Squeak,
my guess is that no one has purchased a GEM keyboard in a very long time! So maybe only the stores are in trouble with merchandise.
I have one RealPiano PRO 1 left at my store. I've reduced the price from $1299.00 to $899.00, to $599.00 and now I have it at $399.00. I paid $699 when I bought it about 4 years ago! I found it in my storeroom and thought it was an empty box!


------------------
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

WOW! That's a huge drop in price George. I doubt MusiciansFriend will drop their GEM products much (if they even drop them at all). The Genesys (speaker version) at MF is selling for $3,700 right now. That's a crap load of money to pay for a keyboard that won't have a factory warranty. Only thing ya got is the 45 day return policy.

Its a sad day...


GEM made some really innovative stuff, espescially the WX2 comes to mind which was the first real keyboard arranger workstation best and far ahead of its time

Next to that the GEM real piano's with their Drake synthesis where and still are among the best digitall piano's ever.

GEM concentrated on Piano's for the last few years and didn't have a new arranger product for almost 10 years now... That mistake must have cost them dearly.

Sad to see them go...

You should take in account also the fact that Generalmusic managements is involved in a big swindle uncovered by the italian financial police of an amount around 1.500.000 euros.

Here's an article regarding this (in Italian)
http://ilrestodelcarlino.ilsole24ore.com...ps_rimini.shtml

In practice, from 1999 to 2004 they moved employess from one company to others of their group pretending they were hiring new personnel and getting contributes from the italian social security agency.

I am glad i still have my PROMEGA 3. Its the best thing ever.
As for Ketron i've heard rummors that Roland might
OverShadow them like Yammi did to Steinberg.

[This message has been edited by Nedim (edited 01-26-2009).]

It is always sad to see a company like GEM go under, and not because of inferior products, but because of poor handling by the owners.

A friend of mine has a Promega2...it is an incredible instrument...lovely piano with terrific realism and an easy to use interface....I love the way you can mix sounds so easily, and the detailed control over the piano sound...something like Roland's new V-Piano.

If Roland takes over Ketron, and the audio styles are as claimed, in as far as chord recognition is concerned, then they will surely have a tremendous advantage in making a new TOTL arranger...IF they are still interested in making such an instrument.

Yamaha bought the Bösendorfer brand a short while ago and saved these great pianos from certain extinction.

Ian

How heavy is that Promega2 or 3 unit?
http://www.generalmusicus.com/Promega2.htm
http://www.generalmusicus.com/promega3.htm



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 01-26-2009).]

I dont know about the Promega 2, a Croatian friend
of mine has it, i should ask him if i have a chance.

I'd say it was about 50-60 lbs...not very portable...about as heavy as a G70 in a road case.

Early ones had reliability issues, which apparently were corrected. My friend's was a later model and has worked problem free, but it is just used in his home studio.

Ian