I still don't get the reasoning for this question by Roland...
The Mighty TOTL G70 hailed by so many players all of a sudden their Pro TOTL arranger series comes to a dramatic end?...
Was it sales, weight size, lack of interest, old technology, competition, a new direction, no 61 key model,...or?

what do you think..?

Poor sales is the obvious answer to me. Think about it, out of all the music acts you see working, how many use an arranger. Its either a live band, sing to MP3's with a computer, or, God Forbid, a Kareoke DJ !!!!
And for the home hobbiest it would be the price. The BK5 is more than enough for most home players. If they're more serious into home recording a workstation and computer would be a better fit.

Just my $.02

Bill all valid points....but, why is it that Yamaha, Korg, etc, are doing a thriving Arranger KB business worldwide...unless Roland's other musical divisions can carry them along without offering any TOTL arrangers KB's anymore, Sales have to be a factor,......I see more Fanthom Kbs in many stage acts vs any arrangers at all for bands......

Roland had dropped to a poor 3rd in the arranger market and while they tried to bolster themselves with the E80 (61 notes + on-board speakers) it never really took off, however R & D continued on a new G90 but the way the economic climate changed meant it was not viable (At least at the moment) to introduce a new TOTL Arranger.

Fortunately all the R & D did not go to waste as most of it was incorporated in BK7m module. When the economic climate improves Roland may once again produce a TOTL arranger, but don’t bank on it as there other products are selling like hot cakes. (Or doughnuts if you’re in the US)

Bill

I would ask the same question about 'TECHNICS' after the kn7000 ?!? ... the kn series was always cutting edge - with the exception of the VH - ... very easy OS, great editing ability, internal hard drive, etc,. etc, etc., ...

I suspect unsound marketing (instruments sold in the wrong type stores) played a big part in poor sales in many areas, although they were sold alongside other arrangers here in Eastern Canada and still didn't sell very well.

I recall only three or four G-70's (and only a few E-60's) being sold in my territory, which was the four Atlantic Provinces, according to the sales people I spoke with back then...compared to many, many more Tyros and even CVP Clavinova products.

The only ones who know the real reasons behind the discontinuation of high end arrangers would be Roland's top brass.

I fear they may not make a TOTL arranger for some time (if ever), but maybe Roland will come up with a mid-range instrument that will take advantage of the newer (SuperNatural) technology found in their synthesizers (Jupiter 80/50).

Ian

Hi Ian

While there may be other factors, I can tell you from first hand experience that their marketing was the major factor. I worked with a Roland dealer and they allowed certain instruments by divisions into different types of stores. At the time it seems to me it was the piano stores that were allowed to sell them only and the piano dealers didn't want to stock them because they didn't want it to interupt a sale of an $80,000 Steinway nor did they want to show them and have online retailers give them away. Also, they were very strict about selling out of your own territory and if you did and were caught you'd lose the franchise. This of course affected online stores, They had the absolute most stupid marketing plan I had ever heard of in over 30 years of music retail.

I was also with Techics dealers. In the entire piano, organ, keyboard music business seemed to have the most fly by night approach of any company I had ever seen. Every tech I ever talked to complained of after sale support. The organ dealers would mark them up so high, as in organ type sales and/or didn't stock them and/or hid them in the back room because largely the brain in the keyboards was the same as their organs and digital keboards but for a lot less money. Also, I feel they thought the small portoin of their sales was not worth it especially in a dwindling maret especially for home organs.


Scott L

Patty can PLAY !!!

I bought the Roland E 80 when it came out to supersede the G 70. It is a great keyboard but i only use it in the studio as at 55 pounds I can't carry it out anymore. Roland never did really support it either.
I have a 25 pound Technics KN2600 the last one they built after the KN7000 that I take out of the studio. It walks all over the E80 and the tyros I have.
bebop

Wow that's a big statement!....
I enjoyed playing my KN5000 years ago probably the best unit Technics made, never liked the Kn6k,65, or 7k just couldn't get used to the sunken keybed and unusable voc processor & VH, good speakers though.But their legions of fans still exist....wonder if Technics has an eye out on that fact?

Since reading your post, Scott, I have done some investigation (hey, I'm semi-retired...I have time) and the people I talked with (dealers, salespeople) are in agreement with you.

We also had a Technics dealer in my area (Boutilier's Music...now long out of business), and I can't tell you how many Roland (pianos) and Yamaha sales we made due to the dealer's (and manufacturer's) poor service...a real shame, as Technics made an exceptional product.

Ian