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Best Vintage Synth/Keyboard Keybed?

A couple of years ago, I bought an old Roland D-50 for like 100$. My main goal was to use it as a midi controller. The keybed on this keyboard is very good. I bought the keyboard for his keybed only. Unfortunatly, my Roland is not working anymore. The keybed on some old roland are hard to beat.

I have created this thread to ask you guys if you know some old vintage keyboard that I can buy cheaply that have a very nice keybed?

In 2020, if you want a really really good action keybed for a midi controller, you buy a NI Komplete Kontrol S61 but in Canada, it's 1000$. Yamaha Genos have also really good keybed (for my taste) but it's way to expensive only for a good keybed.

I'm sure I can find an old Kurzweil keyboard with Fatar action keybed for like 100$ on the use market.

I don't care about the sound quality of the keyboard I will buy, I just need a really good keybed and a midi out.

If you have suggestions for me, I will be happy to read you.

Thanks.

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Comments

  • I guess I can try to find old keyboard with Fatar’s keys.

  • I keep an SY99 for its 76 note keyboard but it’s a monster.

  • edited September 2020

    @qryss said:
    I keep an SY99 for its 76 note keyboard but it’s a monster.

    I want one. But they looks super rare to find. And they probably will cost me à kidney. :(

  • The Novation SL MkII keyboards are Fatar. I have the 24 key one and it’s really nice - but too short.

  • @qryss said:
    The Novation SL MkII keyboards are Fatar. I have the 24 key one and it’s really nice - but too short.

    Even the first generation of Novation’s Remote SL controllers have Fatar keybeds.

  • edited September 2020

    @branis said:

    @qryss said:
    The Novation SL MkII keyboards are Fatar. I have the 24 key one and it’s really nice - but too short.

    Even the first generation of Novation’s Remote SL controllers have Fatar keybeds.

    The notation Remote SL’s have my favorite keybed, very high quality feel.

    I would get a midi controller (even a vintage midi controller) over a vintage synth to use as a midi controller. Comes with USB, lighter weight (old synths are often heavy), they’re cheap used, and you can edit the CC’s on the knobs, something few synths would have reason to offer. Real old synths the midi can be hit or miss, you’ll run into weird limitations you just wouldn’t find on a midi controller.

  • edited September 2020

    Since you seem to look for a synth action keybed, I've enjoyed playing the Roland XP series very much (XP-50 with 61 keys, XP-80 with 76 keys). They are also known for the infamous 'red glue of death' though: The key weights were glued in with some strange red glue that may have started to dissolve for itself after a while and the metal weights literally falling out of the keys, especially when carried in flight cases with foam emitting chemicals that caused the issue. I've never had this on my own XP-80 until today, I must have been lucky. Keybed-wise, it's by far my favorite synth action, only equalled by the old Ensoniq EPS series keybeds.

    BTW, what's wrong with your D-50?

  • @rs2000 , I bought my xp80 brand new in ‘97, never took out from the house. Glue started melting after ~14-15 years. Melting was definitely more intensive in hot summer days when the room temperature was also higher. Fortunately finally I found out how to fix. Which is a nightmare btw.

  • @Processaurus said:

    @branis said:

    @qryss said:
    The Novation SL MkII keyboards are Fatar. I have the 24 key one and it’s really nice - but too short.

    Even the first generation of Novation’s Remote SL controllers have Fatar keybeds.

    The notation Remote SL’s have my favorite keybed, very high quality feel.

    I would get a midi controller (even a vintage midi controller) over a vintage synth to use as a midi controller. Comes with USB, lighter weight (old synths are often heavy), they’re cheap used, and you can edit the CC’s on the knobs, something few synths would have reason to offer. Real old synths the midi can be hit or miss, you’ll run into weird limitations you just wouldn’t find on a midi controller.

  • My sister found a used one for 100$ and she shipped me as a gift. Such a nice keybed!

  • The hands down nicest keybed of a synth is that of the Kawai K5000. Plus it has a very intriguing synth engine.

  • Yamaha cs6x has very nice keybed, im not sure if the older models cs2x or cs1x has the same keybed.

  • edited October 2020

    Any Most Yamaha :)

  • Here’s a pretty comprehensive list (in German, gewichtet = weighted keybed):

    https://www.musiker-board.de/threads/verbaute-tastaturen-und-hersteller-sammelthread.435157/

  • I love my SL mk2s keys. It’s routing options are really fantastic too.

    Fyi, the Xstation has the same keybed and doubles as an iPad-compatible audio and midi interface. Decent synth and great arpeggiator onboard too. Unfortunately the buttons on mine are in need of serious TLC, so The SL is my go to for now

  • @legsmechanical said:
    I love my SL mk2s keys. It’s routing options are really fantastic too.

    Fyi, the Xstation has the same keybed and doubles as an iPad-compatible audio and midi interface. Decent synth and great arpeggiator onboard too. Unfortunately the buttons on mine are in need of serious TLC, so The SL is my go to for now

    Do you know why the X/Y pad works with some synths and does not work with some others synths? What should I know to predict if the X/Y pad will works on my synth?

    Thanks!

  • @Montreal_Music said:
    My sister found a used one for 100$ and she shipped me as a gift. Such a nice keybed!

    Nice sister! Yay!

    I'm just posting this here for the halibut but I have an Ensoniq SQ80 which has the best keybed I've ever used. It's clacky though. I think Ensoniq used to use Fatar as well? My Korg M3 (no longer have) was a very close second.

    Glad you found what you needed.

  • Came here to say that.

    @Philandering_Bastard said:
    The hands down nicest keybed of a synth is that of the Kawai K5000. Plus it has a very intriguing synth engine.

  • @Montreal_Music said:

    @Processaurus said:

    @branis said:

    @qryss said:
    The Novation SL MkII keyboards are Fatar. I have the 24 key one and it’s really nice - but too short.

    Even the first generation of Novation’s Remote SL controllers have Fatar keybeds.

    The notation Remote SL’s have my favorite keybed, very high quality feel.

    I would get a midi controller (even a vintage midi controller) over a vintage synth to use as a midi controller. Comes with USB, lighter weight (old synths are often heavy), they’re cheap used, and you can edit the CC’s on the knobs, something few synths would have reason to offer. Real old synths the midi can be hit or miss, you’ll run into weird limitations you just wouldn’t find on a midi controller.

    Awesome!! Honored you took our suggestion. Cheers! 🙌

  • @Montreal_Music said:

    @legsmechanical said:
    I love my SL mk2s keys. It’s routing options are really fantastic too.

    Fyi, the Xstation has the same keybed and doubles as an iPad-compatible audio and midi interface. Decent synth and great arpeggiator onboard too. Unfortunately the buttons on mine are in need of serious TLC, so The SL is my go to for now

    Do you know why the X/Y pad works with some synths and does not work with some others synths? What should I know to predict if the X/Y pad will works on my synth?

    Thanks!

    Not sure, you may check with a midi monitor app to see what CC’s the XY pad is putting out, or if it is putting out at all. I like Midi Wrench on iOS.

    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/midi-wrench/id589243566

    The XY pad on my mk1 Remote is admittedly stiffer than what we’ve gotten used to with laptops and touch screens. It’s like older synths, I believe it is a resistive touchpad, rather than capacitive, like modern touch thingies, that you barely have to put pressure on.

  • @Philandering_Bastard said:
    The hands down nicest keybed of a synth is that of the Kawai K5000. Plus it has a very intriguing synth engine.

    +1
    Buttery smooth keys and such a delight to play.

  • @Processaurus said:

    @Montreal_Music said:

    @legsmechanical said:
    I love my SL mk2s keys. It’s routing options are really fantastic too.

    Fyi, the Xstation has the same keybed and doubles as an iPad-compatible audio and midi interface. Decent synth and great arpeggiator onboard too. Unfortunately the buttons on mine are in need of serious TLC, so The SL is my go to for now

    Do you know why the X/Y pad works with some synths and does not work with some others synths? What should I know to predict if the X/Y pad will works on my synth?

    Thanks!

    Not sure, you may check with a midi monitor app to see what CC’s the XY pad is putting out, or if it is putting out at all. I like Midi Wrench on iOS.

    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/midi-wrench/id589243566

    The XY pad on my mk1 Remote is admittedly stiffer than what we’ve gotten used to with laptops and touch screens. It’s like older synths, I believe it is a resistive touchpad, rather than capacitive, like modern touch thingies, that you barely have to put pressure on.

    Yeah, I’ve gotten in the habit of using the touchpad with my fingernail since that’s the only way I can get it to register consistently. I actually really like it for filter/res.

  • @Crawlingwind said:
    Came here to say that.

    @Philandering_Bastard said:
    The hands down nicest keybed of a synth is that of the Kawai K5000. Plus it has a very intriguing synth engine.

    @Philandering_Bastard said:
    The hands down nicest keybed of a synth is that of the Kawai K5000. Plus it has a very intriguing synth engine.

    Many people talked to me about the K5000. I want one, but they are rare! Others keyboard with the same keybed?

  • Original DX7 is my favourite Keybed ever. Plus lack of controls means you can put a lot of stuff on it!

  • @BroCoast said:
    Original DX7 is my favourite Keybed ever. Plus lack of controls means you can put a lot of stuff on it!

    I think the keybed of many Electone is the same as the DX7.

    Fun fact: On Kijiji in Montreal, all DX7 are overprice and all Electone are really cheap. Often free.

    Is it possible to disassemble the Electone to keep only the top for the keybed as a midi controller?

  • @Montreal_Music said:

    @BroCoast said:
    Original DX7 is my favourite Keybed ever. Plus lack of controls means you can put a lot of stuff on it!

    I think the keybed of many Electone is the same as the DX7 (Yamaha fx-20 keybed).

    Fun fact: On Kijiji in Montreal, all DX7 are overprice and all Electone are really cheap. Often free.

    Is it possible to disassemble the Electone to keep only the top for the keybed as a midi controller?

  • @Montreal_Music said:

    @Crawlingwind said:
    Came here to say that.

    @Philandering_Bastard said:
    The hands down nicest keybed of a synth is that of the Kawai K5000. Plus it has a very intriguing synth engine.

    @Philandering_Bastard said:
    The hands down nicest keybed of a synth is that of the Kawai K5000. Plus it has a very intriguing synth engine.

    Many people talked to me about the K5000. I want one, but they are rare! Others keyboard with the same keybed?

    It’s a Fatar TP8/S. Also used on the Kurzweil K2500 / 2600, on a variety of Yamaha keyboards and on the Waldorf Wave (!).

  • @Philandering_Bastard said:

    @Montreal_Music said:

    @Crawlingwind said:
    Came here to say that.

    @Philandering_Bastard said:
    The hands down nicest keybed of a synth is that of the Kawai K5000. Plus it has a very intriguing synth engine.

    @Philandering_Bastard said:
    The hands down nicest keybed of a synth is that of the Kawai K5000. Plus it has a very intriguing synth engine.

    Many people talked to me about the K5000. I want one, but they are rare! Others keyboard with the same keybed?

    It’s a Fatar TP8/S. Also used on the Kurzweil K2500 / 2600, on a variety of Yamaha keyboards and on the Waldorf Wave (!).

    And this one ( I want 1):

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