$1100 dollar budget, I need a keyboard

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thedude400

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I'm in the market for a new keyboard. A 1998 Ensoniq keyboard is the extent of what I have owned. I prefer to record a real bass guitar and will be doing all my drum tracks acoustically so drums and bass aren't really of interest to me. Basically what I will be needing from a keyboard is this:
-at least 76 keys (can compromise if i find a reason to)
-A few good piano's
-some good organs
-a good versatile range of strings
-a lot of cool synths
-weighted hammer action keys (can compromise to semi weighted If i find something that meets the rest of the standards well)

I have been to guitar center and tried the motif, triton, and phantom and though I like them all I'm not sure if a sampling/workstation is what I'm needing right now partly because I'm not exactly sure how to use them and just how useful they really are. Not to mention many of the standard workstations are out of my budget anyway (unless I buy a 61-key and used) ALTHOUGH,there is a good chance I will wish to learn these within the next few months. I don't want to buy simply a synthesizer and regret not getting a sampler/workstation. My budget is up to about 1100 dollars and I will buy used. In fact I sort of plan on buying used.

I've narrowed it down to these following units:
Yamaha S90 88-key synth
Alesis Q8.2
Roland XV-88
Yamaha Motif? (used 61-key)

I really have my eye on the XV-88.I have yet to look too much at kurzweil's because they seem rather expensive but I am up for suggestions.

If anyone has experience with these chosen keyboards and could suggest one to purchase in accordance with the given requirements that would be helpful.
 
thedude400 said:
I've narrowed it down to these following units:
Yamaha S90 88-key synth
Alesis Q8.2
Roland XV-88
Yamaha Motif? (used 61-key)
Click to expand...

DO NOT GET THE QS8.2!!

If you don't need sequencing abilities then I would definitely go with the S90. It was all the same sounds as the Motif and even 1 more better piano patch. plus the 88 keys are really nice.

I have minimal experience with the XV-88. Played on a few times. The sounds were nice but I personally thought the action was ... squishy. But that would be my second choice.
 
I play mostly rock. I am almost looking for a sound somewhat similar to the WHO but I also occasionally dabble in almost "cinematic" rock. I have an interest in movie scoring so strings and synths are very important to me(but that alone shouldn't be the deciding factor). I also have an interest in rythmic prgramming such as sawtooth sounds or rythmic synth sounds that can be matched to the tempo of the song That might help narrow it down a bit.

I too heard the action on the XV-88 wasn't as good as could be expected.

If I choose a non-workstation and somewhere along the line I want to dabble with samples and sequencing, I can simply buy a rack unit or expansion card right?
 
thedude400 said:
I play mostly rock. I am almost looking for a sound somewhat similar to the WHO but I also occasionally dabble in almost "cinematic" rock. I have an interest in movie scoring so strings and synths are very important to me(but that alone shouldn't be the deciding factor). I also have an interest in rythmic prgramming such as sawtooth sounds or rythmic synth sounds that can be matched to the tempo of the song That might help narrow it down a bit.
Click to expand...

Look into a used Kurzweil K2500.

If I choose a non-workstation and somewhere along the line I want to dabble with samples and sequencing, I can simply buy a rack unit or expansion card right?
Click to expand...
Not an expansion card, but you could buy a rack unit, yes.
 
narrowing it down

That K2500 does look really cool and has gotten alot of really great reviws. I think I've narrowed it to the Kurrzweil and the Yamaha S90 but I haven't totally ruled out the XV88.

The only problem is neither of those are on E-bay used. Anybody know of any other reliable places on the net to buy used keyboards?
 
I found a K2500 for 1200. I'm excited, this thing rules.
 
thanks for the help all and thanks for the good recommendation fraserhutch.
 
I'll stick with my triton for the time being...

I am looking at some serious sound modules in the near future though and the kurzweil is at the top of my list. :D
 
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