Members AnCap Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 It seems to me that, like a lot of other products these days, keyboards are built to be nearly disposable. Are there any outliers in this trend in your opinion? I am talking about keybeds, knobs, and over all fit and finish as well as sound quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members moog man Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 My Yamaha CP300 is a friggin tank. Probably the only keyboard I can say that about. I have gigged with it extensively and will for years to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members augerinn Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 I agree in general. Especially entry level, mid level, and mostly all MIDI controllers. Gone are the days of the DX-7, ESQ-1, Roland A-90, Peavey DPM C8, Etc. High end stuff is still pretty good, though . As is some of the boutique stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members evildragon Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 Kurzweil PC3x seems very well built, when I tried it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members augerinn Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 Kurzweil PC3x seems very well built, when I tried it. Yeah, my PC2X is very solid. I would expect it's successor to be well built, too. I seem to recall the build quality of my Nord Electro was pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mate_stubb Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members llamastorm Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 Everything seems inferior after one has felt the Moog Voyager's knobs. (Except I really don't like the pitch wheel -- not a big pitch wheel user). Access's larger Virus had a nice keybed that I really liked -- buttons and rest of it not so much, but tolerable. The Nord stuff seems decent, except for the keybed being just a hair not so decent. I took it appart trying to fix a weird key and was not super impressed. Still, workable. I'm sure there are much worse, and I appreciated it being light and they were aiming for that. I wouldn't actually agree with the PC3x being all that awesome -- I mean, I think it would hold up fine, but the sliders are kind of lame and there is a lack of engineering awesomeness there. I'm no doubt picky about build quality. If the stuff is that expensive, I expect it to be very very tank-like. Comprimising on something as simple as knobs to save $10 or $20 on a board is not something I approve of. Hearing that the Yamaha's are MDF on the bottom -- that's just sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AnCap Posted September 28, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 I was sort of hoping that someone would mention this, as it is sort of what I expected. Although, I would think that something in between the Old School, Voyager, and Phatty would probably be what I was after. I would pay 3k for a Prophet 08 that had better knobs and keys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Diametro Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 I've used my fully expanded Fan X7 every day practically since I got it more than four years and it's still in practically like-new condition ... Pretty much same story for Juno-60, V-synth, V-Synth XT, Jupiters 6 and 8 ... My Korg Electribes, as much as I enjoy them, seem like they will not be with me as long ... Jury's out on KP3s ... Seem fairly well-made and mine are still in great shape ... But time will tell there ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members evildragon Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 I would pay 3k for a Prophet 08 that had better knobs and keys. You can pay 2.2k and you get a P'08 Potentiometer Edition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stabby Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 The Microkorg is very well built actually. My cousin always gigs with his and hasn't been easy for it the 3 years he's used one. But that's a 2002 synth, after that it went downhill. The Microkorg XL and X50 look very fragile. DSI MoPho is another cheap synth that's pretty sturdy. We also haven't heard of any problems with the knobs, which was common with earlier DSI synts. But it's not a keyboard. Blofeld too perhaps? The complete outside is metal, including the knobs and the keys feel great. Then there's the Nord Lead 2X. Don't know much about it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Diametro Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 BTW ... Suggestion to add hyphen to thread title ... Well-made keyboards ... The hyphen makes it more explicit both well and made are modifying keyboards as one phrase ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 My Virus TI desktop is rather sturdy. Steel case, wood sides, knobs don't wiggle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dreamtronix Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 I've used my fully expanded Fan X7 every day practically since I got it more than four years and it's still in practically like-new condition ... Pretty much same story for Juno-60, V-synth, V-Synth XT, Jupiters 6 and 8 ... All of those you mention being a Roland model is noteworthy. Roland has always made their instruments to last. BTW, Congrats on the Jupiter 8! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AnCap Posted September 29, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 You can pay 2.2k and you get a P'08 Potentiometer Edition. The keys bother me more than the knobs, but I have considered that. I think I might wait around for the next DCO 8 voice and see how it compares. Thanks for the thread title edit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vinceg Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 All of those you mention being a Roland model is noteworthy. Roland has always made their instruments to last. BTW, Congrats on the Jupiter 8! Yep. I have a Roland A90-EX and an RD-700. Gigged a ton with the 700. They both still look and feel new. Great quality from my perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mate_stubb Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 Roland of yore doesn't count. The topic is keyboards THESE DAYS. If we are allowed to trot out an endless list of stuff that used to be made well, I will just trump you all with this: My 51 year old B-3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mididoc Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 My 51 year old B-3. WOW Mate, she's a beauty all right!! Bully for you, I'm jealous as hell now! Back on topic - My 7 year old Fantom-S has gigged a ton and still works well, My Korg CX3 v2 is kicking along nicely, My Yamaha SY85 is good except for I occasionally bust a key when I get to Honky Tonkin' on it too hard. The Radias hasn't let me down but I baby it, particularly the knobbage. In general it seems to me that the Big 3's top workstations seem to be made pretty well but everything else below starts to get a little suspect. Gone are the days of the full line durability that we (mostly) experienced in the 80s thru 90s. And I avoid M-Audio and other cheap controllers like the plague. Why, oh why won't Roland and/or Yamaha update their classic controllers (A90, KX88 etc.) to modern spec and build them to take the abuse of tour schedules???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vinceg Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 Roland of yore doesn't count. The topic is keyboards THESE DAYS. If we are allowed to trot out an endless list of stuff that used to be made well, I will just trump you all with this: My 51 year old B-3. Yea, but does it have a MIDI port? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dreamtronix Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 Roland of yore doesn't count. The topic is keyboards THESE DAYS. If we are allowed to trot out an endless list of stuff that used to be made well, I will just trump you all with this: My 51 year old B-3. Well, my Roland V-Synth GT is a "THESE DAYS" keyboard and is still well-made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mididoc Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 Yea, but does it have a MIDI port? It can if you get a MIDI-B kit (Like Chuck Leavell did) from these guys: http://www.b-3.com/ They are great for LOTS of Hammond related thingies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mate_stubb Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 Yea, but does it have a MIDI port? I would not dream of sullying Charlene with a MIDI port. Now my Hammond midi controller project OTOH, is a different matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Marzzz Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 Why, oh why won't Roland and/or Yamaha update their classic controllers (A90, KX88 etc.) to modern spec and build them to take the abuse of tour schedules???? +1 Billion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Purity_Control Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 The Memotron is ludicrously well made, though you pay for it. German engineering is teh {censored} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nillerbabs Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 Kudos to Nord for bringing metal casing and durable hi-quality knobs and buttons to sub-22 lbs. instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.