Tjibbe Posted January 6, 2005 Share Posted January 6, 2005 Because I'm starting with a cover-band, I'm searching a used stage piano... My budget for this lies around 600 / 700 euros. I definitely want a stage piano because I'm used to a piano, so I like sto play 88 weigthed! keys. For myself, I have for example the Yamaha P80 in mind, which goes for around 600 euros I think. But maybe some of you guys know better alternatives. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlito Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Hi Tjibbe, In my opinion, Stage Pianos like Yamaha P-80/P-90 and Roland FP series among others, will give you very limited material to work in a cover-band. A Yamaha S-80 or S-90 on the other hand, will give you more sounds that can be programmed to approximate to the sounds you hear on the records for your cover songs. You can have a bunch of different pianos for different situations, more splits/layers, more control(pedals,wheels etc.). Your life as a gigging musician will be much easier. And two years from now, if you start getting bored with the stock sounds, expansion boards are available. Other options are the Ensoniq ZR-76,(I almost got one for $450.00 here in Boston before I realized I don't need another keyboard),Kurzweil PC series, and Roland XV-88(this one is expensive). Peace, Carlito Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjibbe Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 Thanks Carlito, I agree that a S90 / S80 gives you a lot more possibilities, but in my specified 'budget' I also took in consideration that I'm thinking of buying an extra synth... That's because two boards seems quite handy to me, when you want to play a piano/E piano lead with a brass section on top. I realize now that I didn't mention this in my first post. As a synth I thought of for example a XP-50, which is ad far as I know a JV-1080 with keys... A friend of mine has a JV-1080 module, and those sounds are quite allright... In the Netherlands, used S80/S90 synths are hard to find... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj jud Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 I have a P80 in my studio. The action is good if you're accustomed to piano action. The downside is I would never be able to use it as a live controller because the midi out assigning and keyboard splits and stuff are seriously buried in the menus, there's inability to quickly send patch change data to another keyboard, so its not a good live controller. When you turn it off all that stuff defaults back to factory settings, and there's no way I've seen to store it. So to control a rack-synth with it live would be hard. If you could work around that by using the front buttons on your rack synth module or another midiunti to do program changes, fine, but the P80 is really more appropriate for studio / home use. If you buy one, go to the store, have them hook it up to a second module, and see if it's an issue for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjibbe Posted January 8, 2005 Author Share Posted January 8, 2005 Looking at the possibilities of a combination P-80 with for example a XP-50, I guess the inability of the P80 being as a controller is not a very problem. In my case, I guess I would use the P-80 mainly for piano/E-piano sounds (with the advantage of weighted keys), and piano studying at home. All the other brass/strings/synth sounds for little riffs and stuff would come from the XP-50, which I would be able te play on the XP-50 itself. The only case of exchanging sounds would be for example using some synth sound as a lead, and play it on the P-80. In that case, everything would be programmable on the XP-50. Or am I missing something now. Thanks, Tjibbe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffLearman Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 What's the price difference between a P and an S? The first time you'll want to play two non-piano sounds together, you may regret having the P. Remember that today's acceptable limitations can become tomorrow's hassles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj jud Posted January 10, 2005 Share Posted January 10, 2005 I might add that I'm not enamoured with the P80's electric pianos. There's a bad 80's lite jazz quality to E. piano 1, (like the beginning of "A Hard Habit to Break" by Chicago) and E piano 2 is a little generic, but better. Nothing that comes close to a good Rhodes or Wurlie imitation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj jud Posted January 10, 2005 Share Posted January 10, 2005 Originally posted by learjeff: [QB]What's the price difference between a P and an S?QB]At musician's friend they only give list prices: P90 $1295 S90 $2499 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffLearman Posted January 10, 2005 Share Posted January 10, 2005 Well, when I checked, they didn't list ANY prices ("call for price"). Anyway, thanks -- that clears it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unsound Practices Posted January 10, 2005 Share Posted January 10, 2005 dj jud made a good point about the lack of any MIDI flexability on the P80/P90 series. It might not bother you now, but it will once you add another keyboard. I owned and loved a P80, but it was a pig to incorporate into my live rig because I do a lot of splits, layers, and module control. For 600 Euros your options are (as you know) limited, but you might consider a used Roland RD700, a used Yamaha S80, or a used Kurzweil PC2X. They are all good stage pianos with usable MIDI features that you can use for years. MHO "More tools than talent" Motif ES7:Kurzweil PC1x:Electro 2 73:Nord Lead 3:MKS-80:Matrix 1000:Microwave XT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjibbe Posted January 18, 2005 Author Share Posted January 18, 2005 He guys, I want to thank you once more for the good advices. I've become aware that a stage piano limits my possibilities, and that a 88-weighted-key-synth is a better option. With a little help of a friend of mine, I found a new Kurzweil PC1X for a very nice price. I've bought it, and I think the sounds are great, and it offers a lot of nice and handy features. Again, thanks for the advices, they really helped me choosing the right instrument, at least I think I found the right instrument! Kind regards, Tjibbe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RudyS Posted January 18, 2005 Share Posted January 18, 2005 congrats on your buying tjibbe Rudy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlito Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 Congrats, man.I'm happy for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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