I will tell all after tonight's gig..Some will find surprising comments...others will say what else is new..


The toy is a Casio WK-110 for those that didn't figure it out...As Stephen did..

Got to head out now to the Jersey shore...

Congrats on your new keyboard Fran use it well!
http://www.casio.com/products/Musical_Instruments/Portable/WK-110/

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 12-29-2007).]

Don't forget the batteries
bebop

Can't wait for the review 76 keys too. And is that price tag correct $199?

Even less than that at Sam's Club.

So how did the WK-110 do?

First a few set up comments..
I have always used the best commercial tools in my business..never compromised.[contracting business]..I have taught my kids the same ..buy the best...you can't go wrong with the best...

Likewise, I feel the same with auto vehicles..I always used the heavy duty 3/4 ton trucks with full floating axles..not 1/2 ton trucks that will not hold up to everyday weight and abuse..

Automobiles..When I was still wasting money on them...I would drive GM's big cars..Cadillac and Buick[except my hot rod days..Big block Chevy]..

So what does this have to do with the WK-110 gig... ?
The WK-110 is definitely a mixed bag...but too many compromises..

The 76 keys feel okay[better than the Yamaha 76 key board feel]..They are box keys like a piano and have more resistance than the Yamaha..
I also think the WK-110 keys feel better than Casio's WK-3000 series..

Sorely missing from the WK-3000 series are the mod/pitch bend wheels[or buttons]..I found myself reaching for what was not there..all night long[2 nights].

On the plus side..It is 15 pounds..has speakers and pretty good sounds[seems better than the WK-3000 sounds..].
The USB midi interface works well..and this Casio sounds great with SMF playback..

It controls the soft synths fine with one big NO NO...It will not transpose via midi..It is fine with the internal sound engine...

So to shorten this story.. With no external transpose. no pitch bend, and no modulation control...I am left unfulfilled as my main board on most of my gigs..

Originally, I purchased this board for the 1 hour quick in and out jobs...and it is Super for this purpose...The styles are pretty darn good and the one touch settings are done well..You have 32 registrations that you can set up your go to styles and sounds...

Now back to my opening comments..Heavy duty, commercial grade, size are all attributes that ring true with all my equipment and the same with my musical equipment...The G70 is my heavy duty 3/4 ton truck and my Cadillac, and my commercial grade tools...And that is what I will be using ...always...The WK-110 will be for the quick in and out job that is not demanding....and it will be here for quick access at home[and for the kids to fool around with..].
BTW, the WK-110 is great for learning to play keys..it has lesson programs in place..It also has a songbook in rom with 100 tunes that can also work on these 1 hour gigs...The keyboard comes with a printed song book, that can also be used with the on board song rom..great for teaching..

I think there is definitely a lot of bang for the buck.....but for me it follows the other non top of the line Roland boards I have tried.....a no go for me, like all the other light touch, light weight toys I have tried....you know what boards I mean..

One of the biggest drawbacks of the Casio arranger series is the fact that you can't play on bass chords when in split accompaniment.

Would be great as a "fun" keyboard but because of that one, but essential(for me)omission, I would not buy one.

I used to have a Casio CZ-1 synth several years ago...built like a tank and had a terrific and unique sound that blended well with my other gear.

They CAN make pro stuff...it's a shame they don't anymore.

Ian

Fran good review, your points well taken with the comparison to your contracting business. Just checked out the Sam's Club price as mentioned by Scott. New Year's Even Dinner for 2 would cost more than the price of the Casio.

But perhaps be more satisfying ?!?!?

t.

I tried out the Casio WK-110 at GC a while back. The lack of pitch bend/mod wheel is a deal breaker plus the sounds are just not there. The piano sound is actually not too bad but most people play more than just a piano sound on an arranger. I quickly left for greener pastures when I realized that it was definitely on the loooooowwwwwwwwww end of the sound quality scale. It might be a good starter keyboard for an elementary or middle school student because of the song practice feature. And the price is reasonable too. But for Fran Carango??? NO WAY JOSÉ!

Pay a little more for a WK-3800 and you get both a Pitch Bend and Mod wheel, and SD card slot plus a floppy disk drive, a 6 track song recorder instead of the 2 track on the WK-110, Line Outs vs. just a headphone jack on the WK-110, better sounds with the ability to add more, better speakers, a USB MIDI interface, IDES (Internet Data Expansion System), 4MB of Flash-ROM, plus many more features compared to the WK-110. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish. To get some decent features and decent sounds you gotta spend a little instead of next to nothing, however much we may want the opposite to be true.

Best,
Mike

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Casio WK-110 has going to a new home..I have to get ready for my NYE gig..YES SIR..my G70 on the job..

Oh , forgot to mention my new toy ....Well it will have to wait till next year now...then I will tell you what Roland it is..

Is it E-60/50 or one of the EXR ?

;-)

Roland GW-7...I will try it on the job this weekend...with the band..

What about the 99 file limitation on the GW7...wasn't that an issue with the Sonic Cell?

Just curious.

Ian

Ian, the disappointment with 99 files on the Sonic Cell..was because I wanted it as an MP3 player..
The GW-7 is primarily a "to play" keyboard with styles ..I would use this board with a laptop to play MP3's and sequences ( as with the band)..The memory for SMF's is only 2 megs...way to small..

I like the variation of the styles, utilizing the band size feature...The tones are better than average..still 61 keys with typical Roland lower end key feel.[still better than the key feel on your boards.. }

It is just another toy that I will use a bit , and make available to someone..I do not expect to be impressed with any board until the new Roland top model comes out...I still want and need 76 great keys, harmonizer, and mic input...the G70 is the one and only one for me so far..

One sad thing on the GW-7...No "Scat" voice..

Who knows ..at 11 pounds I might just enjoy hauling this board to my steady shore gig..The G70 is a little over the top for my band use...We do not use the harmonizer, or styles...so the little guy might work out ok....for a little while...

We will see what song I sing after the weekend...I am now excepting offers........for the GW-7

Fran,
I still have one E60 "B" stock available! This is probably the keyboard you would enjoy best next to your G70...... much lighter and with speakers!


------------------
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

George , you have email...

Fran, I've had a GW-7 for several months and use it on my right hand...never used the arranger functions on a job. It's OK for my purpose.

Russ

Thanks to George the new E-60 will be in house ..soon..

I will tell you all how the GW-7 works out this weekend...I think I am going to like it...but it is officially available..so contact me before Donny cons it out of me..

Fran, I am surprises you find the G70 overkill for your live jobs...

Personally, my G70 is my go-to rig for ALL calls short of main studio work (and even there it gets the nod for the piano over my K2500). Primarily, I want a one keyboard rig, and only the G70 has the combination of killer piano, Rhodes and B3 (while not as good as an XK-1, it is still the only thing with ALL these sounds THAT good in the one keyboard) plus anything else I need at my fingertips.

Doesn't the B3 in the E60 drive you nuts once you are used to the HB section in the G70..? For me, it's well worth the extra 15 lb. or so...

Diki, when I say overkill..I basically mean I don't use any of the great tools with the band..

Now , my solo work..the G70 is a must for me..

I don't know what I will miss from the G70 when I play the E-60..I haven't played or seen one yet..

Given that the E-60 is similar I think it will work out for my band gigs and maybe the 1 hour in and out gigs..

BTW: I think the guitars are more than adequate on the G70..

And I think the VK organ section is far better than any arranger organ to date..I also got a chance to spend more time with the Nord...and I wouldn't give up the G70 organ for the Nord organ...The nord Leslie is it's strength, but over all I will keep the G70 organ..

I also like the rotary simulator [insert effect] used with the preset G70 organs..as in the skate organ..

To me the G70 remains the most dominate keyboard on the market...including the workstations too...

I forgot to mention, I want the E-60 as my secondary keyboard...a keyboard I will leave at the club [band gig]..Where I do not want to leave the G70..besides I need the G70 with me for my spur of the moment solo jobs..and scheduled gigs too..

I think when a so-called 'expert' consistently and without exception, proclaims the keyboard that he or she owns as being overwhelmingly the best in practically every category, you simply have to take what they say with a grain of salt. This is particularly true when their opinions fly in the face of the opinions of 99% of the rest of the industry.

The truth is, with the exception of Yamaha's SA voices (which, IMO sound best on factory demos and/or when played alone - I have yet to hear a Synthzoner submit a tune using, let's say, a SA sax, that would fool me into thinking that a real sax was used), few, if any, arrangers can compete with high-end synths or dedicated instruments such as the Nord or Hammond organs. Anyone who tells you differently is, frankly, "full of it". If you want legitimate, unbiased, musical advice, start by getting it from legitimate musicians instead of 'blowhards'.

chas

Speaking of blowhards...How are you doing Chas?

Not bad, Fran. How about you?

Lovingly,

chas

Chas, don't start the year off with stuff like that - it's unnecessary and rude. All you are doing ruffling feathers and getting people up for a pissing contest. It's been nice and quiet around here lately; don't go down that road.

And Fran, be nice too. No need to reply and fan the flames.

chas... would you settle for some of us just claiming the G70 superior in at least a FEW categories?

For me, drums, first and foremost. Without those kickin', you're lost. Secondly, a great acoustic piano. Maybe it's because I was trained first on one of those, or that it is the most important keyboard on the planet, but that has to be the best, most expressive sound on the arranger (bar the drums!). Lastly, the B3. It's the meat to my potatoes. It's the rock to my roll, you get the picture.

To find ONE keyboard with ALL these sounds at arguably the best in ANY arranger (short of VSTi arrangers - not quite ready for primetime, IMO), my contention is you choices are limited. Deal with the hassles of multi keyboard rigs, and the sky's the limit, but tell me, if you wanted ALL my priorities in one arranger, what ELSE could you chose...?

Maybe this makes me a blowhard, maybe not. But some of us share at least SOME of Fran's opinions, if not all. Let's just try to make 2008 the year of at least moderate SZ civility, and not try to escalate this, shall we.... ? ? ?

Cass, with all due respect, the primary goal of a board such as this should be to accurately inform. When someone is constantly pushing bulls..t under the guise of expertise, yeah, I'm likely to respond. If you disagree with some or all of the points in my post, then present a dissenting argument, not a lecture. These are big boys and don't need your protection. If they choose to put out misinformation because of their own personal biases, then they should expect to hear a rebuttal. You have your take on it, that's mine.

chas