decisions, decisions

what to do with my tax refund? I don't know much about Nord, but I've seen some of them on EBay for under $1k. I currently have a Juno-G, and was saving for a Fantom X or maybe a G. I'm interested in piano, rhodes, wurli, organ/B3 sounds, and some core synth sounds like Jupiter 8 and other strings, JP saw lead, simply fat for live stuff, but may want to layer some sounds.

Can i get a Nord with better core sounds than a Fantom? Which model? I'm guessing the main sounds are better for the Nord but the Fantom will give me lots more sound choices. Would they be about the same to drag around to gig with?

The Electro 3 has all the sounds you want, but would be hard to get in your price range. The Electro 2 has the piano (so-so), EPs, and organ, but no synth sounds. In either case, no layers. Nords are very lightweight, though, probably half a Fantom.

Are you looking to replace the Juno-G, or supplement it?

If the budget is around 1k on Ebay, Its always Kurzweil PC3.

1. Sell Juno-G, so now you'll have about 450 dollars to add to your 1K. Once you have a superior board, why keep that? They're built like toys and won't last.

2. Buy a Kurzweil PC3 as someone said. You can get a new one now for about 1200-1300 on Ebay. Or, get the Nord Electro 3 for about 1600 (some sounds might be slightly better - that is personal taste of course - but you won't have synth sounds or the deep engine of the PC3).

There's also the Nord Electro 2, which you could get for under 1K. It won't sound as good as the NE3 but it will be much superior compared to what you have now...

wasn't planning on getting rid of the Juno... i've never considered the Kurzweil... the sounds are better and it travels well?

i'll dl the manual for the Electro 2 since i can pick it up for under 1k and see what's going on there. thanks

I've only played the Kurzweil at a store a couple times (88-key version) but it's built like a tank.

Organs, pianos, EPs and synth sounds are more than covered. Orchestral sounds too, for the most part. Plus the PC3 gives you 76 keys, with the Electros, if you wanna go 76 keys, you'll probably be out of your price range.

Here's something to keep you busy.

http://kurzweil.com/product/pc3/audio/

Also if the PC3 is tad out of reach, the PC361 is the same as PC3 but slightly shorter.

...and it can be had new for $1K shipped (from NovaMusik).

And a lot easier to carry around (though still not light). I also think the PC361 has the better feeling action (for everything except piano, where I don't like the action of either one!).

you might find this sound demo more useful

noone mentioned a used fantom x so i guess that's not high on the list...

I had Fantom-X and loved it...actually I sorely miss it. I'm sighing to get its sequencer and interface back, but its already ageing device and you have the most of the Fantom-X in your Juno-G. Its effects are so limited. I mean not in quality, but there are only 3 inserts! PC3 has 16, one for every part, so every sound will be just as good in sequencer as they are alone. Of course in Juno you can record the effects so you don't have to count them. I had the audio track expansion in my Fantom-X, but I think its hardware update and not every one has it, and the audio tracks were not so comfortable to use as in Fantom-G anyway. Also, if you spare your Juno-G, it can expand the Kurzweils effects; there is perhaps only one area, where PC3's coolnes is in question, and thats electric guitar effects. The Cosm effects in Juno-G does absolutely amazing guitar sounds. I actually missed my Fantom so much, that I bought a little audio tracker from Boss to get at least those effects back.