Converting a MIDI keyboard to a pad style controller

I was just going through some old gear that I have laying around and found an old M-Audio Keystation 49es MIDI keyboard that I haven’t touched in years. I’ve been looking around for a new MIDI controller but I wanted something with pads. I’ve been itching to start a new project and I got to thinking whether or not it would be possible to gut the Keystation and use the internals to make a new controller from scratch. I’ve never opened one of these up before but I’m assuming there’s some type of trigger under each key/button and then encoders/slides for the volume/mod/pitch wheels. As long as I know which is which I could arrange them however I’d like, right? Does anyone have any experience with something like this or is this just a horrible idea?

Afaik pad controller work differently from keyboards. They use piezo elements for the pads while keyboards use switches for the keys. So I wonder if the effort might be too high. Also here in Berlin 2nd hand pad controllers can be had for a few bucks. Quite often people sell their old Maschine hardware, sometimes for 50 bucks, I also scored a complete simple EDrum Kit for 80€ a while ago. So in my case I'd rather build something else and get one of these.

Michael

Ahhh yea. That makes sense. I'll probably look into grabbing something second hand then. I'd try to sell it but the volume slider is broken off so I doubt anyone would buy it.  Time to think of another way to reuse the parts. I feel bad throwing things away though when I'm sure I can repurpose the parts.