Basil McJagger Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Howdy, I've been using Korg SV1s since they came out. I'm happy with them, except I tend to need a new RH3 keybed every 2-3 years, and I've noticed that for me the lifespan of an SV1 is about 5 years (at which time electronics just start failing). I break keys from time to time, and I can repair those myself, but I'm interested to know what the most durable stage piano is right now. I work 3-5 times a week, and I guess I play pretty hard. I'm usually not terribly prominent in the mix, so I'm interested in something tough. I had a Yamaha CP33 that I liked a lot, but I snapped that plastic keybed like a little twig. I need something new. My front-runners at the moment are: 1. another SV1 (by now I have a garage full of parts); 2. Korg Grand Stage; 3. Yamaha CP4. What do y'all think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 I think you need to find a different outlet for your aggression... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Mike Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Get a louder amp. Quote . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawback Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Wood. Kawai. Quote ____________________________________Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennyray Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Tex sounds like you play with an attitude. Rock on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdAct Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 I break keys from time to time, and I can repair those myself, but I'm interested to know what the most durable stage piano is right now. Maybe try switching to vibraphone? :idk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 I break keys from time to time, and I can repair those myself, but I'm interested to know what the most durable stage piano is right now. Maybe try switching to vibraphone? :idk Or just In all seriousness, I'm not sure any of us have an answer for you. Someone would have to say, "I've been in your shoes and I ended up with the YamaKaRorgIo ZX-5G and haven't broken a key since." I actually think the "louder amp" suggestion above might be best, or going in-ear and adjusting your mix. I know when I can't hear myself I tend to play harder until I realize my arms are getting sore. Then I say, "f-it" and play lighter and deal with not being able to hear myself well. Quote "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowboyNQ Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 I'm usually not terribly prominent in the mix, so I'm interested in something tough. I'm confused by this statement? Are you saying you smash the **** out of the keys because you can't hear yourself? That doesn't seem to make much sense, feel free to correct me if I've misunderstood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CountFosco Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 or going in-ear and adjusting your mix. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Star_Guy Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 When I am competing with loud guitars on stage I use a set of in-ears plugged into my stage mixer's headphone jack.....works great and solves several mix-related issues Quote ---------------------------------------------------------- Gig: Yamaha MODX7, NumaX 73 Piano Studio: Kawai ES-920; Hammond SK Pro 73; Yamaha Motif ES7 w/DX,VL,VH; Yamaha YC 73; Kawai MP-6; Numa Compact 2x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil McJagger Posted August 1, 2018 Author Share Posted August 1, 2018 I'm usually not terribly prominent in the mix, so I'm interested in something tough. I'm confused by this statement? Are you saying you smash the **** out of the keys because you can't hear yourself? That doesn't seem to make much sense, feel free to correct me if I've misunderstood. What I mean by that, is that it doesn't matter what it sounds like so much. It matters more that it won't break. I can usually hear myself just fine. In other words I'd trade a better sounding unit for a well-built one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Quote Moe --- "I keep wanting to like it's sound, but every demo seems to demonstrate that it has the earth-shaking punch and peerless sonics of the Roland Gaia. " - Tusker http://www.hotrodmotm.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Star_Guy Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 In all seriousness, I think many of us are concerned that something else is going on. While Korg has had certain issues with their RH3 keybed, as soon you mentioned that you are also breaking keys on a Yamaha CP33 (which is a proven stage workhorse for many of us) we have been suggesting alternative options. I also think that the suggestion to look at a keyboard with wooden keys is a viable one as well, so the CP4 or Kawai MP11SE might be both worth looking into. Quote ---------------------------------------------------------- Gig: Yamaha MODX7, NumaX 73 Piano Studio: Kawai ES-920; Hammond SK Pro 73; Yamaha Motif ES7 w/DX,VL,VH; Yamaha YC 73; Kawai MP-6; Numa Compact 2x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Mike Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Another suggestion: take lessons from a teacher who will teach you to play without beating the snot out of your instrument. I say that because it has worked for me. Its not the instrument friend. Quote . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamuelBLupowitz Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 [video:youtube]FydxfGfqJ48 Quote Samuel B. Lupowitz Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coker Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 In all seriousness, I think many of us are concerned that something else is going on. While Korg has had certain issues with their RH3 keybed, as soon you mentioned that you are also breaking keys on a Yamaha CP33 (which is a proven stage workhorse for many of us) we have been suggesting alternative options. I also think that the suggestion to look at a keyboard with wooden keys is a viable one as well, so the CP4 or Kawai MP11SE might be both worth looking into. Im not sure how the Kawai keys are built, but the wood in the CP4 keys dont seem structural to me. They look more like inserts on the sides of the white keys so you see wood when the adjacent keys are pressed. That being said, the CP4 keys are the most durable keys that this pounder has used (except for the oft mentioned key guides issue). Quote CA93, MODX8, YC88, K8.2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan_evett Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Nord Lead ? Quote 'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo. We need a barfing cat emoticon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Beaumont Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 I would suggest a cheap CASIO Privia like the PX-160. That way when you destroy it your not out much. I honestly can't imagine going through so many RH3 actions. I had an SV1-73 for about 4 years and thought the keys were pretty tough to put up with my abuse. Quote Boards: Kurzweil SP-6, Roland FA-08, VR-09, DeepMind 12 Modules: Korg Radias, Roland D-05, Bk7-m & Sonic Cell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Not an old Roland RD-500. Quote "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil McJagger Posted August 1, 2018 Author Share Posted August 1, 2018 Thanks for the suggestions, and all of the great comedy (I knew I could count on that level of clownery from this bunch...) It's not a stage volume issue for me. I can hear everything just fine. It's not a technique issue. I know how to play correctly. There is a lot of showbiz in my performance. The Jerry Lee/standing up/windmill glisses business. It's only quasi-musical, but it's entertaining. The crowds respond to it. I'd just like to find a board that can stand up to it better. Maybe my best option is to keep buying SV-1s and RH3 keybeds, and call it a cost of doing what I do. One problem I've had - besides the keybed/key issues - is components wearing out. I've lost the XLR outputs on both Korg pianos. The one I'm renting currently came with the XLR outputs not working. That's not a result of my brutish performance. That's a parts failure on three different units in less than 5 years. I've lost other electronic doo-dads in the cicuitry just from failure. The techs told me it's because Korg uses cheap components. I was hoping for something better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennyray Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 I think the old Roland RD pianos and could take some smears and JLL style of playing pretty well. The older stage pianos were built better but not necessarily sound better. I would like to see some videos of your band I like entertaining keyboard players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 But not the RD-500. I liked the 500 but I had friends who were players that were breaking hammers on their RD-500s. I hadn't yet so I sold it and replaced it. The breaking hammers were a common issue. Quote "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan_evett Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 But not the RD-500. I liked the 500 but I had friends who were player that were breaking hammers on their RD-500s. I hadn't yet so I sold it and replaced it. The breaking hammers were a common issue. I remember seeing club players in Nashville replacing keys (and more) on their RD-500s/600s, between sets. Quote 'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo. We need a barfing cat emoticon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Star_Guy Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 But not the RD-500. I liked the 500 but I had friends who were player that were breaking hammers on their RD-500s. I hadn't yet so I sold it and replaced it. The breaking hammers were a common issue. I remember seeing club players in Nashville replacing keys (and more) on their RD-500s/600s, between sets. Agree completely on those models. I owned a Roland RD-600 that routinely broke the hammer assemblies on certain notes even after extended practice. Quote ---------------------------------------------------------- Gig: Yamaha MODX7, NumaX 73 Piano Studio: Kawai ES-920; Hammond SK Pro 73; Yamaha Motif ES7 w/DX,VL,VH; Yamaha YC 73; Kawai MP-6; Numa Compact 2x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spider76 Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 You just chose the wrong instrument. You should take up death metal drums. Or just get hired as a mercenary in some war zone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spider76 Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Jokes apart,replacing keybeds every couple of years and the whole keyboard every 5?!? Breaking keys "like twigs"?!? Never seen or heard something like that, honestly. Rh3 is not the best action around, but surely it's not the worst. And the SV1 is not a cheap board. I can't imagine consciously throwing away that much money on a regular basis. If that's your style of playing, I don't think you'll find anything that lasts much longer. As others have said, I think the best solution is to use cheap disposable Casios (they have a very decent action for the price) that you can buy in truckloads: for the price of a single SV1 you can buy 4-5 PX-160 and be set for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesG Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 the wood in the CP4 keys dont seem structural to me. They look more like inserts on the sides of the white keys so you see wood when the adjacent keys are pressed. That is not the case. The CP4 keys are solid wood, and the keys are all cut from the same plank, like in a piano. Quote Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3 Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9 Roland: VR-09, RD-800 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coker Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Ok. Thanks! Quote CA93, MODX8, YC88, K8.2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Martin Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 That is not the case. The CP4 keys are solid wood, and the keys are all cut from the same plank, like in a piano. Nope, plastic with wood on the sides. Quote -Mike Martin Casio Mike Martin Photography Instagram Facebook The Big Picture Photography Forum on Music Player Network The opinions I post here are my own and do not represent the company I work for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theGman Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 You should post a video of one of your live performances, to give us a better idea of what is going on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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