Yamaha MR-500T questions

[lparsons21]

There is one of these available locally but I don't have a clue about Yamaha values. Where would this fall in the pricing? They are asking $400 and it is as usual, in 'excellent condition'.</p>

Compared to my Technics EA5?? </p>

thanks</p>

</p>

[andyg]

Re: Yamaha MR-500T questions



Hi Lloyd</p>

This is an OK little Yamaha. Good overall spec, though I was never too keen on the fiddly 'roller' menus and thought the sound on some voices was a bit on the thin side. Not a patch on your Technics though, as you'll hear if you go and look at it.</p>

$400 is, as always, a forlorn hope these days. Divide by 5 or even 10, maybe. There are larger and newer HS models on eBay UK right now for £40 with no takers, a US-1 for £99, even an HX5 for a 'buy it now' £100, and a couple more MR's and MC's for as little as £1 with no reserve. Would be surprised if values were much different stateside as you often seem to have more of them for sale than we do, and we have plenty right now!</p>

Andy
</p>

[lparsons21]

Re: Yamaha MR-500T questions



Thanks for the info, especially the value. I'm not as familiar with the Yamaha line as I am with some others. 'Thin' sound on a Yamaha isn't anything new, or at least on some models. The few I've seen were a tad thin on some voicings, imo.</p>

I'd love that 3 keyboard Yamaha, or hell, I'd love to get my hands on a Wurly 950TA too. That Orbit Synth that Wurlitzer had on many models was a real hoot to fiddle with.</p>

</p>

[OrgansR4Me]

Re: Yamaha MR-500T questions



I've only dabbled in Yamaha through my years of collecting, but there are good ones out there. I had a great experiece with one of the 3 manual FS spinets (I always have to look up those model numbers between the FS and the FX family so please forgive me if I am not citing the right model).</P>


Now I began working on a 405S for an acquaintance as you may have read in recent posts and I purchased one that became available to become more familiar with it's operation and layout. So far I have found it a sweet little instrument. It has alot of the synth era features and controls I don't understand yet, but I was able to download the owners manual very easily.</P>


Negotiate for the Yamaha if you really like it. As Andy says there aren't many takers these days and the seller is sure to realize you are making a good offer when no one else bids. Only someone stubborn enough to let an organ sit idle and unused would refuse to take whatever they can get. The market place is the market place and all the best intentions at setting high "emotional" values won't change the fact that many instruments are being given away.</P>


I'm just too ill to get a truck and go get the free baldwin on the post tonight. When a Baldwin Cinema is free in one of the largest cities in the South you know there is no market for used organs! Be patient. The seller will take the hint before too long.</P>


I got my 405 for $188 including tax and delivery. It is a two manual organ but 49 notes per manual, and really loaded with features; so I think it was a pretty good deal. Goodwill stores mark their items down every week, but waiting can prove problematic because children play with the instruments and sometimes break things while you wait out the markdowns. Since I was interested in this particular organ and it was very clean I negotiated what I though would be my best deal.</P>

[crossyinoz]

Re: Yamaha MR-500T questions



G'day Lloyd,</P>


The MR Yammys were an interesting proposition, we imported small sample quantities of each then decided not to go ahead for the Australian market thinking that we could not justify a higherwholesale price to our dealers based on our landed cost, than the equivalent MC models for what was really one additional feature, something we were able to do at the time being a locally owned distributor with the capacity to make our own decisions about which of the plethora of instruments Japan were attempting to shove down our throats would suit our market in which we already had by a country mile the dominant share.</P>


Back then we were only starting to digest the concept ofthis new domestic electric piano with a funny name that had all the automatic features of an Electone (use of the word "organ" by then was not permitted so as to keep us at arms length from those brands that had died &amp; those that were by then looking decidedly wobbly) that the Japs assured us would take up the slack from what they believed (rightly) to be a home organ (Oops!) market in serious decline. Whoever made that statement must have picked up the wrong fortune cookie for morning tea in the Hamammatsu staff canteen.</P>


As for its value, I can only compare it to its close sibling, MC200, which in our market would pull somewhat more than Andy's $400 divide by 10. In fact our used organmarkethas been remarkably bouyant of late. Australia is currently the only developed economy not to suffer recession, none of our banks have fallen over and there's a fair bit of cash floating around. Not suggesting they all sell, but our eBay opening prices are considerably higher than those in the UK, which really got hit for six &amp; has got a lot of recovery ahead. Could have been worse, the poor sods could have had a Tory government. (whatever happened to Ironpants Thatcher?)</P>


The 3 manual Yammy you mentioned, D85 (415 to you) for example, has been pulling up to AUD$750 here recently, not so its only serious competitor, the Lowrey D325 Holiday, itself a fine instrument.</P>


As for thin sound, you wantthin sound? Try a Kawai X330, same vintage, similar price to the MR, and you'll soon know what listening to a Sapporo Seaweed Beer Can is like!</P>


BUT if you negiotate an agreeable price AND the MR comes with a pile of the product specific software that was available, you can bet you'll be the only bloke on the block, maybe the city, to have one!</P>


Kam-pai,</P>


Ian</P>
<P mce_keep="true"></P>

[lparsons21]

Re: Yamaha MR-500T questions

[quote user="OrgansR4Me"]

I've only dabbled in Yamaha through my years of collecting, but there are good ones out there. I had a great experiece with one of the 3 manual FS spinets (I always have to look up those model numbers between the FS and the FX family so please forgive me if I am not citing the right model).</p>

Now I began working on a 405S for an acquaintance as you may have read in recent posts and I purchased one that became available to become more familiar with it's operation and layout. So far I have found it a sweet little instrument. It has alot of the synth era features and controls I don't understand yet, but I was able to download the owners manual very easily.</p>

Negotiate for the Yamaha if you really like it. As Andy says there aren't many takers these days and the seller is sure to realize you are making a good offer when no one else bids. Only someone stubborn enough to let an organ sit idle and unused would refuse to take whatever they can get. The market place is the market place and all the best intentions at setting high "emotional" values won't change the fact that many instruments are being given away.</p>

I'm just too ill to get a truck and go get the free baldwin on the post tonight. When a Baldwin Cinema is free in one of the largest cities in the South you know there is no market for used organs! Be patient. The seller will take the hint before too long.</p>

[/quote]</p>

That Baldwin Cinema caught my eye too and I don't even want a Theater Organ. I'm well enough and have enough time to go get it for the cost of gas and a trailer rental, but I don't have enough urge or really any place to put it if I had it.</p>

As to the Wurlys with Orbit Synth, I love 'em. That synth is a hoot to play with.</p>

My problem is that I need another organ like I need another hole in my head. I don't really have room unless I want to haul one up to the 2nd story, and my Technics EA5 is so versatile. But I keep looking and hoping one will come along so cheap and so interesting that I won't be able to turn it down.</p>

</p>

[lparsons21]

Re: Yamaha MR-500T questions



Hi Ian,</p>

While out at my local dealer's shop the other day, he showed me 2 organs he'd like to unload as he is up to his keester in used organs.</p>

A Lowrey LX500 and a Yamaha MC-600. </p>

That MC-600 is tiny! I was amazed at how small it looks. Hooked up the power and turned it on. Surprisingly better than its looks and size would indicate. Since then I downloaded the manuals for the MC and MR series and noted that they are literally the same organ, but the MR has a ROM music book, which is never explained that I saw.</p>

I may just offer him a $50 bill and see if he'd take it for the MC-600. It's small enough I could put in the the loo and play while doing other things... :)</p>

</p>

[Guest]

Yamaha 500 MR

Forget it. The 500 MR DOES NOT have MIDI . The 700 MR does.
Each 500 MR manual is only 6 notes polyphonic. You have 10 - fingers. Stupid idea.
I paid $22. for mine. Only bought it because I could transport in my Kia Soul.
I will throw it away what I find something better.
Albert