New HP keyboard

[Ecaroh]

From Electro 7 (73) specs:

► New HP model with Kawai Hammer Action
The Electro 7 HP model introduces a new lightweight triple sensor keybed developed in collaboration with Kawai. Carefully balanced for playability and portability, the new Kawai keybed delivers excellent responsiveness for acoustic and electric pianos.

_______

Any experience or ideas about the new Kawai HP action? I remember HP (Hammer Action Portable) action in NS3 76 and this was a nightmare. In a week it started to have noises and I traded this to NS3 compact. Since that time I have tested some instruments with HP action which have been played for years and those are horrible. Time hasn’t clearly treated them well. For comparison my NS3 with waterfall action is still quite good after years of heavy usage. So my question is that how good is this new Kawai developed HP? Of course we don’t have much to tell yet or do we?

[Macsaint777]

IMG_0051.jpeg (4.78 MiB) Viewed 2499 times

I can answer this.

I own a Nord Grand 2, which has the KAWAI RH3 modified triple sensor action in it. It is WONDERFUL. Fast, responsive, light but not too light.
I went to Winter NAMM 2026, and played the Electro 7 HP they had at The Nord booth. While it was lacking the mod wheel and pitch stick, it did have the final action in it. It feels, responds, and plays...EXACTLY like my Nord Grand 2, except that I would describe the HP action in the Electro 7 HP, as tighter... it doesn't wobble side to side as much as the one in the Grand 2. Otherwise, the texture of the keys, the weight, the ultra fast response, and every else about the action, feels identical to what is in the Grand 2. More than one Nord employee has stated that they have only used this action once before... and it isn't hard to piece together the rest. I fully agree with you that the HP (Fatar Tp/100) in the previous models, was a nightmare. Fatar themselves have replaced it with the Tp/110. I also really dislike the Fatar TP/40 H in the Piano series, and the Tp/40M in the Stage series. I've had nothing but trouble from them in every Nord I've owned - while I've had nothing but wonderful experiences with the SW actions, and at least since November 2025, the Grand 2.

[Ecaroh]

Many thanks for the info, very helpful!

EDIT: So you say that this is same or very close to Nord Grand 2. If true, this makes it quite interesting if think about whole Nord Product line. In terms of piano action Electro 7 HP is better than Nord Piano 6 or Stage 4.... Hmm

[jeffkeys]

Macsaint, I'm not sure you can address this, but this is my overriding concern when considering an Electro 7. I have been committed to a single board rig with as small a footprint and being as light as possible. The compromise I made was to play organ on the HA keybed, since I couldn’t deal with piano playing on the SW keybed. I have adjusted well and now think I play organ just fine on that. Do you think that the new Kawai action would make that task more difficult, easier or no difference on balance than the HA action does? Thanks!
Jeff

[Macsaint777]

Many thanks for the info, very helpful!

EDIT: So you say that this is same or very close to Nord Grand 2. If true, this makes it quite interesting if think about whole Nord Product line. In terms of piano action Electro 7 HP is better than Nord Piano 6 or Stage 4.... Hmm

You are quite right. The next piano actions are now in the E7 HP and Grand 2. NOT the Stage 4 or Piano 6.

[Macsaint777]

Macsaint, I'm not sure you can address this, but this is my overriding concern when considering an Electro 7. I have been committed to a single board rig with as small a footprint and being as light as possible. The compromise I made was to play organ on the HA keybed, since I couldn’t deal with piano playing on the SW keybed. I have adjusted well and now think I play organ just fine on that. Do you think that the new Kawai action would make that task more difficult, easier or no difference on balance than the HA action does? Thanks!
Jeff

Good question Jeff! I personally find that unless I have an extremely fast and responsive action, I can't play piano (well) on non-weighted keys. I would RATHER play organ occasionally and piano primarily on a weighted action, than the other way around.. UNLESS.. it's the triple sensor action in the STAGE 4 Compact. That works well for me, to a point. If you are already getting along with the HP (Fatar Tp/100) in the previous models, as far as the new KAWAI version, you shouldn't have any issues at all... you DO gain a much better piano action, but its very fast and works OK for organ too. I use a YC88 this way, but I also have an Organ 3 and a Viscount Legend One 73.

[jeffkeys]

[jeffkeys]

I should have mentioned that I’m currently using the Stage4 with the HA action. I look forward to trying the new HP!

[SorenP]

Yes, the new Electro 7 HP kawai keybed is interesting, I'm very tempted to buy one. My guess is that it is not the same action as the Grand 2, simply because the Electro 7HP (13kg) is more portable and compact. As far as I know, the Grand 2 action is similar to the Kawai ES-920 (17kg) , so I recon the Electro 7HP could be similar to the Kawai ES- 520 (14,5kg).
My back is telling me to buy the Electro 7HP, my brain is asking how much durability is lost in making it more portable, and how well will it hold up in years to come. I much prefer the simplicity of the Electro 7 over the Stage 4, I simply don't need the complexity and numbers of layers it can produce. I just need a good piano and a decent B3 organ. Recently sold my Crumar Mojo 61, so a new organ is needed

[Rusty Mike]

As I mentioned in the announcement thread, best I can put together is that it’s likely a derivation of Kawai’s 3-sensor Responsive Hammer Compact II found in products like the CX202 or ES520. That action seems to slot between the action used in the Nord Grand II and their lighter action found in the ES120.

I’ll let you know how it feels when mine arrives!