Replacing Roland RD300GX //// FP4 / RD700 GX

[mrk7421]

My main digital piano for many years was a Roland RD 300 GX.I liked many things about it...I liked the action very much plus it had a couple of my favorite Rhodes sounds. The main piano sample was called Superior Grand and to me it sounded generally better than much of what is out there   Most of the time it made me feel that zI didn't need to switch or upgrade. I played it from about 2010 until recently when several key contacts when out at once. So cut to the  chase   ..a Roland FP4 became available near me. I have never heard one . It is a bit of a drive to where it is Also...I recently heard an RD700GX and couldn't believe how much I liked it! But the action on that was a little tough. So I am curious if the Roland FP4 has enough similarity to the RD300 GX to be worth a look.

[JamPro]

I owned a Roland RD700GX, and I loved it.  I will heartily endorse the Roland to anyone wanting a 88-note digital acoustic piano.  I believe the RD300 and RD700 share soundsets.  Two caveats: the RD700 will be heavier overall than your RD300, and the RD700 has a different, stiffer and heavier keyboard feel than the RD300.

 

I only ever tried the FP4 in stores: my impression was that it had an acceptable AP sound and feel. 

[mrk7421]

As I was saying I was amazed at how good the 700 GX sounded when I demoed one recently. The action seemed a bit heavier than the 300 GX but the acoustic samples were similar The700 GX seems to have good quality preamps and electronics. The drawbar organ was also very nice so to me it seemed like a good all in one gig organ....except it was heavy                                                                                                                  I have actually never played an FP4 but I think some prominent list members had them a few years back. In those days I definitely preferred Roland to Yamaha. My RD300 GX made it 14 years before meltdown....but with Yamaha there were always keyed problems....I had a CP5 for awhile when I was using the 300GX and it was no contest. Some of that carried over into the CP4....I did not like the lower register in the CP4 or the CP5  Roland has just sounded warmer to me                                                                     Bargains are showing up on these older Roland instruments and I am considering an available FP4 at the moment.    I really liked the 300GX keyed. Is the FP4 similar to that?

[kalpajazz]

I have had a rd300 gx since 2009...love it. I recently played a friend's fp4. The fp4 is like new. Beyond the obvious difference due to years of use, the action of the fp4 seemed a little better to me, more consistent than the 300. The fp4 has the superior grand, but I couldn't find the Grand RD, which is one of the RD pianos that I like the most. In general, the RD's sound palette is much more complete and the options to regulate the sensitivity curve are also (the FP4 only has 3 options: soft, medium and hard compared to the RD, which has a linear curve and an exponential one, and each one has 90 variations. Excuse my English, I write in Spanish and translate with Google.

[mrk7421]

That is good news that the FP4 has Superior Grand.... I wasn't sure. And yes I also like the 99 or so degrees if touch sensitivity that the 300 GX has. If you have a functional RD300GX enjoy it because as far as I am concerned this was one of the best things Roland ever did. What is the name of the first default electric piano on 300 GX....Stage EP or something? That EP is gorgeous and I hope Roland had the sense to use it on the FP4 also.

[16251]

1 minute ago, mrk7421 said:

Stage EP or something? That EP is gorgeous and I hope Roland had the sense to use it on the FP4 also.

I don't know the name of EP sound on FP4, but that was the reason I sold it.  Loved the action and the main AP was nice even though the samples were quite short. The EP was certainly usable, it just didn't sound like a Rhodes to me.

[kalpajazz]

9 minutes ago, mrk7421 said:

What is the name of the first default electric piano on 300 GX....Stage EP or something?

Yess, StageE.Piano

 

[mrk7421]

I agree....in one sense the RD300GX does NOT sound like a Rhodes. But then 90 percent of what is out there sounds like a crappy Rhodes imitation.....I have been highly disappointed in many Rhodes samples lately ...I found the FP30x Roland Rhodes to be just horrendous. What I like about the RD300 GX.EP is that it is very sweet and musical....it always worked because it didn't attempt any of that"barking"quality so many others shoot for. It's sounding like the FP4 has a lot in common with the 300 GX.....if it has Stage EP. 

[mrk7421]

I am quite a fan of Roland from this period. I also LOVED the VK8m organ module....mine had Leslie sim bypass which very few people have actually heard. I thought the VK8 organ sounded good except for the weird slapback from the keys ...loved the early V Combo etc. Would like to spend more time with RD700 GX.....it seems Roland went backwards with the NX though they have regained ground with the FP10 bang for the buck  If you run an FP10 through a really good amp and phones you might get it ...thank you Roland