i just got a really ratty 2000xl studio on ebay. what to do?

hi earth humans!

today i got my 2000xl after the first two sellers backed out on me (hmm). here is the auction. it is a studio edition with the effects board and eight outputs. also 32 megabytes of memory.

well this "near mint condition" mpc is a little different than described. the pads often do double contacts, most of the buttons require hard pushes to activate, and some of the bigger buttons (record, play start, etc.) are wobbly from being whacked too many times. the note variation slider has a scratchy feel to its movement. at least the jog wheel works nicely. also, the external zip drive was packed loose in the box on a coast-to-coast trip, and is probably hosed.

so this is a wonderful machine in awful condition, with some valuable extra bits included. i can tell that i will really like using it, but i don't want this particular one.

so i'm debating whether to:

(1) send it back for a refund
(2) play with it for a while, learn it, and then part out all the expensive things and sell it
(3) ??¿¿¿¿???¿¿??¿????¿

maybe it is possible to fix double-firing pads and weak pushbuttons. any advice?

The older MPC's have buttons made of slightly more solid plastic than the newer OEM replacement buttons. But the newer buttons fit.

Sometimes the PCB boards inside aren't perfectly level on the mounting on the risers, so even a perfect brand new button will still have some wobble.

It's pretty common to get a screwdriver and take apart any used MPC, clean out the dust and gunk, the buttons are removable with a gentle squeeze and a bit of rocking side to side.

The note variation slider being a little rough is common, an XL could be anywhere from 8-15 years old at this point. So the grease in the slider probably has dried up. Your main concern would be that it actually works. Probably the most common broken thing on XL's.

I forget the exact release date on the all included Studio model, I know the MCD CF models appeared around 2004, 2005 was the last year any XL was made.

The EB16 is rarer to find pre-installed and they are still kind of expensive. Seems like 7 or 8 out of 10 XL's don't ever have them.

Maybe you get lucky and the rubber pad sheet just is misaligned. (it has little guide pegs to make it sit right and they can come out really easily. On an well used machine it may be a dying sensor sheet. (that's under the rubber pads)

You didn't say what the final price was, so hard to say if you should consider a return.

External zips or even a compatible internal one are really cheap at mom and pop local computer shops. But if you keep this one or get another zip one if you do return, a CF card mod is your best bet. 1000% times more reliable, up to 1GB of storage on the IDE ones with OS 1.20.

You get 2GB CF cards for cheap and format in the MPC and get 1GB. But 1GB cards are rare and more expensive than 2GB ones. Many threads here on how to source cheap ones, worst thing with those mods is going to drilling a hole and maybe sourcing/making a small mounting bracket.

Any parts you may need are available at MPCStuff. It's a bit expensive, but the service is great, and besides VST Service in Cali, there aren't really many options. (MPCStuff.com stocks more stuff).

MPCStuff just started molding their own button sets, and they are much stronger than the Akai OEM buttons. They have videos on the site showing most of the products, and most of the vids will show you how to get the XL open as a side bonus. (Use Mike @ MPCStuff, ice cube tray trick for the screw separation. )

http://www.mpcstuff.com/

hey thanks for all the information.

i got this for about $450 shipped.

Sometimes the PCB boards inside aren't perfectly level on the mounting on the risers, so even a perfect brand new button will still have some wobble.

the record, stop, play start, and note repeat buttons slide all the way back and forth and side to side. the amount of play, plus the fact that these are probably the most commonly used of the big buttons, makes me think the buttons themselves have just been hit hard too many times. the play and overdub buttons are firmly seated and have a positive action.

It's pretty common to get a screwdriver and take apart any used MPC, clean out the dust and gunk, the buttons are removable with a gentle squeeze and a bit of rocking side to side.

will this fix my problem with the smaller buttons and the cursor buttons? you have to whack them to get them to register. and like i mentioned, the pads very often double fire. can i fix problems like these just by cleaning? i hope so, but it seems to me that this machine needs a lot of new tact switches and a set of pad sensors. i am not afraid to open up a machine, but i'd rather just get one that's been cared for.

thanks for the information about mpc-stuff and the card readers. i'm actually debating whether to install the one i have. i own a brand new in box microtech pcd-47b because i bought an extra in 2006, when i installed one in my S6000. but i know how much they're worth now ::}

any other opinions anybody? this machine seems to me like either a return or a partout, but i would be happy to find it could be salvaged.

The double trigger on pads is probably a dying sensor sheet (as mentioned by Meta) you'll need to replace it with a new one. (But it might also be just your fingers. If you're not used to play the pads it doubletrigger too.)

The small buttons issue can temporary be fixed with a drop of contact spray on the top of the tact switches inside the MPC. I wouldn't use WD40 on this cause of its other ingredients. Use some contact spray that is for electronic contacts only (AFAIK DeoxIT or contact cleaner from CRC) use this very careful (just a drop on the switch and please turn off the MPC before you deassable it and wait for the fluid to dry before turning on the machine again.

After this you should be happy with the (small) buttons responsive for a while (sometimes just a few months sometimes years).

If you decide to change the tact switches, there are some threads here with exactly this topic.

peace

magic_silver_box wrote:well this "near mint condition" mpc is a little different than described.

"Near mint condition" is a description of appearance rather than functionality. Unless you specifically ask a seller about functionality you are always taking a gamble unless you are buying a "refurbished" MPC which are sold for a higher price.

You wouldn't buy a older car that looked good without opening up the hood would you?

Remember that the MPC 2000XL is more than a decade old. Chances are that any MPC you buy is going to need some sort of maintenance. You either pay $700+ for a fully refurbished one or you take a chance with a cheaper one and get the maintenance done yourself.

If the MPC was damaged during transit due to poor packaging, then the seller should be responsible for a refund or at least refunding money to buy replacement parts which are not expensive.

magic_silver_box wrote:maybe it is possible to fix double-firing pads and weak pushbuttons. any advice?

magic_silver_box wrote: but it seems to me that this machine needs a a set of pad sensors.

Double triggering pads are often issue with technique. Your are either dragging your fingers after pressing the pad or pressing it twice in the way you are hitting the pad. Work on your technique and this "problem" will fix itself.

magic_silver_box wrote:the record, stop, play start, and note repeat buttons slide all the way back and forth and side to side. the amount of play, plus the fact that these are probably the most commonly used of the big buttons, makes me think the buttons themselves have just been hit hard too many times. the play and overdub buttons are firmly seated and have a positive action.

It's possible that the buttons became loose during shipping or are damaged. If you pop the cover off of the top, you should be able to tell. If the buttons are loose all you need to do are reseat them. If they are broken, they either need to be glued or replaced. The buttons themselves are rather cheap at MPC stuff ($3 each) so you would not be spending much money to replace the broken ones.

magic_silver_box wrote:but it seems to me that this machine needs a lot of new tact switches and a set of pad sensors.

You can certainly try to clean the tact switches. Some people have success with it, however the best bet would be to replace them.

100 tact switches is $8 at Mouser. That will be more than you need with some left over as spares. A replacement NV Slider is $3.50 at Mouser. The parts are not expensive at all.

"Near mint condition" is a description of appearance rather than functionality.

thank you for the reply, but i cannot let a statement like this go. i absolutely, categorically disagree. cosmetics are the least important and least relevant facet of any functional item's condition. your statement would only hold true for a decorative trinket.

You wouldn't buy a older car that looked good without opening up the hood would you?

you wouldn't list a car for sale in near mint condition if it had rod knock, would you? it would make no difference how shiny the paint was and how fluffy the floormats felt. this seller described the machine as "pristine" and it absolutely isn't. (also, the plastic buttons are a dingy shade of yellow, and it smells like a motel room.)

please don't take this as an affront, but i totally disagree.

anyway thanks for the advice on switches and pads. i will probably buy a bunch of tact switches for spares, but i don't need another project in my life right now!

also i used the pads in a lot of different ways and am convinced that it is not a matter of technique.

very useful information so far about maintenance, but i am leaning toward sending this back.

thanks again for the replies.

At the price you paid best bet is to try and get some loot back from the seller in lieu of the faults and do the repairs whether he pays up or not. You will lose if you try to part it out, sounds like your machine just needs routine maintenance.

On the description thing, always ask specific questions ,you can't rely on the accuracy of a sellers description. Mint condition to a seller could mean anything if he's never seen an MPC in true mint condition.

magic_silver_box wrote:also i used the pads in a lot of different ways and am convinced that it is not a matter of technique.

If you are new to using MPCs, it 'might' be technique.

If you leave your finger on the pad after hitting it, it can double trigger as your finger bounces back onto the pad after the initial hit, giving a double trigger.

Try lifting your fingers off after each hit, rather than leaving them resting on the pad, if not already doing so.

as mentioned... the pads on the 2000XL double trigger until you get used to hitting them properly... the 2000XL has some of the best built pads & sensors, so i highly doubt those are broken. the buttons on the other hand, will need replacing... ditch the ZIP drive... it's the worst format for saving available. even floppy disks are more reliable. read up on "the click of death"for more info on why ZIPs suck. best of luck getting this machine back into decent shape. show it some love and it'll love you back.

If it is just the button caps moving around, they can easily be replaced with new ones, as they have possibly broken in the plastic at the point they hinge from.

If it needs a hard press to trigger the switch, then the tact switch might need to be de-soldered and an a new tact switch soldered in it's place.

I found this post interesting personally, because I also got my XL with 8-out expansion board (no effect board) on ebay. (Mine was worn out condition, I knew it had to be repaired, so the situation is different between yours and mine. I replaced all the tact switches, variable fader, rotary encoder, etc. by myself.)
I don't know the usual market price for MPC-2000XL with 8-out and effect board, but it looks a bit pricy.

I also found "near mint condition" claim to be disturbing. It should never described as near mint, if there is even one worn out button, switch, or pot on the machine. "near mint condition" and "near mint cosmetic condition" are two different things.
If I were you, I'd ask for refund, (take advantage of ebay's buyers' protection policy) or ask for discount. I don't think refund is a bad option, because MPC-2000XL are always available on ebay.
On the bright side, those tact switches are not difficult to replace, if you know how to solder...

By the way, do not use Zip disks. Soon or later, it will die on you...

For rubber pads, I'd recommend getting a new one from MPC Stuff dot com. They become kind of gummy once it is worn out. Usually the pad sensor is fine. It is very easy to replace.

Good Luck!

update! i got a refund for the crappy xl, tried to buy a brand-new one from someone on here who went missing, and then bought a beat-up but perfectly functional one from ebay. i've played with it a few times and it is really, really fun. it is scratched and smells like cigarettes (and now, palmolive and murphy soap), but the pads are perfect and all the tact switches work nicely.

i just opened it up, gave a lot of parts a bath, and am deciding whether to install the brand-new microtech reader i got in 2006 or find a cheaper reader and sell the 47b. also have to move the output board over from my old S2000. looking forward to a whole new way to make music.

Dope.

The XL is is great machine and you'll fall in love all over again once you go CF and can have at minimum 1GB per CF to play with, even better if your reader is hot swappable.

magic_silver_box...?...a TB-303 reference?

magic_silver_box wrote:update! i got a refund for the crappy xl, tried to buy a brand-new one from someone on here who went missing, and then bought a beat-up but perfectly functional one from ebay. i've played with it a few times and it is really, really fun. it is scratched and smells like cigarettes (and now, palmolive and murphy soap), but the pads are perfect and all the tact switches work nicely.

i just opened it up, gave a lot of parts a bath, and am deciding whether to install the brand-new microtech reader i got in 2006 or find a cheaper reader and sell the 47b. also have to move the output board over from my old S2000. looking forward to a whole new way to make music.

Very interesting that the seller relisted that XL with the same description and the buyer recieved it and said it was just as described.
Hmmm

ntalec wrote:Very interesting that the seller relisted that XL with the same description and the buyer recieved it and said it was just as described.
Hmmm

sorry, i'm fresh out of troll food!

Metatron72 wrote:Dope.
...
magic_silver_box...?...a TB-303 reference?

YES
YES YES YES
and i finally, finally got one this year. i've wanted one for about half my life.