Hi Tony,
that's a ridiculous price. You need to know where to find them. I buy mine on Ebay but I haven't bothered with anything over 256mb. They go for as low as anywhere between $40 to $70 USD. Just have to be the lucky one to pick it up cheap. Doesn't have to be a Panasonic card either. Mine are Sandisk.

best wishes
Rikki

Hi,
strange isn't it. Don't have that problem here in Sydney ( Aust) I could buy from at least 3 stores that I'm aware of. That's a bit rough I must say.

best wishes
rikki

Quote from Dave: Pros are a pain to deal with anyway. Bargain shoppers, broke alot, trading in worn out gear.

You know, I never thought about it from that angle. A lot of people in my profession, landscape contracting, are bargain hunters, broke alot and have crappie worn-out equipment. They are the ones that are always complaining about the cost of things. Always looking for bargains and winding up with stuff of lesser quality and being enticed with add-on things, are happy with the status quo, and dislike learning new things and ways. Considering that, I can see why that kind of an attitude would lead them to try to justify what they do and have. No wonder these guys who consider themselves pro’s, and are, in their own way, will always try to tell others what’s wrong with their stuff, tell manufactures how stupid they are and how much money they should make. Always finding fault and telling others how things should be done. On the other hand, there are pro’s that are very successful in their endeavors, always have money, and work with the best of tools. I know both kinds. Not only in my profession but in almost all professions there are both kinds and I suppose there always will be. Even on these discussion forums there seems to be a separation of attitudes and purpose. I know some of you guys can’t figure why the people that play that overpriced keyboard made by a manufacture who could care less about add-on harmonizers and blinking colored lights are so enthused and have so much pleasure playing them. In my business I won’t deal with people who are a pain, always looking for a bargain and are also broke most of the time. There are plenty of people with better attitudes out there and therefore are a pleasure to deal with. The same in the professional world. There are professionals and there are professionals. There are manufactures and there are manufactures. There are ways to compete and I choose quality rather than gadgets. If a keyboard, a quality keyboard. If a harmonizer, a quality harmonizer. If a home, a quality home and will buy quality appliances to use with my quality home. Graham UK has got it right as far as competition is concerned. Quote: “All board manufactures are in tight competition, so all are keen to appear to give the best value. Some boards which have many facilities for their price have to drop something else, poor cheap tacky keyboards is one example. (no names mentioned)”. And Arthur R., Quote: “There simply must be a very good and sound reason for their decision that provokes a thread like this”. Yes Art, there must be and the above reflections are my attempt to make some sense out of this. I have other thoughts but sometimes wisdom will shake her finger, no, no. Art, haven’t heard from you for awhile, but what’s your reasoning for this post? To tell you the truth I like the taste of Kellogg's stuff better than Wheaties even with all the extra’s. Maybe that’s why Kellogg is on top? It satisfies better? If I need vitamins, guess I will get what I need rather than a one fits all, type of mentality.

Man, some of you guys really get yourselves riled up. That ‘T’ word sure gives some of you ‘Y’ guys a big lump in the middle of your throat and an upset gut. That’s OK. Just spew it all out and you will most likely feel better for awhile. What a nutty bunch. You guys talk more about something you don’t like than about the things you do. Seems to be one of your favorite subjects. Could be, there is not an awful lot to say about some of the things you do like. Oh well! Go ahead! Tell me about what you don’t like about what I just said.

I’m listening, Grandpa Doug

Doug and others, here's my opinion. Most of the full-time pros I know are playing Yamaha. Of course there are exceptions, like Uncle who has his hands confused with each other, but most of the full-time pros that I know about play Yamaha.
Scott, Donny P., Eddie, myself, The Pro, and many others. There are 4 or 5 part-timers here in my area, all playing Yamaha. But, in all fairness, they are playing them because I do.
I've owned Technics up through the KN5000. I tried Roland G800, I tried Solton X1, I tried PA80. They all have many wonderful attributes, but I'm back to Yamaha, because it is lightweight, a bargain for the price, and extremely reliable. It has most of the essential tools of my trade built in, including the Vocal Harmonizer. Doing as many as 3 or 4 jobs in a single day, you learn to appreciate the simplicity of the built-ins. It saves valuable time and back pain in the setting up and tearing down. The Operating System is easy to learn and use. I've never had one break on the job (as far as that goes off the job either).
Would I like it to be better--of course. When someone builds a new one that I can see without traveling more than 200 miles, I always go try it.
The only thing I can see on the horizon that MIGHT be better and still satisfy the weight criteria would be the new Korg. And, as we know, it isn't for sale yet. I haven't tried the SD1 or Xd9, because there doesn't seem to be one within that 200-mile range. The X1 sounded good, but the fill and variation buttons were on the wrong side for me to operate comfortably. They moved them at least some on the new models, but I must play before I pay!
Roland, while a worthy kb, lacks the vocal processing and is too heavy.
Technics has a great OS and good sounds and styles, but misrepresented the harmonizer and mic processor. Also, at least until the 7K, the hard drive was a ridiculous proprietary one, costing nearly as much as a spare Yamaha keyboard. The initial cost of the Technics is not that bad, you just have to dig out what the dealer cost is and find one that's willing to make a small profit, rather than a killing. Trust me, it can be done.
Korg PA80 has unexceptable fills and the harmonizer doesn't work the way I want it to.
Cascio hasn't quite got there yet. Farfisa had some great innovations, but seems to have dropped out of the race. Wersi sounds wonderful on paper, but I would be scared to death to rely on a Windows-based OS, even if I could afford to buy one. Again, it's academic because there are none to see. The new GEM shows promise, when they make a model that I can lift.
I've tried hard to find something other that Yamaha, ever since I bought the 2000. It is well documented how it was falsly advertised (AND STILL IS TO THIS MOMENT) as having the OS in flash rom. Also, as I have previously beaten to death, the vocal harmony had a couple of major (to me at least) mistakes, which Yamaha would not acknowledge because they would have had to repair a million or so of them with hardware fixes BECAUSE THE OS WASN'T IN FLASH ROM AS ADVERTISED (oh did I already mention that?)
Anyway, I got tired of waiting, and after testing a 2100 for two weeks at home and on the job, have purchased it to replace the 2000. At least the vocal harmony works correctly, and it has a little more memory. Also, the keybed feels a little different, although I didn't object to the much-maligned key feel on the 2K. I am not a piano player and I like the light, quick response of the keys. I do wish they were full-sized though. Anyway, I still consider it an interim keyboard, to use until somebody makes something better suited for my purposes. It doesn't matter to me whether anybody else wants the features I need, like the vocal harmonizer, but I know the ones that are important to me, and the damned 2100 has most of them and an extremely low price.
It will do for now.
DonM

P.S. Almost forgot--I really wanted to get a Tyros, but can't justify the $$$$, because my audience can't tell the difference anyway.


[This message has been edited by DonM (edited 08-25-2003).]

Don, thanks for the reply. And I must say, an honest and well thought out one at that. As a business man all my life, I suppose it figures that I always had an interest in people. People, because without people I would have no business. Always had a dance band or played in one since I was sixteen. A secondary endeavor that soothed the stress of contracting. That also needs people in order to be successful. I always had success in both ventures but soon realized success is not just success but comes in different flavors. Make a good living or make a very, very good living. Early on I realized there is a difference in people also. In reflection it was in my music interests that I really first noticed it. Playing saloons, tacky night clubs and such the piano usually was an out of tune older upright. Everything else seemed to match. Once in a while we would play some real nice engagements. I think when I was young I would call it real class! There also, everything seemed to match, even the people were different. I think it was Bill the bone player and Rolly the drummer that noticed that also. At one of the practices the subject was brought up and we had quite a discussion. The end of the story is we all got tuxes, we replaced our music stands with professionally painted stands, invested in a bit of lighting among other things such as placing some advertising in some of the key areas. Also had some custom arrangements done for us. Within the next two or three years what a transformation. Not only the type of work but the attitudes of the guys in the band. The ones that were hanging back at first were the most gung-ho to improve things. Applied that mindset to my contracting after a while and never have looked back. I guess Uncle Dave's post about pro’s being hard to deal with, bargain shoppers, broke and such nudged some of these old memories. You hit it right on the head, Don. Most of the players around you play Yamaha because you do. Only confirms my observations, most people are followers and not leaders. Uncle Dave got his hands confused with each other? Now that one you got me on. Hands confused? Don’t have a clue! Fill me in on that one, the old brain might be getting a little thick. As for the rest of your post you have explained your self very well. Seems like the choice of keyboards may be due more to areas of the country and the grouping of people more than anything else. The upper midwest, where I live, seems to be alive with Technics keyboards and players and upper end equipment of all kinds. I have tried and tried to see other makes but without much luck. Some makes none. Others like Yamaha top end stuff only every once in a while. Saw a 9000pro last fall at a dealer in Skokie. They were a Yamaha dealer. Lots of Yamaha dealers but none carry the top line stuff, he was the only one I found. Not even a prs 2000. He had that pro for quite a long time before he sold it. Lots of the cheaper stuff. Said the better stuff did not sell well and that is the reason they all gave me as why they did not stock them. Played that one many times but could never get past the styles and guess I was spoiled with what I had. Finally Guitar Center got a Tyros in two weeks ago. First one they had. Went back three times to give it a fair go. Some things were nice but never lit a spark in me. So Don, thanks for your view and I think you have given me a better understanding of the thought process in people. I believe the thing that troubles me the most is the follower mindset of people as you mentioned. Kind of reminds me of all those little ducks following in a row. Anyway, enjoyed your post and how you reason things out. Got his hands confused with each other? I just gotta know about that one.

Grandpa Doug

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DonM:
[B]I still consider it an interim keyboard, to use until somebody makes something better suited for my purposes. It doesn't matter to me whether anybody else wants the features I need, like the vocal harmonizer, but I know the ones that are important to me, and the damned 2100 has most of them and an extremely low price.
It will do for now.
DonM
my audience can't tell the difference anyway.[QUOTE]
[B]


Back at ya Don....Very well said....
a happy second time around 2k.. pro/player!!

Doug, you summed it up beautifully. Some of these guys have more buttons than my PSR740 and you only have to push one gently. You can see the smoke from here. I got my 740 because it does all I want but I would still buy a KN-7000 tomorrow if I had the cash because it's such a nice keyboard (and I don't need the Vocal Harmony).

Bryan

My little "jibe" at Dave meant only that he uses the keyboard differently from most of us. He often triggers vocal harmony with right hand chords and/or notes, while playing left hand bass. I don't need my keyboard to do that.
On another note, my local music store is going to quit handling arrangers of any kind. They say they spend too much time explaining, demonstrating, etc., and then very often lose the sale to an internet store who doesn't have to do any of that, doesn't have to pay a commission, and doesn't have to charge sales tax.
They can't compete on price with the Best Buys and Sam's Clubs on the low end. They feel it takes less time and effort to sell a $20,000 Yamaha Grand, or Clavinova than a PSR 550.
DonM

"On another note, my local music store is going to quit handling arrangers of any kind. They say they spend too much time explaining, demonstrating, etc., and then very often lose the sale to an internet store who doesn't have to do any of that, doesn't have to pay a commission, and doesn't have to charge sales tax.
They can't compete on price with the Best Buys and Sam's Clubs on the low end. They feel it takes less time and effort to sell a $20,000 Yamaha Grand, or Clavinova than a PSR 550.
DonM"

I could not agree more. I sell a 26,000 boston Piano and I never hear from the people again. I sell a KN7000 at a %20 gp and I have to deal with endless calls and questions and "how do I......" "I dont want to read the Manual so I just called you...."
I do more follow up on KN7000's than any other piano/digial piano. It's kind of frustrating. And then there are the people who buy them online and come into my store expecting me to teach them how to use it....

Hi,
my local store only keeps one type of top of the line arrangers inhouse the Korg series (and some of the really cheap toy like yamahas). In the keyboard line they sell mainly workstations & synths. They can get other brands of arrangers in, but I really don't think they bother stocking them because they don't have the time to spend or the staff to help customers , once they buy them.
Some of the arrangers are quite a learning curve and the manuals at times are fairly daunting. I, for some bizzare reason , loved reading them. As someone else said, customers find it easier to ring up and ask a heap of questions, instead of trying to find the answers in the manual.
Actually years back, I used to be a bit involved with the local store. They used to pay me to do a one on one start up lesson, on the basics their new workstation or keyboard. In an hour or so, we were pretty much able to cover most of the functions that were important to the individual ( including looking up functions in the manual) Any questions they had after that, I was happy to personally take a call. Used to rarely get a call back, as they knew where to find the answers in the manual for themselves. Actually, it wouldn't have worried me if I'd had lots of calls, as I really enjoyed chatting and trying to help people. Used to give me a great sense of satisfaction, knowing I'd helped someone.

best wishes
Rikki