Costco Roland FP10 bundle $499!

[LX88]

I have been following the development of Roland FP 10 lately as some of you have seen.

 

The curious thing for me was that they pulled it off the market after it appeared to be the strongest competitor to Casio and Yamaha lightweight portables.

 

So it seems to be available only at Costco...in a bundle with bench stand etc but till Nov.22 it is available at $499.

 

I have to say... Some of you may disagree depending on what you like but to me this is one of the better samples out there...at any price.... which may be why they pulled it from Guitar Center, Kraft etc. etc.

 

I finally figured out the touch sensitivity...put it on

hard touch...and to me there is not much not to like.

 

I know it doesn't have many features but at this price...my favorite lightweight portable.

 

Also..on the one I played the PHA 4 action felt very good.

[Morrissey]

Thanks. Here's another thread on this topic: https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/3065395/re-roland-frp-1-costco

[Morrissey]

to me this is one of the better samples out there... which may be why they pulled it from Guitar Center, Kraft etc. etc.

 

 

Are you saying that the sample was TOO good for the price tier? As in, they accidentally used a premium piano sample for a consumer level board?

[Dave Johnson]

I just bought this Costco FP-10 bundle. I'm happy enough with the piano but disappointed with the connectivity. The included headphones have a 3.5mm plug while the piano jack is 2.5mm so I'll need an adapter. The USB is type B which is pretty old style. Most importantly, the Bluetooth is not the general audio connection that I expected would allow me to listen via my phone or my Compilot device that links to my hearing aids. I don't understand how Bluetooth can be limited to an app but apparently they tie it to Roland Piano Partner 2 which seems to be midi oriented.

 

If anyone has tips on how to make the Bluetooth work as audio I would greatly appreciate it.

[LX88]

BTW I am aware of other thread but I wanted to give a major heads u.p on this price....

 

I have a feeling that this was pulled from music stores because...yes... May give too much competition to expensive Roland boards that share the same PHA 4 action.

 

Opinions on digital samples may vary but I really like this one...when you set it on hard touch sensitivity and eliminate the predominance of edgy overtones.

 

To me many digital are guilty of providing upper harmonics too soon. This for me was true when I demoed the rd 2000..but I am sure it can be adjusted.

 

Once again almost no features.... but then again I find eps etc.on other portables mostly useless.

 

Lotta bang for the buck here....

[LX88]

BTW I don't expect many features at this price.

 

I use 1/8 to rca on my mixer. If it has any midi out

I am good.

 

These days standard midi is getting more and more rare....

[Morrissey]

I just bought this Costco FP-10 bundle. I'm happy enough with the piano but disappointed with the connectivity. The included headphones have a 3.5mm plug while the piano jack is 2.5mm so I'll need an adapter. The USB is type B which is pretty old style. Most importantly, the Bluetooth is not the general audio connection that I expected would allow me to listen via my phone or my Compilot device that links to my hearing aids. I don't understand how Bluetooth can be limited to an app but apparently they tie it to Roland Piano Partner 2 which seems to be midi oriented.

 

If anyone has tips on how to make the Bluetooth work as audio I would greatly appreciate it.

 

Welcome to the forum, Dave! I'm not familiar with the FP10 so can't answer your questions, but we're glad to have you!

[MathOfInsects]

BTW I am aware of other thread but I wanted to give a major heads u.p on this price....

 

I have a feeling that this was pulled from music stores because...yes... May give too much competition to expensive Roland boards that share the same PHA 4 action.

 

Opinions on digital samples may vary but I really like this one...when you set it on hard touch sensitivity and eliminate the predominance of edgy overtones.

 

To me many digital are guilty of providing upper harmonics too soon. This for me was true when I demoed the rd 2000..but I am sure it can be adjusted.

 

Once again almost no features.... but then again I find eps etc.on other portables mostly useless.

 

Lotta bang for the buck here....

As I said in the other thread, I walked by it and spent about 10 seconds pushing keys down. I felt the price was great for the value and would be comfortable recommending it to students for their houses. I may even pick one up for my kids to use, for those times when I'm in the room with the "real" piano in it.

[LX88]

My man Interest is as a portable practice instrument.

 

I would consider gigging it because of the weight also. Not sure how it would sound amplified...that is another animal.

J

[LX88]

This switch to Costco may have a lot to do with the latest situation with Guitar Centers bankruptcy issues.....

 

It's hard to get info about this instrument because many dealers have eliminated it from their cataloge. It seems strange....because it offers so much bang for the buck

 

I like having a lightweight board for practice...rehearsals with speakers and many other uses. I don't like the lack of features but to me that is how the can charge more for something that sounds the same.

 

Rolands board in music stores is the FP30 at $699. The FP10 is almost the same thing.

 

The speakers were quite loud on the Costco floor...and I really liked the action....which is the same as many other Rolands except for top of the line models.

 

Which may be why this is only available at Costco.

.

[Charleston]

I have a P-125. Played the FP10 at Costco. I mean, for just a little more money the P-125 destroys the FP10.

[Biggles]

The last place I would buy any Musical Instrument is from a low cost general retailer.

 

Or for that matter a certain online only global Company.

 

Support a Music Store, buy from them.

[LX88]

This board doesn't seem to exist at local retailers at this point.

 

BTW...my local retailers aren't necessarily nice guys either.

 

Beyond that I don't appreciate being told where to shop!

 

I can't say I am wild about Costco but this is a neat and very convenient board.

 

Maybe you might complain to Roland about where they choose to offer these. I would prefer to see Roland stay alive however they can. BTW these boards are sold out at the moment..so the marketing strategy of selling at Costco in this case is working

 

I have been the target of a lot of brain police activity going back to the clonewheel chorus vibrato wars and the antics of the B-3 Burner. In general I don't appreciates demands regarding where. I should shop.

 

I am only trying to offer a heads up on this board which in my opinion offers breakthrough value in a lightweight portable.

[Outkaster]

Yeah but can you see that board on a pro rig? I can't.

[Reezekeys]

Yeah but can you see that board on a pro rig? I can't.

 

Why not? Same action as the more expensive Rolands, same piano samples too (at least the same as the next more expensive model). A little less polyphony, smaller speakers, less total # of sounds, but lighter, smaller & less $$ than the others. If one is happy with the sound & feel, that would make it perfectly acceptable for any "pro rig" imo.

 

[video:youtube]

[AnotherScott]

It's a compromise... nobody's first choice on a pro rig is likely to be board whose output is a mini-headphone jack. Having to hold a button and press a key to change a sound isn't so pro-friendly either. And the lack of 5-pin MIDI jacks limits its integration with other gear a pro might want to use. So sure, it's usable, but unlikely to be someone's ideal.

[Reezekeys]

Agreed, those are negatives but for those on a budget or looking to save weight & space, the two most important boxes are still ticked - action and sound. Of course it can't be a viable controller for any kind of multi-sound & key rig â for its price I wouldn't expect it to be. It's a way to do a gig for those that only need a decent feeling and sounding piano and are on a tight budget â nothing more. I read a comment saying the headphone jack is on the back, a dumb location for headphone users but I guess it makes sense if there aren't any 1/4" outs. Seems a stupid way to save a few pennies, that's for sure â but an adapter cable like what I use with my laptop's minijack output works fine, so not a deal-breaker. Anyway, why am I arguing this? I'm not in the market for anything like it â I'm just saying it's probably pro enough for me, if I would ever want a light 88-key weighted action DP for cocktail hour or jazz gigs. I don't need many bells & whistles on a keyboard for those.

[ProfD]

This FP-10 bundle could be the gateway for someone who wants to learn how to play. I started with less.

[LX88]

The mini plug is the way they get you to buy the more expensive model

 

.dont you get it?

 

My main interest in this is as a a practice board but I would consider gigging it because of the weight

 

I would have no problem using a mini plug to rca and onto a mixer

 

To me this deserves the same respect as the Casios because of action and piano sample.

..

[EscapeRocks]

A 1/8" to 1/4" TRS cable, 10 foot length, will take care of this.

 

I always carried one when I still use my laptop, just in case the audio interface died during the gig.

 

Well, it did once, so I went from MacBook Pro headphone jack, to the 10 foot cable, and a trs - 2 ts Y cable into my DI.

 

Ran the rest of the big show that way with no issues.

With my Mainstage rig, the FP-10 would work. USB out, and all my control functions were/are handle by the top board (Komplete Kontrol, or Arturia Keylab).

 

I'd have zero problems with an FP-10 in this setup. Heck, with more good synths/workstations getting the ability to be hosts, I could connect directly. I did that with my Casio PX-S3000 to my old MODX6

[Reezekeys]

A 1/8" to 1/4" TRS cable, 10 foot length, will take care of this.

 

I always carried one when I still use my laptop, just in case the audio interface died during the gig.

 

Well, it did once, so I went from MacBook Pro headphone jack, to the 10 foot cable, and a trs - 2 ts Y cable into my DI.

 

You can get a 1/8" TRS direct to two 1/4" TS plugs, no Y adapter needed. For local gigs I use a 15' cable which I split apart to separate the two 1/4" lines, and go direct to my K8s. For road gigs (remember those?) going into a house PA, I use the same type cable, shorter and not split, to the DIs.

[LX88]

Really stupid that the FP 10 was pulled from the music stores and has shifted completely to Costco.

 

As I said above Roland seems to want you to buy FP 30 or RD 88 etc.

 

I keep my mixer close enough to reach and have no issue with 1/8 to rca input.

 

The fp10 with PHA 4 felt pretty good when I demoed at Costco. There is something in that Supernatural sample that really appeals to me. About a year ago I A/B ed a FP 30 vs the RD 2000 at GC and the FP 30 sounded pretty good...nowhere near as many features but less weight definitely.

 

The only other thing I wish for is better Rhodes...but that is hard to get at any price. I plan to use FP 10 with MX 49 for EPs and some of the compromised organs in the Motif sound set.

 

I wish these were more commonly available ...that is why I posted this heads up

[EscapeRocks]

A 1/8" to 1/4" TRS cable, 10 foot length, will take care of this.

 

I always carried one when I still use my laptop, just in case the audio interface died during the gig.

 

Well, it did once, so I went from MacBook Pro headphone jack, to the 10 foot cable, and a trs - 2 ts Y cable into my DI.

 

You can get a 1/8" TRS direct to two 1/4" TS plugs, no Y adapter needed. For local gigs I use a 15' cable which I split apart to separate the two 1/4" lines, and go direct to my K8s. For road gigs (remember those?) going into a house PA, I use the same type cable, shorter and not split, to the DIs.

 

Yeah, but I already owned the cable and Y cable, so I saved the $4

[Bill H.]

I just listened to the comparison video above with phones. The main piano sounds identical in both.

 

I could easily see using that Costco piano in a praise band - if I ever do that again. I think it has a nice even singing quality that sounds great solo - which I did a lot in that context. I like it better than the PX5s - which I used last.

 

Just for fun I listened to a comparison video (

) of the FP-30 and P125 from the same guy - once again as best I could with a Youtube video and phones. The P125 has that classic Yamaha transparent neutral piano sound that works so well in bands, but for praise or solo work... I think I'd prefer the Roland.

 

I'm a bit of a Costco rat, so I'll check it out next time in.

[Outkaster]

Yeah but can you see that board on a pro rig? I can't.

 

Why not? Same action as the more expensive Rolands, same piano samples too (at least the same as the next more expensive model). A little less polyphony, smaller speakers, less total # of sounds, but lighter, smaller & less $$ than the others. If one is happy with the sound & feel, that would make it perfectly acceptable for any "pro rig" imo.

 

[video:youtube]

 

I just played one at Costco for a few minutes and it sounded cheap and thin?

[Bill H.]

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll take my phones next Costco run.

[LX88]

I have to say... I really wanted to support Casio in their most recent efforts in the lightweight market but their AP sample just did not do it for me.

 

In this price range no one seems to want to give you a decent Rhodes sound... So I don't expect it. Too much competition for their more expensive boards.

 

The Costco bundle includes headphones also...so I am wondering of they dialed them in for digital piano

We will see.

 

I demoed this once and then they sold out.The action and piano sample seemed very good..

No Casio/ Yamaha C5 plunkiness.

 

Consider this as a warning sign that it is Costco and not Guitar Center offering this. Costco doesn't make this easy to demo BTW. G C may be on its way out I am afraid.

[LX88]

BTWI agree with the above post that the FP 10 might come off sounding cheap and thin.... Through its own speakers

 

I was able to get some better results through headphones. For me it sounded way better when I backed off the overtones using touch sensitivity.

 

Most digitals that I have played are dependent on what you play them through. For me that often involves some amount of low end eq.

 

The other issue is headphones or speakers.

 

I got pretty good results through phones at Costco. Max (hard) touch sensitivity is A5 key plus function button. That's what worked best for me with phones. It took the edge off and makes me work a bit to bring out the high overtones.

[ewall08530]

I have to say... I really wanted to support Casio in their most recent efforts in the lightweight market but their AP sample just did not do it for me.

 

 

I also heard that mid octave plunkiness on my PX5S. I found it to still be in the 001Grand Piano sound on the Casio S-1000 and S-3000. But the S-3000 also offers other pianos. The 004Stage piano works for me and there is a mono version of it on the S-3000.

I"m wondering if you auditioned that Stage piano sample on the S-3000.

 

BTW. I recall you"re a fan of the Roland RD 300 models. I played an RD 300SX and later RD 300GX for years and still miss it sometimes. (But not the length).

[LX88]

RD 300 GX yes. Still have it . A classic.

 

The 10 year old GX is what is making me look toward Roland again. I like the way they voice pianos..but I had issues with boards such 300 NX supernatural etc.

 

I demoed the FP 10 and got it to behave so to speak with touch sensitivity adjustments. The FP 10 has 10 degrees of brilliance adjustment... Which could help it sound warmer.

 

I still am not absolutely sure how the FP 10 sample compares to more expensive supernatural but I bet it's close. I AB ed the FP 30 vs the RD2000 a year ago and I thought the FP 30 compared favorably...with the touch sensitivity adjustment. The 2000 had too much edge in my opinion.

 

I am waiting for the next shipment at Costco. The first bunch sol out in less than a week.