Need high quality portable piano keyboard for quick gigs

[Jaycatt]

At home, I have a Yamaha P-140 that I'm quite happy with. I've never had much of a chance to play out in public, and instead play live shows online and record at home. It works perfectly for this!

Now, I have an opportunity to play alongside my friend (who plays guitar and harmonica) at quick gigs, such as open mics (where you only get three songs or so). I sure envy him: with his guitar, being able to get on and off the stage quick, with hardly any setup.

The P-140 takes up my whole passenger seat in the car, and weighs 40 pounds. Plus, it's fairly expensive. Anyway, I'm not sure I'd want to lug it around for things like open mics, and I think it would take far too long to set up on stage for just a few songs.

I'd love to find something with the quality of my electronic stage grand, but with the portability of a 61-key portable keyboard. Just something I can quickly bring up on stage under one arm, with a stand. I wouldn't miss the extra keys, so something 61-keys or such would work just fine. Doesn't even need to be weighted.

However, all I've found out there during my searches are keyboards that are basically toys for parents to buy their kids to see if they are interested in learning piano without spending a whole lot of money if they decide they'd rather not, or spill something on it.

Does a good quality 61-key portable keyboard exist? Something focusing on good sound/key quality, and not just a bunch of pre-recorded songs, light-up keys, and 160 different "sounds"? All I really want is a grand piano sound. External speakers would be nice, for stages without mixing boards, and a sustain pedal would also be a necessity.

Does such a beast exist or am I spinning my wheels and should just settle for the $150 deal at CostCo because that's the best you can get that isn't 88-keys? I'm willing to spend up to $700 or even more on something portable with good quality.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice.

Jaycatt

EDIT: A bit of searching came up with the Yamaha NP11, NP30, and NP31, which look like good portable grand pianos, and hopefully I can find a place locally with them so I can try them out. Anyone had any experience with these?

 

[goz211]

+1 NP30 - but NO pro outs - you'll have to use the headphone out.

Casio PX3 gets a lot of love on the keyboard player forum.

I've been doing my piano gigs on a Roland Juno Stage (76 notes). Taped over the Roland logo with black tape. Very light, sounds good.

$700 may well get you a 2nd hand one where you are. Discontinued and not a popular model.

 

[Jaycatt]

+1 NP30 - but NO pro outs - you'll have to use the headphone out.

Casio PX3 gets a lot of love on the keyboard player forum.

I've been doing my piano gigs on a Roland Juno Stage (76 notes). Taped over the Roland logo with black tape. Very light, sounds good.

$700 may well get you a 2nd hand one where you are. Discontinued and not a popular model.

Thanks goz! I notice the Roland Juno Stage doesn't seem to have external speakers built in (could be important at an open mic without a mixer that typically caters to acoustic instruments). Do you know if the PX3 does? I've been searching around the net and honestly can't say that it does. The NP30 looks like the best cost with external speakers so far, in my search. Thanks for the advice!

 

[goz211]

The NP-30 is the one if you want built in speakers.

The batteries don't last long and the power pack is one of those flimsy external things I've heard described as a "wall wart." Other than that it's actually very good. Feels nice to play, very light, sounds good. (Relatively) inexpensive. It has an input for a sustain pedal.

FYI: PX-3 - no built in speakers but it weighs just under 11kg. 88 notes. Piano action. Proper audio outs.

The NP30 is a better buy (IMO) - same as you already have the P140.

 

[sloppydave]

I use the NP30 as part of a light setup with my band. I fit it, a basic stand, a sound module (Korg TR-Rack) and all the cables in a bag from a Yamaha KX8 - and it's STILL not as heavy. Takes about 5 minutes to put in working order. Drop the module and you're down to less than a minute.

It's not rich on sounds (10 patches, I think), but it's got all the standards (piano, organ, strings, vibes). Didn't use them much, but they seemed standard Yamaha fare (which is not bad at all, really). The speakers are pretty strong - not enough to gig obviously (well, maybe in a really small cafe with just a few people, who are really really depressed), but if you use a module, you could use them as backup monitors.

 

[goz211]

I use the NP30 .... The speakers are pretty strong - not enough to gig obviously (well, maybe in a really small cafe with just a few people, who are really really depressed)...

Like it.

 

[jlholman]

Check out the new Casio Privia line. They sound and play great.I was totally blown away with the sound and the action. They are light and one of the models have speakers built it. I know when you think Casio you think cheap but the only thing that seems to be cheap is the price, I think you would be happy with it. Limited in sounds but I am going to get one soon.