Ian..... I appreciate that you ARE one of the few who have legitimately decided that the action of your arranger IS your preferred choice. My comments weren't meant at you specifically, but the majority here at SZ who want light weight at any price. Sorry if I didn't get it down more correctly.

Actually, except for this time of year, the off-season here in the panhandle of FL, when I rest and recuperate(!) and try to get my studio work done (no time for it later, as you'll see), I work an average of six to eight gigs a week during the season, Mar-Oct. Doubles are a mainstay during that time, and I'll often find myself playing for up to eight hours a day or more.

But yes, primarily I work in a duo or larger outfit, and can get help with some of my gear, and I help out with others'. We use a pretty large, pro-sized PA (play outdoors a LOT!) which is a lot heavier than my G70 in it's flight case. So all in all, I'm still lugging around probably a LOT more than most of the portable arranger users here use.

The size of my gigs demand it, or at least it's superiority over our competitors gives us an edge. We have a smaller PA (Mackie sub, Yamaha EMX-5000 and two SRX 12" and horn top cabs) that is still larger than I dare say most use here. But we get top dollar for playing resorts and corporate party gigs, and that level of sound reinforcement is usually expected at that level of employment.

BTW, when I do play the occasional solo, I use the smaller rig, sometimes without the sub if it is a VERY small party or room - those SRX JBL's are amazing...!

You also have to understand, Ian, that while I respect YOUR choice of equipment, it is no more the norm than mine. Usually, the size of the gig determines the size of the PA, at least if you want repeat bookings.... Too small and you may never get that callback!

The feel of the keyboard (even, dare I say it, a TINY bit more than the sound) is what I feel important when you are playing eight hours a day. You have a different priority. Neither of us has a monopoly on the 'truth'. Both methods have their plusses and minuses.

Indeed, if I were doing exclusively solo work, I MIGHT find weight of more importance. But from humping Rhodes's and Hammond's over the years, I have learned to use leverage, dollies, and even the occasional bystander to get the job done! When my back finally DOES give out on me, I only hope that the arranger manufacturers have learned how to put such a high quality key-bed in a composite shell, and then, finally, I'll have the best of both worlds.

But if the continued emphasis on weight, weight, weight, never mind the consequences, continues, THAT is the only thing they will work on. I just try to present another concern...... Yamaha's current top of the line, $4000 arranger has a key-bed that compares poorly to sub-$1000 synths. If they feel an inexpensive synth needs a mid-level quality key-bed, why do they feel that arranger players deserve any less?