I wish I could afford one.

Really wish I could afford one to go with a premium laptop. But what I would really like is an unopened near mint model.

I think the pad sensors will still be an issue... I've been through 3... and they're not *too* hard to work on if you're even halfway decent with a soldering iron.

NearTao wrote:I think the pad sensors will still be an issue... I've been through 3... and they're not *too* hard to work on if you're even halfway decent with a soldering iron.

Can you elaborate. Pad sensor receptivity is a common problem with that model? I know over in Japan, there are so many companies and free lance craftsman there that could fix and refurbish them to near mint, mint, like new perfection.

Near Tao means the pads sensitivity. The pads has a space between the rubber pads and the sensors making playability a little clunky. Solution I did was bought Fat pads from mpcstuff.com and placed corking, also available at mpcstuff. Turned the 500's pads just as smooth as a grand piano.

Though, there may be mpc500 dead stock somewhere, you just have to look at salvage stores and outlets, just might have a door to buy one at least almost new.