Questions on buying a keyboard

[Banned]

I'm looking into buying a versatile, inexpensive keyboard (between 200 and 300 bucks) but I don't have much experience with buying them. What does anyone recommend? I'd like to find one with synth effects, particularly like those used by Rush and Pink Floyd, but I'd also like it to be able to pull off the keyboard sounds used by the Doors, and other psychedelic bands. I was just going to buy a synth but like I said, I'd like something pretty versatile, that could effeciently mimic the sounds of Rush, and The Doors.

[bassist_25]

At that price range, your best bet would be something from Yamaha. Casio makes toys. But of course, at that price range, you're going to have a rough time finding something that has authentic sounds for The Doors and Rush (if you're buying brand new). For a good mid-level keyboard, you're looking at $500 - $700. For something professional, you're looking at $2000+.

A lot of Rush's synth sounds are created with Taurus pedals.

[Banned]

Hmmm, alright, thanks for the info.

[hicksjd9]

I have a Yamaha YPG. It's been a fantastic piano. You can get them used on craigslist all the time for about 300 dollars and new for under 500. I forget the model I have, but it is the step below the best YPG 6 something (it just doesn't have the weighted keys). You can do MIDI work in the studio or connect it to a pc for an unlimited number of sounds.

The portable grand setting sounds amazing. If you close your eyes, there are times that it sounds like you could be playing a really nice acoustic piano.

[Don Hughes]

Yamaha seems to be your best bet. All the Yamahas that I have played over the years have always been quality boards.

[songsmith]

+1 on Yamaha consumer keyboards.

I used to sell them... their sounds are pretty much the same as the pro keyboards, but they're far less roadworthy than their metal-bodied brethren. If you're taking it out to gigs, you really need a more expensive instrument, because these will eventually leave you hanging in front of an audience, but if it's a home/studio situation, you can't beat them. Ebay and Craigslist are good, too, consumer keyboards usually lose half their value at a minimum as soon as they leave the retail store, so bargains are there. They also benefit from the fact that only a few people ever actually play with them for more than a few weeks, or days, so there are LOTS of them... like starter guitars, there's one in every closet.

[lonewolf]

The only good quality late model pro keyboard that I can think of that you can consistently buy used for around $300 is the Alesis QS6.2. It has a knockout grand piano and a sequencer to boot. Hundreds of sounds and two flashcard slots for sequences and more sounds.

The older Ensoniq SQ80 really kicks ass if you can tolerate a slightly cheesier piano. It has really phat 3 oscillator voices that nearly imitate a mini-moog. They are really hard to come by.

you have to go back a few generations to the S series (S30, S90) to get Yamaha pro keyboards that cheap.

I believe people above were talking about the Yamaha Portasounds....be careful, they have called them that for decades...you don't want to get an old one!

EDIT: I just checked eBay for the Alesis QS6.2 and they are going for around $200. If you go this route, make sure you get the QS6.2 and not the QS6.1 or QS6. There is a big difference.

[songsmith]

It's true, Portasounds do vary, if they're older. Anything in the new millenium is generally acceptable for home use, though. The sliver ones, while cheesy-looking, have some great sounds, though sometimes the onboard sound system leaves a lot to be desired. Also many of them don't have weighted keys, which can take some getting used to if you ever played acoustic piano. Good point, 'Wolf.

[Banned]

Wow! Thanks alot, everyone, for all the advice. But as soon as I saw min-moog I thought, I have to check that out haha. I didn't know how plausible it was to find a cheap, beginner-type keyboard that could have some sweet synth sounds, but it sounds like maybe I can find some. I primarily play guitar, but me and my buddies jam alot of old school Rush, like Cygnus X-1, La Villa, and other stuff with that similar synth sound. We're also really into the Doors and would like to do some of that keyboard-driven psychedelia stuff. So hopefully I can find something that can at least sound somewhat like that stuff.

[lonewolf]

Wow! Thanks alot, everyone, for all the advice. But as soon as I saw min-moog I thought, I have to check that out haha. I didn't know how plausible it was to find a cheap, beginner-type keyboard that could have some sweet synth sounds, but it sounds like maybe I can find some. I primarily play guitar, but me and my buddies jam alot of old school Rush, like Cygnus X-1, La Villa, and other stuff with that similar synth sound. We're also really into the Doors and would like to do some of that keyboard-driven psychedelia stuff. So hopefully I can find something that can at least sound somewhat like that stuff.

If you want more of a phat analog mini-moog synth sound, check out the new mini-moog wannabe synths, the Alesis Micron, Akai Miniak and the Korg MicroKorg. These are all digital modelers of mini-moog type synths. Be forewarned that, like the mini-moog, these synths don't have traditional sounds like piano. Strings, brass and organ can be synthesized from them though. Used 1970's minimoogs are going for over $3000!

[Banned]

Cool man, thanks alot, I'm gonna check them out.

[PStl]

I might be able to help, sent you a pm.

[Banned]

Got it, thanks!