Hi!

This is my first post but I've read this board for a short while.
I've played electronic organs for 25 years, Italian, Hammond, Yamaha, but my current organ has past 10 years and I've decided to buy an arranger keyboard instead.
While there is no dealers in my area I'm doing research on the webb before taking my car out for a one day trip.
So far I've found out that I've got PSR9000, KN6500, PA80, SD1 and VA7 to choose from. Internal speakers or 76 keys are secondary issues. I play mostly pop, rock, ballads, gospel, country but also love playing hymns using just organ vocies. Most important to me would be good styles in those areas, good solo voices and good organ voices. I don't need vocal harmonizer but want to have aftertouch. I will probably not use any sequencer much but want to be able to load lot of new styles.
Can someone give me some advice on which, lets says maybe two, boards that may be most interessting for me to check out.
Have I missed any board in my list?
Anything special I should think of, as a keyboard newbie, when visiting a dealer?
Can I expect the dealer to be able to give me advice for my needs and "show what the boards goes for" before trying myself?

Thanks
BH

BH,
You opened up a can of worms for all of us to climb out of the walls, all with subjective opinons as to what we like. In arranger keyboards I've had a PSR 9000 and now have a PA 80.
I think both are excellent arranger boards, but I will key in on one thing you said and that is the organs....I think the PA has better organs digital drawbars etc. I think the 9000 has better pianos, the rest is probably a closer coin flip.
I think the PA 80 operates a bit easier for me than my 9000 did. The PA has tons of downloadable styles, today I think Fabio put 200+ styles up for download free from all different genres. I think the final decision will come down to you sitting and playing both for sound and user friendliness, because you'll like some things better on one then something better on the other etc.
Not knowing a whole lot about you off the top of my head, I would think the VA 7 might be more than you're looking for a bit more difficult to get around, a bit more expensive than the PA anyway and I think you'll find it has more features on it then I think you need or want.
As far as having a salesperson that is knowledgable.....in my experience don't count on it, do your homework and just call on them for two things. 1. Could you plug this in please 2. How much.
Terry

BH,
Where do you live? Are you close to Southern California? Come see me! I'll show you and demonstrate every keyboard you have mentioned except for the Technics because I don't sell technics. Jocko mentions the PA80 and the PSR9000 being less expensive than the VA7, but now the VA7 is the same price at my store as the PA80 ($1995.00). You need to check out all of these. Under $2000.00 check out the VA7, VA5 and PA80. Over will be the technics and Yamaha. The Solton is also in this price range. You can't go wrong with any of these products.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

George,
I meant no offense. I think you know as well as I do though...you're a rare breed indeed. Pretty much up here, if I read the info off the site, I know a lot more about the equipment than the sales people do. After reading your review of the VA 7 though....you sure don't fall into that catagorey.
I'm in northern Ca. Sacto. and I can't find a VA 7 up here to try, no one stocks them.
I like my PA real well though.
Terry
(aka Jocko)

[This message has been edited by Jocko (edited 11-10-2001).]

Hallo BH I use Solton X1 still and I suggest you try one out IE Solton X1 - I am saying this because there will be a big price diff and X1 is a great arranger. I am starting to see reasons to go to a newer type but I recently got a new amp and a new
Guitar which I made and I am getting a very good Banjo I have piano also and I cannot justify any more expense at presen. Dont rush it if I may say so and also I'm sure you know that all of em will sound different on different amp and speaker systems. Insist on a full test of each. Best wishes Pierce in Ireland.

George!
I would sure have liked that but I'm in Europe.
The store in my closest town got a webbsite and the prices here are about USD 2100 PA-80, 2400 PSR9000, 2800 VA-7. I have not yet found any dealer of Technics and Solton. I will contact ther agents to find out any dealer.
There are lot of information, regarding specs, to be find for Yamaha. I've even been able to download manual. Roland information is very bad. George, maybe you could tell me if the VA-7 has got digital drawbars as the Yamaha and Korg.

Hello BH.
I live in Belo Horizonte, Brasil and at last years(20)working as profi musician and music software teacher.I had played a extensive amount of arr. kbs as Yamaha(5700,6700,6000,
630,8000,730,740,9000)Korg(I3,I2,I30)Roland(E20,30,70,86,96,G800,G1000,Em2000,VA7)and Technics(1500,1600,5000),each one with good and bad features.The dream Kb would have:
-Easy operation and good voices as a Yamaha 9000
-Friendly screen as a Technics
-Good styles as a Korg or Solton
-Good Midi files operation as a Roland.
-Excellent harmony interface as 9000.

and NO!!!

-Weight of Yamaha 9000.
-Korg's difficulty to read fast change of chords(sometimes a broken change)
-Technics incapacity to make midi files with
real time acc and bad acc. sounds with transpose.
-Touch screen , variphrase(a expensive joke)and poor styles of Roland VA7.
I think that you must read all George Kaye and AJ evaluations.
Another important topic is evaluate the technical support in your country.

Brazilian regards
Chico

Swede? Bengt is a swedish name!?

Krix

Krix, you are observant! Northern part.

Which landscape, city or village?


Krix