Farfisa G-7

This has proved to be one of the easiest to use keyboards I have ever owned and it only took me a couple of days to completely master the controls. Pretty well everything can be changed if you dont like the presets and you can even create your own note by note keyboard tuning if you dont want the usual mathematical scale. Tuning is by units of 100th part of a tone. Incredible. Editing the preset sounds is easy and there are plenty of effects you can change on each sound.
The manual is adequate but, like most keyboard manuals, appears to have been translated from Chinese. Fortunately, the instrument is quite easy to understand and the manual is not much needed.
Originally sold for $2,295 the price was later dropped to $800.

The polyphony of 24 voices is plenty for most applications but, when the auto accompaniment is in use, some notes can be missing in the melody line. This can be reduced by keeping the sustain pedal down in those passages I have found.
The keyboard is nice. It has a good feel and the pressure sensitivity can be set to any desired level to give the right response.
The accompaniments in this instrument are fabulous. By far the best intros and endings I have ever heard and the backgrounds are really first rate. Amazing for an instrument in this price range.

The piano sounds are very good and I even prefer them to those of my two Yamahas. The rest of the instruments are very useable but none particularly stand out as being excellent. Overall, I think I prefer this consistency to the brilliant/awful sounds found on other instruments.
This is a very friendly instrument and seems to react well to the mood I try to put into the music.

So far the G7 has proved totally reliable. I would use it on it's own in most situations.

There has never been a problem so far and the customer support service is thus untried. There dont seem to be many references to this instrument on the internet and I have been unable to find any source of new styles, etc., It would be nice to learn of any club or group with an interest in the G7. Contact me if you would like to share any info on the instrument or websites, etc.,

If the G7 were lost or stolen I would certainly try to get another. I love it's light weight and general portability. It is simple to use and gives out a beefy sound. I have been a musician for over 20 years and currently own a Yamaha PSR 7000 and a PSR 630. My previous instruments have included top of range Rolands and I include these in the comparisons made above.

latest u.s. software version 3.something.
editing patches is fairly straightforwrd with good results, but a bit tedious as the menues are quite deep.
the manual is descent, except editing of recording takes a lot of reading between the lines.

comprehensive workstation.
I quite like the keyboard action - organy, but smooth and you can hammer as if a piano and still feel good about the response.
lots of effects - easy to use? - well, sort of, again the menues seem quite deep to me.
g-7 has memory extension if you can find the board and upgradeable software and sounds, if you can find them - we really need a g-7 club!
MIDI seems quite extensive to me, but this is my first midi keyboard/workstation.
Sequencer seems pretty phat, probably easy to use for seasoned midi person, a bit difficult for me at first, but very nice results so far.

guitar sounds are excellent as well as most others and all are tweakable.
works well for all styles I've tried, rock/jazz/folk/reggai,etc. - havn't been able to crack 5 time yet, but I know it's capable.
effects sound good to me, again menues seem extensive to me.
g-7 certainly isn't static, ample playing styles/rhythms and situations - just takes a lot of familiarization.
velocity and/or aftertouch have fairly full adjustment menue.

I've dragged this around already in nice softshell case and it still works perfectly though I've not yet used it on a gig as I've only had it about 8 months and am not yet familiar enough with it to play out, but I've been playing guitar for the past 25+ years with too much neglect to the keys.
it seems very deependable and will gig with it without worry when more familiar; songs load a bit slowly (15 seconds or so), but it has medly preload readiness if you take the time to understand it.

very helpful and willing to please; they call me from italy and england if I don't understand something; only problem is can't find user's group to easy answers fast so I'd very much like to start one.
I've added foot pedals and such, no upgrade so far; no problems or defects so far, but I don't play out with it yet. need to build users database to make informed descisions as to future use.
though I've rated them "incredibly kind and helpful" which they are, be forwarned there are not a lot of U.S. users out there so simple info is slow in gettin; BUT, for the price I paid I've got this very nice phat sounding keyboard/workstation for 20 to 40 cents on the dollar.

would like to start user's group/forum for farfisa g-7, g-8, and equivelent modules