Nord Electro 3HP - Still Worth it in 2024?

[offsetomaha]

Hey all!

It's been a few years since I've owned a keyboard (Yamaha), and I'm looking to move into the Nord world for home playing/occasional gigging. As much as I want to jump in and get the most expensive model/nicest keybed, my wallet would not be happy with me, so I'm looking into used options. The Electro series is a great compromise on weight / playability for me (I would go for the Piano if I was only playing at home and weight wasn't a factor).

I found a decent enough deal on an Electro 3HP, so I wanted to gather some opinions from you Nord experts; is it still worth it in 2024? I would primarily be using piano / wurlitzer / rhodes patches.

[pterm]

Hi and welcome to the Forum!
I purchased my 3HP in 2012 and it remains a reliable and enjoyable instrument to play. I don't gig it though and haven't updated sounds on it in years.

The HP action is "piano-like", and produces some "thuds' due to the weighted hammer action. I normally play with headphones at home, so this does not bother me, but it occasionally bothers others in my home. When amplified, I notice the keybed noise when playing piano/pianissimo and recently found this got worse as some of the side panel screws had loosened over the years (but improved when I tightened them).

If you haven't already done so, find a 6HP or other HP action Nord to play. The HP action is a compromise for weight and playability and some people do not like it.

Since the 3HP is approximately 12 years old, I think one risk is the age of the components: All electronics age more quickly with heat, so a heavily gigged unit has more "mileage" on it.
Also, all flash memory wears out depending on it's age and how many times it's been erased/reprogrammed. This affects the OS and sound storage:
Check the OS release (it appears on the display at power up e.g., "3.16") to see if the unit you intend to purchase is up to date. If it's not up to date, ask the seller to update it before purchase (and verify that it continues to function). If possible, get the seller to demonstrate the loading of a new sound using the Nord Sound Manager. Once programmed, the memory usually remains reliable, but you need to consider how often you need to update sounds for your gigging. --If you need to update sounds regularly, consider if you can afford a newer model .

My best,
-pterm

[Normski]

It really depends on what the price is.
(I found a decent enough deal)
If you let us know price and condition, im sure youll get more advise.
Cheers Norm

[Rusty Mike]

If you’re strictly looking at piano/electric piano sounds, the Electro 3 is a bit behind the curve. Nord’s latest piano samples need more memory than the E3 has, and the newer generation of samples are not backward compatible to the E3/4.

I would suggest, if your wallet can afford it, is to look to the Electro 5 or 6 if you can. Alternatively, look for the Nord Piano 3 or newer, which also support the newer libraries. They are not as common as the Electro, but you may be able to find a decent deal.