My 404SX is a lot of fun but after a while its exhausting banging on those stiff pads.

Does anybody else have this problem?

I purchased a used one with softer pads but they broke.

I purchased replacement pads but they are even stiffer!

Can I leave the pads is some kind of acidic bath over night to soften the rubber?

I might try and customize them, see if I can add an extra layer of contact beneath them where they make contact.. any ideas?

PS connected MIDI in to a KORG PADKONTROL and its perfect! But would like to not have to carry that around.

PS I know about the HOLD button , but Im talking about one shots.

the 404 OG is even stiffer. i dont mind them though.

One trick I've used in the past with my mpc was to use a layer of electrical tape under the pads to make it more sensitive when you press down on the pad. I'm sure the same would work with an sp. Not sure how much it would change the stiffness of the pads.

My SP's pads got stiff when sampling porn.

Chopperman has a video somewhere on here of him replacing old pads with news ones and he adds on electrical tape as referenced above....