Raw FATAR keyboard Group buy?

Randaleem · Joined: May 17, 2007 Posts: 456 Location: Northern CA, USA

EDIT:

It seems there is some confusion with regard to whether electro-music is "sponsoring" this group buy of raw FATAR keyboards.
So to be perfectly clear: The electro-music Forum is NOT "sponsoring" this group buy!

I am simply offering to include your composite small orders along with my larger order to secure wholesale pricing for you on a FATAR keyboard. There will be no markup of the wholesale price; I am doing this as a Thank You for the EM community. This is a private offering made by me; as explained in this first post of the thread below. End EDIT

Hi,

I just mentioned this in the TH designs thread where State Machine and Antman have just posted an update of their new Thomas Henry keyboard controller.

Here's a bit of repeat and some more info:

I'd like to mention that I have contacted FATAR (in Italy) recently to begin importing their raw keyboards for a couple projects I have on tap for rollout at Winter NAMM 08. These are not necessarily garage/boot sale priced(For ex., a 25key synth style economy keyboard is about $20USD plus shipping); a group buy with good pricing would be possible if enough people are interested.

If you want a NEW keyboard to go with your NEW TH keyboard controller; (or for any other keyboard controller!) it might make sense to consider a group buy.

We can get any from the economy all the way up to the fully weighted, piano action types. I would be willing to put together wooden casework kits to enclose them if there is enough interest. FWIW, A metal case is being made for my upcoming 2octave offering. Not sure how that will fit in with DIY at this point. May work, I'll have to give it another look. (Note that these are the RAW FATAR keyboards, NOT the StudioLogic complete versions.)

I am looking at bringing in two different FATAR keyboards in some volume. These will be the 25 key economy (midrange) synth style and a higher-end 61+ keys version yet to be decided upon.

FATAR have a fairly long leadtime at 30-60 days. (Some would call that short! Smile

) But it seems that we might be able to secure some good pricing in a group buy; especially if it is added to my already planned FATAR purchases.

I would not be looking to make any money on keyboards purchased in this way for EM members; rather to provide the group buy as a service in thanks for the EM community. Your ultimate cost would only be the FATAR cost plus any taxes and shipping.

Perhaps my ultimate cost may be reduced with the added volume; so we'd both be helping each other out. BTW, I'm buying over a thousand keyboards; so this part is not my reason for offering the group buy. But it's worth mentioning to keep things up front.

(Wooden or metal keybd enclosure kits would by needs be a regular commercial product. They will still be competitively priced.)

If you're interested, have a look at the www.fatar.com site and let me know here which keyboard(s) you might be wanting. If the resulting bell-shaped curve of desired KeyBd type and number of people with an interest makes sense; we can proceed with a group buy.

Comments invited,

Randal
.

Dan Lavin · Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:18 am Post subject:

Randal,

I'd be in the market for a TP/9 Piano 88 key version. Prices on ebay have been unreasonable for used ones.

I generally make my own cases, but certainly would consider anything you offer.

Just what I need, another keyboard!

fonik · Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:02 am Post subject: Re: Raw FATAR keyboard Group buy?

jhaible · Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:08 am Post subject:

I'd certainly be interested!

Love those wooden church-organ style keyboards.

Do they still make them with metal contacts?
I read about "bubble" contacts everywhere ...

JH.

Randaleem · Joined: May 17, 2007 Posts: 456 Location: Northern CA, USA

Randaleem · Joined: May 17, 2007 Posts: 456 Location: Northern CA, USA

jhaible · Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:47 am Post subject:

psylux · Joined: May 15, 2007 Posts: 44 Location: Dallas, TX

I'm in for one or two of the smallest ones.

RF · Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:17 am Post subject:

Hi Randall - This sounds interesting -
I would be looking at the smaller ones, too...one for sure - perhaps two. Thanks for offering up the idea.

Bruce

Coriolis · Joined: Apr 11, 2005 Posts: 616 Location: Stilling, Denmark

Hey great initiative!

From looking at the pictures, they seem ready to put in some sort of enclosure of ones own choice. Do they need any other mechanical work to be usable (except for a case), or are they ready to play as such?

How does one wire up those switches? Are there solderpads or...?

At that price, I'd go for one of the 25-key variant, and perhaps, if you get enough requests, one pitch/modwheel assembly.

C

Nosferatu · Joined: Jul 27, 2007 Posts: 234 Location: Planet Rock.

>For ex., a 25key synth style economy keyboard is about $20USD plus
>shipping); a group buy with good pricing would be possible if enough >people are interested.

Interesting, Fatar used to be very conservative back in the early 2000'ies
you basically had to pull out a large stash of green bills even to get their
doors opened, perhaps they have changed their mind nowadays, thats
good.

But what about the quality, Fatar does KB's that klatter horrendoulsy,
but also the do very nice quiet ones! Do we know what we might get in
the end? Perhaps one could order a key sample or two? Laughing

Randaleem · Joined: May 17, 2007 Posts: 456 Location: Northern CA, USA

Nosferatu · Joined: Jul 27, 2007 Posts: 234 Location: Planet Rock.

Does Fatar use any internal numbering system that can be used to
identify their KB's? I have a vauge memory of Fatar KB's was used
back in the old days of ESQ1 and Bitt99!

And there is China!
http://www.chinakeyboards.com/products/products.html
Perhaps not impossible to by a pile of plain KB's?

Randaleem · Joined: May 17, 2007 Posts: 456 Location: Northern CA, USA

Hi,

Grouped reply here

tomcat · Joined: Oct 14, 2005 Posts: 141 Location: earth

Would also take a 25key.

If we do some sort of group buy we should try to make one for europe and one for us.

Randaleem · Joined: May 17, 2007 Posts: 456 Location: Northern CA, USA

Randaleem · Joined: May 17, 2007 Posts: 456 Location: Northern CA, USA

Good idea!

One order; two shipping points would make a lot of sense.

Randal

theshaggyfreak · Joined: Oct 29, 2006 Posts: 48 Location: Centreville, VA

I'm in for a 25 key.

Dan Lavin · Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:25 pm Post subject:

meir · Joined: Jun 26, 2007 Posts: 5 Location: israel

I'm in for two of the 25key.

richardc64 · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 5:04 am Post subject: Re: Raw FATAR keyboard Group buy?

Dan Lavin · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 5:37 am Post subject:

Richard,

richardc64 · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 6:06 am Post subject:

Nosferatu · Joined: Jul 27, 2007 Posts: 234 Location: Planet Rock.

>few of these; this model >http://www.chinakeyboards.com/products/MULTIFUNCTIONAL%20TYPE/JK510.html >was one, and I can say these don't even have scrounge value.

Offcourse there are the puke models, but i was refering to
the less puk'ier models:
http://www.chinakeyboards.com/products/PROFESSIONAL%20PERFORMANCE%20TYPE/JK-933.htm

China is not that bad, many top of the line music synth etc manufacturers
have all its production in China. If you can get one quality and ensured it
stays so i don't see any problem with a Chinese manufacturer,
China are THE factory these days.

>(monophonic) aftertouch sensor. Which is physically a long conductive
>foam strip sitting atop an "interlaced fingers" PCB (both under the keys near the front), to act as a VR. A single 4 pin?

Splendid one could remove that and make a Kurzweil like stick thing
or a PolyMoog touch board on top!

Dan Lavin · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 5:32 pm Post subject:

It's too bad we don't have a Chinese member who could investigate China keyboard companies for us. It is kind of hard for our little group to do this with all of us so far away from them. If Randal is going to stick his neck out by ordering a ton of keyboards, he needs more than a few email assurances. I can understand his decision to go with Fatar which is a known good technical source. It could take a year or more investigating Chinese suppliers. Time, money, risk ....I'm guessing those are the main drivers for Randal.