Nord User Forum

Hi, folks. I'm contemplating a couple of changes to simplify my stage rig, while adding capabilities. Stage 3 Compact is a very strong contender.

I use a Yamaha MOXF8 for a weighted full piano++ as K1, and a Hammond XK-1 for B3 etc. as K2. On certain gigs, where synth soloing is important, I travel with a NL2X, supplemented with a Line 6 M13 for FX as K3. Add it all up, along with control pedals, and I'm getting sick of the schlep and setup nonsense. I want a lighter, simpler setup rig without sacrificing capability.

The NS3C is a strong contender for permanent K2, but there are none available to test in local shops. I'm a wee bit concerned about the action before I commit $4G.

The most frequent use is as a B3 replacement, and the action and waterfall for that is pretty important. My XK has a very light action, honestly feels "like a Hammond" which I like.

Current and past owners - knowing that I need a synth/organ action for this, don't need to worry about weighted...what do you like/dislike about it?

And is there anything else I should know? I already own a NeoVent2, so if the Leslie is really still wanting, I can always use that instead, but...eliminating pedal chaff is always good.

Thanks in advance.

Personally I like the TP/8 action for organ and synth. Semi-weighted is decent for piano as well. I also have a Nord Wave 2 which has the same action (just white instead of ivory-colored).

There’s another thread comparing the NS3 with the NeoVent2 and personally I wouldn’t bother - it’s “good enough” to leave it at home.

Nothing feels like a real Hammond, so there's that. Do I think the NS3C is good enough for most organ work? Certainly.

Things I like? Good-enough Leslie sim that the Vent II stays home. I can play the drawbars. Two different "drive" models to get that part right. The pipe organ and vox/farf sounds are fun in context. And that's before you start layering just about any sample you can imagine, including other organ samples. I also like that a single board powers my rig: pianos, synths, etc. with a K1 controller as you put it.

Dislikes? Nothing big. The keybed feel doesn't get in the way for what I do for organ portions, which is rather significant. I bought a second one recently as I'm going to be with this product for a while. If there are flaws, I've gotten used to them.

If you're looking for accuracy of pure B3 experience, Hammond products usually come out on top, then Crumar Mojo, and maybe a few others before you get to the NS3C. The B3 engine on an iPad sounds outrageously good, but difficult to gig with.

My guess is that you will likely find the organ experience on the NS3C good enough, but certainly not the best. The NS3C is not the best at pianos, samples, or synths either. But it's pretty darn good at all of that, combined in a really usable package.

EDIT: I seem to remember people replacing springs a while back. It wasn't the NS3C, and I can't remember whether it was to make them lighter or heavier.

cphollis wrote:EDIT: I seem to remember people replacing springs a while back. It wasn't the NS3C, and I can't remember whether it was to make them lighter or heavier.

The preferences have been to make them lighter/softer. If you mainly use the NS3C keybed for organ and synth and use a hammer action keyboard on bottom to play the pianos of the NS3C I would prefer slightly softer springs. However I do not know if anyone has really swapped the springs, it is a problem to get hold of alternative springs. I also have a Mojo61 with really soft springs but would not like to play piano from that keybed. In sum I would not bother to experiment with the current springs as they are a nice compromise for different playing styles.

I like the action of the NS3C very much for organ and synth, not that much for pianos. Combining it with a MOXF8 to play the pianos of the Nord from the MOXF is a perfect combo in terms of good-enough piano action and weight - I was using this combination for some months after I got my NS3C. Also in turn playing the Yamaha synth and natural sounds like brass and strings from the NS3C is another benefit

The Fatar action of the Compact is nicely shaped, like a waterfall or synth style keybed. But the springs have way more resistance. Maybe Nord did this to satisfy pianoplayers. As far as I know this is not how Fatar builds this keybed usually. So it is something in between. I´m a synth or organ keybed guy. After some time I was able to adapt to that. But lighter springs would have been my preference, though.
For mainly organ use, there might be better alternatives on the market, since you also pay lots of $ for the other engines. The NS still has a strong emphasis on piano, too. You should also know that you have very little influence on ways to shape the sound to your preferences. The piano is more or less a sample-player without programmability exept EQing and FX.
On the other hand, the little options make it a simple to use instrument that mostly sounds pretty good.
But for "I need a good organ" this is a bit over the top, just my humble opinion.

Thank you all for your input. Hmmm...it's all helpful, but my decision is as clear as mud. I get why Nord might stiffen the action, but it might not suit my particular needs. Unfortunately, finding one to test-drive action locally is proving challenging.

Also - perhaps I wasn't clear. Why NS3C is because it reduces gig rig from 3 keys down to 2 - I can gig substitute for both Hammond and NS2xL, and have a super-portable piano-ish for easy rehearsals where I want a single keyboard. 22 lbs in a back seat length is attractive.

Re-calculating...Re-calculating...error...

Your Hammond XK1 and the NS3 Compact use the same Fatar TP/8O action, except Nord uses heavier springs (they push back more against your fingers). If you expect to be keeping your XK1 as backup or whatever, you could open up the boards and swap the springs between them, to get the lighter feeling action on your Nord instead.

As for the basic scenario of wanting to replace your XK1+NL2X with a single board that can function as both a clonewheel organ AND a knobby VA synth, there are some other possibilities besides the Nord Stage 3 Compact, with different trade-offs compared to sticking with your XK1+NL2X combo or going to the NS3. I think these are the strongest competitors:

* Hammond SK Pro, main trade-offs (to me):
...the knobby VA synth is for monophonic sounds only... there is a poly synth in there too, but it is sample-based and doesn't have the easy dedicated and directly accessible front panel editing controls
...where NL2X lets you layer 4 synth sounds and NS3 lets you layer two, the SK Pro only plays one VA synth sound at a time, though you can layer it with up to two other sample-based synth sounds (and the organ sound)
... while it has built-in effects (like the NS3, but unlike the NL2X) so it may also replace your M13, the effects controls are in menus, without all the front panel controls of the NS3
... lacks the aftertouch of the NS3, which can be really nice for synth (especially when your other hand is busy playing your other keyboard), but since your NL2X didn't have that either, maybe you wouldn't miss it

* Roland Fantom 6 with the new software update that added clonewheel organ, main tradeoffs:
... heavier option, weighs 33.7 lbs
... as with the SK Pro, the effects are there but in menus rather than having a bunch of dedicated controls... though in this case you can also make use of assignable controls
... while it does have labeled (mostly) dedicated synth controls, most controls are multi-function... i.e. the sliders are drawbars on straight organ patches, but do other things at other times, unlike the Hammond or NS3 where a drawbar always functions as a drawbar, automatically, no matter what combination of sounds you put together

At least that's my take from a brief overview perspective, not having played the Fantom personally. Sonically, things are always subjective to some extent... but I would guess that in organ sound quality, they'd rank SK Pro on top, then Nord, then Roland. For synth (and other non-organ sounds), they'd rank differently.

I used a NS3 Compact for piano and synth/sample sounds with my XK-5. I occasionally replaced the XK-5 System (which included an XK-5 lower manual and a Leslie 3300), when I had to due to stage size or setup time limitations. I used the NS3 in this role over a two year period playing about 200 gigs with it. Here's my take on it. I was very satisfied with the keyboard size and the feel of the waterfall keyboard as a replacement for the Hammond. I was satisfied with the NS3 organ sounds, OK with the single set of drawbars, tolerated the keyboard's organ action when playing piano sounds, which was how I mostly used it, and of course. the piano sounds were excellent. I was NOT satisfied with the Stage 3's Leslie simulation, it just didn't sound good enough compared to the 3300. I was satisfied with the NS2 using a Vent, though. The Nord's outstanding flexibility for output routing let me run the organ sounds out of channel 3 to the Vent then the Vent's two channels into the stereo input of a Spacestation XL amp. That combination worked very satisfactorily for me, but I was always relieved to get back to my normal Hammond/Leslie rig. My current projects never require a small rig so I've sold the NS3 and replaced it with a Piano 5-73; this rig works great for my needs. I think the Stage 3 on top with a decent hammer action midi controller serving as a lower manual - maybe the Studiologic SL73 - along with a quality stereo monitor amp - would be a killer small rig. It would very easy to set up and use and would sound great so long as it included a Vent for the Leslie sim. A Hammond SK-Pro plus the hammer action lower lower keyboard would have better Hammond sounds and not need a Vent, but the piano sounds and possibly the synth/sampler sounds would likely not sound as good as the NS3. Here is my dream Nord product: A 73-key midi controller with the Piano 5's action and no internal sounds, designed to sit directly under the NS-3 with a matching red case, similar to how the Hammond lower manual sits beneath an XK-5. If Nord won't build this, someone should...

If you really want the organ keybed feel, you need to go with an Electro. I have an electro5D and a NS3C...huge difference in feel. I also have a C2 and a real B3....the electro feels like an organ. If you really need a better synth and more memory, then your finger will get used to it. My current gig rig is a NS3-88 on the bottom and a NS3C on the top. Just my 2 cents.