Hi Scottyee,

Sorry to learn that you are now only a one owner keyboard and alas have no back up in the event your Yamaha PSR 2000 stops working. Fortunately for you a replacement more easier to buy than a new KN6500. I dont want to get into the fair price controversy at this time but wanted you to have an understanding of why the Technics keyboards will not be offered in the pro shops such as Sam Ash, Musician Friend etc. I have no direct knowledge of Technics marketing plans but speaking strickly as a retailer for over 20 years selling many different types of keyboards and organs, here is some information you might find iteresting.

Technics keyboard lines were never marketed as
arranger keyboards. I think that term got picked up by the pro playing out and being
compared to the work station keyboards that
are on the pro side once he started using a
Technics

Technics has only one dividison in the musical instuments and that is the home line of ogans, digital pianos and keyboards.

The keyboard was initially developed as an extention of their organ line organ so owners could have a portable instrument to take with them when traveling etc.

Technics's organ line was very popular as all other brands and more organs were sold in Florida than all the rest of the US put
together for 12-15 years in a row. Although
this has changed as the home organ business
has declined with all major brands.

Unlike all the others (boo hiss hiss) Roland,
Yamaha, Kawai, Korg, etc had two division,
the home and the pro. Kurzweil has no home
line if I remember correctly and I think Korg being the more recent to join the home lines.

Each division markets their products acordingly thus having the pro lines offered in the Sam Ash, Musician Friend etc, and those offered in the chain stores like Best Buy,
Circuit City (yamaha low low end series)

Lucky for us Technics keyboard line became popular by accident more than planning. Many of the features are of a work station nature giving us the ability to do so many things as compared to the pro side but allowing the beginner and intermediate player to accomplish and polish their playing skills and have
fun while doing it.

I too have run into many questions by pro
while I am out performing about Technics.
All they know is that Technics makes turntables, and stero equipment.

Until the marketing of Technics division sees
the light - these units will only be ofrfered
in the traditional organ/piano store.
I hope you will become a new KN7000 owner. However no reason why you cant shop around
for the best price!!! Shame on you if you dont


Regards, Walt


Quote:
Originally posted by Scottyee:
I just sold my long beloved Technics KN5000 keyboard and shipped it off to its new owner today. As some of you may know, I purchased a Yamaha PSR2000 about 4 months ago, initially as just a backup board to the 5000, but then (surprisingly) started using the 2000 as my principal performing board. The PSR2000 has proven to deliver quality sound and performance at a price less than 1/3 the cost of a new KN6500.

As a long time Technics fan, I certainly have not abandoned Technics (yet). If the new KN7000 lives up to the excitement surrounding its release, and is competitively priced with other brand top arrangers with similar features & sound quality, I'll be the FIRST in line to get one. Unfortunately, here in the USA, Technics arranger keyboards are quite a bit more expensive than in Europe, primarily because of US sales restsrictions (can ONLY be sold in traditional acoustic piano & organ stores, but not at major chain music stores such as Guitar Center or Sam Ash.

Traditional piano stores in the US have the distinct reputation of jacking up Technics KN keyboard prices up from 150 -400 % above their wholesale cost. Maybe they feel they need to do this because they only sell a few pianos a year. This policy may work for them, but certainly not for us, the consumer. I only hope that Technics/Panasonic USA will open up marketing of Technics KN keyboards to include mainstream music stores (Guitar Center, Sam Ash, etc) too. That would definitely drop the prices to be more competitively inline with the competition, as well as EXPAND exposure to the Technics line to many MORE musicians out there. Surprisingly, most professional keyboard players I run into never heard of Technics arrangers before seeing me perform on one.

In the meantime, I'm anxiously excited waiting to hear reports and see pics of the 'new' KN7000 from forum members who are attending the Frankfurt Music Fair (Music Messe) this week.

Scott
California, USA
http://scottyee.com

[This message has been edited by Scottyee (edited 03-13-2002).]