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Nord Grand with Kawai Action


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Excellent move by nord!

I like fatar actions, but i was never like the way they set the keybeds to their machines...

I wish they did a good job with kawai keybed, which is the best in indystrty IMHO...

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Think the space on top would be big enough for a Stage Conpact...?

 

I don't think so. The flat surface is less than half of the depth (378 mm), which makes it about 180mm or so. The compact is about 300mm deep, so a substantial part wouldn't be supported.

 

Of course you can maybe put an (*ahem*) X-stand level with the flat surface to provide some extra support.

Rudy

 

 

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Heh - blows my mind Kawai would do this.

Maybe as part of the deal Nord has to promise the digital piano would be red. ;)

 

Maybe they also have data that shows the VPC-1 did not cut into their console sales?

 

 

Maybe Kawai will buy Nord.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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I had to double-check that it wasn't still April 1.

 

Interesting move for both companies. I'm guessing it's based on Kawai's RH III action (MP7SE, ES8).

 

I really like the semi-vertical control panel and the flat top. To me, ergonomically, this might be the best portable piano available.

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NP4 is 2500 euros, I guess this will be 3000 at the very least. Lots of red paint to pay for. ;)

 

Bigger and heavier than any Nord stage piano to date, but still very portable when you look at the high-end competition: Montage, Kronos, SV1, Grandstage, Crumar Seven, Forte, MP7/11, RD2000, FP90 etc are all as heavy or heavier (often MUCH heavier) than this Nord Grand.

 

And the large empty flat top is awesome and unique in the current panorama of portable stage pianos: just imagine a Minimoog sitting on top of it, and you're straight back to the 70's!

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Bigger and heavier than any Nord stage piano to date, but still very portable when you look at the high-end competition: Montage, Kronos, SV1, Grandstage, Crumar Seven, Forte, MP7/11, RD2000, FP90 etc are all as heavy or heavier (often MUCH heavier) than this Nord Grand.

A Yamaha CP88 is lighter and smaller, though...! :wave: (and most probably cheaper as well)

Too much stuff, too little time, too few gigs, should spend more time practicing...!  🙄

main instruments: Nord Stage 3 compact, Yamaha CP88, Kurzweil PC4, Viscount KeyB Legend Live

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I think Nord will do well here. More of the vintage aesthetic, better action, etc. If I were in the market for a digital piano for home use, this would be a serious contender.

 

Compared to my NP4 pretty much the same specs, except for the Kawaii action. Since I already am quite comfortable with the NP4 action, no big deal.

 

I do like the visual appeal, though. As I am playing many small acoustic gigs, I think people would react positively to it, much the way they react to a piano shell.

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^^^

as long as the Mrs. doesn't mind how the red conflicts with the rest of the furniture in the room. Ach! those speakers! ;)

 

I like the tilt angle of the control panel. Better than flat and nowhere near banging your knuckles on a knob. But I can't imagine wanting to carry this around. The weight is within reason, but the shape is bulky.

 

Grand%20-%20piano%20monitor%20compatible.jpg

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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A Yamaha CP88 is lighter and smaller, though...! :wave: (and most probably cheaper as well)

 

Most probably ANYTHING will be cheaper!

:roll:

 

But yes, the CP88 is currently the only serious offering (apart from Clavia's own products) which combines top-end sounds and action with portability. I fondly hate the looks of the new CPs, though.

Less subjectively, the CP88 is lighter but not so much, and it lacks the flat top which may be a strong selling point for somebody.

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Spec-wise, this Grand has everything I would want in a modern DP (digital piano). I still *hate* the color.

 

I played the CP88 this past weekend. The APs and EPs are fine. IMO, Yamaha made a huge mistake in offering less "other" sounds.

 

Nord just dropped a bomb in the DP game. :cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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CP88 advantages: 4-zone MIDI controller function, pitch and mod controls, more split/layer flexibility, more instant patch recall buttons.

 

Nord advantages: wider range of different pianos, more complete clav emulation, much larger selection of non-piano sounds, ability to load your own samples, triple pedal.

 

Subjective: which action, sound, ergonomics, aesthetics you prefer

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As for the controversial red, the top and sides are flat with a not too complex shape, it should be very easy to cover them with vinyl contact paper in the preferred color and texture. I did this to my SK2 which is now a beautiful fake walnut, at the price of less than 10 euros

 

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My wife saw me looking at the Nord Grand promo video this morning and she said "That's a great sounding digital piano... based on how expensive the Nord Piano is, I bet it costs $5000."

 

We'll see, but boy has she learned a few things about keyboards since she's been with me. :roll:

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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Impressive ! Too bad it's not the MP11 action but then it wouldn't weigh in at 46 lbs. of course.

 

I'd be giving up 8 lbs. on the CP4 and 6 on the NP4, plus a couple inches in the depth. Ah just go the gym and add a few lbs. with the weights. :laugh:

 

I'll be curious to play this. Didn't care much for the NP4's action at NAMM, actually preferred the new Casios to it. Yeah I'll bet at least $3500, if not more for this. And yep, that's a lot of red ! Still kudos for knowing their weak link and trying to improve on it. :thu:

 

Ah Dave, You are willing to move over to the dark/red side again.....;p

Rudy

 

 

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I had to double-check that it wasn't still April 1.

 

Interesting move for both companies. I'm guessing it's based on Kawai's RH III action (MP7SE, ES8).

 

I really like the semi-vertical control panel and the flat top. To me, ergonomically, this might be the best portable piano available.

 

Kawai has already been supplying keyboards for the Ravenscroft 275 digital piano. It would be nice if the Ravenscroft digital was a self contained instrument.

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I had to double-check that it wasn't still April 1.

 

Interesting move for both companies. I'm guessing it's based on Kawai's RH III action (MP7SE, ES8).

 

I really like the semi-vertical control panel and the flat top. To me, ergonomically, this might be the best portable piano available.

 

Kawai has already been supplying keyboards for the Ravenscroft 275 digital piano. It would be nice if the Ravenscroft digital was a self contained instrument.

 

That is because the Ravenscroft thing is a modified VPC-1, no? Selling the action to a competitor to use in their DP is a whole different ball game, imho. But I don't think generally Kawai's typical home digital piano customers would go for a Nord Grand Piano. Aesthetically and price wise.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Kawai has already been supplying keyboards for the Ravenscroft 275 digital piano. It would be nice if the Ravenscroft digital was a self contained instrument.

 

IIRC from a conversation I had with the Ravenscroft guy at NAMM last year (or the year before?), that was really just them buying, modifying and reselling VPC's.

 

 

About the NG, the Fatar in my old NP88 didn't bother me that much, my issue was more with amplification. But if the NG's velocity mapping mellows out the sound it may just help with that, too.

 

More than the weight (which is not too bad, IMO), the bulk concerns me. It looks unwieldy.

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Looks from these pics like it's going to have an optional console like stand and pedals. Lack of internal speakers may have been part of the deal with supplying the action for this model. Those mounts and nord speakers of course add to cost and would look cooky in most family rooms. This thing is for the man's cave or basement studio. ;)

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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That's probably (IF it's a true price and not just a a placeholder) MSRP, which is usually about 25% higher than actual selling price.

 

The Stage 3 has a MSRP (according to Thomann) of over 4600 euros, but it's sold at 3500. MSRP of the NP4 is 3200, with a selling price of 2500.

 

If that ratio is valid, those 3700 euros for the NG would translate in a street price around 2900, 400 more than the NP4. High for sure, but not forbidding. Finger cross...given that this board largely overlaps with the lower priced NP4, its success will greatly depend on finding the proper price point.

 

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