Seeking Keyboard Recommendations

[Rev_Slinky]

Hey all,

My wife plays some keys (among other instruments) in our band and is looking to get a 61-key keyboard that is a bit more small-stage friendly. She doesn't need a huge range of tones, but they should be decent quality (piano, electric piano, rock organ, synth, etc.). Touch-sensitive, full-sized keys would be nice. Good 1/4" output is necessary (she's already got a Hartke/Phil Jones rig). She's got a full-sized Roland that works well, but we've been playing some cramped stages and something with a smaller footprint would be helpful. We'd love to keep it at or under $500, but would rather get something good the first time around, so all recommendations are appreciated.

Thanks,
Tim

 

[bass player 53]

Yamaha YC 61.
You will have no regrets.

 

[Rev_Slinky]

Yamaha YC 61.
You will have no regrets.

Thanks for the recommendation. That one is a bit out of our price range. Do you know if the CK61 can get you kind of close?

 

[Danny O Danny]

Nord is pretty much the standard.

Nord Keyboards

The official website of Nord Keyboards, the award-winning Swedish manufacturer of premium keyboards.

www.nordkeyboards.com

 

[bass player 53]

I have a Steinway Model B, and a
Yamaha YC88. The keyboard feel on the Yamaha is very realistic to an acoustic piano. The YC61 has the same sounds as the YC88, but the keys are much lighter in feel, and have ‘waterfall’ edges, like a Hammond organ.
The CK’s key bed is even lighter, with
much more limited capability.

This is from Facebook, fwiw:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/507752683050272/posts/2063970720761786/

The YC series are professional stage pianos. Maybe you can find one used.
They are certainly a lot less expensive
than the Nords.
I also have a Vox Continental, 73 key,
that I bought new, at half price ($1000).
It is semi-weighted and has excellent
sounds. It is very light weight. I highly
recommend this if you can find a used one at a good price.

 

[bass player 53]

There is a useful, informative, and
entertaining site called Keyboard
Corner. You can use the Search function for opinions.

Invalid Link Removed

 

[Jeff Scott]

Hey all,

My wife plays some keys (among other instruments) in our band and is looking to get a 61-key keyboard that is a bit more small-stage friendly. [...] We'd love to keep it at or under $500, but would rather get something good the first time around, so all recommendations are appreciated.

Thanks,
Tim

Nord is pretty much the standard.

Nord Keyboards

The official website of Nord Keyboards, the award-winning Swedish manufacturer of premium keyboards.

www.nordkeyboards.com

 

[Rev_Slinky]

I have a Steinway Model B, and a
Yamaha YC88. The keyboard feel on the Yamaha is very realistic to an acoustic piano. The YC61 has the same sounds as the YC88, but the keys are much lighter in feel, and have ‘waterfall’ edges, like a Hammond organ.
The CK’s key bed is even lighter, with
much more limited capability.

This is from Facebook, fwiw:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/507752683050272/posts/2063970720761786/

The YC series are professional stage pianos. Maybe you can find one used.
They are certainly a lot less expensive
than the Nords.
I also have a Vox Continental, 73 key,
that I bought new, at half price ($1000).
It is semi-weighted and has excellent
sounds. It is very light weight. I highly
recommend this if you can find a used one at a good price.

Thank you for sharing your insight.

 

[bass player 53]

To answer your query about the
CK, there’s a discussion here,
when it was first announced:

Invalid Link Removed

 

[Rev_Slinky]

To answer your query about the
CK, there’s a discussion here,
when it was first announced:

Invalid Link Removed

Thanks!

 

[Rev_Slinky]

Thanks for the help, y'all. After exploring a lot of options, we ended up getting a gently used Roland VR-09B at a good price. We even got to try it out with the band at our Valentine's Day gig. It sounded great!