It's not what I am saying. Its YAMAHA! We have asked them about this and they claim have done extensive research on this and have come to the conclusion the OMB market is not big enough to change anything major and as the other builders already cater to that market they are content with their design and market...What's so hard to understand about that? These are not considered PRO Keyboards. They don't build them like the Motifs which are in a different division. If the bulk of their base does not like the slider location they will change them. If the bulk of their base wanted 76 keys, they would make them. Its not that hard. Yamaha does not operate in a vacuum. They know their market. As does Korg and Roland. They like all technologies dribble out new features to keep people like even Chony buying them even though he hates more then he likes about it. There is a good example. He bought even though he complains about it and did not like a lot of what it has become this time around!!!! That speaks volumes.

We live in a destination resort OMB market and no we one uses an Arranger for a living. Working in a music store and having a wife who has been in the music scene and earning her living for 30 years here does not know of anyone using them either, Although she says the bars,restaurants and casino boats would not notice or care if someone brought in a 61 key board Arranger, as long as their customers were buying drinks and enjoying the music. Even with that said I have not sold an Arranger to a professional live player who earns their living solely from playing bars ,clubs,restaurants etc. Its not like we don't have them to sell and don't sell them. Its that we sell them to HOME users and Hispanics who may or may not use them for a living.

If its not happening here in a rich OMB resort area I can accept Yamaha's research as being sound.

Yamaha sells more Arrangers then the others combined in all formats. I think they know what they are doing. You have a choice. You can buy a Yamaha......or not. Apparently they do not have a backlog of old Tyros' on the shelf so their marketing is working as planned. It doesn't matter what dealers are selling them for. They are making a pretty good profit on them even at well under $3899.
Those who sell for far less in quantity are enjoying a handsome profit.

Look at the entire Internet. Research the forums where live players hang out. Nary a word about Arrangers. This is the largest forum of Arranger players I have found and only a handful here claim to make a living using Arrangers live (meaning in public for pay). I spent 15 years in the entertainment industry in Las Vegas and never even heard of a keyboard arranger...as of three years ago. They were "toys" in my ignorant mind. I did not realize myself the power of these things until I began selling them.

The market for live (meaning in public for pay)Arranger players is minuscule in the big scheme of things. I think some of you guys really live in a vacuum.

Now this may be a US thing. I think the US is a major market for Yamaha Arrangers. Korg probably sells more in the rest of the world where OMBs frequently use them.

[This message has been edited by Kingfrog (edited 11-16-2008).]