I want to collect some data to send to Elektron.
Please answer the poll. There are 2 options.
1- My elektron rubberised coated buttons have gone sticky, melted, goo, mush, etc.
2- I have no problem with my elektron coated buttons.
This poll applies to all Elektron Mk2 devices, Digi boxes and Analog Heat.
This a poll, not a discussion, thank you.
0 voters
Iāve never had a problem with the coating on the buttons.
Possibly related, as a habit from my work, I wash my hands pretty frequently
Please, this is not a discussion.
Just answer the poll. Yes or no.
Discussions can be found elsewhere on the forum.
I wish there was an option for ānot yet, but I know theyāre going to get nasty in the futureā
I think you might need an option for somewhere in the middle. Mine are getting very slightly sticky, and when I run a fingernail over them it leaves a mark. I contacted elektron and got replacement caps but havenāt actually installed them yet, figuring I would wait until they are actually bad enough to not want to use.
should minimum age of the device be any consideration?
if someone has a week/month old machine no way it should be sticky so itās not really objective vote, but if someone has, letās say, over 2 years and uses at least on a weekly basis - their vote should weight more, no?
At first I was taken aback with āno discussionā but letās find the other sticky buttons thread to discuss - just in case this thread gets attached and lost in the other thread. Good that it is isolated and respect the original poster - public service announcement 
Yeah, this would be more interesting if correlated with age of device and frequency of use.
For example, my less-than-two-years-old Syntakt has no hints of this problem, which is what Iād expect for a device still under warranty. But are there devices out there that have this problem after just a couple of years if eg used heavily on stage or in clubs and used daily? Or is this a problem that only shows up after 6+ years in extreme cases?
Fair enough itās not a discussion post but yes or no is too vague. I voted no because at the moment they seem ok. My Digitakt was bought not long after release and I have barely used it but with age alone I can tell that the coating is not what it was and is becoming stickier. Therefore I suggest adding something else in your poll for the sake of accuracy.
Cant say Iāve noticed on mine
Buttons have been ok , at least with elektron gear you can probably get / buy replacements.
Some other gear has become a sticky horrible mess which canāt be fixed.
It has not been an issue on my devices so far - though I did notice that my Digitakt buttons are smoother and less grippy than the ones on my Syntakt, which I prefer.
I donāt know if thatās an intentional change, variances in manufacturing, or age related.
But I did order some replacement buttons, and those arrived sticky. I had to get another set sent out.
My suspicion is that these will get sticky sooner if you use a cover (like a decksaver) or store these devices in a box rather than open air.
I had this with OT mkI but it seems like itās exempt from the poll.
Also having this on a second hand OT MK2. Not terribly bad but definitely noticeable. I was wondering if I could buy some new ones just today, but maybe I can try to reach Elektron about it.
My experience with other gear is that these sticky plastics are often due to experiencing some kind of heat and/or direct sunlight. It tends to break down the material.
Manufacturers need to be shamed and called out for using this material. It undermines the quality of what is otherwise a great product. Itās a poor design choice to continue to use this rubberized coating.
Iām sure every manufacturer that does use this material has a bunch of customer support requests about how to deal with the stickiness. Now the question remains, do the manufacturers actually care enough to deal with the root cause, or is it another opportunity to sell replacement parts for profit for years to come?
I live in the tropics, so it seems the additional heat and humidity shorten the life of this coating. The stickiness reveals itself after 4 years in my home studio.
Itās not just Elektronā¦ I have sticky knobs from Arturia synths, Zoom recorders, Moog mod and pitch bend wheels, first gen Ableton Push 2ā¦ itās all a sticky mess after 5 years in this climate (without direct sunlight).
I think the industry needs to be shamed and called out for continuing to use this material. They know itās trash but still keep making products with it. Itās insulting to have to buy new rubber coated replacement buttons simply because I live in a warmer climate.
Iāve read the forums and spent hours attempting to clean this sticky stuff from my gear with less than successful results. God, not even the manufacturers can offer a proper solution how to deal with it other than replacing the parts all together. Itās maddening.
Totally agree with all of this.
Except one thing. I live in London and have exactly the same problem; it aināt the tropics!
Iāve only owned Elektron Models to date, so I canāt participate in good faith. Hopefully someone creates a āShould TPE / soft touch plastic be cleansed from the earth with fire?ā poll.
I gone back to mk1 and dont want anything with rubberized plastics in my life anymore. No more sticky mess on my desk. Look at KMI, they learned from this dramatic manufactor error and replaced all their products with no rubberized marks. I think this is what elektron, arturia, and others should do, by respect for their customers, and for the earthsafe.
