might give it a punt.

' there's a 1000 Black for £200, which seems disturbingly low'.



Very much so ! I hopr that's not the same one I've seen posted up numerous times over the last year on the Gummer ? Is the Guy based in North London ? If he is, ditch the idea !!

Oh, before I forget, I had a guy down this side who was looking to sell his 4000 for around the £550 mark ? Is that out of the price range ??

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/akai-mpc-1000-sampler-drum-machine/98380011

Shepherds Bush. Says he's only been posting since March, so could possibly be legit. Still, if something seems too good to be true and all that.

There's a few tasty looking 2000/XLs on the bay right now, so I'll keep a weather eye on them, just in case I suddenly become flush. I am passing on my EMU Ultra hopefully this week so that should cover a new MPC comfortably, as well as any possible upgrades if it's a second-hander.

Then I can stand on Market Street and be a white Damu, while rudeboys try and flog Niche CDs to unsuspecting 13 year old scally whores.

inthemix wrote:Oh, before I forget, I had a guy down this side who was looking to sell his 4000 for around the £550 mark ? Is that out of the price range ??

Damn... at that price it's tempting but I have to consider the Tempest and Space Echo funds. So alas yes, I'll let that one go.

Ok, that's not the unit I've seen advertised. Heard from another poster ( he was selling a 1000 too ) that the character advertising the cheap 1K was a bit 'shadey' ( didn't ask him how 'he knew' that, though )


Still, this unit seems ok, but hard to get your head around the low price ? ... Check it out, but do the usual 'saftey first stuff' with anything gumtree when visiting. Fact that he's in the Bush kind of fits the profile of those you'd more expect to use an MPC, but there are enough young heads around there who'd not be slow to rob you blind !

Hey Scooby

would you mind sharing your method for making the shape of the 'D shaft' shape in the knobs?

im in a similar position in that ive got access to an epic metal lathe and making up some custom aluminium knobs wouldnt be too hard at all.. except for the guts of it.

im sure ive seen plastic plugs around that convert the knurled/fluted type potentiometer shaft to 'D shaft' but ill be dammed if i can find them online.

Would definitely be interested in stuff for my 2500!