I didn't even know there was an internal battery until my old Korg 01/W showed the error. Thanks for this as I'm sure this saved me an expensive service call
Thank you SynthMania! Great to-the-point video. I dusted off my 01WFD and was alerted by the foul "Low internal battery" warning. I thought all Combi/Program data was lost until watching your tutorial.What a relief to know the data can be recovered. Can't wait to play those famous 90's pads again.
I replaced the battery on my Yamaha DX7-S just yesterday (which I had never done before). I had to de-solder the old original battery and install a modern switched battery holder. I sure wish it had been as easy to replace the battery as it was on this Korg 01/W. Luckily, it seems it all turned out well. I was so happy that my keyboard included the Data Rom cartridge when I bought it in very good condition at a local pawn shop back in the mid 2000's. It allowed me to download all the original sounds back into the synth. Now, if I ever have to replace it, I can simply swap out the old battery with a new one as easy as you did here...
The Waveshaping function on the 01 is still so unique. Makes for really good Techno lead sounds. Was jamming on mine just as the notification came through about this. Wonderful Synth!
Its because it is "this age", when stuff where built to last a lifetime, that is had the socket battery. On Korgs after the Trinity the batteries where soldered to the board, wchich has always made me cringe. So bloody stupid!!!
a couple of years ago i had 3 ai2 technology powered korg synths. korg 01w , x3 and n364. i like them all but i chose to keep only the n364 the most advanced one imo. in n364 you need a batery holder when you replace the batery and after replacement should use a midi/usb adapter to upload the firmware in synth .worth every cent the drums the effects the pads the strings the basses and leads are pretty solid and warm
Nice! Thanks for making this video, man! It really helps when someone have one of those classic Korg workstations. I had to do it on my X3 last year. Now I just need to figure out how to get the presets back, since I don't have a MIDI interface (so I could send the SYSEX to the keyboard or something like that) and the floppy drive doesn't work anymore (maybe I can fix it. I'm looking for a solution for that). I'm really tempted to buy one of those cheap MIDI USB cables, but I'm not sure if it even worth
NEVER BUY the crappy usb/midi interface. i use M-audio-midisport-uno and never had problems using with synths from 1986 to 2000 yamaha korg roland solton akai samplers
Just a slight correction... All the screws are identical. The screws that screw the bottom plate to the back aluminum panel just have a spring load like washer, and the reason is the holes on the bottom plate in that place are "go through open holes" aka: not closed holes, so you dont really need to take those screws completely off, just unscrew them enough so you cna slide the back panel out of the unit. Reason being the back aluminum frame is soft so its easy to ruin the screw theads if you take and put back completely the screws very often. This way you only need to loosen them 😉
I do have to replace the battery on my old 01/W (and I hope the original sounds come back!), but another question.... is there an easy fix for a squeaky key? (it squeaks...loud!...when you release the key)
Funnily enough, my Korg 01/WFD is in for repair at this very moment! As well as getting a replacement battery, I’m hoping they’ll be able to replace the LCD and the disk drive with third party solutions. It’s still a great sounding synth - if they can’t fix it, I’ll be gutted!
While a minor anoience, if that's all that need fixing on your 01W consider your lself lucky. Even without backing light, if you can read the display, you're good to go. If the disk drive doesn't work you can just load stuff up with the ChangeIt soft by sysex on a laptop 😉
@@SerErris Do you happen to know if sometimes the combi sounds can trigger strange random sounds when a certain keys are pressed? It is almost rythymic with different sounds triggering. I am having this issue with my Korg 01/W
@@ltpstan Combi sounds can trigger all kinds of strange things (so not random). But without hearing an example, I cannot tell if anything is wrong. For instance if you load in a Combi of a PCM card and the PCM card is not plugged in (not available) you will end up with strange sounds.
My friend Paolo, There is one piece of hardware I wish you had.. A casio VZ-1. I really want to replace the battery in it before it starts leaking.. I bought it new on 48th st NYC in 1989.. Still working in 2021, even the display! There are no real schematics of the inside of the unit.. Any advice? Thank you! PS- Whenever I replace a motherboard coin cell I always write the date with a marker on the back of it..
Hi, 5arge, I've had the VZ-10M but never owned the keyboard version... looks like you can download the VZ-1 service manual on the Internet, for example here www.deepsonic.ch/deep/docs_manuals/casio_vz-1_service_manual.pdf and looks like it uses a 3V backup battery in the power supply circuit. This Reddit post goes more into the specific on the installation, a 2/3AA battery with soldering lugs, 3V. www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/comments/f4xklp/casio_vz1_battery_replacement/
@@SynthManiaDotCom The real issue is taking it apart.. I am going to have my video camera going to record the entire procedure.. So I am able to reassemble it back the correct way.. I replaced the soldered on battery of my mom's Digital Piano (1996) replaced with a CR2032 motherboard battery.. I used an old motherboard battery holder, which I glued to the inside of the piano then extended the wires to where the original battery was soldered on.. Worked like a charm. I hope to have good fortune with the Casio! Thanks again!
I replaced the battery, and the unit powers up, but the patches still aren’t saved. I have to load them from global every time. I didn’t see anything bulging on the power supply. What a nightmare working on this keyboard.
@@sauermusicDE No that is not correct. You would have to load them a single time after battery replacement. @Xp50player maybe you have put the battery in upside down or something else is broken.
Thats probably a problem with the chip or the ram not getting enough voltage from the battery to hold the memory, even if you have a fresh battery . I have a similar problem with one of my 01W's, i switch it off, and when i switch back on another day both prog and combi bank A is wiped out, the screen has random chars and no sound at all from thise patches. Bank B on the other hand is always ok. Since that one has a working disk drive im not really botheted, as ill load my sounds in every time i switch it on. Its annoying but there aee far worse things 😉
@@sauermusicDE No thats not "correct"... What he is saying is, even after a fresh battery the patches are still not being saved/hold up in Ram, every time he turns the synth power off
@@conan5885 I thought that with "every time" he meant after every time when he has to change the battery. My message was exactly the same: The patches and combis are not there directly...you HAVE to load them at least once after exchanging the battery.
Same thing happened with my Yamaha EX 5, when I went to sell it, it did not work. Luckily my wife is tech savvy and told me which type of battery to buy, and I did the installation myself. But who knew batteries on synthesizers died?
Mate, of course they die.... Its a battery, used to hold your patch memory in ram when you turn it off, it will eventually wear out... Even if it takes years
I didn't even know there was an internal battery until my old Korg 01/W showed the error. Thanks for this as I'm sure this saved me an expensive service call
Thank you SynthMania! Great to-the-point video. I dusted off my 01WFD and was alerted by the foul "Low internal battery" warning. I thought all Combi/Program data was lost until watching your tutorial.What a relief to know the data can be recovered. Can't wait to play those famous 90's pads again.
Glad it helped!
I replaced the battery on my Yamaha DX7-S just yesterday (which I had never done before). I had to de-solder the old original battery and install a modern switched battery holder. I sure wish it had been as easy to replace the battery as it was on this Korg 01/W.
Luckily, it seems it all turned out well. I was so happy that my keyboard included the Data Rom cartridge when I bought it in very good condition at a local pawn shop back in the mid 2000's. It allowed me to download all the original sounds back into the synth. Now, if I ever have to replace it, I can simply swap out the old battery with a new one as easy as you did here...
The Waveshaping function on the 01 is still so unique. Makes for really good Techno lead sounds. Was jamming on mine just as the notification came through about this. Wonderful Synth!
Lucky to have the battery socketed on something of this age!
True! Most are the larger type, soldered right to the board!
Its because it is "this age", when stuff where built to last a lifetime, that is had the socket battery. On Korgs after the Trinity the batteries where soldered to the board, wchich has always made me cringe. So bloody stupid!!!
a couple of years ago i had 3 ai2 technology powered korg synths. korg 01w , x3 and n364. i like them all but i chose to keep only the n364 the most advanced one imo. in n364 you need a batery holder when you replace the batery and after replacement should use a midi/usb adapter to upload the firmware in synth .worth every cent the drums the effects the pads the strings the basses and leads are pretty solid and warm
The best synth all time
Please review 01w fd
Nice! Thanks for making this video, man! It really helps when someone have one of those classic Korg workstations. I had to do it on my X3 last year.
Now I just need to figure out how to get the presets back, since I don't have a MIDI interface (so I could send the SYSEX to the keyboard or something like that) and the floppy drive doesn't work anymore (maybe I can fix it. I'm looking for a solution for that). I'm really tempted to buy one of those cheap MIDI USB cables, but I'm not sure if it even worth
NEVER BUY the crappy usb/midi interface. i use M-audio-midisport-uno and never had problems using with synths from 1986 to 2000 yamaha korg roland solton akai samplers
Where are the 01/W demos on your website?
Just a slight correction...
All the screws are identical. The screws that screw the bottom plate to the back aluminum panel just have a spring load like washer, and the reason is the holes on the bottom plate in that place are "go through open holes" aka: not closed holes, so you dont really need to take those screws completely off, just unscrew them enough so you cna slide the back panel out of the unit. Reason being the back aluminum frame is soft so its easy to ruin the screw theads if you take and put back completely the screws very often. This way you only need to loosen them 😉
I do have to replace the battery on my old 01/W (and I hope the original sounds come back!), but another question.... is there an easy fix for a squeaky key? (it squeaks...loud!...when you release the key)
Funnily enough, my Korg 01/WFD is in for repair at this very moment! As well as getting a replacement battery, I’m hoping they’ll be able to replace the LCD and the disk drive with third party solutions. It’s still a great sounding synth - if they can’t fix it, I’ll be gutted!
Where do you live? I can fix it for you. I have replaced my LCD and also put in a GOTEK for the disk drive.
@@SerErris Thanks for the offer, but I already have someone fixing it for me! I’m in Scotland.
While a minor anoience, if that's all that need fixing on your 01W consider your lself lucky. Even without backing light, if you can read the display, you're good to go. If the disk drive doesn't work you can just load stuff up with the ChangeIt soft by sysex on a laptop 😉
@@SerErris Do you happen to know if sometimes the combi sounds can trigger strange random sounds when a certain keys are pressed? It is almost rythymic with different sounds triggering. I am having this issue with my Korg 01/W
@@ltpstan Combi sounds can trigger all kinds of strange things (so not random). But without hearing an example, I cannot tell if anything is wrong.
For instance if you load in a Combi of a PCM card and the PCM card is not plugged in (not available) you will end up with strange sounds.
My friend Paolo, There is one piece of hardware I wish you had.. A casio VZ-1. I really want to replace the battery in it before it starts leaking.. I bought it new on 48th st NYC in 1989.. Still working in 2021, even the display! There are no real schematics of the inside of the unit.. Any advice? Thank you!
PS- Whenever I replace a motherboard coin cell I always write the date with a marker on the back of it..
Good suggestion.
Hi, 5arge, I've had the VZ-10M but never owned the keyboard version... looks like you can download the VZ-1 service manual on the Internet, for example here www.deepsonic.ch/deep/docs_manuals/casio_vz-1_service_manual.pdf and looks like it uses a 3V backup battery in the power supply circuit. This Reddit post goes more into the specific on the installation, a 2/3AA battery with soldering lugs, 3V. www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/comments/f4xklp/casio_vz1_battery_replacement/
@@SynthManiaDotCom I have the first one.. The reddit is something new.. Thank you!! I knew you would have answers.. :)
@@SynthManiaDotCom The real issue is taking it apart.. I am going to have my video camera going to record the entire procedure.. So I am able to reassemble it back the correct way.. I replaced the soldered on battery of my mom's Digital Piano (1996) replaced with a CR2032 motherboard battery.. I used an old motherboard battery holder, which I glued to the inside of the piano then extended the wires to where the original battery was soldered on.. Worked like a charm. I hope to have good fortune with the Casio! Thanks again!
Hi there, any idea on how to set the touch response on korg 01/w? Tnx tnx tnx
What is the type of the needed replacement battery, please?
The common CR2032 (also says in the video)
@@SynthManiaDotCom thanks. Sorry, I watched twice but didn't catch it.
What does this battery do?
Keep the patches in memory
I replaced the battery, and the unit powers up, but the patches still aren’t saved. I have to load them from global every time. I didn’t see anything bulging on the power supply. What a nightmare working on this keyboard.
"I have to load them from global every time." >> That's correct. Works as designed. Every time means after every 5 years or so. Could be worse IMHO...
@@sauermusicDE No that is not correct. You would have to load them a single time after battery replacement. @Xp50player maybe you have put the battery in upside down or something else is broken.
Thats probably a problem with the chip or the ram not getting enough voltage from the battery to hold the memory, even if you have a fresh battery . I have a similar problem with one of my 01W's, i switch it off, and when i switch back on another day both prog and combi bank A is wiped out, the screen has random chars and no sound at all from thise patches. Bank B on the other hand is always ok. Since that one has a working disk drive im not really botheted, as ill load my sounds in every time i switch it on. Its annoying but there aee far worse things 😉
@@sauermusicDE No thats not "correct"... What he is saying is, even after a fresh battery the patches are still not being saved/hold up in Ram, every time he turns the synth power off
@@conan5885 I thought that with "every time" he meant after every time when he has to change the battery. My message was exactly the same: The patches and combis are not there directly...you HAVE to load them at least once after exchanging the battery.
Thank you!
Same thing happened with my Yamaha EX 5, when I went to sell it, it did not work. Luckily my wife is tech savvy and told me which type of battery to buy, and I did the installation myself. But who knew batteries on synthesizers died?
Mate, of course they die.... Its a battery, used to hold your patch memory in ram when you turn it off, it will eventually wear out... Even if it takes years
After the change need ree start
👍🎹👍
darn, this didn't fix my old baby 😢