Is Yamaha missing out? It’s rather strange, Yamaha’s arranger product line has an enormous gap between the 61 note SX900 and the 76 note Genos. The price jumps from about $2200 or thereabouts to a wallet destroying $5.5k+ with absolutely nothing in between.

Is there a case to be made for a 76 SX or a 61 note Genos?

To be honest, I think that a 61 Genos would be a bit crippled, but in fairness, the Tyros line did quite well without a 76. But the SX line without a 76 misses out on quite a sizable sector that use PA3/4x 76’s or cling to aging Roland G70/1000/E60/BK9’s.

A good case used to be made that 76’s were rather heavier than most gigging arranger players wanted to tote, but many of us did anyway, and now the Genos weighs 4lbs less than the 61 note T4, which many gigged happily. My BK9 weighs a featherweight 20lbs, and does not compromise on the action to achieve it (no, it’s not as good as the G70’s, but easily as good as a Korg PA4x76 or Genos, albeit no aftertouch).

So Yamaha, having found a way to get a 76 to not weigh a ton, decide to restrict it to the $6k flagship alone. And, IMHO, miss a huge opportunity to expand their customer base into the market that still finds 61 too small to be effective. Let’s face it, most people can’t afford the Genos, and I think that most people that can won’t be tempted by a far less capable 76. They got the money, they want the best!

The price jump from 61 to 76 in Yamaha’s synths like the MODX+ is only about $300, so you are looking at a $2500 SX900/76, which strikes me as extremely competitive.

I wonder why, in these days of computer product design and automated production, Yamaha haven’t explored this option. They obviously ignored most of us here at SZ, who, when the T3/4 was out were EXTREMELY vocal that there was absolutely no need for a 76 Tyros! Admittedly, most of us at the time thought a 76 would add way too much weight, but I think that most Tyros users at the time would have defended the pint size keybed even if Yamaha promised to shave off 4lbs. We do tend to be creatures of habit!

At the moment, you either got $5-6k to blow, or you HAVE to buy a Korg if you want to play those amazing grand piano and Rhodes sounds with both hands.

Surely Yamaha can see the potential?

Mind you, it took them nearly 20 years to realize the potential of a 76 TOTL… Let’s hope it doesn’t take as long to fill the gap in the mid-line arranger line. A 76 SX900 would be a potent competitor to Korg…