seems like having 2 E60's is not critical for me anymore, because I'm doing more gigs with no arranger features needed, so i thought maybe i'd dump one and get me a stage piano, but would like to ask your advice. Here's my druthers:
under 25 pounds- 73,76 or 88 keys
unweighted or semiweighted keys
(or weighted but very light shallow action)
dedicated split/transpose/balance controls
saveable setups, can layer strings
great lh bass options, great piano sound, rhodes/b3/vibes/guitar. no others required.

bonus features not required but would be nice:
recording, hip swing/bossa/latin drum patterns, play smf's..

watcha recommending under $1000?
and is anyone interested in one of my E60's
for $900? (paid Fran $1000 for it a few mos ago)


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Miami Mo

Mo,
the casio privia PX330, reviewed in Keyboard Magazine October issue 2009 fills all of your requirements but it is a weighted hammer action. The only sound that would not be killer would be the acoustic guitar. It's just OK.
But, it is 24lbs, 88 keys, splits, layers, 128 note polyphony, great 4 sample per key grand piano, B3's, Rhodes, records 16 tracks, plays back standard midi files via SD cards (500 songs per card max) and sells for under $700.00!
There are several 76 and 88 note non weighted or semi weighted models available from Yamaha and Casio that are in the $300 to $400 range that will do what you want but these are bulky and usually don't have pro features. The Privia PX330 also has stereo inputs and stereo outputs, midi, USB, pitch bend range and it has over 180 arranger styles or may be used as just a drum machine and it has 98 Registration memories which can be dumped to your computer or the SD card for even more.


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

George, as ever, you are terrific, but I've
tried those Privias and absolutely hate the action, just feels thick and mushy to me. A friend has a Yamaha weighted action
dgx 76 that i play at his house parties, and after 20 minutes on that my joints are screaming "uncle". I've tried the unweighted version of dgx/ypp, was decent, but having to go into screens to transpose, change sounds, and all the other functions was a nuisance.
Maybe I should look for something used that was originally a more expensive primo unit? but what would that be?

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Miami Mo

hoo 124, that is one sexy babe of a keyboard, sho nuff! wish they had it in unweighted key
version on the 73, cuz that action will probably be too piano-like for these old hands, and the 36.5 lbs is more than i want
to be carting. but thanks anyway--made my day just looking at it!

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Miami Mo

Miami Mo: Have you actually tried the exact model PX330 that George mentioned ?

The one George recommends, model PX330 is the LATEST one from Casio and it is supposed to be light years away compared to the previous Privia models.

It was supposed to be a totally different feeling from the previous Privias. I recommend that you try the model that Goerge recommends.

thanks lukitoh, I'm heading to a party later today and there's a GC near it and I'll see if they have the PX330 to demo, but i'm afraid the fact that so many pianists like these units means it will have the kind of action that's more suited to a pianist than to a sax player/self-taught kbd player like me who tends to tendinitis in his hands and is used to a synth action (korg i series for 8 yrs) or a semi-weighted (Roland E60 last 2 yrs). Remember I did specify one of those actions and said weighted only if very light and shallow-only so as not to eliminate some odd ones i just might be able to handle-like an older Suzuki model I tried in a used piano
store closeout yesterday, which had a very light shallow weighted action..but it was a dinosaur in too many ways. Anyhoo, I will give it a shot..but I'm thinking what about
units that are 3-8 years old and were totl
that might be available now for under $1000?

i'm thinking about the Roland Juno Stage 76,
which is 22+ lbs compared to 28+ for E60, and will have so many similarities to the E60 i play now, and they can be had on ebay for $999 "open box" w/free shipping on 2 sites (Sam Ash has them in stock for $1299+tax). It can function as a semi-arranger too (although what a dumb move for Roland not to have ANY Latin rhythms in it! why on earth would they not just include a handful in, even tho they are targeting this model to a younger profile?)

Check out the Kurzweil offerings.
http://www.kurzweilmusicsystems.com/Product.php?id=205

Pros: the Kurzweil sp2 is $1299 list, probably can be had for $1000, has semi-weighted 76,
Cons: has no speakers and weighs same as E60: 28.6 I'd still like to try one but nobody here has one to demo..

I tried the px-330 today at GC..can't play that action at all. The PX-535R interested me more, had lighter action, was more like an arranger, only $599..but weighs over 36 lbs.