Looking back - over ALL the cool toys, both electric, electronic or otherwise .... I have to say the keyboard instrument that influenced me the most .... WAIT !!!

It's 24 -9 EAGLES !! Yippie !!!

What was I saying ........ Oh yeah -

my very FIRST Fender Rhodes. That instrument was cool cool cool. It behaved differently with every slight nuance of pressure, and had a bright, bell-like tone that just fit EVERYthing. The Rhodes is why I played keyboard in the first place - acoustic piano was never a love of mine, and to this day .... unless it's a superb instrument, I HATE playing "regular" pianos. I love the great ones, but life's too short to play junky pianos.
WOAH !!! Troy Vincent just intercepted a pass in the endzone !!!! Atta boy !
(Bring on those Bears !)

So after all is said & done ..... making a list of all my "rejects" would serve no usefull purpose, but I will say that since 1969 .... I've had more tha a 1/2 dozen different Rhodes pianos.... I'm an old softy.

Digital instruments have no personality - they are all the same out of the box. With the Rhodes - you developed a "friendship" with the thing, it adjusted to your playing style, it listened to you .... (OK - I made THAT one up) but it was more of a "personal choice" instrument than others were.

MY favorite arranger ....... hmmmmmmmmm so far the one that opened my eyes and ears the most was the X1 - too bad it had more drawbacks (for me) than advantages. I'm still waiting for something to "grab" me like that one did.
The BARE minimum requirements to do that will HAVE to include -
1)61 keys that feel good
2)powerful speakers
3)audio inputs (or at least a mic input)
4)small size & weight
the rest is all up for grabs - there are patterns I like, sounds I like, looks I like - I just need someone to package them all in to the case I like !