Broken pushbutton switch, wondering if it's repairable...

[Stanley Design]

I have a 1973 Hammond Sounder organ. There are 7 pushbuttons on the face, but a few of them are worn out and don't work correctly. Particularly two of them on the drum beat selection spots, located in a group of 5 in the middle.




The problem is them don't want to stay pushed in, there's no "click" and they just spring back out. This organ is the drummer in my band and we have gigs coming up, do you think it can be repaired?

[Stanley Design]

Alright I pulled it apart, and took a look, the specific one that is giving me the most problems is missing a white thing on the back of the spring mechanism.... Another one must just be worn out because it doesn't want to catch.

[tplyons]

Can you get a good look at the switch? More than likely there are some markings on it... see if you can find these someone here might be able to help. I still have a few resources for my days selling semiconductors and electronics, I might be able to find something.

[J.D.B.]

If you can get the switch out as mentioned, these guys would be likely to help ya out. They carry a very deep selection.
http://www.rselectronics.com/

Josh

[Stanley Design]

It's a 12 pin (6 side by side) switch, I got everything on the back taken off and a good look at the switches. I thought it was just the cap on the back that was missing, but after closer inspection they are just plain worn out and I think they are directly soldered to the board, which I definitely can't do myself (or at least I never have before). The white caps on the back are just pieces of plastic and don't change anything, I took one off a working switch and put it on the broken one, didn't change either of them.

It looks similar to these on with the pins facing up from the board.

http://www.e-switch.com/product/tabi...h/default.aspx

I'll have pictures later, I can't find my camera's USB cable, I have to wait until my girlfriend gets home.

[J.D.B.]

If you can wield a soldering iron and a "solder-sucker" at the pins, you could do this job. Make a map of the wiring pin-out and go for it. I would. Brando probably would, too!

Josh

[Bassamatic]

You are probably right that the switches are just worn out. However, there has been little change in this type of push switch for many years. A competent repair person can probably find a replacement and replace the defective one, IF they are single switches.

The problem comes if they are interlocking - push one and the other pops out, etc. These are ordered as an assembly from the maker, and very hard to replace.

[Stanley Design]

Finally got some pictures loaded. I haven't called my repair tech yet because he's usually backed up with around 3 weeks worth of work so I don't want to bother him until I know all I can and prepare as much for him as possible. If I have to order new switches, if it's even possible, etc. Anyone have any more thoughts?

[Stanley Design]

Nobody has replied since I added photos, please guys, counting on someone having some knowledge...