NORD GRAND KEYBED: customized RH3

[Dave Ferris]

I would go one step further in saying, if I "had" to do serious practice on an electronic keyboard , for Jazz and/or Classical, I wouldn't want anything less then the Yamaha Avant Grand N3X, N2 or N1X.

I haven't played the Nord Grand yet but assuming it's very nice and would probably be fun to gig with, provided you could manage the schlep.

I dislike all the Fatar models of the Nords though.

And I would choose a higher end, newer upright - Yamaha YUS, Bluthner, Bechstein - over any electronic keyboard.

[alanmckean]

I was confused by the "RH3" designation, too. The Korg version is "RH3". The Kawai version is "RHII". Totally different beasts. So, it won't play like the Korg Kronos, which uses the Korg RH3. It will play like, or similarly to, the Kawai ES8 and MP7SE, which us eat e Kawai RHIII. I read that Nord and Kawai modified the design for the Grand, but I don't know how different it is from the standard RHIII. Is the Korg RH3 that bad? I'm still considering the Korg SV-2S, which uses the Korg RH3 keybed. I'm leaning toward the Grand because I haven't found anyone that will ship any non-Nord pianos to Mexico where I live. B&H will ship Nords here but nothing else due to "manufacturer restrictions".

[Spider]

I was confused by the "RH3" designation, too. The Korg version is "RH3". The Kawai version is "RHII". Totally different beasts. So, it won't play like the Korg Kronos, which uses the Korg RH3. It will play like, or similarly to, the Kawai ES8 and MP7SE, which us eat e Kawai RHIII. I read that Nord and Kawai modified the design for the Grand, but I don't know how different it is from the standard RHIII. Is the Korg RH3 that bad?

Yes the name of the actions is almost the same, but they're completely different. Kawai's RHIII is WAY better than Korg's RH3 especially for acoustic pianos.
The SV-2 has its specific advantages, notably the quality of electric pianos, real tube overdrive, the onboard speakers in the SV-2S version, availability of a 73-key version, and of course price.
But if price is not an issue, with a better action, customizable sounds, an extensive sample section and a comparable size and weight (for the 88 version), the Nord Grand should be a much better board.

[jbolazzi]

If you mean Kawai GF or MR3 action, I would agree with your statement that Kawai make better key bed than Korg but certainly not if you compare the RH3 and RHIII. Being a professional pianist I would personally tend to prefer the Korg RH3. The Kawai RH III action is actually too light to simulate real acoustic piano action. To my point of view , this could be a weakness of the new Nord grand piano.

[aakash]

I recently bought one and one thing about the action that I don't like is that the escapement feels nonexistent. Perhaps I'm accustomed to the escapement feel on Roland boards (you definitely feel the notch) but on the NG I don't feel any shelf of resistance on the downward stroke. Is this what others are feeling as well?

[molkom]

Some short reflections:

I just got mine and have been playing for some days. At the store I played the Grand, Yamaha N1X, CP88, Korg Kronos and some others (Casio & Roland models).

Someone asked about the noise of the keybed and yes, it's loud & a bit "plasticky" to my ears. Much more so in my quiet home environment than at the store. The Korg Kronos for example was very quiet, but to me lacked the dynamics to be able to express the full range from pianissimo to fortissimo well. I'm not very knowledgeable about digitally produced sounds however so might be difference in the piano samples or some setting on the Kronos. I didn't like the Yamaha CP88 action at all; felt too heavy and clunky, much like Yamaha uprights which I don't like I really enjoyed/enjoy the N1X, though, however the difference in feel wasn't THAT significantally better than the Grand to justify the price & and love some of the piano sounds on the Grand so I went for the Grand... (I actually almost went for the Kronos since I have mixed needs and so far not a budget to support all use cases with different keyboards/pianos.)

If I did have the budget and space I'd most likely go for a hybrid grand piano (or a grand with a digital module), but the Nord Grand will do fine until such a time might come (will likely become an expensive midi keyboard at that point).

[FZiegler]

Hey, it was already mentioned above: Korg RH3 isn't Kawai RH3, and a Korg RH3 isn't used in a Nord instrument.

[varignet]

I own the mp7se which I like, and went to try the nord grand in store today.
I found it a bit lighter, with a harder landing and a touch less travel. I liked it a lot, although some pianists would find it less expressive and too light.



For owners of the nord grand, have you noticed subtle noise/ticking noise coming from the keys when releasing, developing over time?

maybe two years is not enough.
it’s a known kawai riii keybed issue, it’s super subtle. Somebody theorised it’s the grease changing over time and sticking creating little hesitation/sticking inside the mechanism upon release.

[M1tsos]

I am waiting a nord grand for 15 days test in my house…

It will arrive in 3 days.. i am wondering if this keybed is that good like they say.. at the moment i have a stage 3 88 ha but that fatar keybed i didnt like it.. i was thinking of kawai vpc1 midi connected to my stage 3 but first i wanted to try the nord grand..

Does the keybed difference to vpc1 is big?? How close is nord grand to vpc 1 keybed??

[anotherscott]

Does the keybed difference to vpc1 is big?? How close is nord grand to vpc 1 keybed??

Nord Grand is derived from the RH3 action in the MP7SE, which is pretty different from the RM3II action in the VPC1. Descriptions of both actions can be found at https://kawaius.com/technology/wooden-key-actions/