Diki,

Musician's Friend is not friendly.

My Dealer price was $2699.

Bill G

You can order from several places (Sweetwater, MF, 1,2,3, Musicians Buy, etc.) and have a month or more to send it back. They will dicker on price too but won't match Frank.
I still prefer to deal with Frank, or George if he were a little closer. At the prices he charges us, it's only fair that Frank can't offer cash refund, but he will work to make you happy via help and exchanges.
We are all unhappy that we can't go into stores and play them, but we also most of us are contributing to the reason they aren't there by buying our gear over the internet for the lowest price!

Then my mistake. That's quite a markup at MF, ain't it?!

and then......throw in the pedals R=$300 K=$79 / throw in the VH R=varying prices expense K=free

Nice to not pay for them if you don't use them though. Never touched my G70's VH (one of the better ones, at that) in eight years.

FC-7's can be got as low as $200, but push comes to shove, they are just switches. You can wire your own for far less (maybe adapt an EC-5 if you can do with only five).

But I'm sorry, I have YET to hear ONE single user demo of any arranger's VH that didn't make me cringe. Each to his own, of course, but unless harmonies sound like REAL people, they are of no use to me. We spend a fortune trying to get the most realistic piano sounds, B3 sounds, basses, drums, guitars etc., in our arrangers. Then use something for BV's that fools no-one!

On the whole, modern standalones sound SO much better than even the best arranger VH, I can't figure out why anyone wouldn't PREFER a separate unit. Sure, more work, but if a sax sound or a drum kit is enough to make us rush out and buy a new arranger, why are we so willing to settle for 2nd rate built-in VH?

Free is about what they are worth, IMO! LOL

But yes, the PA3x76 is looking like a MUCH more attractive alternative at that price than I originally thought..!