Nord Electro action

[MarKeys]

I'm sure someone has addressed this but I couldn't find it online: does the NE3 have the same key action as NE2? One reason I'm thinking of ditching my NE2 is the light action for piano parts. I'm trying to get a better compromise for organ and piano. I don't do lots of wild palm smears, so waterfall keys -- evil nice -- aren't essential. I'd want the NE3 if it were more of an in between action. Can anyone tell me how the NE3 action is for piano? Thanks -- you guys have been great with advice for a gear novice like me.

[Tobias Åslund]

I'm 99% certain they have identical keybeds. If piano playing is more important to you - I'd suggest the hammer action NE3HP model, or NE4HP.

[Stokely]

I'd have a horrible time playing piano on the electro3, it's not that it's too light--it's too "springy". But I'm sure I'd get used to it after a while. It's even a bit springy for me and organs, I prefer the actions that kind of fall down on their own a bit more like the Korg cx3 But I can't be helpful to your main question, never played an Electro 2.

 

I'd love to check out an HP model but I've never seen one here in central FL.

[AlanV]

Yeah, check out the HP Nords. The action is really nice on them.

 

 

[JeffLearman]

All non hammer-action Electros use the same part from Fatar. Nord makes mods to Fatar parts on some keyboards to improve the action, but I doubt they would on the semi-weighted ones (there's not much to mod, other than changing or moving the keyweights or using a different weight spring.)

 

I believe it's the TP/8 action family. For the 73, they use the 76-key version and disable low E and the top two keys (they grind off the keystops and fit cheek blocks over them).

[MarKeys]

Thanks much. Sounds like what I was afraid of. The HP Nords are out of my price range, which is why I was looking at a kurzweil sp4-7 as a compromise. I figure organs won't be as good as Nord, but I'm playing in a band that uses organ in the mix and an occasional rock solo, so I don't need the very best pure B-3 sound (though of course I would love it!). And I'm trying to keep it under 30 pounds. And only need organ, vintage EPs like Wurly, and APs.

[AnotherScott]

All non hammer-action Electros use the same part from Fatar. Nord makes mods to Fatar parts on some keyboards to improve the action, but I doubt they would on the semi-weighted ones (there's not much to mod, other than changing or moving the keyweights or using a different weight spring.)

They do mod them, they are more heavily sprung. My understanding is that the last (2.0) version of the digital CX3 and the XK1 used the same Fatar action as the Electro 3, and I was able to play them all back to back, and whereas the Korg and Hammond felt the same (presumably stock Fatar), the Nord pushed back much more. (Unfortunately.)

 

Years ago, I had an Electro 2. I do not remember it being so tightly sprung, so that could be a change they made from the 2 to the 3... but it was years ago, and I might not have been as tuned into these differences then, so I don't want to swear it was different.

[AnotherScott]

I'd have a horrible time playing piano on the electro3, it's not that it's too light--it's too "springy". But I'm sure I'd get used to it after a while. It's even a bit springy for me and organs, I prefer the actions that kind of fall down on their own a bit more like the Korg cx3 But I can't be helpful to your main question, never played an Electro 2.

 

I'd love to check out an HP model but I've never seen one here in central FL.

I agree with you completely about the E3 keyboard. It's playable for organ, but springier than I'd like; and for piano, it's awful.

 

But the problem would not be solved by an HP... it's much better for piano, but much worse for organ.

[voxpops]

The E3 is definitely more springy than the E2. For me, the change didn't make it any easier to play piano on the E3.

[Rusty Mike]

The E4 SW at least gives you the velocity curves. It won't change the physical characteristic of the keyboard or eliminate the rapid spring-back action, but it will alter how the piano samples respond to your touch. That was sorely missing in the E3 SW and the reason I moved to the HP model.

 

 

[AnotherScott]

The E3 is definitely more springy than the E2. For me, the change didn't make it any easier to play piano on the E3.

I wonder if E2 springs can be ordered as parts, and be used to replace the springs in the E3.

[AnotherScott]

Thanks much. Sounds like what I was afraid of. The HP Nords are out of my price range, which is why I was looking at a kurzweil sp4-7 as a compromise. I figure organs won't be as good as Nord, but I'm playing in a band that uses organ in the mix and an occasional rock solo, so I don't need the very best pure B-3 sound (though of course I would love it!). And I'm trying to keep it under 30 pounds. And only need organ, vintage EPs like Wurly, and APs.

The SP4-7 should be fine for you, as long as you can deal with its sharp-edged action for organ. If you don't do much swiping and such, you'll probably be okay.

 

In your other thread, I mentioned the possibility of a NumaCompact as an inexpensive, lightweight piano, with an action that is fine for organ, but you would need something to generate the organ sound (I mentioned ipad Galileo as a light and cheap possibility, since you already have an iPad).

 

The only other 73+ actions I can think of that would work ok for piano and organ would be Roland. The VR-700 has one of the best actions you can find, but it's about 35 pounds, and its dimensions and weight distribution seem to make it a particularly heavy 35 lbs. The Jupiter 50 is much lighter, still has an above average action (though not as good as the VR700), but I still haven't heard a satisfying organ sound out of it, despite its SuperNatural tonewheel engine. I suppose it would be fine with a Burn or Ventilator, though. Out of the box, I think the Kurz will sound better for organ and EP. But if you can coax the sounds you need out of the Jupiter 50, it will be a more pleasant action to play.

 

The other thing you could do is add a lightweight 88 to put under your Nord, which you can use to trigger the piano/EP sounds in the Nord if you prefer. A Yamaha P35 would do. Unfortunately, the low-cost Casios don't have standard MIDI ports anymore, so you'd have to look at the more expensive PX350 (or PX5S).

 

 

 

 

[HSS]

Thanks much. Sounds like what I was afraid of. The HP Nords are out of my price range, which is why I was looking at a kurzweil sp4-7 as a compromise. I figure organs won't be as good as Nord, but I'm playing in a band that uses organ in the mix and an occasional rock solo, so I don't need the very best pure B-3 sound (though of course I would love it!). And I'm trying to keep it under 30 pounds. And only need organ, vintage EPs like Wurly, and APs.

The SP4-7 should be fine for you, as long as you can deal with its sharp-edged action for organ. If you don't do much swiping and such, you'll probably be okay.

+1...

 

I would add that B-stock, store demos, and occasionally new SP4-7's are starting to show up in the $600 - $800 range, which is far less than any comparable NE 3/4 or NE HP model.

 

Even though the SP4-7's "compromise" action certainly isn't top notch for either piano or organ, you may be able to get used to it, as I have. In fact, for piano, I like the SP4-7's action better than the NE's (excluding the NE HP's action which is better but much more expensive). As others have noted, the SP4-7's action is not as springy, and it doesn't bounce back as aggressively as the NE's.

[HSS]

In your other thread, I mentioned the possibility of a NumaCompact as an inexpensive, lightweight piano, with an action that is fine for organ, but you would need something to generate the organ sound (I mentioned ipad Galileo as a light and cheap possibility, since you already have an iPad).

I would love to check out a Numa Compact but I haven't seen any in the Vegas area. I've read some pretty good things about them on this forum as well as others.

[MarKeys]

The Numa idea sounded really intriguing and probably a smart way to go. I'm just a bit too lazy and nontechie to do it. And I realize I'm too old school, wanting a good old board without worrying about a computer in the mix. I know, I should be more adaptable!

[AnotherScott]

The Numa idea sounded really intriguing and probably a smart way to go. I'm just a bit too lazy and nontechie to do it. And I realize I'm too old school, wanting a good old board without worrying about a computer in the mix. I know, I should be more adaptable!

Could you get by with 61 keys? Then the Roland VR-09 could be a possibility, I've never tried its action for piano, but I'm sure you can get feedback from the folks in one of the huge VR-09 threads.

 

If you do reconsider the iPad idea, the Numa makes it about as easy as it could be. There's a front panel button just to turn MIDI on and off, so that button would essentially become a dedicated organ button; and it has its own volume control. (But your amp would need to have two inputs--one from the Numa, one from the iPad--for the simplest setup with no mixer.)