Hi Everyone!   I did a search but I really didn't come up with too much about this, so I thoughtI'd ask.  Are there any modern keyboards/organs/pianos that can do the Farfisa or Vox sound?  Anybody ever use any of these?

                    thanks,

                              John. 

We've been using the MicroKorg XL. It's really cheap and although it's probably not the exact same sound it's close enough. Downsides are: I think we had to download the Farfisa sound from somewhere on the Korg website and it doesn't have a lot of octaves.

On a budget the new (post yr 2000) casios are sleepers - they do quite a good emulation. Such as the CTK 900. Should be able to get it for well under $200 US used.

Maybe you should try a Yamaha YC-20 combo organ...the are cheap on ebay and never brake down! And the look cool!

@ Johnny, we have two Farfisa mini compact's & they are great, but they do spend a lot of time in the shop. We've been using a Nord lately & it rocks. Check out the songs we have up on our page, that's the Nord.

The Korg PS 60 has lots of vintage keyboard sounds and is half the price of a Nord.

 

http://www.korg.com/ps60

 

On the organ tab, it has lots of hammond settings, a "vox classic" setting and "60's registars" which sounds like Johnny and the Hurricanes. You can add vibrato to any setting and change rotary speeds. There are 52 organ presets available, so there's a good bit of variety.

 

The Electric Piano has a "Old E. Piano" setting that nails the dark Wurlitzer tone. 

 

In the string section, there are some decent mellotron like settings.

 

Plus you can layer and split the settings. I use some left hand piano/right hand organ on a few songs. Most Nord models cannot have piano and organ at the same time.

here's the demo:  http://www.synthmania.com/Korg%20microKORG/Audio/Factory%20Voices/A.56%20British%20Organ.mp3

Mark_McIntyre said:

the micro korg is pretty cheap and surprisingly has a really decent Vox organ sound. http://www.synthmania.com/microkorg.htm

the micro korg is pretty cheap and surprisingly has a really decent Vox organ sound. http://www.synthmania.com/microkorg.htm

There's also this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fivHgX9XImg&feature=youtu.be

The new Korg SV-1, it's marketed as an Electric piano, however it has a really great vox sound, which you can see in the middle of this you tube demo.(around 2:39) However, it's freaking expensive. (2K). Maybe, just maybe they'd put out a cheaper, stripped down version without all the bells & whistles?? Korg, are you listening??

 

I have a two-register Farf for sale if someone is interested.

The Nord is about it so far, but I think there is a new digital Hammond coming out (SK1?) that will also have Vox sounds. I play a Hammond XK1 and it has an almost-but-not-quite voxy preset.

 

I've tried a couple of cheap old combos from E-bay but there's the question of reliabliaty and/or cost to service them

Yeah these guys are right try the Nord C3...has a Farfisa sound and Vox as well ( maybe as an upload ) good for live stuff and reliable. Keep the original keyboards for recording ( we have a Tiesco,Yamaha, Vox & Farfisa )

Yeah The Nord is it. 

We have 2 Farfisa's & a Gem (Vox Jaguar) They break constantly, and even here in LA the waiting time to get one fixed is usually around a month. The parts are getting really hard to come by.  So we bought a Nord & find ourselves using it more & more often. It's not as cool looking as the Farfisa, but  it's better than most modern keyboards.

everybody, thanks for the replies.  I would just think that in today's age of advanced electronics, there would be something more available and less expensive.  On the plus side, maybe that means that the sound isn't something that the mainstream is looking for and this style of music will stay unmolested by the mainstream.  Thanks again.

Time For Tiffin said:

Probably not what ya wanna hear but "luscevious" is spot on.

If ya issues are reliability,ease of transport and replicating the exact sound of a Farfisa or Vox it has to be a Nord.

Downsides are....they look hideous,they cost an arm and a leg,and its full of  Hammond and piano sounds ya wont use.

We spent years humping Farfisa's and Vox's around and after trying load's of cheaper option's had to bite the bullet and purchase a Nord.

Probably not what ya wanna hear but "luscevious" is spot on.

If ya issues are reliability,ease of transport and replicating the exact sound of a Farfisa or Vox it has to be a Nord.

Downsides are....they look hideous,they cost an arm and a leg,and its full of  Hammond and piano sounds ya wont use.

We spent years humping Farfisa's and Vox's around and after trying load's of cheaper option's had to bite the bullet and purchase a Nord.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Farfisa-Compact-Deluxe-Organ-No-Reserve-/300550577228?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45fa35dc4c#ht_689wt_1139 http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Farfisa-Compact-Combo-Organ-B211-/270741129485?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f096dc90d#ht_2033wt_1139

nord keyboards are famous for that, but they cost a lot...try running a search on ebay, farfisas are always available in the states