Secondhand Keyboard Tips

[TheMagician]

Hi all

Over the next month or so I'm looking at buying a keyboard to replace my parents one that I have to give back (it was a Yamaha PSR1700, and not a particularly nice keyboard in my limited experience).

Anyhew, I'm hunting around on local New Zealand trade sites and so forth as well as talking to second hand music stores seeing what is available. I'm not committing to any particular brand or model because NZ is a small place and likely there isn't a lot available.

I was wondering if anyone had some good advice as to what to check out in a second hand keyboard, and if any particular brands are better to look for than others second hand? (thinking service etc). Also any traps in getting second hand kbs that people have learnt from - one that someone mentioned to me was make sure it has the power cable - they can be hard to find/expensive for some brands apaprently, and you cant do much without it lol.

There is a Novation Supernova II Keyboard bidding quite cheap on a trade website at the moment - any thoughts on this synth?

[tnystrm]

If you buy a second hand keyboard be sure to check each key sepratly ( ? ), push each one of them softly, and then harder. Because second hand keyboards sometimes have problems with the keys. If some of the keys doesn't give a sound (either when you push it hard or soft) you have to open the whole keyboard and take out the shit that's under the keys. This can be hard to do with some keyboards.... That's one thing that I check when I buy a second hand keyboard, another thing that I check is that all the buttons work properly, It's also good to check that it doesn't have any weird noise when you put more or less volume.... Hope this helped you a bit.... Check also that all of the inputs\outputs\pedal- "holes" work...... Sorry for the bad english :)

[kevmo_fan]

well... there are going to be a LOT of people out for my blood for what I'm about to say but I'm going to say it anyway

if you're getting a 2nd hand keyboard, you might not want to get a kurzweil... few reasons... keys generally aren't as hardy as most other brands... kurzweils have the highest rate of key repairs done... and also, if the company isn't doing too well and their future is slightly unsteady (which I don't think is very true but post it here just to be on the safe side) and they go under, then you won't be able to get replacement parts.

EDIT: OH and also see if there is any warranty that is still on the keyboard if it isn't too old... thats always handy!