Fatar StudioLogic SL-990

Too easy to use; Very basic; Closer to plug & play than Windows!!! (Yes, I do love macs - but work extensively with those Windows/PCs!!!)

This is a minimalist controller fo those who want a weighted keyboard feel. The midi capabilities are limited to the basic function. No pitch bend or modulation wheel; one midi out; no midi in or thru. It getas the job done.

Keyboard feels nice and a little heavier than most other weighted controllers. This is great for building the chops. Next best thing to an acoustic piano.

It arrived with FIVE KEYS limp!!! Thanks to a previous reviewer, I opened it up and the fix was easy. Otherwise, it's so basic and I've had it for about 4 months with no other problems.

With the price and my need for a weighted controller, this was a great buy for the money. If lost or stolen, I'd probably buy again for the same price new. Otherwise,considering the market, I'd add a little more money and get a weighted synth like a Q8 or KT76 or TS12. I bought it new thru an auction w/warranty. Even with the limp key problem, this was a great bargain.

The purposeful design of basic midi triggering makes this unit perfect to install in an unrestorable grand case.

I have installed two SL990s into two junked acoustic pianos-a console and a small grand for two students. Minimum alterations were needed for the SL990 to slip into the piano cases. For those who want tyhe appearance of an acoustic grand (buy one at a hospital auction for $200 and remove EVERYTHING (strings, harp, action, pin block etc). A small amp and small speakers can be installed discreetly and the original sustain pedal rod can activate a switch. The SL990 is perfect for "grand conversions" It can rest wherethe action sast before ofr you can take it out of the chassis. Forget warranties! For the bargain price you don't need a warranty anyway.

The feel is very close to an acoustic piano. Best to work with the velocity scaling of the piano module rather than use the scales of the Fatar

Simplicity of design

Fatar seems very closed lipped about their units. A shop manual should be available to anyone but isn't.

I own or have purchased various Fatar controllers since circa 1990. Studio 90s, SL880s, AT two private academies where I am the artist in residence I chose the SL990s and SL880. I still have a ST900 for personal gigs which had the features I needed.

Setting up this one was no problem once it was on a good stand. Its pretty heavy and will wobble when played unless your stand has a wide base. Table-top would be fine. I was pleased to see that it came with a sustain pedal (switch not analog) although I chose to use a Casio one I was used to. A midi lead would have been nice though. The power button is hard to find hidden away at the back. You have to scrabble about a bit with your fingers if you can't get your head behind it because, like me, you have other gear above it. However, because of the recessed nature of the button it will not accidently get turned off if someone or something knocks into it. I'll mark it high for ease of use because I bought a second one for my technophobic mother-in-law and she has no problems using it!

This is my first full size, hammer-weighted, keyboard so I don't have others with wwhich to compare the action. I bought it for my kids to learn piano on and for that it should do fine. It has three buttons on top with which (in combination with middle octave keys)to select program, bank and veloicty curve changes. It only outputs on midi channel 1 and no split or layer modes are available (unlike the SL-880). But my sound module (Korg N1R) can overcome this limitation. I'll mark it low for features but bear in mind this is reflected in the price!

Velocity response is ok and the range of preset curves (6?) would cover most playing styles I guess. There is no aftertouch response that I am aware of. Having been used to a light synth keyboard in the past, I find the hammer action very restricting for playing certain patches (organs, pads etc.) but for piano sounds it is fine. I don't like the feel of the black keys. They have a matt finish (anti-slip?)that contrasts with the glossy white keys and I find that distracting.

After a week of playing one of the (lower octave) keys went limp. Because of the time and expense of shipping it back to the retailer I decided to investigate myself and opened it up. This was quite straightforward (3 screws each end) and the top panel hinges up nicely to reveal the works. The defunct key had jumped its anchor point and was fixed with a simple push (took all of 5 seconds). I checked the other keys and some were about to do the same so I suspect the assembly of these things is a little rushed. Still its easily fixed as long as nothing more serious happens to it. I'll have to mark it down for this but maybe I was just unlucky.

No dealings yet.

In conclusion I think that in time I may grow to like this mother. For now I still prefer to play my sounds using a Casio CZ1 as controller but that probably reflects the type of patches I use. For piano playing/training this model is a very cost effective investment given its full-size, piano action 88-key, metal body construction. I think it will probably find its way into many school/college music rooms.

This is basically just a set of 88 hammer-action keys, plus 3 buttons for controller
functions. I'm not sure I like the controller buttons - you press one down and select
the parameter value with the keyboard. You can't say it isn't easy to remember and use, though.
But I didn't buy this unit for
its controller functions, I just needed the best hammer action for the price.
My NanoPiano sits right on top of it and is just as easy to reach and easier to
program/edit as from the controller.

This is a raw controller with limited features. If you need lots of
sliders, buttons, patch editing, etc. look elsewhere.
If you need a great piano-like keyboard with basic MIDI
functionality to drive your sound module, this board is
very hard to beat. We played all digital pianos and controllers that
we could get our
hands on, Kurzweils, Yamahas, Korgs, Rolands, Alesis DG8, and none comes close.
This is the closest to a good real piano as you can get.
It is better than most cheap to medium priced real pianos.

Together with the Alesis NanoPiano module this makes a great digital
piano at a price that noone else can beat. Expressiveness is wonderful,
close to a high-end upright piano. It lets you tickle the most out of your sound source.
I would expect that any other good piano module and most synth modules
work great with this controller, too.

Seems really sturdy and well built. Ours is just getting home use, but
I would not be afraid to take the Studiologic on tour.

Never had to call them.

I bought the Studiologic 990 bundled with the Alesis NanoPiano,
a VFP25 pedal and a stand for $799. That's a great price for a great product.
It does everything I need from it and more. The bundle is basically a substitute for
a dedicated digital piano. Comparable setups would retail for $2000 and up,
and I am not convinced that I would like them better.
I'd buy another Studiologic controller in a heartbeat.

The way they made to oprate this keyboard is wired and somehow childish, as you press and hold a function button they press the keys that represents different numbers. The manual is just a piece of paper, and it explains it pretty well.

The action is the most concerned, since it's what this keyboard's all about. I have never had a chance to try it before I buy, 'cause in Canada there's really no or maybe a very few store carry it. The first touch wasn't as impressive as trying Roland and Korgs, but after a week of playing, it is a good keyboard, and it has its own characters. I went to try the Roland and Korg weighted keys after I bought Fatar a week, and that's the time I realized how deep Fatar keys are than others, compare to Fatar, Rolands are way to light, and Korgs are way less deeper, Yamaha is somewhere in between.
Fatar uses real hammers, you can tell by slightly moving the keys up and down. Of course you have to get use to it, let the fingers find out how to take the most control over the hammers. One thing for sure, if you can play on this one good, you can play on others even better. Don't spoil the fingers.

Since there's no sound on board, I will just explain my setup. I use Sl-990 as a master to control my XP-30, the Fatar is much more senstive than XP-30's, even I use the most less senstive Velocity Curve, it dosen't make much different, so I have to re-edit the patch, but after a whole my fingers know how to control it better, however, I think Fatar can do a better job on the Velocity Curve, although is has 8 levels(4 positive 4 nagtive), the last four is totally not usable to my (it makes harder playing sounds softer and sofe playing sounds hard), the 4 positive needs larger scale in between. Keys are very good quality. Well built.

Seem to be good.

Not having any yet. Possibility maybe be the crapy power adapter.

It's a good alternative choice besides those big names, it's good value of money. I have tried some weighted keys like Roland RD-100, 600, A-30,90, Korg Trinty ProX, although it's not as easy to play as those, but I start to like it after a whole, 'cause its keys are heavy and deep, but that's what a piano is all about, plus, look at the price, I can only get a Roland A-30 in our town for this much money. There's something I don't understand about Fatar, why don't you guys build the power adapter inside keyboard, it all empty inside, you can tell by knoking on the front panel. Make bigger ads in more magzine, you guys make good keyboards! I have to look up more than 5 different magzine to just find your phone number.

Ths SL990 is a very simple 88-key weighted midi controller. The manual is a single sheet of paper and the options that normally make a keyboard "complex" just aren't there in this model. Changing what few options there are are managed by pressing a button for the option and then entering the value using keys on the keyboard. There is no feedback as to what you are changing so this takes some getting used to.

This is not a sound module, so polyphony is irrelevant. It does transmit via midi (channel one only) to an external sound module, and is limited only by the "sound" capabilities of that external module (or modules). The reason I bought the SL-990 was for the keyboard action. According to the documentation, it is a "regulated" weighted hammer action for a true piano feel. I have to agree, it's probably among the best things out there in the price range. You can't split the keyboard or transmit on anything other than channel 1, but you do have control over the velocity scaling transmitted by the keyboard, and you can send patch change information.

The keyboard is very responsive and feels great! I use it to control various Alesis, Roland, and Korg gear. It has no sounds of its own.

I cannot attest as to its reliability. It worked right out of the box and is SOLID!

Haven't dealt with them.

If it were lost or stolen, I'd replace it with something that can transmit on more than one midi channel and could be split into various "zones." I really like the action of the keyboard, which is why I bought it. I only use it to maintain/practice proper piano technique, and normally play synths. For the limited capabilities it possesses, I think the retail price should be in the $350 range rather than $550. Go for a used one if you can find it!

Very easy to use, since the only controls besides the actual keys are the bank, program and shape change buttons. The manual is just a sheet of paper explaining the few features this controller has. I got up and playing in no time.

The keyboard is weighted, and resembles a real piano keyboard quite succesfully. The keys are really heavy, so playing organ or drumkits with this is really hopeless. SL-990 comes with a sustain pedal option, and just one MIDI Out port. I wish it had a volume/expression pedal option also.

The feel of the keyboard is excellent for piano stuff. Since it's just a controller, it doesn't come with its own sounds. I give 10 for the keyboard action, 0 for sounds :-)

It's VERY heavy. And because of this, I can imagine that it'll last beyond the millenium and more. One thing is for sure - I won't take this to rehearsals and gigs, it's just too heavy to move.

I have no experience with the manufacturer.

SL-990 is a great simple keyboard for playing piano sounds. It is very sturdy, and the keys are good quality. For the price I paid I think it's worth it. Fatar makes a lot of different controllers to choose from, so it's easy to choose exactly what one needs from a controller.