Piano/keyboard buying advice? Want to trade in my Strat!

[Hack&Lube]

Any musicians or pianists out there have a good working knowledge of keyboards on the market? I've asked this before but never really had the money to spend on a decent one.

I was wandering through Long & McQuade this afternoon after some Christmas shopping and noticed they had their Eric Johnson Stratocaster selling for $1899 and I thought to myself: "hey, I have an EJ Strat collecting dust in my room, why don't I trade it for an awesome keyboard + a cheaper guitar?"

Is it worth trading in guitars to L&M/Axe, etc. if I took store credit? Or would I get more money selling it myself?

As far as a piano/keyboard goes, I really don't have much knowledge of anything out there as I'm just a beginner. I mainly play improv based on some jazz chord based progressions and can't read sheet music. That said, I want really good sound. The ol' Costco Yamaha synth deal won't cut it anymore as I love a deep reverbing Grand Piano sound and I really want a decent Fender Rhodes piano (including tremelo and overdrive when I hit the keys too hard) type sound. USB Midi is also a must-have.

I was thinking I would just get a high end USB controller but are there any USB controllers out there that have a decent set of weighted keys? Most are plasticky junk with no weight behind them.

[Flabbibulin]

Cant speak for the keyboard stuff, but as far as the second question-
you will never get the same as you could with a little patience on kijiji or ebay obviously. I would think the best you could hope to get at L & M is half what will sell it for- it is a used guitar, so depending on the condish/year, they might sell it for 1200ish, and offer you 600 or so.

As a comparison, i took in my '96 gold top les paul to get a price and they offered me 1100 or so. Im fairly certain i could get 2000-2500 on ebay.

Im mostly guessing thats how they work at L & M anyways. Im not sure, but you will probably get more store credit than straight up cash, especially if you purchased the guitar at L and M. If you do decide to post the strat on buy/sell, i will definitely have a peak.

[MonsieurFish]

I bought this keyboard on kijiji a couple years ago for 1000$:

http://www.long-mcquade.com/products...d/RD-300NX.htm

Weighted keys, a reasonable selection of sounds (strings, piano, organ, guitar, etc.), 88 keys and you play it through an amp rather than the built in speakers. All depends on what exactly you're wanting to use it for. That was pretty much the only reasonably priced keyboard I could find that had weighted keys, a good numbers of sounds and 88 keys that had a 1/4" line out to play through an amp. If you're primarily wanting to use it for piano however, that may not be your best option.

[V]

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpos...44&postcount=1

[opendoor]

I don't think I'd buy a USB controller for a piano. Any keyboard is going to have MIDI ins and outs and you can just get a MIDI to USB cable and have the same functionality. Then you can use the built in sounds all you want as well as any samples if you want to do that as well.

In my experience, MIDI/USB controllers are great for a couple of specific reasons. They can be good for touring because they're cheap, light, and easy to replace if something goes wrong. They're also good if you're playing more synth type stuff because they'll have assignable knobs build in so you can make setting adjustments right on the keyboard. But for home use and piano playing you might as well get something with some good built in sounds. Like I said, you can still go the sample route later if you want.

I don't really have any specific recommendations for keyboards. Nord stuff is excellent but quite expensive. Their sample banks are second to none though. I've also heard good things about the Korg SV1. Probably the best thing is to go try some out.

Also, are you looking more for a stage piano (just the piano that you put on a separate keyboard stand) or do you want more of a console type thing with built in speakers and its own stand? I greatly prefer the former, but some people like all in one things.

[sclitheroe]

I'd keep the strat and save up for the keyboard, but that's just me How happy are you really going to be downgrading on the guitar, assuming your relatively proficient at it already?

[Canuck-Hater]

If you're a beginner Id advise getting weighted keys for sure. It will help build up individual finger strength more effectively than semi-weighted keys.

[afc wimbledon]

I told your mother that bloody guitar was a waste of money, you never stick to anything, never bloody practised and now you want an effing piano, naff off and clean your room before I belt you.

[Sparks]

Korg SV1
http://www.korg.com/sv1

Nord Stage
http://www.nordkeyboards.com/main.as...m=Nord_Stage_2

Also if you're looking around in shops like L&M I'd definitely look at the keyboard with the tiniest screen and the most buttons and pots, and completely ignore the one with the touch screen and the facial recognition, the GPS and the coffee maker, built in kindle, blah blah blah.

[troutman]

Girls prefer the guitar player.

[calumniate]

^^ haha sadly true. Just takes so much effort to be a good piano player. I've owned the Roland RD-150 which was decent (weighted keys etc), and now own a Korg SP-250. Not much difference but I actually prefer the Korg. It was only around eight hundred, but has weighted keys and they are lighter at the top, heavier at the bottom.. kind of like how a grand piano is strung. Not saying it compares at all.

A nord would be a heck of a lot of fun. It's basically a computer / synth / keyboard. That SV1 would definitely be higher end, but the SP-250 is awesome for the price. If money was no matter, I'd grab the Roland 700:

http://www.long-mcquade.com/products...ital_Piano.htm

SP-250 is on sale at L&M right now. Awesome buy but just be warned it doesn't have too many sounds, just a good piano sound:

http://www.long-mcquade.com/products...ital_Piano.htm

Now go get those girls

[Five-hole]

Originally Posted by Sparks

Korg SV1
http://www.korg.com/sv1

Nord Stage
http://www.nordkeyboards.com/main.as...m=Nord_Stage_2

Also if you're looking around in shops like L&M I'd definitely look at the keyboard with the tiniest screen and the most buttons and pots, and completely ignore the one with the touch screen and the facial recognition, the GPS and the coffee maker, built in kindle, blah blah blah.

Truth. Especially if you're looking for piano/rhodes type sounds and not whiz bang synth jupiter attack leadZZZZxxxx.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by V

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpos...44&postcount=1

I did mention that I was a beginner that can barely read sheet music right? I've always played music from improvisation or based on chord progressions while my right hand solos freely. All the pianos from that store go from $5000-$30,000 although I have to admit, I did try a Steinway Grand once and it was stellar but I'm not a classical pianist. For that kind of money, I'd buy a vintage Rhodes.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by opendoor

I don't think I'd buy a USB controller for a piano. Any keyboard is going to have MIDI ins and outs and you can just get a MIDI to USB cable and have the same functionality. Then you can use the built in sounds all you want as well as any samples if you want to do that as well.

In my experience, MIDI/USB controllers are great for a couple of specific reasons. They can be good for touring because they're cheap, light, and easy to replace if something goes wrong. They're also good if you're playing more synth type stuff because they'll have assignable knobs build in so you can make setting adjustments right on the keyboard. But for home use and piano playing you might as well get something with some good built in sounds. Like I said, you can still go the sample route later if you want.

I don't really have any specific recommendations for keyboards. Nord stuff is excellent but quite expensive. Their sample banks are second to none though. I've also heard good things about the Korg SV1. Probably the best thing is to go try some out.

Also, are you looking more for a stage piano (just the piano that you put on a separate keyboard stand) or do you want more of a console type thing with built in speakers and its own stand? I greatly prefer the former, but some people like all in one things.

Built in sounds are great but they are not essential and neither are speakers as I use sampling software like Reason to give me a lot more versatility. I already have a lot invested in computer hardware so I might as well make it work for me instead of spending extra for the built in speakers and DSPs of a more all-in-one keyboard or workstation. That's what a USB midi controller would work well for me but the issue is that the keys on all the dedicated controllers (like M-Audio for example) are terrible in my experience. I find that with the built in sounds, whether it's the usual handful with stage pianos (grand 1&2, e. piano 1&2, harpsichord, organ) to the hundreds of other synths, I only ever use 1 or 2 of them because those are the only ones that sound decent.

I actually already have a Roland stand (made in Italy apparently) that I won at the "spin the wheel" at Axe Music's grand opening and I think it should fit most 88 key stage pianos but I've never actually taken it out of the box and built it because I had no reason to.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

I'd keep the strat and save up for the keyboard, but that's just me How happy are you really going to be downgrading on the guitar, assuming your relatively proficient at it already?

Originally Posted by troutman

Girls prefer the guitar player.

The thing with guitars is that practically every dude on the block can play the guitar. It doesn't really impress a girl in my experience - unless you have a decent voice and sing sappy songs along with it. I don't have that.

A great musician can make a crappy guitar sound amazing. A mediocre musician can try all he wants with an expensive instrument and still sound mediocre. That's me. The EJ Strat is fantastic guitar but it's probably wasted on me in my opinion. I went to the Prince concert tonight and while it wasn't fantastic, I realized I could never be as good as I wanted to be because his playing, funk, rhythm, tone, and phrasing was other-worldly as usual.

Truth be told, I went through the whole "girls prefer the guitar player" in my early 20s banging out metal guitar solos and I've mellowed to the point where I just want to sit back and play some jazzy lounge music and blues on a piano while I sip on a single malt whisky and fall asleep looking at old photographs which may or may not be my own memories... and dream of unicorns.

[missdpuck]

Wow Hack, never knew you were so deep.

I went through my guitar/bass phase and realized the only way I could be unique was to make some sort of experimental "noise". I just started playing too late and had too many other obligations to have time to sit and practice enough to become technically proficient.. I had a Clapton strat for the more manageable neck size, a Spector bass and a couple other Fenders. It was fun being in bands except for the egos. That includes my own!

Now I've got a crap keyboard and a Teach Yourself Piano book. I write weird songs about trees and motels that aren't there any more, and listen to MoFro and JJGrey. I might even take up the washboard.

BTW:http://jjgrey.com I didn't know he was nominated for some Blues Artist award (BB KIng Award?) in Canada. Seems like he's always around here; we talk to him often. And dammit he's famous in Canada!

[rogermexico]

Originally Posted by opendoor

I don't really have any specific recommendations for keyboards. Nord stuff is excellent but quite expensive. Their sample banks are second to none though. I've also heard good things about the Korg SV1. Probably the best thing is to go try some out.

The keyboard player in my band picked up an SV1. It is really good for vintage sounds. He mainly uses the electric piano tone and you do get really good rhodes style attack. Part of that is the amp you run it through and volume - he's got an old Garnet head that adds a lot of good clank and buzz. The weighted keys play nice. They run about a grand, which is significantly less than one of the Nords. I've been really happy with how it sounds.

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Built in sounds are great but they are not essential and neither are speakers as I use sampling software like Reason to give me a lot more versatility. I already have a lot invested in computer hardware so I might as well make it work for me instead of spending extra for the built in speakers and DSPs of a more all-in-one keyboard or workstation. That's what a USB midi controller would work well for me but the issue is that the keys on all the dedicated controllers (like M-Audio for example) are terrible in my experience. I find that with the built in sounds, whether it's the usual handful with stage pianos (grand 1&2, e. piano 1&2, harpsichord, organ) to the hundreds of other synths, I only ever use 1 or 2 of them because those are the only ones that sound decent.

I actually already have a Roland stand (made in Italy apparently) that I won at the "spin the wheel" at Axe Music's grand opening and I think it should fit most 88 key stage pianos but I've never actually taken it out of the box and built it because I had no reason to.

I'd look into a stage piano then. If you don't really care about the built in sounds then just get the cheapest one that has MIDI capability (I think they pretty much all will) and that has a feel that you like.

Most of the USB controllers are designed with synth playing in mind so they won't have weighted keys and they'll feel kind of cheap. Definitely not the road to go down if you're doing mostly piano playing. There are weighted 88 key controllers out there, but I don't have any experience with those and they're not really any cheaper than a lower end stage piano.

[Biff]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I did mention that I was a beginner that can barely read sheet music right? I've always played music from improvisation or based on chord progressions while my right hand solos freely. All the pianos from that store go from $5000-$30,000 although I have to admit, I did try a Steinway Grand once and it was stellar but I'm not a classical pianist. For that kind of money, I'd buy a vintage Rhodes.

We are pretty-much focused on the traditional home piano either in acoustic form or in Roland's home line of digital pianos. My very good friend Kevin, though, is a manager at L&M's north location and would be a great resource for anything in the stage / portable / slab-keyboard side of things.

It's tough to cater to the whole range of possible choices for people so we had to pick the home market as our target....and we still end up with prices from $1600 to well north of $100,000. It can be a challenge to market across that wide a product range. Kevin will be a great source for the side of things we don't do.