Good inexpensive keyboards?

So I'm looking for a inexpensive keyboard. I need a really solid organ tone, preferably with a tweakable leslie effect. Then a good electric piano tone (rhodes style preferably), an acoustic piano, and a solid square and/or sawtooth synth.

I've heard that the Yamaha DX7 is a solid keyboard for this, but I don't know about it. I'm looking for new or used, but trying to keep it under $500 (I don't know if this is reasonable). I know I like Yamaha gear in general, and Korg. I've heard good things about Roland, and bad things about Casio. However, I'm open to anything.

I've been playing for a bit now, and the setup I have is a Fatar Studio 900 (i think it's 900...), and an Alesis midi module (the something A4). Not in love with either of them. The Alesis sounds pretty fake in almost all settings (the only good sounding settings are ones i don't have much use for), and the Fatar feels cheap. I really need a much better sounding keyboard for the band I'm playing in.

Wouldn't go for a DX7 if you are after organs, pianos etc..... go to Youtube and type in Yamaha DX7 for demos. It's a classic FM synth from many moons ago...

Some mahcines that come to mind in the price bracket might be

Yamaha NP/YPG series
http://au.yamaha.com/en/products/mus...=global_search

Yamaha PSR-E423
http://au.yamaha.com/en/products/mus...product_lineup

The Y-man

Does the NP series have a good rock organ or synth tone? It looks like it only has like 6 or 7 voices from the demos I've seen, and I heard no synth and only a church organ... That's a deal breaker for me.

The PSR looks great, except It seems to only come in a 61-key? I know I'd prefer a 76....

Check out the upcoming Casio XW-P1...it has an improved drawbar organ sound,plenty of bread & butter sounds..as well as being a monster synthesizer.

There's a cornucopia of real time controls(a myriad of knobs,faders,sliders & such)..perfect for live use(as that's what it was specifically designed for).



-Elwood

That looks great, actually. May be a bit out of my price range, though....

Well...as far as new keyboards go for what you want,this is as inexpensive as it gets.You still may be able to take advantage of some year-end clearance deals at say,Sweetwater or Zzounds perhaps,but I think you would be hard pressed to find what you need for under $500(just out of curiosity,just how much under $500 are we talking about here)?
Reason I ask,is you're asking an awful lot for the money(regardless of whether it's new or used).
Going the used route,you may be able to find someone who desperately needs some quick cash and is willing to go below any given asking price...but that's a very sketchy thing.

Perhaps the Gearslutz website might have something you want in their classified section.If you're desperate enough to try Craigslist,I would even consider doing business with anyone there unless you can meet him/her in person for a cash deal.

Maybe eBay is your most viable option,but I'd be cautious of finding anything as good or better than the XW-P1 for under $500.

Honestly,it may very well be a long while,before you find what you're looking for under 5 bills,during which time you'll probably have enough saved towards something new anyhow.

If by some chance you decide at some point to save & set aside a little more coin to go for something new & you really want the Casio,then I'd strongly suggest you get a travel case for the XW-P1,because it's all plastic & only 11 pounds.


-Elwood

You could probably pick up a Roland XP30 for that sort of money. It's a fantastic ROMpler for the price. Thousands of onboard samples including a pretty decent acoustic piano, plenty of hammond-esque organs. I'm pretty sure it has the same effects unit built in as the XP80 which had a passable leslie emulation effect with speed ramping etc. The 'lecky pianos were pretty good too, a nice fender rhodes and some good Wurlitzer patches if I remember.

Well, I have no aversion to used gear or to Craigslist. Guitar is my primary instrument, and I've gotten some great deals on Craigslist- but yes, I agree you need to meet in person and pay in cash.

It may well be worth saving the extra for, though... That organ emulation really looks fantastic, which is a huge selling point/breaking point for me. Also, the fact that it's got so much tweakability and it has assignable presets.... I'm thinking I may put the extra in.

That might work, right there.... I'll have to see what I can find locally.