Fatar StudioLogic SL-990

Just plug it in to a MIDI device. Can't get much easier than that.

It's just a controller. No notable features.

The key weight is pretty heavy; much more so than most other weighted keyboards I've owned or played. That may be a turn off for some, but if you like a heavier feel then you won't be disappointed. The key sensitivity is excellent! Very responsive.

I purchased it in 1999 and I've used it for hundreds of gigs since then. Not a single problem until about 6 months ago when I encountered my first broken key during a gig (middle C of course). During a break I opened it up and discovered that a small plastic piece holding the key onto the action had broken off. Fortunately I always bring super glue to gigs. 5 minutes and it was good as new. At first I was a little disappointed upon seeing how small and seemingly fragile this piece was, but then I thought about just how long I've owned it and how much of a beating it's taken over the years. One broken key ain't bad. All things considered, it's the most reliable piece of equipment I've ever owned.

Never had any need to contact the company.

I have certainly got my money's worth. I think I paid around $500 in 1999. When it finally dies I'll most likely try to replace it with another or a more current version from the same manufacturer. Before opting for a more recent model I'll want to make sure it has EXACTLY the same action. If not, I'll definitely stick with this model. Other reviewers had made mention of the weight. It's not really that bad. It's heavy, but no more or less than anything else with weighted keys. My usual setup includes a Leslie 122 and a Hammond Porta-B so this thing is light by comparison.

I've been playing for about 15 years and I've owned 4 weighted controllers all together. I've had this one the longest. It has proven to be the most reliable and it has the best action of any of them.

Pretty intuitive. Just plug and play. No presets, natch.

Very nice weighted piano feel, This is the nearest you're likely to get for the money.

Not a whole lot to be said for sounds, as this is a controller. It is expressive though. If you're used to real pianos, this is gear you'll like.

This thing is a tank!

Haven't had to call Fatar for anything.

Love the action, love that it's 88 and not too expensive. Hate the weight of the thing. It's lighter than what I was used to, but then I gigged with a real live B-3. The fact that it is so heavy and so long makes it awkward to carry, but that's the nature of this beast. If I lost it to theft or natural disaster, I would get another one.

I bought this to be a simple MIDI controller for Reason, and it works excellently for that. I could wish it had more knobs and such to map to things, but it would clutter the simple design.

No features - but what would you want from a MIDI controller? It does what it is designed to do.

The feel's a good bit stiffer than a true piano, but then again, I didn't pay $4000 for a true piano action feel. It's excellent, as far as keyboards go.

I've had no complaints thus far. I ended up getting the floor model, and it's all there, in perfect shape. Very, very, VERY damned heavy - as another reviewer said, I'm going to break before it does.

The customer will want support, lower-back support to be specific, if they intend to lug this around with any regularity. Get a nice, solid stand, stick it in your music room, and threaten to topple it onto your nieces and nephews if they're making a nuisance of themselves.

Great keyboard for a great price. Excellent feel to the keys. You'll probably want to upgrade eventually, but this appears to be an EXCELLENT 88-key for anyone on a budget.

As this is just a keyboard with no knobs or faders, it's extremely easy to use (once you find somewhere to lug it - 20kg is not light!)
Changing banks or velocity curves is a piece of cake, and there really isn't much to be said. Plug in MIDI, plug in power, turn it on, away you go.

It may be as fully featured as a two-button joystick but it does what it does very well. The velocity curves are nice, but I can't help wishing it was a little more modifiable. No zoning and only midi-transmit on channel 1, but thats fine by me.
It doesn't feel the same as my piano, but compared to my PCR-30 this will do very nicely.

Considering the going-rate and the price that I paid for it (gotta love ebay) it's not bad at all. It doesn't touch my piano in terms of feel and action, but then it's a midi keyboard, and compared to my PR-30 it's a world away, and very much up there with performance keyboards costing ten times as much.
The velocity curves do feel a bit linear/flat, but that might be down to the configuration of piano samples that I'm playing it through rather than the keyboard itself.

I think that I'm going to break before it does, especially if I have to lug it around. Unless I drop it going down the stairs, in which case we're both screwed. No, this thing is built solid.

The only thing that needs support is my table.

Until I get a larger room or rearrange my existing one, it won't be my primary tool for composition simply because I live in a glorified closet, but this really kicks the llama's arse compared to my Edirol keyboard. A good compromise between the bulk of a piano and the versitality of a midi keyboard whilst retaining some of the feel.
Pros:
Good feel (relatively); great price (srp is about 300 quid now), 88 KEYS!
Cons:
Don't buy one unless it's being shipped or you have a car; It's 88 keys - do what I didn't and make sure you got space before you buy it. :)
Conclusion: Seriously good stuff. Just don't drop it.

Since there is really no sounds its turn it on hook up Midi cable and play.

I bought this to control Piano sounds from my synth modules and computer. I wish it would let you change midi channels but your stuck to channel 1. But for the price and PIano action just what I needed

No sounds

Only had it a week or so but I own the SL-161 and I never have had a problem with its reliability. Inline wart but no wall wart.

Never used them but can find manuals online.

For the Price I paid this is not going back. I would replace it. I own a Kurzweil PC88 and I rather play these keys for Piano feel. My need was that I was not practicing much because I didn't want to lug the PC88 back and forth from church so I got the SL-990 and boy I am glad. Got this from Guitar Center and it doesn't come with substain pedal but they through that in.

Since I don't need any advanced MIDI controls, this SL-990 with its bare bones serves me perfectly.

I bought the 990 solely for its action, nothing else. Even though it doesn't have the bells and whistles that other boards have, if you're using it to run a piano patch, this is all you'll need.

Because of its incredible action, I can get away with playing classical rep on the 990. Although I would never consider using it onstage for a real classical performance, I'm already using it for pop music gigs, even at an outdoor jazz festival where a decent Yamaha concert grand was provided, I chose to use my 990 instead with absolutely no qualms (because the extreme heat and humidity that day made the acoustic difficult to hold tune). The 990 allowed me play with an expressiveness I normally only get at an acoustic!

I've only had my 990 a couple weeks and used it on three gigs, so I can't comment on reliability. Others have commented that the chassis is flimsily constructed, but to me it doesn't seem less sturdy than other boards. I always transport it in a flight case, so the only things that will ever contact this keyboard with any intentional force are my fingers! Still, the 990's action seems MUCH sturdier than that of my previous Fatar, a Studio 88 (which is simply junk by comparison). The 990 may be the first board I feel comfortable enough to leave my backup at home.

No experience here.

This is the keyboard I've searched long and hard for. If it were lost or stolen, I would not hesitate to buy it again. The price is right. I've played over 30 years, and this is the first board I will put next to my acoustic grand to do two piano works. I love the engineering of its action (you can depress the keys slowly enough not to trigger any sound from your module). I agree with others who say the velocity curves aren't terribly varied, so this is something best controlled through the module. But, match this keyboard with the best piano module you can find, and you'll freak out at how close you get to the feel and sound of an acoustic.

Piece of cake. What features??? Just a fantastic piano action to control your synth and piano modules.

0 features. I bought it 'cause my dinasour like old rigs have busted keyboards and I needed a good, 88 key piano feel keyboard. Awesome feel.

You can'r find a more expressive controller. Played a Yamaha P80, Kork SP200, Kurzweil SP88 (YUCK!), Roland RD700 (wow...wish I could afford it...). This is the best action hands down no contest.

So far so good. I don't do gigs any more, so it won't go on the road. It's going to last about a million years in my studio.

Don't know about Fatar -- bought this from Sweetwater and they are the best.

I need a really good piano action. This is it. Please don't steal it 'cause I'll find you. I've been playing for more than 30 years and NOTHING comes close to this as far as emulating a good piano action. Like I said, Dinasaur man here uses it to control a U-20, DX7, JV1080.

Again, there just is not a better feeling piano action (other than in my old Steinway) that you can carry by yourself.

It is designed to be simple and it is. The only problem is that changing patches on the fly is cumbersome and impractical. Stick to one patch per song and there will be no problem.

Features are minimal, which is part of its simplicity. It would be nice to have pitch bend and modulation wheels and greater MIDI capability, but then reliability and price would be adversely affected.

Expressiveness would benefit from the modulation and pitch bend wheels. However, if you're playing a good piano patch from this keyboard, it can be quite enjoyable to play. The feel is solid and piano patches seem to react to velocity in a way that sits comfortably with my "sense of feel".

Patch change functions are erratic - sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. This unit came as a package with an Alesis NanoPiano and they do not work together when patched together with a simple MIDI cord, even when the NanoPiano is plugged in to the wall (rather than using MIDI "phantom power"). Strangely, the pair works when the MIDI Out on the keyboard is routed through a Thru box or a MIDI splitter (except for the "phantom power"). Stranger still, both devices work as expected with other hardware. I believe that the problem lies in the Fatar keyboard, not the NanoPiano.

This unit is more fun to use than most real pianos I get to play. The feel is not exactly authentic, but it is still satisfying to play good piano patches on it. For the price, I would definitely consider another one to replace this one, although I would first look at the "step up" model with greater MIDI features and pitch bend/modulation wheels.

Straightforward to use.

There are very, very few features. Neither bells nor whistles. See other reviews for details.

I've been very pleased with both the feel of the keyboard and its performance as a controller. The other reviews accurately represent this unit's capacities.

Watch out! Construction is flimsy. 4 out of 6 of the plastic widgets that secure the underside of the metal lid to the plastic sides snapped off more or less in unison after ~10 months ownership, with the consequence that when the lid is closed it now hangs down so low that the keyboard cannot be played without the keys hitting its lip on the upstroke, making a clanging noise and interferring with the action. It appears that these widgets were not strong enough to withstand the stress of my leaving books and CDs on the lid. I figured as an open surface it was fair game but apparantly the SL-990, though it gives the impression of sturdiness, is not built to be furniture and must be treated delicately.

It's very successful at doing what a 88-key weighted action one-channel midi controller should, and at a very reasonable price. Just don't be tempted to subject the case to any sustained stress, or you may end up, like me, propping the lid open so as to ensure the free action of the keys.

After trying this keyboard in the store and reading the reviews on this site, I thought I would add my views even though I ended up not buying it.

As others have stated, there's not much to this keyboard other than the 88 keys. So yes, its easy to use.

The main reason to get this would be for its action, which in my opinion is quite good. You're actually throwing hammers when you press the key. This is very apparent in how the action feels. I think the action is better than most digital pianos or controllers out there for precisely this reason. The action feels great, and comes very close to a real piano. Some of the reviewers below said they considered the action to be heavy. I think its actually rather light, compared to a real piano. There is alot of travel between top and bottom of the key motion, but sounds are triggered somewhere in between. That is, you're not pushing the key to the very bottom before hearing the sound.

The true hammer action means its easier on the fingers. Too many weighted action digital keyboards feel like playing on a table top, where your fingers bottom out against what feels like very hard surface. Its such a pleasure to get away from that.

I think there's a problem with the velocity sensitivity of this keyboard. Though you can adjust the velocity curve to 4 settings, there's not much of a spectrum of difference there. They all tend to be overly sensitive. This is most apparent if you're playing a patch that uses cross-switching, that is, different sounds associated with loud and soft playing. With this keyboard, even on the least sensitive velocity setting, you will be triggering the "loud" sound too easily. This might be remedied by adjusting the velocity sensitivy of the module itself. But I think before buying this keyboard, you should see how it matches up with the sound apparatus you'll actually be using.

Other reviewers said this seems solidly built. I wouldn't agree. I think the assembly quality is rather poor, and the materials not very sturdy to begin with. The side panels feel like there ready to come if they take any kind of serious hit. I think Fatar makes good products, but with this keyboard, they seem to have compromised more than usual with the quality of manufacturing. I've owned a Fatar SL-161 and it held up very well for a long time (until it was stolen).

This might be a good choice for someone who just wants very good piano-like action and doesn't need any controller functions beyond that. Right away, that puts this keyboard in a category that may not be suitable for most professionals. Also, as I noted, the velocity sensitivity could prove vexing. Make sure you investigate that thoroughly before buying.

That said, its hard to find a better piano action out there. If you're used to playing a real piano, and if need to feel that you're fingers are throwing hammers, then the vast majority of weighted action digital keyboards are not going to be satisfying. This fact has been frustrating me for years. When I played the SL-990, I felt I had finally found a keyboard that felt like playing a piano. Unfortunately, its not going to work for me because of the lack of controller function. The Kawaii MP9000 also has real hammer action, which feels great, and far more in the way of controller functionality. But the MP9000 is in a much higher price range, and is also bigger and heavier. So I'm still waiting for the perfect weighted action controller.

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.