Diki, my thought exactly! I just purchased a 3K, but the argument is the same. These are great machines that suffer from what I would call toy store design.

I don't know how many non-afficianado players purchase the upper level PSRs, but I would hazzard most buyers use them to play for an audience. If that's the case, then a stronger body and bigger keybed would be BIG improvements, in my eyes.

I have been saying all along that I would not mind at all paying the price of a Motif XS6 ( about 600 more ) for the FSX key-bed / better buttons and switches / and better P-bend & Mod wheels.

That would be a dream A/KB !!

All one quality piece , it is just a shame that Yamaha doesn`t see it that way.

If the S900 was built like that , just think how many haappy people there would be !!



Gary

Cass too late for that.....lightweight plastic Kb's are here to stay, some sound very good,Its something that the player has to choose between just like any other decision in buying or playing a Kb, you have to weight the yay & nays and come out with a compromised purchase that right for you. Toy syndrome in some eyes is on the other hand BIG cash income in a pro gigging musician's once you make your purchase layout back its all gravy so who cares if the kb tanks in a year, dump it move on buy something else there's plenty of Toys out there

Sounds like you want a Tyros2 at a price which is $500 more than an S900.

Won't happen. Yamaha would not sell any Tyros2...they certainly don't want that to happen.

The name of the game with ALL arranger companies is marketing and profit...hasn't it occurred to you that Yamaha has worked all this out?

Wait long enough and you will be able to buy a second hand Tyros2 for a good price...OR save your pennies and buy a Tyros3...then again...it might have rubber buttons.

Ian

For me, the plastic, rubber buttons, lightweight and toy appearance all work well on the job. It does not take away from the end result. The audience doesn't give a darn. In and out of the car 3x daily and at night sometimes sure makes the design all worthwhile in my mind. Donny is right, give me a couple years with it and move on to another if it goes. Apparently, this is not the case, because there are many who have had their toys for years now. I believe Yamaha knows what they're doing

I might try another brand soon, but it's not because I don't think the 900 is fabulous, it's just called change.

zuki

[This message has been edited by zuki (edited 10-11-2007).]

I meant a used T2 and I was figuring add 500 onto the s900 which would be list at about 2300 dollars, street price maybe $2100.
Now maybe my math is wrong since it's all conjecture anyhow but I'm thinking if it's me $2100 for a new s900 or maybe a few bucks more for a used T2, or G70 or pa800.

I was calling the s900 the T2 lite


[This message has been edited by mikeathome1 (edited 10-11-2007).]

Sorry Mike...my fault...I misunderstood your post.

I need some tea.

Ian

Ya know, sometimes I go back and read my own posts and I don't know what the heck I'm talking about.



[This message has been edited by mikeathome1 (edited 10-11-2007).]

I guess my only point is that, for very little extra money, Yamaha could address certain build quality aspects of the S900 (it has already been reported that the rubber buttons need to be hit quite precisely to assure operation) that make it difficult for some experienced players to make a change away from more 'professionally' built keyboards.

Before you all get you hackles up, let me point out that Yamaha themselves, as well as most other keyboard manufacturers, chose to incorporate these functional design improvements (better key-beds, better buttons and sliders, more robust cases) on less expensive keyboards in their workstation lines. At little or no weight penalty. So it's not that they CAN'T do it, nor does it cost much to implement.

Sonically, and OS-wise, the S900 is as capable a keyboard as any mid-line Motif or Fantom variant, and sits in the same price bracket. But you get FAR less than a Motif purchaser in build quality, and tactile experience. Somebody is getting ripped off, and few seem to care.

Rather than manning the battlements every time someone suggests that it MIGHT be possible to improve these things to at least the point where they compare favorably with similarly priced Yamaha workstations, maybe if S900 owners dropped the knee-jerk response to criticism and started to realize that perhaps a LITTLE pressure on Yamaha might get some kind of response in the way of better construction quality, and quite a few players that are used to workstation-like build quality (like, 'er, perhaps some WORKSTATION players!) might be a LOT more interested in moving to Yamaha arrangers.

But coming from ANY workstation to a PSR is quite a shock to realize how flimsily they are built. At a time that arrangers are getting more and more recognition from mainstream players, now is not perhaps the time for Yamaha to cut corners in the name of profits (after all, if they can produce better built, less expensive workstations, what other motive do you think they have?).

Me, I'm prepared to pay MORE for a better built Yamaha arranger (but not as much as a T2 costs!), but in truth, you should EXPECT Yamaha to at least match their workstation build quality if you are going to pay even more than they cost!

These arrangers are NOT cheap, throwaway toys. I expect many years of reliable service from any keyboard in that price range, and when a new model comes out, I expect to be able to sell my older keyboard in good reliable condition. Yamaha provide that level of quality for their workstation lines. Why are you all so content when they DON'T provide it for more expensive arrangers...?