One thing that has changed about the keyboard market. (Cases, separate and built in.)

[RABid]

In the picture below I am playing a Yamaha piano, built into a case with a lid that converts to the legs of a stand. On top of it is a Crumar synth that is also built into a case. I upgraded to a Rhodes Chroma, which was not built into a case, but it did come standard with a very nice flight case. This was not an option. Every Chroma shipped with that heavy duty case. I cannot think of any current keyboards that come with or are built into a case. Did you have any keys with built in or provided cases?

 

[Nathanael_I]

The Non-Linear Labs C-15 and the Schmidt 8-voice both come with custom plywood flight cases.  It didn’t come with the Minimood Model D, but I do have the Moog factory flight case for it. 

[Mr -G-]

new (and old) Fender Rhodes?

KARP and ARP 2600 ?

[Morrissey]

Crumar Seven

[Docbop]

That is something that really amazed me coming to keyboards is the lack of cases or at least hard plastic covers for the tops of the keyboard for moving them.   My first good keyboard an RD-2000 I opened the box and a knob laying in the bottom that had broken off, probably in packing it up since there was no damage to the box.   You'd think with a sea of knobs and sliders on tops of keyboards these days they make a simple hard plastic cover to put on for transport so cases, bags, or ???  be rubbing against all those parts.   Doesn't need to be a heavy lid like the old Rhodes had, just a hard plastic cover something like turntables have.

 

 

[wineandkeyz]

I've owned five keyboards that included a built-in case/lid:

• Fender Contempo organ
• Rhodes 88 Stage
• Yamaha CP35
• Roland RS-202 Strings
• Yamaha YC-20 organ

[CEB]

The thing is those "built in cases" don't protect squat if you are using cartage.  No shock protection.  Stuff like the old Peavey Mark III mixer boards look rugged in that Anvil looking chassis but you still need a real case.  It was usually fine for some easy local use but if you wanted it to travel as is then good luck.  LoL

[Old No7]

My old Farfisa organ (I forget which model, as it was back in 1977...) folded up, with the chrome legs included, into large black rectangular box once the heavy cover was added to it.  If I recall, the legs were stored inside the top cover.

 

It sure was easier to lump around than the Hammond M3 Chop & Leslie 145/147 that replaced it -- but I had to have the REAL tonewheel sound!

 

Old No7

[DaveMcM]

Over the years I have owned the following: Rhodes suitcase, Yamaha CP30 and CS60, Hellpinstill Roadmaster, Fatar Studio 2001, ARP 4 Voice EP, Crumar T3, Farfisa Mini Compact, Hammond B3 (it's got a lid so I guess that counts), and probably others that aren't coming to me right now.

[The Real MC]

Kustom 88

[Al Coda]

2 hours ago, RABid said:

Did you have any keys with built in or provided cases?

 

Only Fender Rhodes and Clavinet D6.

 

Oberheim 4- and 8 voice came built into cases IIRC and Yamaha CS 60 / 70 and 80 too,- but I didn´t own any of these.

 

Doepfer PK88 and LMK masterkeyboards are still built into a case.

 

 

A.C.

[CEB]

How many Rhodes players bought road cases for their Rhodes?

[Al Coda]

1 minute ago, CEB said:

How many Rhodes players bought road cases for their Rhodes?

 

 

I did.

ATA flightcase for my Fender Rhodes mk I,- and it was good, which I learned when the Roadies had a black ice crash w/ the truck.

ATA case suffered from a hole, but the instrument was fine.

 

The other one, Rhodes mk II,- still w/ wooden keys,- was custom built into a ATA flightcase and the orig. case went into the bin.

 

 

A.C.

[CyberGene]

These old keyboards needed integrated cases because they weighed a ton and were thus prone to serious damage due to simple physics, kinetic energy and high inertia. Besides, good luck taking it in and out of an external case. With a modern lightweight keyboard that is less than 10kg you will be OK with a soft bag in most cases. 

[miden]

1 hour ago, CEB said:

How many Rhodes players bought road cases for their Rhodes?

 

Never needed to - built like a tank, weighed a ton and was dropped on several occasions. Apart from a few scratches and tears it survived fine!

[AUSSIEKEYS]

1 hour ago, CyberGene said:

These old keyboards needed integrated cases because they weighed a ton and were thus prone to serious damage due to simple physics, kinetic energy and high inertia. Besides, good luck taking it in and out of an external case. With a modern lightweight keyboard that is less than 10kg you will be OK with a soft bag in most cases. 

 

Totally agree. Thats the beauty of light weight its also light enough to not use its own inertia to cause untold damage.

 

In most cases even unbagged it simply bounces off the plastic enclosure when carrying. Although a fall can cause some damage but not as much as a heavy board would falling same distance. 

[Lou_NC]

The Crumar Mojo is currently being offered in a "suitcase" model.  Not sure whether it comes with legs or whether they're available from Crumar, but adding them wouldn't be terribly difficult.

 

[cassdad]

I suspect manufacturers for the most part are not building in the case and legs in an effort to be able to report a lower weight for their product, a spec which is of importance to many current buyers.

[Tom Williams]

11 hours ago, Old No7 said:

My old Farfisa organ (I forget which model, as it was back in 1977...) folded up, with the chrome legs included, into large black rectangular box once the heavy cover was added to it.  If I recall, the legs were stored inside the top cover.

That would be one of the VIP series (I had a VIP 345 then).  IIRC, the legs didn't go into the top though -- I think they had a separate bag.

 

Before that I had the Farfisa Combo Compact, whose legs actually folded up inside, covered by the hinged modesty panel.

 

 

[Tom Williams]

10 hours ago, CEB said:

How many Rhodes players bought road cases for their Rhodes?

...if a woodchuck would chuck wood?