Bought a Stage 3

[Steinway]

Not sure about our choice as not a computer techie. My wife is selling her steinway Boston as we may be moving into an apartment from a detatched property and may need to use headphones some of the time. She is a piano teacher of some years and our second piano is a 5 year old Roland.
We understood that Nord was probably the best electronic sound and bought a Stage 3 as thinking it was the top model, though also realising that the Nord all have the same sound electronics (bites?). Have we bought correctly or was there a better option from Nord? I think we may have dropped into a nighmare of electronics

Many thanks for any advice

[baekgaard]

If you only care about (acoustic) piano sounds, then a Nord Grand or the new Nord Piano 5 may be good options too, with a keyboard optimized more towards piano playing.

The Nord Stage 3 is a very versatile keyboard though and if you need the organ or the synth, it is the better option.

Sent from my phone in brevity

[Steinway]

The Stage 3 is more expensive not because it's the better piano, but because of its other options: organ, synth engine, aftertouch, pitch stick, mod wheel, extern section. If all is about piano playing, the Grand probably would feel the closest.

Whatever instrument you take, if your wife isn't only meant to play via headphones, home amplification would be an important thing, too. Depending on the environment. Have a look into another sub forum: accessories-and-amplification-f8/

[Steinway]

Hi Steinway

and a very warm welcome to this wonderful forum of nord enthusiasts. The question is, as you‘ve already bought the Stage, whether you could benefit from alternative proposals or not. Can you still return the Stage? If so, I would recommend the Nord Grand because of its excellent keybed.

One point which I cannot live with is the aftertouch of keyboards like the Stage. I am a pianist myself and don‘t like the slightly reduced way the key can move as well as the swammy feeling when it lands.

Cheers from Germany

[JayDee]

Hello Steinway. Greetings from California

[Steinway]

Hi Steinway

and a very warm welcome to this wonderful forum of nord enthusiasts. The question is, as you‘ve already bought the Stage, whether you could benefit from alternative proposals or not. Can you still return the Stage? If so, I would recommend the Nord Grand because of its excellent keybed.

One point which I cannot live with is the aftertouch of keyboards like the Stage. I am a pianist myself and don‘t like the slightly reduced way the key can move as well as the swammy feeling when it lands.

Cheers from Germany

Though bought, it is on a 30 day return plan from Thomann, so can be changed if necessary

[Spider]

If you and your wife are only interested in playing piano, the Stage 3 is definitely not the best for you.
My personal recommendation would be to exchange it for a Nord Grand: it will give you exactly the same piano sounds but in a more piano-like package, without all the unnecessary complications of organ and synth that you will never use, and with the best key action you will find in any Nord.

[Steinway]

Though bought, it is on a 30 day return plan from Thomann, so can be changed if necessary

Okay, I‘d swap it with a Nord Grand if I were you or your wife. Cheers

[Steinway]

Though bought, it is on a 30 day return plan from Thomann, so can be changed if necessary

I'd suggest a home DP with built in speakers (for the times you won't be using headphones) and a hi-quality (possibly wooden) keybed, rather, if it is for a piano teacher and has to replace a real acoustic piano the keybed quality should be the #1 choice criteria imho.

If some portability is required I'd look at models like Yamaha P515 or Roland F=90X for example (but it is your wife who has to like it, I mean keybed+sound and usually it is best for the player to try more than one model personally at a shop, when choosing a DP, but I guess you are not near any musical instruments shop, otherwise you'd have done it, right?). Otherwise, if portability is not requested, you should consider also "console" DP models (advantages: better amplification, correct+ static position of pedals, better look from a "furniture" standpoint...)

[cphollis]

I'm with Tasten-Bert. Unless you have a real thirst for two piano engines, two organ engines, two synth engines, controlling external midi modules, morph control of parameters, etc. -- the Stage 3 is a LOT of keyboard. I love mine, but I don't sit down with it for an intimate acoustic piano experience.

To be fair, you can also get some very tasty piano sounds out of the Stage 3 -- and a whole lot more. The aftertouch strip under the keybed doesn't bother some acoustic piano players, but it really bothered me.

If you can, swapping it for the Nord Grand (and maybe those cool Nord monitors) would be my choice. Not a bad replacement for the Boston you're giving up.

Right now, I'm leaning towards the shorter Piano 5 as a great gig mate. I'm never going to miss those extra 15 keys when playing live music. Or, at least, I hope not.