Hi Guy's

Having given up gigging with the keyboard in favor or backing tracks and guitar I decided to sell my Pa800. I had a problem with corrupted styles and it had to go to Korg on warranty and I lost a bit of confidence in it, so it went, got my money back so I was happy.

Couple of weeks ago I invested in a LD systems Maui 5 and having done a couple of gigs I am well pleased. I pairs up well with the Digitech Live Fx and my little Behringer Xenyx 302 mixer.

Guitar over left shoulder, Sub-woofer in the left hand, Speaker bag
and microphone stand in the right hand, one trip from car to stage,
proper job, weight no problem.

The story continues I spotted and bought (£125.00 todays price £399.00) a Cort G260b guitar on Gumtree made in Korea 2002, Swamp Ash body, Locking tuners, Roller nut, Hotrail pickups, Coil tap. Wilkinson Tremolo. Absolutely as new condition, happy teddy.

Being keyboardless I was gettin withdrawal symptoms then I spotted, wait for it, a mint Roland E-50 on ebay. To cut a long story short I bought
it for the princely sum of £250.00 (GBP). It came with original box, didn't look like it had been out. Hooked it up and I was pleasently suprised, it just proves (to my ears and ability) you don't have to spend a fortune to
obtain a really useable keyboard. I had a G70 before so it was relatively easy to find my way around. I also have a collection of Roland styles all of which I think are compatable. It should keep me happy for a while.

It felt like all my birthdays had come at once. LOL

Col

The E50 was one of my favorite keyboards of all time! I could still be playing it and no one in the audience would know the difference.
Oddly enough, I'm leaning toward the purchase of two Maui 5's also. I think they could have a few advantages over the Bose Compacts, but probably not much difference. I just like to get new stuff occasionally. Of course no one here knows that.

Col ... E-50 ??? that piece of junk ?!?!? ...JUST KIDDING !!! ... new gear looks good ... best of luck with it ... make beautiful music ...

Nice way to go! I also play a Cort GB5 custom bass love it.

Allan

Hi Don, I had the feeling you used to use an E50, I have a old recording of yours of Matchbox which I think was on an E50, one of the things which made me decide to buy it.

After a few hours tootling about on the E50 I must say I'm quite impressed, it plays very well, fairly simple to use, money well spent.

Regarding the Maui 5, up to now I'm happy about the system the sound is very clear, shows up all the bum notes, looks like a keeper (For now). From your point of view I would think it's well worth a try.

Hi Allan, I'm a bit of a Cort fan, I have a Cort Electro Acoustic the "SFX E NS" I used to own a Zenox Z42 (LP style) which was a great guitar but a touch on the heavy side. I also have a G205 which I will sell now the G260B has arrived.

Hi Tony, After many years using Korg Gear the E50 makes a pleasant change. Lots of the styles are from the G70 and I have all the styles from the BK7 which I'll load in when I get time.

All these years I thought "junk" was a Chinese sailing craft. You learn something everyday

Col

Love the look of that Cort. Looks fantastic. I really like coil tap as it offers so many more tonal possibilities. And locking tuners makes life so much easier onstage. I have them on my Fender Stratocaster and changing strings and retuning has got so much easier.

Col,
The best part of your post is the feel of your excitement. You love what you are doing. It does not get better. Enjoy.

John C

Ps, Don’t tell Don about this buying stuff he may catch on and become addicted.

Col good luck with your new/old gear,...I enjoyed the G70/E50/E60 for a while also...I'm also very glad to hear your going back to playing keyboard, its in your blood mate go for it and give em hell! And who knows maybe down the road you'll sell it all and just get a KORG pa4x that can do all your needs with ease...just sayin'

carry on

Hi Nigel, I'm really pleased with the Cort the build quality is great and it play's very well a real pleasure, I normally gig with the acoustic and the G260 is for private pleasure

Hi John, I get a lot of pleasure from swopping gear as well as playing. I tend to buy most thing's on EBay and either get my money back or make a little profit, all good clean fun. (No chance of keeping up with Don M)

Hi Donny, Chances of buying a Pa4x is very small it would be wasted on me. I get most of my kick's these day's from entertaining the old folks and they are mainly interested in the vocals hence the light weight rig.

Just a quick point regarding the Behringer 302 mixer. The mixer , 3 channel,can be powered by a PSU or by USB. I use an 8" tablet for the backing tracks and lyrics and discovered that using a short USB lead the tablet battery will power the mixer. I normally carry two identical tablets fully charged but I've done several gigs lasting an hour and a half and the tablet battery has only discharged approx. 50% even powering both tablet and mixer. This obviously cut down on cables and power units, great. Excuse the rubbish pic's.

Col

Good Luck Col....maybe the new Casio MZ X500 will be in your future...or the heck with it just use the wireless Mic , Maui 5 and a Laptop and strut out in the older audiences and give them a real treat singin' with them!!

Have a blast mate!

Cheers' Donny

I'm seriously considering recording some stuff with the E50 just for laughs, we'll see.

Col

Col, even though the weight is no problem now, it wears on you after a while ... you might want to invest in a small, light weight cart of some kind to save your shoulder and back from future problems ... probably no need for a high end rock and roller type, but something you can get in a home supply store ...

No one should be traveling to gigs without one of these nuff said!

http://rocknrollercart.com/

Donny, believe it or not, there are less expensive models that pretty much do the same thing ... maybe not as durable for the 'pros' working multi gigs a day, but for lesser use they are really good ...
Yes, a Rolls Royce is a Rolls Royce, but a Chevy can get you back and forth too ...

Tony R&R are very inexpensive and worth every single penny why skimp when you back is in question? we waste money all day long I say if you gigging get the right gear and the R&R is just that and more!!........and don't forget your Fan...just sayin'

Hi Guy's

I'm touched by your concern, but my whole rig weighs in at approx. 15Kg, 33Lbs in real money.

Maui5 = 10.7 Kg 23.5 Lbs
Guitar = 2.5 Kg 5.9 Lbs
Mic Stand = 2.0 Kg 4.4 Lbs

When I can't carry 15 Kg a short distance I won't be gigging.
It would probably take me longer to unload a cart out of the Freelander than to move my whole rig into the venue.

Regards

Col

Col just wondering how your making out with the new Maui 5 & E50 KB so far....

Morning Donny

Delighted with both. done about half a dozen gigs with the Maui
up to now, sound and weight wise spot on.

As far as the Roland is concerned for an old board it performs remarkably well. When I had the G70 I acquired a load of styles (some from your good self)and I have been auditioning quite a few of them, some good some not so good. I managed to buy a memory card from your side of the pond which helped a lot from the style point of view, storage wise. When I get time I'll post some examples of styles/sounds, it would be interesting to compare them with the later models, BK-7m Bk-9 etc.

All the best

Col

Col Bravo!! that's what I like to hear...I love the fact that your not afraid to try new things and experiment...I Knew you would like the Roland, .....Don M, Fran, and myself also enjoyed playing them also in the past I had the G1000, G70, E50, E60, also for some reason Roland sounds like a real band playing. I'm now diggin' my new Roland V Combo VR09 KB and I'm very interested in the
Roland BK9 too..

cant wait for your demos I always enjoy them..

dp

Col, I think I still have a memory card that will work. If you need it I'll send it to you, providing I kind FIND it.

Hi Don

That's very kind of you but I managed to purchase a 2Gb card and adapter from a guy in Fort Lauderdale, for 25 dollars, works perfectly, thanks' anyway.

All the best

Col