Silicone Mat Leaching Oil

[function]

About a year ago I started having problems with my linnstrument where one row would become completely unresponsive. I tried resetting, recalibrating, upgrading firmware, and checking to see if it was something to do with my software setup. The problem is very frustrating because one day everything will work fine and the next it will be unresponsive. It seems to come and go.

Yesterday the row became unresponsive again, and I noticed a discolouration under the silicone mat in a few areas. The linnstrument is used frequently but has been kept in a clean studio environment. Following Roger's video, I took off the faceplate and peeled back the silicone mat. What was revealed is that the silicone mat has been leaching some sort of oil. It is on the top of the surface and the bottom, mainly where the faceplate has been in contact. The discolouration is from this oil getting underneath the silicone buttons. It has coated the black electronics under the silicone, mainly on the edges. As mentioned on the FAQ and discussions here I've had issues with the silicone mat buckling due to humidity and heat in the past. My assumption is that the leaching has occurred as a result of the buckling and the oil is possibly blocking conductivity, causing my row to go out. Upon replacing the faceplate and turning on the linnstrument the row became responsive again.

Roger, can you comment on the severity of this for my linnstrument #31? Would you recommend a method for cleaning or would the board need to be serviced?

[function]

Pictures of the board:

[function]

Pictures of the leaching oil:

[John the Savage]

Just out of curiousity, function, did you buy your LinnStrument new or used? The only reason I ask is, I've seen posts by some misguided users who have actually used olive oil, or the likes, on their fingers to reduce friction on the playing surface... Yeesh!

Cheers!

[masterhiggins]

Just out of curiousity, function, did you buy your LinnStrument new or used? The only reason I ask is, I've seen posts by some misguided users who have actually used olive oil, or the likes, on their fingers to reduce friction on the playing surface... Yeesh!

Cheers!

Misguided? I think the word you’re looking for is dumbass.

[John the Savage]

LOL... Well, yes, that might also be an appropriate moniker.

Diplomacy being what it is, however... (smirk).

Cheers!

[function]

Hi John - I am the original owner of #31 and I assure you nothing has ever been spilled or intentionally put on the playing surface! The instrument has been kept well and I am the only person who has used / had access to the instrument.
The substance is kind of tacky and has clearly come from the silicone. It is not moisture condensation. You can see on the bottom that there are islands the material, and it it has consistently leached from all of the edges, interior and exterior. It's hard to imagine any material getting under the silicone in general with how it is constructed. The playing surface is a gasket in to itself!
My guess is that it occurred after numerous 'buckling' events while living in Wales. The weather was quite humid and warm at times.

[function]

Based on some searching, Oil leach can be typical in TPE or TPR materials, which are alternatives to silicone. What is the playing surface made of?

[John the Savage]

To the best of my knowledge, the original playing surfaces are made entirely of silicone (including the coating), and the newer ones Roger now offers are also silicone, but the coating is a polyurethane.

I'm at a loss. I've had my LinnStrument apart several times, and I've never seen or heard of this happening. I play it almost daily too, onstage, often in sweaty environments.

I suppose it's plausible that the parts were contaminated before your LinnStrument was assembled; or given that yours is an earlier serial number, perhaps your playing surface is made from a different formulation. Only Roger could confirm or deny that though. At any rate, he should be along shortly, I would imagine. He's usually pretty quick to respond here.

Cheers!

[Roger_Linn]

Hi function,

That early unit used a different silicone sheet that can emit some of the silicone oil, which is why I switched to a different material shortly after your unit was sold. Although your warranty expired at the end of 2016, I’ll replace your touch surface with a new one for free in appreciation of your being an early adopter. But given that you’re so close in California, please send it back to me for a few days so I can give the unit a free full check-up and bring it up to current standards. Please contact me at the support address and I’ll give you my shipping address.

For future reference, this forum is intended for user discussions, but for support issues it’s better to contact me at the support address.

[dr_loop]

Just out of curiousity, function, did you buy your LinnStrument new or used? The only reason I ask is, I've seen posts by some misguided users who have actually used olive oil, or the likes, on their fingers to reduce friction on the playing surface... Yeesh!

Cheers!

Misguided? I think the word you’re looking for is dumbass.

...please keep it polite, no need to be a dumbass yourself!

There may be good reasons to do exactly that, arthrosis anyone??

I do that occasionally myself,. it *does* make for a much nicer playing experience and does'nt make any problems at all!
Just use *very little* oil and clean it afterwards, and all is good!!

[John the Savage]

Easy there, Doc.

There are breathing holes in the playing surface, and the seal around the edge is hardly watertight either. Fine oils have a way of penetrating even the most impervious surfaces and materials, and are nearly impossible to clean up effectively. Do what you want, it's your LinnStrument, but it's only a matter of time before some of that oil finds its way inside, and evidently it is capable of causing problems.

You have to admit, whether it works for you or not, it's an unusual practice, considering that most people go out of their way to keep their fine instruments and sensitive electronics clean and free of stubborn contaminants. Regardless, I was just trying to help the OP figure out where the mysterious oil might have come from, and someone else merely made a joke about it, because it does seem a little absurd from the outside looking in. Not that anyone had to know it was you. Ahem! Hell, I didn't know it was you, I just remembered reading it somewhere. Anyway...

If you're looking for a playing surface with less friction, I recommend ordering one of the newer ones from Roger. The new polyurethane coating is so slippery, I can barely hold my finger in place when performing a vibrato (wink).

Cheers!

[SteveElbows]

There are breathing holes in the playing surface, and the seal around the edge is hardly watertight either.

Regarding the small holes, I was wondering whether the cleaning instructions needed an update since these holes were added. ( http://www.rogerlinndesign.com/ls-surface-cleaning.html )

[c0nsilience]

Not to digress from the OP, but the best rule of thumb (and the rest of your fingers) is to treat the playing surface like you would an iPad display...delicately and with no solvents.

[BobDog]

If you're looking for a playing surface with less friction, I recommend ordering one of the newer ones from Roger. The new polyurethane coating is so slippery, I can barely hold my finger in place when performing a vibrato (wink).
Cheers!

My new replacement just arrived, 3 days from USA to Heathrow London and then 19 days from Heathrow to where I live, yes thats right 19 days to travel around 100 miles.

Not quite got used to it yet, much harder than my previous rubber.