The next time Uncle Dave gets a new keyboard we could start a pool to pick the day he dumps it. The winner would get ..........(I need some help here folks). Maybe the winner would get a Slim Whitman MP3 or something as exotic.

Tom

Uncle Dave PLEASE send me the demo's. I'd love to hear them

I had this more than 7 day !!!!!!!!!!
(Tom - I'm out of town till Thursday.)
Maybe someone else can shoot them to you in the meantime.

Here's the REAL scoop:

I really don't intend to be so fickle, and my heart is in the right place when I buy something. After reviewing the specs, I check the basic features and if they meet my needs ..... I take a shot.
There is NO WAY to really know how an instrument will perform in a real situation, so I put it through it's paces at work. I need to try every little type of demand that it may encounter along the way ...... and if I run into a snag .... then I have to decide if the snag is MORE or LESS important than the overall satisfaction.

With the XD9, the sounds was so good, I was willing to overlook a few snags. I overlooked the variation button placement ..... I overlooked the absence of dedicated audio ins ........I even overlooked the extra length .... but when I realized that I could never access the manual bass or pianist buttons without using a footswitch or searching in menus .... that was the last straw and the deciding factor. At THAT point, even though I enjoy many other aspects of the KB ..... It simply must go .... to make room for the next contestant.

Remember folks .... this is my profession, but it's also my passion. Life's too short to play gear that's uncomfortable. I must admit ... it's getting closer everyyear, but I will not rest till I get the piece that BEST suits me. There are too many compromises in using this type of instrument anyway .... I can't compromise anything else. I just WON'T.

With THAT said .........

What's the current line on when I sell it?
What odds are the bookies giving ?

I predict - it'll be gone before the kids go back to school !

Tom, predicting the day he gets rid of a keyboard is too easy[1out of 10 odds], lets make it the hour he gets rid of it!!!

George and DanO must hold their breath with every deal they make with Dave..

[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 08-12-2002).]

Do not judge new keyboards too hard in this
forum Uncle Dave because you have very spe-
cial wishes. I respect your point of view but
for many other people the XD9 or XD3 could be
a very good choice.
Wenn you are too negative you could damage a
good keyboardfactory and that is not what
Ketron deserves. Their products are good.
Do not forget there are starters who read in
this forum about arrangers and compare the
pro's and cons for making a decision.

I think uncle Dave has made it clear enough that he thinks highly of the board in a lot of respects, but that it's overall performance does not make him feel the comfort level that he wants to feel when playing in a professional situation. Unlike Dave, I play out as a secondary basis. I do not do so in order to make a living, nor do I necessarily need the income. Having said that, I still am picky about what I bring to a show. The board(s) I bring is the main tool that allow me to express myself and I want to be as comfortable as possible when I'm doing so. That also applies to when I'm composing music for myself or someone else in the studio, which for me is an even more important aspect of what I do as a musician.

Having the informantion I see here and someone elses opinions, whether it be positive or negative, gives me a little more insight on what to look for when I'm auditioning new boards. When I look at a new board, that's exactly what it is.. an audition. Like Dave, I'm never totally sure how comfy I'm going to be with a board until I put it to use in a real life situation, but at least I can have a heads up based on what other players share here.

There aren't any boards I've tried yet that totally satisfy me, but it comes down to choosing from what is currently available to keep my comfort level as high as possible.

Fran,

You are right of course. How silly of me. Lets see....... 10 days 24 hours that would be 240 squares in the pool. I'm still trying to come up with the perfect prize.

Tom

You know ...... I put the XD9 away two jobs ago, and BOY - I hear the difference. I am more comfortable, and I stand by the decision, but the drums now sound dull to me .... almost like there is a sheet over the speakers ! I'm sure that will change in a while, but the sound is still fresh in my mind, and it's a sound that I know I'll miss !

Oh well .... that's what I get for being so HIGH maintenance !

Hi Dave,

I know just what you mean about something not "fitting" you. I saw the new T-Bird and just loved the bodystyle. So, I went to the dealership where a friend of mine sells car and sat in one. Well, the interior was beautiful, the dash looked great but my head brushed the ceiling when they put the top up and the seat felt as hard as a rock. I like to wear a cap now and then, and I can't do that in a T-Bird. And, at our age, I need something a bit softer to sit on. So, I passed on that car. The good things about it just weren't enough to overcome the things that I didn't like.

So, what's next for you? Maybe someone will come up with an arranger kazoo and we'll all be happy.

Best of luck to ya,
Steve

PS. Don, I've got dibs on hour 235.

[This message has been edited by Stevizard (edited 08-15-2002).]