Nord User Forum

Hi there, nube question here. I’m seriously thinking of going Nord.

Is the original Stage ex even worth buying? There is one near me I could make an offer on but is it just too dated now to even consider?
My dream would be Piano 4 or Stage 3 as I do a mixture of styles but well, money y’know...
I could sell everything for the biggies but a cheap route in is tempting.
If worth considering the Stage Ex how much is a reasonable offer if in good condition?
Thanks in advance for any input.

Edit: I’m hoping it can do good enough piano for jazz ballads but also 60s to 80s organs, ep, clav etc.
I have zed10fx into qsc k8.2s.

I see ads asking 1200£ to 1500£ here in Norway. (I would never have bought it for more than 1200£) Nord Stage 2 - is so much better...

Pollitos wrote:’m hoping it can do good enough piano for jazz ballads but also 60s to 80s organs, ep, clav etc.

It's fine for all that. (Well, depending on what "etc" is.)

Compared to newer Nords...

Piano - basic quality/tone about the same, except without the option for a longer release and more sophisticated string resonances. Less memory means you'll probably want to settle on one or two "best" piano sounds to use, rather than being able to instantly switch among a wide variety.

Organ - functionally similar. Most would say the new ones sound better (especially the Leslie sim), but the original is still good (if you're fine without traditional drawbars). You might consider adding an external Leslie sim pedal at some point.

EP - up until the new enhanced samples that came out about 3 months ago, I would have said the EP was basically unchanged, except for less memory again restricting how many choices would be instantly available to you. But there were plenty of Nord users who were content with the EPs we had up until 3 months ago, too.

Clav - better on the old model than the new, as all of the original EQ options ar supported

The biggest issue is the "etc" -- if the other sounds you need are synth sounds, you're probably fine. If you're looking for reasonably authentic sounds of other acoustic instruments (strings, brass, winds, guitars, etc,), or the sounds of other "vintage" keyboards (mellotrons, etc.), you're out of luck. That's where you really need a later model.

Just sold my original Nord Classic (not EX) - for 900£
I'm glad someone could find use for it, and that it didn't end up on a shelf.
Still useful, but to a reasonable price.

anotherscott wrote: Compared to newer Nords...

Piano - basic quality/tone about the same, except without the option for a longer release and more sophisticated string resonances.

This is not quite true, because the Classic EX provides the more sophisticated string resonances.
With it´s 250 MB you therefore can load - and play - your favoured XL piano sample with nearly no restrictions compared
to newer models.

Thanks for the correction!

Thanks for your responses people! Sounds like Stage Ex would almost get me there but, I decided to let the Ex go on by. For a couple of hundred more I could maybe find a Stage 2 which seems to go a lot further, but my heart only really began to feel the Nord piano samples at Piano 4, I’d never felt (over £2000 worth) inspired by any stage pianos before, not even Piano 3, so I guess I’ll have to save up and sell sell sell!
I’ve heard some people use a master controller and a Nord synth version to get good piano feel with lead keys on top.
I must look into that option, but if anyone knows the optimum set up for that and cares to share briefly I’d be most grateful.

Thanks again!

I had a chance to test NS1 C classic side by side with NS3 C.
( Friend of mine was selling his Classic and asked me to do some hardware fixes including constant reboot problems).
Soundwise i still prefere organs and grands on NS1.
NS3 has nice grands too, but they sonded more "polished" like, dont know how to describe it,but NS 1 grands felt more alive for me. (Yamaha and Steinway). Keyboard touch was better and lighter for my taste as well.

(P.S. By the way i cured the troubles with constant reload by changing 10 pin ribbon cable in power slot.)

I'm still using it - its still a perfectly reasonable stage piano/organ/synth.

Its together with my 2x my main workhorse. I'm going to shift more to a virtual setup but they will remain a backup/workhorse for generic sounds.

Interesting that some prefer the earlier pianos and can live with older models. Are the newer ones really £2000 better? I guess you pay for other things being upgraded, not just the sounds. I’m old school and can live with lesss functionality if the sounds are good and the feel is ok.

The piano 4 marketing music finally made my ears prick up. I don’t know if that translates into real world use though. I thought the Rd2000 sounded ok till I tried one in the shop and I hated it instantly. Same with the cp4 and the Korg thingy. Yet to try a Piano 4. I’m almost scared to try one in case I hate it too lol !

I guess it boils down to a subjective experience thing but market prices seem to indicate that ‘old’ Nord is still good Nord, or is that just hype?