Somehow, for me anyway, using the transpose button doesn't impart the same feel to a song as playing it in the original key. I'm sure it's the different fingering. I only have problems with odd (seldom used) keys when soloing. Since not a lot of tunes are written in "B", there aren't as many muscle-memory riffs to fall back on as when soloing in the old stand-bys, C,F,G,Bb,Eb (and their minors). Even with comping, there's less mental gymnastics going on with the more familiar keys (ie. when transposing for a singer or solo instrumentalist).

BTW, what do you do with a song that modulates? Hit the transpose button? What about the transition? Not playing the transition would be a dead giveaway that you're an amateur (and sound weird to boot).

Sure, there are occasions when the old transpose button is the way to go, but mostly I like Zuki's views of the subject.

chas