Thinking about getting a used Korg Trinity, thoughts?

[Eric Barker]

Even though I'm mainly a laptop & controller guy these days, my wife and I have started doing some simple open mics, and I'll admit, it might be nice to be able to throw a simple rompler down and play. So I'm looking for a smaller, travelable keyboard with some decent onboard sounds. Being a huge progrock fan during the 90s, I absolutely drooled over the the idea of having a Korg Trinity, but alas, it was too expensive for my college student budget, so I got a QS8 instead... not to complain, we had some good times and some amazing gigs for over 15 years. But I check eBay and, no shit, I can get a Trinity Plus for around $400. Thing is, though I love the keyboaridists who used it, and love some of the signature sounds (I've got a clone of the Monster Lead that I've used as my main lead for over 7 years now, using the Korg KLC VST), I know fairly little about it.

- What is the feel like for the 61 key version?
- Is it REALLY 30lbs for an unweighted board?! That's heavier than my current 88!
- How does the Piano Sound (since I'll mainly be playing on that for smaller gigs)
- These days, the "Plus" model seems to be the mainstay (Prophecy engine), but is the V3 (MOSS) worth the 3x price ($400 to $1200)?

Wish I could get the 76key Pro version, but there's almost no units available on eBay, and the sellers charge a premium

I'm sure plenty of you 90s rompler guys spent time with the old bird, any thoughts would be helpful!... beside "get a Triton".

 

[b3keys]

LOL.. well, damn, ya stopped me with that last line.. (I love my old Triton Extreme, and they almost give them away these days).. (of course I liked my old Korg DW8000.... at the time, I could outplay the thing tho... It would "miss" a note-off on occasion)..
As to "open mics".... remember.... your going to have space limitations (a 76?? I had one, never again)... I drag a 49 key Yamaha MX to the open mics. Its about 10 pounds.... the case is like a backpack)... No, it doesn't sound like the "extreme" BUT..with the free software, you can layer 16 voices..... (but you can only switch between 2 on the fly IN THAT PATCH).. One of my biggest complaints about Korg (and they may have changed it on the newer ones) was patch selection, and transposing... not usually a simple matter (quickly). In a "Jam" situation, your going to get weird keys thrown at you (how are you for doing lead runs in Bb)? and getting between (say) a decent piano, and an organ or two sometimes in the same song.. well.. needed.
So... My advice... nothing too big, nothing too heavy, and something you can change patchs and transpose easily on-the-fly.... (dont worry so much about the "sound", the room acoustics and the guitar player will mangle that anyway)

 

[Eric Barker]

Some very good thoughts however, a few things: I come from only ever having really played 88s for the last 30 years. I started out hauling my QS8 (55lbs) to open mics, so I’m really no stranger to throwing around larger boards. I’m a little weary of getting much below an 88, as the piano stuff I do with my wife tends to be fairly full range, I’d have to modify songs or use octave keys anyway. Curiously, for band stuff I can get away with less (hell, I’ve played most of a set on my 3-octave Vortex), but solo/duet open mics is where I tend to stick out and use more of the low end.

My biggest reason for having a sub88 around is for travel. It’s virtually impossible to fly a weighted 88 without oversize expenses. Getting down below 50lbs and 5.5ft in a flight case is almost unthinkable. But the moment you go to even 76 and lose the weights it becomes very doable. Living in Hawaii, I fly quite a bit, and hauling even my “super light” Keylab88 gets tricky after a while. This would also be board I might use as a backup for normal gigs from time.

You mentioned a few things:

- Korg’s being difficult to change patches on, I don’t really understand what you meant by that. I have no interest in transposing buttons, I NEVER use them, always do it in my head. Though octave buttons on a sub88 would be a must.

- Triton: you say they’re pretty cheap too? They seem to be a little less sought after than the Trinity. I am not fully aware of the differences, though I often heard complaints of them “not sounding quite as good” with the only new features being more sequencer and arpeggiator stuff. But I don’t really know first hand. The line was around for over a decade and I’m sure had many revisions (Trinity was only around for 4 years before the Triton replaced it). They’re definitely easier to find and more plentiful. I’ll admit, I’m a huge Derek Sherinian fan, and to this day, I always thought it would be nice to have his axe around to play around on. But I’m sure the Triton is very vey similar.

 

[b3keys]

Some very good thoughts however, a few things: I come from only ever having really played 88s for the last 30 years. I started out hauling my QS8 (55lbs) to open mics, so I’m really no stranger to throwing around larger boards. I’m a little weary of getting much below an 88, as the piano stuff I do with my wife tends to be fairly full range, I’d have to modify songs or use octave keys anyway. Curiously, for band stuff I can get away with less (hell, I’ve played most of a set on my 3-octave Vortex), but solo/duet open mics is where I tend to stick out and use more of the low end.

My biggest reason for having a sub88 around is for travel. It’s virtually impossible to fly a weighted 88 without oversize expenses. Getting down below 50lbs and 5.5ft in a flight case is almost unthinkable. But the moment you go to even 76 and lose the weights it becomes very doable. Living in Hawaii, I fly quite a bit, and hauling even my “super light” Keylab88 gets tricky after a while. This would also be board I might use as a backup for normal gigs from time.

You mentioned a few things:

- Korg’s being difficult to change patches on, I don’t really understand what you meant by that. I have no interest in transposing buttons, I NEVER use them, always do it in my head. Though octave buttons on a sub88 would be a must.

- Triton: you say they’re pretty cheap too? They seem to be a little less sought after than the Trinity. I am not fully aware of the differences, though I often heard complaints of them “not sounding quite as good” with the only new features being more sequencer and arpeggiator stuff. But I don’t really know first hand. The line was around for over a decade and I’m sure had many revisions (Trinity was only around for 4 years before the Triton replaced it). They’re definitely easier to find and more plentiful. I’ll admit, I’m a huge Derek Sherinian fan, and to this day, I always thought it would be nice to have his axe around to play around on. But I’m sure the Triton is very vey similar.

LOL.. You sound like you know what your doing here..... My Rolands (and Yamahas) have banks of things like "Pianos, Organs, Strings< etc right out in the open... The Korg have to go through the touchscreen and usually hit an escape button or something to get to the right screen. I RARELY use the transpose buttin either... but sometimes I'm so used to playing a song in a certain key.... and some &*((*&^%!!!! guitar player has his guitar tuned down a half step (or worse)... Again, the YAmaha *& Roland have the transpose (and octave) keys right out in front...
On the Trinty vs Triton... Never palyed a Trinty so I can't help. Had a 73 key Triton LE I sold for $500 (oh 4 or 5 years back) and bought a used Triton EXTREME 61 for $1,000 So I would assume now they are quite a bit cheaper... (and they are built like a tank. I've heard some folks have trouble with the touch screen, I haven't (but I see how some folks polke with their fingernails (shudder).. so... who knows...