You're right, Chas. The plane was purchased by my grandfather who was afraid to fly commercial (anything, really), and used it to commute from Fla to Ky after semi-retirement.

I would never have purchased it, but I'm a pack rat and just don't feel the need to sell it.

Op expenses are calculated at $1500.00 plus an hour. That means a trip to Atlanta or Chicago and back costs in excess of $3000.00, not including ther cost of the layover (pilot time).

Excessive, but enjoyable. We also have a Cessna 180 and a Benson gyrocopter to play with.

Ah, the toys...


Russ

PS. Used to work all night and fly the Benson early in the morning 1/2 in the bag (Really stupid). First trip out stone sober was SCARY AS HELL!

[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 10-26-2007).]

Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with a DX7 (still got my second one, with a Grey Matter E! expansion board), it WAS the sound of the 80's, and some of those FM-ish sounds have made it to the basic bread and butter sound category, copied even by the Nord!

But the vintage keyboard revival has shown that, after an initial flirtation with FM, and then ROM-plers, they just don't stand up to the musicality that the real thing evokes. This is where the Nord shines, because not only are the sounds themselves VERY accurate, but far more importantly, the way they RESPOND to your playing is very accurate too, and the effects and amp simulators only add that extra sheen, too.

My G70 has some VERY good Rhodes's, but the response to velocity and the way they break up (or rather, don't!) when you spank them puts them behind the Nord's, IMO. And the clavs and Wurli's in the G70 are WAY behind a Nord in authenticity.

For those of us that grew up with the REAL gear (I had Rhodes's, Wurli 200's, Clav D6 AND a B3 back in the day, amongst others) being able to go back to playing styles long lost because of compromises in the sounds is worth every penny. The DX7 never made me FEEL I was playing a Rhodes, the G70 doesn't make me FEEL I'm playing a Wurli, but the Nord's come the closest I have ever been to FEELING I am playing the original....

Russ, any cheap adjoining properties? I'm moving to Kentucky .

chas

Actually, I've got @ 6 hrs. in a RAF 2000 Gyro. Saw it in Oshkosh and thought it would be great weekend fun. My buddy and I would take turns flying (his Bonanza or my Mooney) up to Republic field in NY just to get an hour's instruction (closest factor-authorized instructor). Now the 180; I've got about 4 hrs. in a cub, just enough to be totally dangerous in a taildragger. What've you got, a dirt strip around there? Darn, I hate getting old. Anyway, this belongs on the OT (before we get a reprimand ).

chas

Chas-two dirt strip fields in small towns in the area. Lots of tail draggers fly out of Bluegrass Field in Lexington. Actually, the Benson is on a small part of the farm I kept when I sold in 2000 and became a "city dweller". The Benson has a 1 1/2 hp pre-rotor so it's airborne in about 60 feet on a calm day. We cut a strip into the area behind the metal barn we use for a hanger.Actually, haven't flowen it since last summer.


R.

Best option for Rhodes/Wurlitzer emulation for Roland owners (and not only them):

I don't think you can put SRX boards in anything other than Roland products...

Actually, put on of these into a FantomX, instead of a G70 or E80, and you gain a whole bunch of extra presets with 'stompbox' effects and COSM amp modeling, too.

In fairness, though, the G70 Rhodes's already ARE pretty good, and the keybed is great for playing them, but even after listening to the Roland SRX demo's, my nod goes to the Nord.

I've got a great set of samples for my Kurzweil for super critical recording stuff, but I hate lugging THAT monster (you think a G70 is heavy?!) out live.

Well, I beg to differ, and so does the owner of the Purgatory Creek website; you might want to check this link , that refers to a topic posted some time ago on the Keyboard Corner.

In his own words: "Here is something I posted a while back to demonstrate the similarity in tone between the SRX Rhodes and the Scarbee software Rhodes (considered by many to be the best Rhodes sample library). The first is SRX Rhodes #2 followed by Scarbee. My preference is actually Rhodes 1 on the SRX-12 board which tonally is beautiful. I use it all the time. I don't have a demo available of that Rhodes. I also have a Nord Electro 61 and Electro Rack. I'm sorry, but I much prefer the sound of the SRX Rhodes over the Nords. In terms of "the tone" and clarity. Well listen to the demos and compare.

The Wurly is another story. The SRX Wurly is just kind of strange, IMO. I prefer the Nord."

Now, since you own already a G-70 and -if I remember well- it has an empty expansion slot, I wonder: what are you waiting for?
My Fantom XR is thanking me all the time for filling one of its slots with the SRX 12.

[This message has been edited by Dreamer (edited 10-27-2007).]