Help me pick my next gigging keyboard!

[stinkfoot70]

Hi! I’m hoping to get some suggestions of what my next gigging keyboard should be.

My present gigging keyboard is a Kawaii ES110. I love that keyboard because it feels more like a piano than my piano. Also has plenty of outputs so easy to connect to different systems. Only has 19 voices but I’ve been fine with just the primary piano, Rhodes, Wurli, and Hammond B-3 sounds. I always felt Clav would’ve been nice but hasn’t been a deal breaker.

The reason I’m looking to move on is:
1) The keyboard is starting to get a bit finicky and it randomly plays a note (on a few central keys) excessively loud despite average strike pressure
2) It’s heavy, awkward and it’s been a beast to lug around the last 3 1/2 years.

My gigs are primarily:
1) A weekly duet with a stand-up bass player - playing jazz standards, playing heads, soloing - in a bar/restaurant- I just plug direct into a large speaker the restaurant provides
2) Sometimes I’ll play with a 5 piece jazz band - either in bars, restaurants, or a local park clamshell stage (I always just plug right into the mixing board on bigger gigs)
3) A 5 piece funk band where I play more of the Rhodes, Wurli, hammond sounds - this is typically outdoor bars, or more lawn local park stages (once again, I 1/4” directly into sound board)

What do I want? I’m not sure. I know I’d like something lighter and I think I can get away with less than 88 keys since I never play the upper register and I typically play with territorial bass player so he doesn’t let me anywhere near the bottom 2 or so octaves. Some more voices would be nice, but I’ve done fine with bare bones.

Why I’m asking: I live in the sticks so when I take a day trip down to the city, my time is always limited so it would be nice to have a few models in mind to target before I head down

Thanks!
Core

 

[happyrat1]

And the infamous double post strikes again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[stinkfoot70]

Sorry. Had trouble signing in so didn't realize I did that

 

[stinkfoot70]

I just tried to delete the other post but couldn't find a delete option. Honestly had no idea that it posted twice

 

[Rayblewit]

After you hit that post button, your message will be posted for all to see.
But, if you want to make a change, you can always edit it or DELETE it if you look below your message you will see there is an option to retrieve the message.
However, once someone responds, if you are too slow, you will lose that opportunity.
You need to stay focused.

 

[Rayblewit]

Tap on the Three litte dots.

 

[stinkfoot70]

Thanks Ray. I'll try to be more perceptive next time

 

[Rayblewit]

You're welcome Core.
Sorry I cannot assist you with your request however. I am not a gigging man.

 

[happyrat1]

My dear Bromodrosis. Times have never been better for the performing artist to choose a trusty weapon for cocktail lounge combat.

There's a huge set of offerings in stage pianos and workstations out there in all configurations and price ranges.

Why not hit the youtubicle and search out a few likely candidates from Yamaha, Roland, Korg, Kawai etc and come back with more specific candidates?

Seeing you are replacing a Kawai, then you will be VVERRRRRY Picky Indeed about keyboard dynamics and touch. Really nothing else on the market even comes close, BUT they are still VERRRY Pricey and VERRRY Heavy.

Once you've narrowed the range we can make constructive suggestions without cooking the ionosphere.

 

[stinkfoot70]

Thanks Happyrat1

I didn't realize that my kawaii was at the high end of dynamics and touch compared to what's out there. I do owe my present level to that keyboard since it feels so good that I practiced like mad while smiling heavily and ended up growing in skill faster than I imagined over the past 3 or so years. And the newer version of that kawaii is my lazy option since I know I'll like it.

If the Kawaii made me "very picky indeed", are there models that I can start my research with that you'd place as comparable or close to the feel of my kawaii?

 

[happyrat1]

There's no substitute for hands on experience, but here's a guide to what keybeds are currently in use with which synths.

Verbaute Tastaturen und Hersteller (Sammelthread)

Dieser Thread soll als Hilfe auf die Frage "Welche Tastatur ist in Gerät XY verbaut" dienen. Bitte lange Diskussionen vermeiden, damit er als übersichtliches Nachschlagewerk dient. Korrekturen und Ergänzungen sind natürlich gerne willkommen. Bitte verwendet folgendes Schema, damit es...

www.musiker-board.de

You can get a feel for a type by cross referencing the synth.

 

[happyrat1]

FATAR TP-8, TP-9 get good reviews and TP-40 is a popular choice these days as well, but the end is best left entirely to subjective touch and feel by the player.

 

[stinkfoot70]

Thanks! I'll start cross referencing and hopefully narrow things down

 

[anotherscott]

Thanks Happyrat1

I didn't realize that my kawaii was at the high end of dynamics and touch compared to what's out there.

It's not. ES110 is a perfectly nice piano, but it was their bottom of the line (and by no means "VERRRY Pricey and VERRRY Heavy"!). But since one of the main issues you're trying to address is travel weight, the problem is that you're not going to get a hammer-action model that weighs much less than its 26.5 lbs. The current replacement Kawai (ES120) weighs the same, though the price has gone up. They've come out with a new lower priced model which sells for closer to what the ES110 sold for, the ES60, but it's not much lighter, 24.25 lbs, and I think it's a step down in sound and action. The lightest hammer action models you can find regardless of brand are in the 22-24 lb range. If you want to get the weight below that, you'll have to move to a semi-weighted model. Some semi-weighteds are better than others for piano, but none will feel nearly as piano-like as your hammer-action Kawai.

Gary mentioned models with Fatar TP8, TP9, and TP40. TP40 is a nice hammer action, but any board with that action will be in the range of 10+ lbs heavier than your Kawai. TP8 and TP9 are semi-weighteds. The TP9 is not a great action for piano, even as semi-weighteds go. However, the TP8 especially in its "piano" variation (TP/8Piano) is better, and would be one of the ones I"d consider, you'll find it in the 18.7 lb Dexibell S1 and its new variation, S2. Much pricier than your Kawai though.

At lower price and lower travel weight, some semi-weighted models that I feel are above average for piano playing (as semi-weighteds go) are:

Korg Liano: 13.23 lbs, cheap, 88 keys, and surprisingly nice to play. It probably has too few sounds for you, but it has a built-in USB audio interface, so you can easily get your additional sounds from an attached iPhone/iPad with just a single cable connection. Even if you don't already own one of those devices, a Liano and a basic iPad is still a pretty cheap purchase. Note that it's audio output is a stereo 1/8", so you'll need an adapter cable to break that out to the left and right 1/4" jacks that you probably want.

Yamaha CK61: 12.38 lbs but only 61 keys, could that be enough? Plays piano pretty decently once you make some adjustments to its velocity settings. Tons of built-in sounds, including a variety of different piano and EP sounds and a full drawbar organ engine (It also happens to have the USB audio interface feature.) Yamaha also has the YC61 which would similarly fit your needs, but it's a bit heavier and notably pricier. Action is different... which is better is subjective.

Some recently discontinued models that could be worth looking at if you find them are the Korg Vox Continental (61 and 73) and Kurzweil PC4-7 and SP6-7 (which are 76 keys), all are under 20 lbs.

Depending on what you find and what your budget is, Nord Electro series could work... all the 61s and most of the non-hammer 73s are under 20 lbs, they use the organ version of the Fatar TP8 action, it's not as good as the piano version of that action, but it's still above average.

For some other bang-for-buck options, the low-priced Casio CT-S1 76 action is above average... not as good feeling as the Liano, but not bad, and has a lot more sounds. Like the Liano, it has only the 1/8" audio output. There's also the Numa Compact series, especially the X models which include more organ and MIDI functions. They use the Fatar TP9. Again, I wouldn't count that as among the better semi-weighted actions for piano, but it's not the worst, either, and they do give you a ton of features for the money.

 

[stinkfoot70]

That's an awesome amount of info, anotherscott. I'll get my hands on one of those semi-weighted and see if I end up sticking my nose up in the air or not!

 

[Biggles]

You must have got lucky with your Kawai DP, the one I played had a keybed that clacked so badly they could here it in the next County.

If you have a specific budget in mind look on a Music Store’s website in the price range.

You will find the number of options are limited for a workstation.

e.g. If you decide on a keyboard with 76 keys then there are only 8 on the Sweetwater Website.

Yet 23 in the $800 to $5600 price range with 61 keys, and only 5 in the $1000 to $2000 range.

Arguably the best workstation is the Korg Kronos but that is $3400 for a 61 key model.

There is no substitution for hands on.

 

[anotherscott]

You will find the number of options are limited for a workstation.
...
Arguably the best workstation is the Korg Kronos but that is $3400 for a 61 key model.

He doesn't need a workstation. With his minimal-sounds Kawai failing, he is looking for a replacement that would hopefully be lighter and maybe have a few more sounds. e.g.:

I’ve been fine with just the primary piano, Rhodes, Wurli, and Hammond B-3 sounds. I always felt Clav would’ve been nice but hasn’t been a deal breaker...Some more voices would be nice, but I’ve done fine with bare bones.

So... piano, EP, organ, and maybe clav and some extras. Lots of non-workstations can fill that bill. Most workstations would be overkill, but moreover, a workstation-style keyboard with a decent action for piano and weighing less than his 26 lb Kawai would be a tall order, esp. if he'd like more than 61 keys.

That said, I'll add a Yamaha MODX7+ to my earlier list of models to look at.

 

[amwilburn]

Casio PXS series are light (23 lbs for plastic keys, 25 - 33 lbs for the wood-resin hybrid keys models; and those keys feel *great*)

Based on you playing ES110, you might find the Casio keys too shallow if you don't play on the keytips, but they're *light*! 23 lbs for an 88 with weighted keys! Line outs! (PXS1100/PXS3100) but if you can carry the extra 2 lbs, the wood action PXS5000 is much better (but also double the price). Note that the PXS3100 has 700 sounds and 200 ish styles, the top of the line PXS7000 has 400 sounds, no accompaniment styles.

Mark

 

[Biggles]

He doesn't need a workstation. With his minimal-sounds Kawai failing, he is looking for a replacement that would hopefully be lighter and maybe have a few more sounds. e.g.:



So... piano, EP, organ, and maybe clav and some extras. Lots of non-workstations can fill that bill. Most workstations would be overkill, but moreover, a workstation-style keyboard with a decent action for piano and weighing less than his 26 lb Kawai would be a tall order, esp. if he'd like more than 61 keys.

That said, I'll add a Yamaha MODX7+ to my earlier list of models to look at.

Wrong interpretation Scott.

The MODX7 is in the list of Workstations but it is over $2000.

As the Op has not quoted any budget how can you guys recommend specific models.

The Op seems to want to know their Options i.e. a list of keyboards to check out and that is exactly what they will find if they look on a website like Sweetwater and apply Filters.

 

[anotherscott]

Wrong interpretation Scott.

The MODX7 is in the list of Workstations but it is over $2000.

There has been no discussion of budget, the only listed criteria is light weight (less than his current 26.5 lb Kawai), with piano, EPs, organ, and maybe some additional sounds, and with an action that might be acceptable for piano. And also that less than 88 keys is okay (not sure about how much less). So it is not a certainty that a model over $2k would be out of the question.

But regardless, MODX7+ is $1799, not over $2k. (And a MODX6+ is even cheaper, but since a 76 is available that is not much heavier nor that much more expensive, I think that would be preferable here.)

As the Op has not quoted any budget how can you guys recommend specific models.

Easy, he listed many other criteria. My list addressed those criteria, through a wide variety of prices. There aren't all that many that I'd suggest.

The Op seems to want to know their Options i.e. a list of keyboards to check out and that is exactly what they will find if they look on a website like Sweetwater and apply Filters.

There is no filter for weight; or for which sounds they have; and, for non-hammer actions, which are better suited for piano playing than others. IOW, no filters for anything he is asking about, except if he wants to specify a minimum # of keys.

There's not even a single obvious category one could search. You searched workstations, but a suitable board could be found elsewhere e.g. in the digital piano category (where you'd find most of the boards I mentioned, as well as the kind of board he already has), or something could conceivably be found even in the synthesizer, organ, or arranger categories.

Plus, there is the benefit of getting input from other players as to which might be better choices than others, and why. Otherwise, the admins might as well eliminate the "Keyboard Purchase Recommendations" category and replace it with a link to Sweetwater. ;-)