DFWBach wrote:

jcitron wrote:

Congratulations on your choice. I wish you many years of enjoyment.

Thank You for the kind words.  I, like everyone else, am now waiting for the keyboard to arrive.  They said 6 weeks...we shall see!

Thank you.  Sounds like we are in similar circumstances as the Kawai dealer told the the boats are literally circling around Long Beach waiting to dock. Enhanced COVID cleaning measures are meaning that shipping and work at the dock can't go as quickly as it did before.  The dealer told me Kawaii tells them that they have already shipped but Kawaii obviously doesn't know when the boats will dock.

You're welcome. I've very happy for you!

The wait is the killer. Way, way back in 2002 when I got my old Technics, there was that longshoreman strike going on in LA. My new piano was set to arrive soon(tm) and the wait turned into months before I got my piano. Back then the piano was state of the art and my uncle still has his today and still plays it. Mine eventually wore out and suffered some electronics issues. One day it sounded like it had a Leslie option when I played through the speakers, but sounded fine with headphones. The keyboard too used to bite me once in a while due to the keys suffering from some lateral movement. When my LX17 arrived, I cried inside as the old piano went away. I kept the bench though because it's really nice and gives me an extra one for my clavichord where I needed it.

With that said, I hope your piano arrives soon within the 6 weeks that they say and you get at least 14 years out of it like I did my Technics.

jcitron wrote:

DFWBach wrote:

Yes, unfortunately, I can get a great deal on the Kawai.  I know not everything comes down to money, but the Kawai seems to fit the bill both in my playing and with my wallet

However, a friend of mine plays it and loves it, and raves about it.  I think I'm in world spoiled by riches and don't think I would go wrong with either one.

Thanks!

Congratulations on your choice. I wish you many years of enjoyment.

Thank You for the kind words.  I, like everyone else, am now waiting for the keyboard to arrive.  They said 6 weeks...we shall see!

You're welcome. I've very happy for you!

The wait is the killer. Way, way back in 2002 when I got my old Technics, there was that longshoreman strike going on in LA. My new piano was set to arrive soon(tm) and the wait turned into months before I got my piano. Back then the piano was state of the art and my uncle still has his today and still plays it. Mine eventually wore out and suffered some electronics issues. One day it sounded like it had a Leslie option when I played through the speakers, but sounded fine with headphones. The keyboard too used to bite me once in a while due to the keys suffering from some lateral movement. When my LX17 arrived, I cried inside as the old piano went away. I kept the bench though because it's really nice and gives me an extra one for my clavichord where I needed it.

With that said, I hope your piano arrives soon within the 6 weeks that they say and you get at least 14 years out of it like I did my Technics.

DFWBach wrote:

Amen Ptah Ra wrote:

Have any particular reason to favor the MP11SE over the RD-2000?

Yes, unfortunately, I can get a great deal on the Kawai.  I know not everything comes down to money, but the Kawai seems to fit the bill both in my playing and with my wallet

However, a friend of mine plays it and loves it, and raves about it.  I think I'm in world spoiled by riches and don't think I would go wrong with either one.

Thanks!

Congratulations on your choice. I wish you many years of enjoyment.

Thank You for the kind words.  I, like everyone else, am now waiting for the keyboard to arrive.  They said 6 weeks...we shall see!

Amen Ptah Ra wrote:

Have any particular reason to favor the MP11SE over the RD-2000?

Yes, unfortunately, I can get a great deal on the Kawai.  I know not everything comes down to money, but the Kawai seems to fit the bill both in my playing and with my wallet

However, a friend of mine plays it and loves it, and raves about it.  I think I'm in world spoiled by riches and don't think I would go wrong with either one.

Thanks!

Congratulations on your choice. I wish you many years of enjoyment.

Have any particular reason to favor the MP11SE over the RD-2000?

Yes, unfortunately, I can get a great deal on the Kawai.  I know not everything comes down to money, but the Kawai seems to fit the bill both in my playing and with my wallet

However, a friend of mine plays it and loves it, and raves about it.  I think I'm in world spoiled by riches and don't think I would go wrong with either one.

Thanks!

I come from the real world of acoustic instruments and own a couple of clavichords, one of which is my avatar here, a small Italian virginal, and a grand piano in addition to my Roland LX-17. The Roland, by the way, is a replacement for an ancient, nearly 20-year-old Technics SX/PX 980.

My biggest complaint about digital instruments is their shallow key depth. I find myself hitting bottom too soon causing fatigue and stiffness. By far, Roland has the best action I could find after trying many, many brands of digital instruments. I find I can play for quite some time on my Roland, just as long as I can on my Vogel 177T grand, without suffering from fatigue as I did on the Technics and other brands I tried.

I'm sure other factors come into play here as well including the volume set for the piano, but overall, the Roland causes the least amount of fatigue for me out of many digital instruments I've played. This is definitely something you should consider as well because a good digital piano isn't something you replace every couple of years. This is something you want to enjoy playing without any discomfort and perhaps joint damage to your hands.

Hello...you are exactly right.  No one wants to play on an instrument that doesn't suit them well, or causes them pain.  Unfortunately, my shoulders and back will give me trouble much more quickly than my hands.  But you made a very valid point!

Thank You!

DFWBach wrote:

Any arguments that bolster the MP11SE would be appreciated

If you ever want to drive any software instruments other than pianos -- say, you want to make a recording and layer a faux cello, or a clarinet -- the MP11SE has a mod wheel, a pitch bend wheel and an expression pedal input.  You'll miss those attempting to control almost anything other than pianos with the VPC1.

If you ever want to play and have no (working) computer available, you can plug a pair of headphones into the MP11SE and play.  If you ever want to play for an audience and don't want to worry about the the fragility and unpredictability of a computer -- well, you probably won't want to carry either of these around, but the MP11SE works as a stage piano going straight into the sound board.  The VPC1 is useless without a computer or a hardware sound module (do they even make those anymore?).

If you have an MP11SE and sometimes wish it was a VPC1... it already is.  If you have a VPC1 and wish it was an MP11SE... you can add a bunch of external stuff or trade it in, either of which is less convenient and more expensive than having an MP11SE in the first place.  The MP11SE is the more "future-proof" choice.

The exception to all the above would be if you plan to get a second keyboard, probably unweighted or semi-weighted, for controlling non-piano virtual instruments.  Then the VPC1 is just simpler, as well as saving money you could put toward the other keyboard, for being a piano keyboard and nothing else.  You could let your other keyboard be the MIDI control monster and emergency fallback -- and it would probably be easier to carry around, too.

100% right.  I was thinking along the same lines along with what you are saying.  I do wish to venture outside the piano and your logic is exactly what I was thinking in my head, but not able to process as well as you said it.  Looks like the MP11SE is the one for me!  Thanks for your help!

I've had my MP11 more than 5yrs, closer to 8yrs now. If I paid that extra $1K over 8yrs it's ~$2.40 per week or $10mnth).

I think it'll last more than another few years. If you weighed it up - 8 yrs of playing to your levels (and being able to improve without finding the action falling behind your progress), it's cheaper than a coffee per week for that.

Then again, that's what I'd probably say if I was selling these too

1k in a single chunk seems a lot harder to justify - but in the past I've churned keyboards and ended up spending more too. (have grown out of 1 which was pretty expensive too). We all waste money/time on some poor choices - but we can't always know which is best but we try combining all info to get something both useful and economical. For my situation, cannot complain about the MP11 on those criteria.

If not sure - beyond that, maybe take a cool-off period - would be silly to advise 'just buy it' if you aren't 100% sure the MP11 SE is worth the stretch

Cheers DFWBach. BTW - I don't think you can go too far wrong with either.

Thank you!  I agree exactly with what you are saying.  I think in the end that the MP11SE does more, and I will want to explore other options besides just piano music, so looks like the MP11SE is the one for me.

Any arguments that bolster the MP11SE would be appreciated

If you ever want to drive any software instruments other than pianos -- say, you want to make a recording and layer a faux cello, or a clarinet -- the MP11SE has a mod wheel, a pitch bend wheel and an expression pedal input.  You'll miss those attempting to control almost anything other than pianos with the VPC1.

If you ever want to play and have no (working) computer available, you can plug a pair of headphones into the MP11SE and play.  If you ever want to play for an audience and don't want to worry about the the fragility and unpredictability of a computer -- well, you probably won't want to carry either of these around, but the MP11SE works as a stage piano going straight into the sound board.  The VPC1 is useless without a computer or a hardware sound module (do they even make those anymore?).

If you have an MP11SE and sometimes wish it was a VPC1... it already is.  If you have a VPC1 and wish it was an MP11SE... you can add a bunch of external stuff or trade it in, either of which is less convenient and more expensive than having an MP11SE in the first place.  The MP11SE is the more "future-proof" choice.

The exception to all the above would be if you plan to get a second keyboard, probably unweighted or semi-weighted, for controlling non-piano virtual instruments.  Then the VPC1 is just simpler, as well as saving money you could put toward the other keyboard, for being a piano keyboard and nothing else.  You could let your other keyboard be the MIDI control monster and emergency fallback -- and it would probably be easier to carry around, too.

My biggest complaint about digital instruments is their shallow key depth. I find myself hitting bottom too soon causing fatigue and stiffness. By far, Roland has the best action I could find after trying many, many brands of digital instruments. I find I can play for quite some time on my Roland, just as long as I can on my Vogel 177T grand, without suffering from fatigue as I did on the Technics and other brands I tried.

I'm sure other factors come into play here as well including the volume set for the piano, but overall, the Roland causes the least amount of fatigue for me out of many digital instruments I've played. This is definitely something you should consider as well because a good digital piano isn't something you replace every couple of years. This is something you want to enjoy playing without any discomfort and perhaps joint damage to your hands.

I think it'll last more than another few years. If you weighed it up - 8 yrs of playing to your levels (and being able to improve without finding the action falling behind your progress), it's cheaper than a coffee per week for that.

Then again, that's what I'd probably say if I was selling these too

1k in a single chunk seems a lot harder to justify - but in the past I've churned keyboards and ended up spending more too. (have grown out of 1 which was pretty expensive too). We all waste money/time on some poor choices - but we can't always know which is best but we try combining all info to get something both useful and economical. For my situation, cannot complain about the MP11 on those criteria.

If not sure - beyond that, maybe take a cool-off period - would be silly to advise 'just buy it' if you aren't 100% sure the MP11 SE is worth the stretch

Cheers DFWBach. BTW - I don't think you can go too far wrong with either.

I'm just struggling with that $1K difference.  Any thoughts?  I know in the long-run $1K isn't that bad over 10 or 15 years.

I'm very much leaning towards the MP11SE, but just having a little bit of a hard time justifying the added expense.

Any arguments that bolster the MP11SE would be appreciated

I think at the end of the day, both actions will suit me just fine...so now I might just have to decide what is the better deal, and more importantly, how much the boss will let me spend!

Thanks everyone for your kind advice.