Favorite piano action

pianoman1976

pianoman1976

New member
Hello friends,

I am one of those players that must play on a weighted piano keyboard.

I'm curious to hear if anyone is similar to me in this regard - furthermore, which pianos out there are your favs as far as the feel of the keys go?

I've been playing a Kurzweil PC-88 for quite some time now. The key assemblies in Kurzweil pianos are made in Italy by Fatar. Good feel, but the key weight brackets break after about 3 years of use. I'm having the entire key assembly replaced at the moment, for the second time.

The new Kurzweil PC-3 coming out this winter will have an updated key assembly from Fatar. I'm curious to know how it feels.

Despite the coolness of the Korg Oaysis, I'd never buy it because I can't stand the feel of the keys.

The Motif piano feels nice, maybe not quite as nice as the Kurzweil. Anybody with a Motif piano breaking keys?

I remember hearing many years ago that the Yamaha KX-88 was such a hit due to it's feel. In playing it, I was surprised. It felt soft and mushy, although there was something about that feel that I was drawn to.

I've come to realize that what I'm after does not necessarily have to replicate a real piano - but it does need to share some of the characteristics.

Any thoughts?
 
I'm happy with the action on my Roland HP335. After several years of very heavy use, the weights are breaking every so often, but they're not too hard to fix.
 
A lot of folks love Yamaha action, but I agree with the OP's assessment. Way too mushy, kind of like Yammy acoustic pianos.

I like Roland's feel a lot. Much more to my liking. I have a RD-300SX, which is not as good as the RD-700SX, but still great.

Of course, it's all a preference thing.
 
My GEM Promega 2 feels better than some Steinway D's ive played. Maybe its because im so used to it, but ive never felt a piano so right for me.

Not to mention that it sounds unreal =]
 
You can do what I do - use Kurzweil rack modules with Studiologic controllers :)
That way, if my assembly breaks down, I'm out $400.

The kX88 had great action for the time, which was 20 years ago :) It's dated now, weighs a ton, but the thing is a damn tank.
 
fraserhutch said:
You can do what I do - use Kurzweil rack modules with Studiologic controllers :)
That way, if my assembly breaks down, I'm out $400.

The kX88 had great action for the time, which was 20 years ago :) It's dated now, weighs a ton, but the thing is a damn tank.
Click to expand...

I agree your best bet would be to buy the sound module you want, then hunt down a controller that feels right to you. You can always swap out or add sound modules in a rack, as well trigger sounds from your DAW.

I have a first year Alesis QS-8 (1996) which came with a Fatar weighted hammer-action keyboard. I mainly use it to control software patches now (Reason, B4, etc.). Many of the pro piano players who've come to the studio to use it say it's one of the best they've used. I tried some newer ones but they all feel much lighter to me. That's why I suggest you hunt down a controller that feels right to you.
 
fraserhutch said:
You can do what I do - use Kurzweil rack modules with Studiologic controllers :)
That way, if my assembly breaks down, I'm out $400.
Click to expand...

I'm not quite clear as to what you are saying. Yes, the assembly cost's about $400. Studiologic uses the Fatar key assembly, just like Kurzweil.

Come to think of it - Fatar makes different models - so maybe the Studiologic board is different.
 
technominds said:
My GEM Promega 2 feels better than some Steinway D's ive played. Maybe its because im so used to it, but ive never felt a piano so right for me.

Not to mention that it sounds unreal =]
Click to expand...

Thank you for speaking up! I looked up this piano..and wow. I have to find a dealer in my area so that I can play this bad boy.
 
pianoman1976 said:
I'm not quite clear as to what you are saying. Yes, the assembly cost's about $400. Studiologic uses the Fatar key assembly, just like Kurzweil.

Come to think of it - Fatar makes different models - so maybe the Studiologic board is different.
Click to expand...

What I'm saying is, the studiologic I use is a Fatar (they bought the company) and it costs about $400. If that goes south, I'm out the amout the replace it minus the hassle of losing my keyboard during the repair time.
 
My 1905-1910ish Ivers and Pond before my wife banged on it one day in frustration and post-partum-depression. Now it also loses functional keys at the rate of about one every two months as my two year old composes on it. Oh well, babies are worth it.

I think I would have to lift weights before playing much on my late grandmother's 1920's steinway grand.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top