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Hi, I am looking for something with wooden keys. Similar to the studiologic sl-88 grand. I would buy that model but they are pretty pricey. Any recommendations? I use spitfire Ableton, and other piano vst libraries so I am not after sounds. I .just looking for an authentic piano touch. I had an sl-73 and sl-88 but got.rid of them because I do not like the plastic non graded hammer action. All pianos old and new are welcome 👍

Thanks

There are actual "wooden keys" and there are partly wooden white keys with plastic black keys such as in the SL-88 Grand and in e.g.
- Yamaha's NWX action e.g. in the P-515 and before that in some Clavinova models
- Yamaha's current Clavinova CLP-7xx series, in some models, a new design different from the NWX
- Roland's PHA-50 action with wooden inserts added to the sides of plastic white key core
- Fatar TP/400W in Dexibell VIVO S9
- Some mysterious "Korean action" in Kurzweil MPS-120
- Some other mysterious Korean action in some Dynatone digital pianos (console models only)

Actual wooden key sticks exist in at least:
- Kawai CA series console pianos
- Kawai MP11/MP-11SE stage piano
- Casio GP series console pianos
- Kawai VPC1 which is just a MIDI controller with no internal sound generator
- Some oldies like the Kurzweil MidiBoard and many older Kawai's too like e.g. MP9000, MP9500 and MP8/MP8II

There was an MP10 too in Kawai's MP series.

Some more action details: https://kawaius.com/technology/wooden-key-actions/

Roland's PHA-50 isn't wooden key. It's all plastic with wood veneers on the sides.

Like I said.

Though I don't know their exact thickness and how many millimeters would still be called a "veneer".

You could also call them "blocks of wood".

I believe the NWX could be labeled as ‘blocks of wood’, but the PHA-50 is plastic with ‘wood veneers’ on the sides for adornment purposes.

> Hi, I am looking for something with wooden keys.
> I .just looking for an authentic piano touch.

Don't get to fixated on wood, and "authentic piano touch" may highly relate to a particular piano you've got / are used to from the past / your teacher has.
Novus and AvantGrand are quite authentic, because they have acoustic action inside. Others less but noone knows which will suit you most, so just go try them.
There's the trade-off with weight, you seem to look for a slab? The MP11SE seem to has the best (and wooden) slab action these days, but it is hardly portable at 35 kg. See the VPC1 if a controller is okay. A newer version of such action in the CA79/99.
Roland PHA50 is quite decent - RD2000, FP90X (24 kg).
The P515 is slightly lighter and wooden, but has "crusty" touch (stiff at the top).
The lightest midrange (plastic) action ES920 at 17kg - on account of more plasticky housing than the predecessor ES8.

PHA-50 wood is thicker then I thought. There are advantages to a hybrid key construction.

Note the ebony keys like some other wood key keyboards are solely plastic.



http://www.usedpianocenter.net/hybrid-piano-key-roland/

Yeah, PHA50 is "wooden key sticks with a plastic core". 😉

And then Roland has a longer version of it but that's irrelevant as it's only found in more expensive cabinet models.

A used Roland FP90 would be an example of something more affordable with the PHA50 action.

Correction: PHA-50 is plastic key sticks with a hollow core and make-believe wooden side veneers (for adornment purposes only).

I thought Abdol had made that clear, but it seems like some o’ y’all’s be confusin’!

Don’t be confusin’ this PHA-50 with a real solid-wood core (NWX)!

I wasn't:
Just like in the picture which I've of course seen before.

But what about "plastic key sticks with a hollow core" in PHA-50? Do we know they are hollow?

What is your aim when seeking wooden keys ? If it is only about the feeling, just try different keyboard and don’t matter about the materials.

Compared with the NWX, I have found the PHA50 as nice.

I have played both the NWX and PHA-50. Apart from the one being heavier than the other, I didn't find any noticeable differences in quality. Given a choice I'd prefer the NWX. But many people discount the PHA-50 quite easily - I'd encourage them to try it out once, they'll be surprised.

Like @Frederic said. Why insist on wooden keys or keys with an amount of wood in them? Check the action out in person and also construction if you can find schematics... I guess the point is do not discount non-'wooden' actions unless there is some very strong need to, which I'd appreciate if you can clarify...

No one cares about what you said when it's a plastic key.


Action has nothing to do with the material of the keys. As long as the keys are solid and don't bend no one cares about wood or not wood.

Like I said...

Just go and see it on youtube. It's plastic. The wood is there for aesthetic reasons.

Making solid plastic keys are very expensive. Cutting woodblocks as inserts is way cheaper.

That said, PHA-50 is a decent action.

And no one likes it when you are rude and argue just for argument's sake and correct "mistakes" that were not even done.


Dallon426 does. Hence this discussion on this forum. 😊

The question wasn't is it plastic. Obviously the white key core in PHA-50 is plastic.

The question was is it hollow, like Pete14 said.

There won't be much plastic between the wooden inserts (that are thicker than just a "veneer") if the core is hollow.

But in the end it doesn't really matter as long as the material strength is there and it's a pointless question unless one wants to argue just for argument's sake.

Which we of course don't.

I would recommend the VPC1. A nicely playable controller. The keytops feel good, the action isn't too light or heavy.

Sure, Dallon426 seems to care about the wood. But we don’t know if he does because of an a priori (wood = good feeling), because of the look, or whatever reason. Before replying, it would be best to understand what is the really purpose of the question… then we can reply with more sensitive answers.

I wasn’t rude. I just reminded you that “like I said” is how Kanye West replies to others.