Buying "old" keyboard for my kid...

[ShouldveBeenAMusician]

Hello all.

Newbie here, so pardon if the discussion is misplaced or the question is really basic (= stupid )

My kid wants to create some background recording (basic keyboard and drums) to use while he's playing his guitar. Also, connect to a PC to record and use the recorded snippets with MagicMusicMaker. Two friends offered me (meaning = low cost) two different Roland keyboards, but I'm not sure which one would be the best one for the intended objective.

1) Roland E-5 with MSL-15 supercard
2) Roland RS-5

All input is appreciated!

 

[happyrat1]

OK, I've had a bit of time to research these instruments. The E-5 at my best guess is worth between $25 and $40, depending on condition, at a Garage Sale. It's almost 20 years old and almost qualifies as an antique in the keyboard world, and not a valuable antique like the Yamaha DX-7.

The RS-5 is a bit more modern, having come out around 2000-2001, it originally sold for around $500 to $600. Depending on condition it's worth today about $100-$230. It has multiple arpeggiators, effects and 512 voices and 64 note polyphony. If you can pick this up for your son around $150 - $225 in good condition I'd say it's a worthwhile buy for what he plans to use it for. Bear in mind that it has no built in speakers so you'll have to drop another $50 - $100 on a small, used, 20 watt or so keyboard or bass amp and a $10 cable to get him up and running.

This is probably your best buy compared to most of the stuff you could buy new today for the same money.

$300 or so would have him up and running and able to start programming some decent techno loops to start.

Gary

 

[ShouldveBeenAMusician]

Thank you very much, HappyRat. Very helpful!!

L