Thoughts on the Yamaha Motif...and Nord?

[gtrdave]

I'll start by saying that I'm a guitar player. 

Now that that's out of the way, my church is looking to buy a new keyboard. Our current main board is a Kurzweil PC88 that we've owned for 10+ years and it still works well, but it sounds dated. A lot of the synth patches are just bad.
So, we're looking to upgrade and the Motif seems to be the current #1 choice, specifically the MO8 model.
Any thoughts on it? My keys players are trying various Motifs at whatever local stores carry them.
btw: We're a non-denom church, very culturally diverse and play primarily a modern/CCM style of worship w/ a hint of Gospel.

I'm also curious about the Nord keyboards. I see those at a lot of modern churches, but none of our local music shops have them.
Anyone have any experience with them?

Thanks. 

[maestrocohen@aim.com]

I have a MO8 and its an decent board, however it wouldn't be considered a 'Motif'. I have had the privilege of playing the Nord 73 and its electric piano's and organ's are very nice, if that's what you're looking for. The Motif is an all around great board flexible and has great sounds. Another Board I would suggest looking at is the MOX series and also give the Korgs either the Korg Krome or it's bigger brother the Kronos X.

[GospelEngineer]

You'd be better off getting a Motif ES or even an original Motif than a MO8. I would only get the MO as a second board. The MOX series is the update for the MO8.

Right now the new Korgs are the best boards at in my opinion. I'm planning on getting a Krome myself.

I really like the Nords, their sounds are excellent, but they are expensive.

[gtrdave]

I stand corrected. The MOX8 is the one we're looking at.

Yeah, the Nord keyboards are pricey, but they seem to deliver the goods...and they look so cool in red, too. 

[under13]

I'd go with the Motif as it is built better. The Keys on the MO8 are not the best and they don't play as nicely as the Motif. Also, if the board player likes to layer and split sounds, the MO8 can't handle that without running out of polyphony and dropping notes.

[berbie]

I have had a Motif XS 76 key for about 6 years(since they first came out) and I think that it excells in many areas; sounds, performances, an excellent keybed, and it is built like a tank. I have had no trouble at all with mine.  I might mention, though, that even though the keybed is as smooth as butter and solid as a rock, I have finger pain if I play it exclusively. I can't for the life of me figure out why, since I really like the keybed. I like the board so well that I keep it anyway.  It is a very comprehensive board.

I don't really know about the Nord.