Dazzathedrummer Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I have the opportunity to buy a Kurz SP4/8 for £770 (= $1232) or a Nord piano 88 for £1400 (= £2240) (direct from the distributor). The Kurz seems like the best solution for what I need - an all round Stage piano with great sounds - plus it has pitch/mod wheels so I can use it for Hammond work. The price is great as well. The trouble is, Kurz aren't shipping them, the original release was supposed to be 'Q2 2011', they then shifted this to 'Fall 2011' and since I asked them what that meant on their facebook page, the web page was updated to 'TBD' (to be detailed presumably?). Perhaps they are having difficulty getting parts from Japan. The thing is, I understand that the Nord is a particularly nice, high quality, well built (with wood on it!!) board - it maybe overkill for what I want to use it for, but by the time the SP4/8 comes around, I will probably have enough cash for the Nord (and may well be able to get a better deal on it due to the Kurz hold up) - so should I just go for the Nord??? Obviously the key issue is cash - if the Kurz was available now I'd get it straight away and wouldn't think about the Nord as its double the price. Difficult choice!! Dazzathedrummer Kurzweil SP4-8 | EMU Xboard 61 Logic | Reaper | Ableton Live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickd Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Hi Dazza Where can you get an SP4-8 for £770? The cheapest I see it advertised is £880. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzathedrummer Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 I happen to work next door to the UK distributor Sound Technology, they let me buy things for the same price that the shops pay. They Distribute Nord and Kurzweil. I might ask them if I can have a SP4/7 until the 8 comes in - although I hear a lot of people complaining about the action. Dazzathedrummer Kurzweil SP4-8 | EMU Xboard 61 Logic | Reaper | Ableton Live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickd Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 That's a good deal with Sound Technology... Past experience would suggest not to hold your breath waiting for Kurzweil products to arrive in the UK. I ended up getting a Casio Privia to tide me over until the SP4-8 arrives, as I've got gigs now I needed a weighted keyboard for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Dazza, welcome to the forum - nice to see another UK member! I have a Nord Piano but I'm primarily a solo pianist. It's a lovely instrument but it's one sound at a time, no splits, no layers, very basic MIDI control of outboard gear. Luckily my other board, the XK3, is a very flexible MIDI controller which makes up for those shortcomings on band gigs. If you feel you can stretch to the Nord Piano price range, you might be better off going for a Kurz PC3X, which is at least available now and in the same ballpark financially as the Nord. Of course, it is a fair bit heavier! Yamaha: P515, CP88, Genos 1, HX1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickd Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Hi Aidan - yes, need more UK members! PC3X is a good point. Once you get into the Nord piano price range, another option is 88 key workstations like the Korg M50 and the new Yamaha MOX8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzathedrummer Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 Ahh I see, the Nord probably wouldn't suit my needs in that case. I need something that I can use as a studio midi work-horse as well as being a gigging piano that I may well need splits and layers for.......the SP4/8 is perfect!!! I'm currently using a borrowed Technics P30, which I think is about 15yrs old, the midi notes come out too quiet and the sustain pedal chops samples dead if you don't get your timing right!! Its got a nice action though! Ok, I may well try and get a SP4/7 on loan or on the basis that I can trade up to the 8 when it eventually arrives. Dazzathedrummer Kurzweil SP4-8 | EMU Xboard 61 Logic | Reaper | Ableton Live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 The Kurz seems like the best solution for what I need - an all round Stage piano with great sounds - plus it has pitch/mod wheels so I can use it for Hammond work You don't need pitch/mod wheels for Hammond work. But yes, the Kurz gives you Hammond sounds, and it also gives you the wheels which you're more likely to use on other sounds. Ahh I see, the Nord probably wouldn't suit my needs in that case. I need something that I can use as a studio midi work-horse as well as being a gigging piano that I may well need splits and layers for.......the SP4/8 is perfect!!! The only Nords that will give you that functionality are the Stage EX and Stage 2 (each available with in weighted actions of either 76 or 88 keys). I may well try and get a SP4/7 on loan or on the basis that I can trade up to the 8 when it eventually arrives. I'd be very surprised if they would take back a used piece 6+ months later for full credit. In fact, I'd be surprised if they took back a used piece at all. But you could just buy the SP4/7 at your "insider" price, and once the 8 comes out, sell the 7... it sounds like you're getting Kurz cheap enough that you'd likely get back all or most of your money anyway. Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzathedrummer Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 You don't need pitch/mod wheels for Hammond work. But yes, the Kurz gives you Hammond sounds, and it also gives you the wheels which you're more likely to use on other sounds. I was thinking for Leslie effects, I a bit of a newb to live playing - is this something that I could do with a pedal? I'd be very surprised if they would take back a used piece 6+ months later for full credit. In fact, I'd be surprised if they took back a used piece at all. But you could just buy the SP4/7 at your "insider" price, and once the 8 comes out, sell the 7... it sounds like you're getting Kurz cheap enough that you'd likely get back all or most of your money anyway. Yep, its worth a go though, they may well have a demo board or something - if not then, yeah maybe I'll just buy the '7' and sell it on after, you never know I might like it!! The Nord's pretty much ruled out now, I would't be making the best use of it I don't think - I'd probably end up using VSTi's to achieve splits/layers and would be a waste. Dazzathedrummer Kurzweil SP4-8 | EMU Xboard 61 Logic | Reaper | Ableton Live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I was thinking for Leslie effects, I a bit of a newb to live playing - is this something that I could do with a pedal? Yes, on the SP4 it is done with a pedal. There are boards that let you do it other ways. Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzathedrummer Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 Well its either SP4/7 and get the '8' when its available. or buy something else for £800ish. Is there anything else out there that would be a good weighted 88key piano and have plenty of other features. It'll mainly sit in my studio and be used for recording piano and also laying down any other instruments like strings, guitars, keys etc I'll also be doing one, maybe two piano gigs a month playing and singing by myself or with a guitarist - so, piano/rhodes/hammond/melotron sounds - i'm triggering SampleTank 2 at the moment. TBH I don't think I'll beat the deal I can get on Kurzweil gear - I can get the SP4/7 for £550. Dazzathedrummer Kurzweil SP4-8 | EMU Xboard 61 Logic | Reaper | Ableton Live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 or buy something else for £800ish. Is there anything else out there that would be a good weighted 88key piano and have plenty of other features. possibilities... Casio Privia PX3 Yamaha MM8 Kawai MP6 Yamaha MO8 (likely being phased out for the MOX8) Roland FP4 (likely being phased out for the FP4F) Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 If there is no deadline to complete any music-related projects, hold out for the KB you really want. Good luck and welcome to the forum. PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickd Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Don't ignore the fact that second-hand modules are really cheap, so your budget would stretch to an affordable digital piano and a module, or a MIDI master keyboard and a module. UK prices (ebay or Sound on Sound) for 88 key master keyboards (e.g. Fatar) are running about £150-250 at the moment. Then you can get something like a Roland XV2020 which sounds good but is very difficult to edit for about £150. Or better modules for £300+ - there's a huge range of possibilities within your budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzathedrummer Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 ....I just got confirmation that the SP4/8 will be shipping in early May!!! Dazzathedrummer Kurzweil SP4-8 | EMU Xboard 61 Logic | Reaper | Ableton Live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Weiser Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 I heard over the weekend from our HQ that the SP4-8 is "currently shipping". Not sure if shipments went out to all worldwide distributors at the same time, or if some are taking longer than others to receive stock. I'll try to dig up some more info ASAP. https://www.theboywhowantedtorock.com http://www.weisersound.com https://www.facebook.com/weisersound Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewall08530 Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 If he wants something with good midi capabilities the Roland RD 300GX might be a better fit than the FP-4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wruess Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 I am waiting patiently for the SP4-8 to become available. Kurz sounds in a stage piano weighing 39lbs! Sure would love to shave 15-16 lbs off the live piano rig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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