What Keyboard Should I Buy?

[Calum]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a very portable keyboard of atleast 61 keys with mod/pitchbend wheels and sustain pedal ports (additional midi controller knobs are more than welcome) - however i also want it to be able to play out without having to be mediated by a computer. I've looked at the EMU Longboard, M-Audio Prokeys Sono 61 and the CME UF60 Classic but i'm not completely satisfied with anyone of them. My budget is up to £250.

Can anyone offer any suggestions?

Calum

[Yoozer]

Longboard. However, for that money you might be able to find a Roland XP30 secondhand, which trumps all three. Sure - it's a little more sparse on the controller knobs (4 sliders) but the build quality, sounds and keyboard feel are likely to be better.

[Calum]

  Yoozer said:

Longboard. However, for that money you might be able to find a Roland XP30 secondhand, which trumps all three. Sure - it's a little more sparse on the controller knobs (4 sliders) but the build quality, sounds and keyboard feel are likely to be better.

Interesting - the longboard is back in the competition. I'll search for a xp30 but before xmas this may not be too likely.

I should say for what purposes this is. This is for the purpose of occasional gigs but mostly midi control. The main issue is playback out of the keyboard - which the longboard delivers. I'm writing music for a play so going to the rehearsals and playing along will be a lot easier with this than say a full set-up of laptop/amp/speakers etc. However i don't want to lose out on midi control too much and i'd love for the keys to be weighted to some degree.

[Scrap McNapps]

Kurzweil, Roland, Yamaha, and Kawai make good keyboards/stage pianos. You might want to take a look at thoses.

EDIT: Opps... didn't peep the budget. Umm.. Casio makes good keyboards that are around that price I believe.