I am left wondering what government is subsidizing Roland, Korg and Ketron (MS too), who apparently seem to be able to survive in business despite making the FATAL flaw of offering arrangers in other than 61 note sizes..?

Surely they CAN'T be making a profit?

This is what drives me crazy. The 'apologists' somehow seem to be able to ignore the fact that every other arranger manufacturer OTHER than Yamaha make a 76 as well as 61's. And I'm pretty sure that they would also be the first to say that the main reason that Yamaha's dominate the market is NOT that they don't have a 76 in their lineup. In fact, ask any number of Yamaha user why Yamaha are THEIR choice, and you will get almost as many answers. And not ONE of them will be 'because they don't make a 76'..

Sorry, but the only tunnel I see around here are loyalists defending Yamaha in denial of the facts. You've got to at least offer a reason that actually fits the facts. We all swim in the same ocean... If other companies can produce 76's without going belly up, then so can Yamaha. I KNOW you are not trying to tell us that Yamaha are to 'weak', 'timid' or 'uncaring'...