Why not just steal keys from the top octave to save weight / space?

[mountainjammer]

The trouble with ALL 73-76 key keybeds is that they none are of the higher quality "wood" (eg TP-40 Wood) with graded action or like Nord's Grand with Kawaii action.   They all compromise the action when going less than 88 keys.  Years ago I remember a company that would chop your 88 keyboard to 5 or 6.5 octaves. Not sure they still exist but I often think (dream) about getting and chopping a Nord Grand, Yamaha CP-4 or Viscount Legend 88 Wood.  Of course custom is never good for resale!

[AnotherScott]

16 hours ago, mountainjammer said:

They all compromise the action when going less than 88 keys. 

There are a handful of sub-88 boards the use same action as the 88s, though they still may not be ones that you'd select as your ideal actions. The 73 key versions of Kronos, SV1, SV2, and Grandstage all have the same action as the 88s do, which is their best hammer action (so while it may not be your action of choice, they are at least not compromising the sub-88 variant). Kurzweil Forte 7 has the best action that Kurzweil uses. Similarly, the 7x-key version of Nord Piano 5, original Nord Stage, and Nord Stage 2 (but not EX) used the same Fatar action as their 88 counterparts. So not everyone compromises, but yes, they are "not compromising" from a lower starting point than what most would probably categorize as the very best (or most piano-like) 88 key actions.

[TommyRude]

"If you want to be a keyboardist, you can start a war, you can lie, you can cheat, you can bankrupt the country, but you can't steal the top keys. They'll get you for that."

- Stephen Meyers

[Kenny Ingram]

On 6/8/2024 at 8:44 PM, miden said:

 

Yeah, I don't know where this fascination by manufacturers to make keyboards start at the low E, and not C comes from!

I would guess that the Fender Rhodes was a big inspiration for these 73-key model keyboards, especially since a lot of them are electric piano-focused. 

[octa]

Would love to see Roland's PHA-4 in a 73/76 as well as Kawai's RHIII.

 

Korg's 73-key RH3 kb's are quite heavy &/or oddly shaped. Yamaha's Natural Wood would be pretty heavy too, in a 73. (though i'd be very tempted to bear the weight for that action). -- Recently sold Nord Piano 5 73, mainly due to liking other actions much more. So now I just ordered RD-88 to replace YC88, due to getting along with a FP-10 in the past, and the YC88's bulky weight (and CFX sample exhibiting phase-y compressed weirdness on some stages). I'm planning to use RD-88 with NS4c, and RD-88 also as a convenient kb for practice when travelling. 

[mountainjammer]

On 6/15/2024 at 9:07 AM, AnotherScott said:

There are a handful of sub-88 boards the use same action as the 88s, though they still may not be ones that you'd select as your ideal actions. The 73 key versions of Kronos, SV1, SV2, and Grandstage all have the same action as the 88s do, which is their best hammer action (so while it may not be your action of choice, they are at least not compromising the sub-88 variant). Kurzweil Forte 7 has the best action that Kurzweil uses. Similarly, the 7x-key version of Nord Piano 5, original Nord Stage, and Nord Stage 2 (but not EX) used the same Fatar action as their 88 counterparts. So not everyone compromises, but yes, they are "not compromising" from a lower starting point than what most would probably categorize as the very best (or most piano-like) 88 key actions.

Thank you Scott - you are indeed and appropriately accurate as always. My main point is that the highest quality models don't seem to get to the 7x versions, leading me to dreaming about chopping a Nord Grand or a Viscount Legend 88 Wood.  In the interim, I have returned to the Nord Stage 2 (non-EX) 73 which has the Fatar TP-40 Light as does the Kurzweil Forte 7.  I prefer this over even the new Nord Stage 4 model with triple sensors.    

[MathOfInsects]

Dexibell Vivo S1?

[AnotherScott]

7 hours ago, MathOfInsects said:

Dexibell Vivo S1?

 

Not a hammer action (getting back to earlier comments about there being no hammer action 73-key boards that are C-to-C , even though you can find that in some non-hammer boards). The S1 is supposed to be pretty decent for piano playing, though, as non-hammer boards go. Still, although compact in size, that config doesn't have any advantage over the existing 73 hammer action boards that start on E for the purpose at hand, since all they're doing is removing the bottom 5 keys, so not making it any easier to get to the desired out-of-range notes (the goal), but rather just making it harder to get to some others! 😉 

[stoken6]

5 hours ago, AnotherScott said:

that config doesn't have any advantage over the existing 73 hammer action boards that start on E for the purpose at hand, since all they're doing is removing the bottom 5 keys, so not making it any easier to get to the desired out-of-range notes (the goal), but rather just making it harder to get to some others! 😉 

Instead of removing 5 keys, if they had added 7 (so a total of one octave more than the existing S1) making a 6.5 octave board, that would be useful. Still more compact than an 88. 

 

Cheers, Mike.

[miden]

13 hours ago, MathOfInsects said:

Dexibell Vivo S1?

 

Yes, came across this when I did a search down here for that... came up with this https://www.bettermusic.com.au/dexibell-vivo-s1-68-note-portable-digital-piano

 

Starts on the A - official video....if you can get past the commentary, it does not sound too bad at all really...and batteries too. Might suit hooking up to the ipad with NSK 2 and Pianotoeq...

 

 

 

[ProfD]

I'm kinda surprised this thread still has traction.  I guess nobody likes my idea about a gym membership.🤣😎

[miden]

far better Ralph Schinck demo here (sorry I missed this thread) - that virtual sustain pedal tech is pretty cool! This unit, at around $900USD has my interest piqued especially as a four zone MIDI controller with the iPad....

 

[stoken6]

11 hours ago, ProfD said:

I'm kinda surprised this thread still has traction.  I guess nobody likes my idea about a gym membership.🤣😎

For me it's not so much about weight (although that helps), it's the ability to fit into the trunk/boot of a (Europe-sized) car. Almost all the 88s (52in wide, 12in deep, 6in high) are fractionally too big for my car. A few inches shorter and it will fit.

 

EDIT I think some of the super-shallow, super-thin boards (SL Numa Compact 2, Korg Liano etc.) might fit, but I then lose the hammer action. And I've found I play better with a nicer action. 

 

Cheers, Mike.

[ProfD]

On 6/19/2024 at 3:02 AM, stoken6 said:

...it's the ability to fit into the trunk/boot of a (Europe-sized) car. Almost all the 88s (52in wide, 12in deep, 6in high) are fractionally too big for my car. A few inches shorter and it will fit.

I remember when cars had rear-folding seats.  That made it easy to fit a full-sized KB in a case and other gear in the car too.  Of course, there may not have been any room left for a passenger(s).🤣

 

I eventually graduated to driving an SUV and eventually a pickup truck for that very reason.  My KBs and gear and supplies for home improvement jobs or whatever.😁😎