[sdiy] Buy (bare) keyboard?

[Edward King]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Moorby" <steve.moorby at ntlworld.com>
To: <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2007 11:45 PM
Subject: Re: [sdiy] Buy (bare) keyboard?


> You got Fatar to reply!  My e-mails to them seem to go to /dev/null.  I
> took it they weren't interested in selling to individuals or even
> telling me who their distributors were.

Nope, not Fatar. They wouldnt answer me either, which seems a bit dumb. But 
Doepfer answered. The specs for the keyboards are available from the Fatar 
website.

EK


>
> On Sun, 2007-06-24 at 20:00 +0300, Edward King wrote:
>> Fred,
>>
>> Three possibilities:
>>
>> 1) Build your own from scratch (hardwood keys, replica ivory overlays,
>> stainless steel or aluminium chassis and your choice of contacts / 
>> switches
>> / velocity, displacement and aftertouch sensing).
>>
>> 2) Fatar keyboard mechanism (usually they come with bubble style contacts
>> and are available as synth type, semi-weighted and hammer action in 61, 
>> 76
>> and 88 key versions). They start at a couple of hundred quid and go up to 
>> 7
>> or 8 hundred (depending on options and shipping). Words to the wise 
>> though,
>> they seem to be quite slow to respond. I completed my order form several
>> weeks ago and Im still waiting :o/
>>
>> 3) Buy a cheapy midi controller keyboard, strip off the casing and remove
>> any superfluous kit, even replacing the contacts if necessary.
>>
>> Personally, Ive gone both routes 1 and 2. Option 1 took quite a 
>> significant
>> time and man-hour investment to get the mechanism right (Ive gone for 
>> hammer
>> action with velocity, displacement and aftertouch sensing) and Ive still
>> only "finished" 2 octaves. If youve got time, I would recommend this 
>> option
>> though because the opportunities for "tweaking" are greater than a ready
>> made unit despite the fact that the fatar units are really, really good.
>>
>> EK
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Fred Weed" <fredw at lmi.net>
>> To: <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
>> Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2007 3:23 AM
>> Subject: [sdiy] Buy (bare) keyboard?
>>
>>
>> > Is it still possible to buy a bare keyboard (ie Pratt-Reed) with simple
>> > wire
>> > contacts for do-it-yourselfers?  Are any surplus ones around?
>> >
>> > Thanks.
>> >
>> >
>> >
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