Do any of you regularly gig with an expensive keyboard?

[Shamanzarek]

If I had an OB-X8 it would have to be for something like an 80s band where it would get more than occasional use. In the old days I took out an OB-8 and Matrix 12 along with other expensive gear. These are both much bigger than the typical modern keyboard but I was doing five night a week gigs where I didn't have to move them often. At that time most players setups were all synths, samplers, or DX7. More recently I was with a band that did a lot of 80s so I took out the Jupiter 6 and Pro-One for a while. Then the band started doing less 80s so I went to just a Juno 60. Now my synth needs are minimal so I use sample-based keyboards for the occasional synth sound.

 

For the last few years my most expensive keyboard has been a Nord Stage 3 Compact. So far I have never gigged with it but recently I have taken it to rehearsals with a new band. As I expected they are more impressed by this keyboard than they probably would be if brought my Casio. When I start gigging with them I will probably use the PX-5S and WK-3800 on stage. The Nord does very good Hammond and synth sounds but I prefer the Casio PX-5S for acoustic piano/EP. The WK-3800 while the tonewheel organ is not the best is capable of other organ sounds that no expensive modern keyboard I've found can do and the synth/sample sounds have very good editing options. I am constantly on the lookout for a newer more expensive keyboard that can do what this setup does but haven't found it yet. If I had to pick something new right now it might be the Korg Vox Continental or something by Kurzweil.

[ProfD]

4 minutes ago, Shamanzarek said:

If I had an OB-X8 it would have to be for something like an 80s band where it would get more than occasional use. In the old days I took out an OB-8 and Matrix 12 along with other expensive gear. These are both much bigger than the typical modern keyboard but I was doing five night a week gigs where I didn't have to move them often. At that time most players setups were all synths, samplers, or DX7. 

That's what makes the analog synth resurgence a chuckle for folks who've been around long enough to see the rise and fall and resurrection.

 

In the late 80s and beyond, if they were even still relevant and/or gigging, well-known bands had replaced their synth stacks and racks with samplers and/or ROMplers.

4 minutes ago, Shamanzarek said:

The Nord does very good Hammond and synth sounds but I prefer the Casio PX-5S for acoustic piano/EP. The WK-3800 while the tonewheel organ is not the best is capable of other organ sounds that no expensive modern keyboard I've found can do and the synth/sample sounds have very good editing options.

The reality is that almost any ROMpler or DP can cover every sound from any hit record. 

 

Today, the KB player for [insert 80s band here] might have a Roland Fantom or Jupiter X over a Roland RD-2000 digital piano.😎

[kpl1228]

4 hours ago, kpl1228 said:

But I'd cry and scream like Belushi when they dropped the whiskey in front of Delta House if an OB-X8 got a beer spilled down the keys.

 

for reference 

 

[kpl1228]

20 minutes ago, ProfD said:

 

 

The reality is that almost any ROMpler or DP can cover every sound from any hit record. 

 

Today, the KB player for [insert 80s band here] might have a Roland Fantom or Jupiter X over a Roland RD-2000 digital piano.😎

Motif XF7 over an RD-2000 here. And it can pull off any gig. But I'm thinking a Moog would sure be sweet in a classic rock gig, though the Motif can get 70% of it.

[kpl1228]

1 hour ago, ABECK said:

Slightly OT,

Guitarists love to pay extra for road worn "relic'd" guitars.  I can't think of any keyboard scenarios where that would be desired.

This is true. Also, slightly OT, I know a few guitarists that have "gig guitars" and their precious one stays in the climate controlled batcave.

[MathOfInsects]

I don't buy or own anything I don't intend to use for gigs or sessions (except the "furniture"-like stuff). Essentially my only reason for purchasing equipment is to play jobs. There are some rare exceptions, but in general, the most expensive equipment I buy is bought with the intention of using to make back the money I spent on it. 

Nord is never left in the car--it's first-out, last-in, and is on my back or set up otherwise. The rest I cover with a moving blanket if there's more than one trip to be made, though generally my equipment and I are always in the same place at the same time, either on a cart or ready to play. 

Flip side, there are definitely gigs where I'm like...yeah, we're going to use the Roland for this and leave the Nord safe at home. 

 

[El Lobo]

I own half a dozen keyboards (or more - just gave one away) but I'll always rehearse and gig with my Nord 5D because it's the best instrument for the job. I'm also a sax player. As others have pointed out, either of my 2 remaining tenors is worth more than the Nord, and I've put so much money into my bari sax, it should be diamond-encrusted gold. But it plays like a dream. I used to gig with a back-up tenor, especially in dive bars and other sketchy circumstances, but one day I realized I was getting old and why didn't I gig with the horn I loved most to play? It's about wanting to have fun and play your best -- so I take the good gear to the gig now, regardless of the situation. We only get so much time on this earth. Get as much joy out of this life as you can and play the music you want to play. It's all over soon enough. 

[kpl1228]

4 minutes ago, El Lobo said:

I used to gig with a back-up tenor, especially in dive bars and other sketchy circumstances, but one day I realized I was getting old and why didn't I gig with the horn I loved most to play? It's about wanting to have fun and play your best -- so I take the good gear to the gig now, regardless of the situation. We only get so much time on this earth. Get as much joy out of this life as you can and play the music you want to play. It's all over soon enough. 

I love every part of this statement.

[LarsHarner2]

6 hours ago, kpl1228 said:

Do you leave the fancy one at home so it doesn't get damaged, or is it too great to not gig with?

Just wondering. 

For example, if I ever got a new Oberheim OB-X8 I would not be able to keep it at home under museum glass, but I've also had keyboards damaged due to drunks and the elements and my own clumsiness.

Hello, it is more dependent on weight for me.

In my 20's and 30's I took my Sy55 everywhere- at the time it was very expensive but I was young and didn't worry as much.

 

Late 30's to now- some incarnation of a $400-$500 slab piano the weighs 25 pounds.

included

Casio PX-130 from 2012 to 2018 and 

now the Yamaha P125-

at 6 years it sounds nice in my songwriting groups and works-

 

Home keyboards are the 61 nautilus and ES8

[tucktronix]

If and when I do buy a keyboard that I would consider expensive(most of them are IMO) or any keyboard for that matter, it will certainly be put to work in a rig for a specific band(s). My aim is to recoup all the money that was spent on it. For example, after I bought my Kronos 2 88 I was able to recoup what I had paid for it within 6 months of gigging.

[Justin Havu]

I've used various Korg workstations over the years;  Triton Extreme 76, 01/W Pro X, M3-61, Motif-XS6.  Nowadays, MODX-7, for my budget, I'd consider expensive.

[sunspot]

I wouldn't want to gig with my OB-X8 because it's big, and heavy.  A light sub $1k controller like a Numa with an iPad running a copy of OB-Xd will get you 85% of the way there and 99% of the audience doesn't give a damn how about your fancy or authentic your $5k keyboard is.

[Baldwin Funster]

If $799 is an expensive board then....no. I gig with a sub $300 controller or two and an iPad. 

[marino]

Yess. In my early days, I used to lug around my big boards. I started with a Korg Trident, then the Rhodes Chroma, PPG 2.2, Xpander. At the time, probably, some element of show-off was also at play.

There also was a period when my only usable synth was my Matrix-12, because I had sold most of my rig to finance it - including my electric piano. Suddendly a few club gigs with an American singer popped out; so I programmed a couple of EP sounds on the Matrix, and carried it to clubs! It was like driving a Ferrari to go to the grocery store... not the best use of it. Luckily, it only happened for a few gigs.

Then I switched to the "MIDI rig" concept: An 88-key controller and a rack full of expanders. I started with an Elka MK88 with poly aftertouch, then a Studiologic Studio 2001 (with software from the American company Forte). In the rack I had a Kurzweil K2000R (later a K2600R), a TG77, a Wavestation A/D.
In the second part of the 90s, I reduced dimensions and quantities: An expanded XP80 as a synth and master controller, plus the WS A/D and a Kurzweil Micropiano, later replaced by a MicroEnsemble. At this point, nothing particularly expensive was left in my live rig. Also, in recent times most of my gigs were on acoustic piano.

[Moonglow]

Many moons ago, I brought out my long gone but not forgotten Prophet 5 for a large festival show. The last time I had used it was about 10-15 years prior, during the mid-late 1980s, when it was part of my regular rig. It was easily the best sounding instrument on the stage that night.

[SamuelBLupowitz]

Hey @nursers, weren't you the one I just saw on Facebook saying you hadn't known until very recently that there was a dislike button on the forum? Excuse ME for leaving my clavinet in my home studio instead of carrying it case-less into crowded bars anymore.  

[ABECK]

14 hours ago, sunspot said:

99% of the audience doesn't give a damn....

We should post this as a tag line to our Forum name.  😆

[DanL]

I gig all the time with my Stage 3, which is the most expensive board I've ever had. I gigged with the Stage and Kronos too. Now my big rig is a Viscount Legend, Fantom 08, Stage 3, and Nord A1, but that is used in theater situations where patrons can't get near me. But I've used the Stage and Kronos combo in many gig situations- outdoors, theaters, clubs. I have insurance on everything, even stuff I don't use live. I think the last time I had a problem was back when I had my original Electro. We had just gone on break and a guy was trying to step up onto the stage to give our guitar player a shot of Jager, he tripped and it went flying and landed all over the Electro. I got it all wiped up and never had any issues with it, but I wasn't real happy with the guy lol. 

[ProfD]

15 minutes ago, DanL said:

I gig all the time with my Stage 3, which is the most expensive board I've ever had. I gigged with the Stage and Kronos too. 

Brotha Dan, great to read you mayne.  Let me know when you'll have another batch of hot peppers ready.😁😎

[HSS]

Yes. I gig with my most expensive boards, even though the ladies aren't impressed. My most expensive boards are a Nord 5D 73, Hammond SK1 61, and a recently purchased Kurz PC4-7.  

 

Since the Pandemic ended, I usually gig with my Nord 5D 73 on top or by itself if load in/out is difficult or it's a quick gig.   Before the Pandemic I usually used my Hammond SK1 on top. 

 

At this point, I've only used my Kurz PC4-7 out a couple of times at rehearsals and have yet to gig with it. Once I get more comfortable with it and finish setting up multis, I plan to start using it more on gigs.

 

My bottom boards for gigs are Yamaha MX88 and P121, Kurz SP4-7, or sometimes a Casio CGP-700. 

[Losendoskeys]

I gig with my Kronos 61, Kronos 73 and Hammond SKXPro all the time.
Fantom XR and ProSoloist Rack+ in the rack.

It has to be done for the sake of authenticity of Genesis 🙂 
 

[ProfD]

Maybe we should establish the baseline for expensive KB  i.e. anything above $5k.😎

[stillearning]

I gig with two Nord Stage 3’s. An 88 with a compact on top. I bought em to play em. And as has been mentioned, life’s too short. Besides, they’re insured.

[Iconoclast]

Nord Stage 4...expensive AF. But why else would you have it?

[DJkeys]

Back in my touring days, I had a Yamaha CP-70 and a Prophet 5.  Those two went all over the pacific northwest, Canada and Hawaii.  That was about $8k in 1985 dollars, not counting the playback gear.  Now for my local gigs, I use a Nord Stag 3 and Wave 2, about $7k in 2020 dollars, but much much lighter!  I would never think of using less quality (or less expensive, if you will) keyboards for gigging, I always want to have the best sounding and most reliable boards.  

 

-dj

[retrokeys]

Expensive?  Yes, I have some money in it  but everything there was meant to be carried and played out,unlike my C3 and leslie which would be happier in church or at home.

[nursers]

7 hours ago, SamuelBLupowitz said:

Hey @nursers, weren't you the one I just saw on Facebook saying you hadn't known until very recently that there was a dislike button on the forum? Excuse ME for leaving my clavinet in my home studio instead of carrying it case-less into crowded bars anymore.  

Yep - was hoping you'd see this and get a laugh  

[SamuelBLupowitz]

30 minutes ago, retrokeys said:

Expensive?  Yes, I have some money in it  but everything there was meant to be carried and played out,unlike my C3 and leslie which would be happier in church or at home.

Ugh what a slick rig, damn right it should be played out!

[stoken6]

Nord Stage 2 (12 years old) and Stage Classic (bought s/h about 5 years ago). So their cost is well and truly amortized over the gigs they've done. Cost to replace is not insignificant, however. I don't have a "second-best" alternative rig - for quick-change festivals and the like I'll just bring one board. (I haven't played a "dive" gig since my twenties, however).

 

Cheers, Mike.

[Motif88]

On 2/14/2024 at 1:11 PM, kpl1228 said:

Motif XF7 over an RD-2000 here. And it can pull off any gig. But I'm thinking a Moog would sure be sweet in a classic rock gig, though the Motif can get 70% of it.

You must still have your youth...schlepping an RD-2000 size/weight board with a case and additional gear passed me by years ago...