I got a bit triggered by that "sub-$1k keyboard" of yours. I mean, you are totally right, this is a typical product for that price, i.e. this is a "normal" market price for this kind of product… But, man, I just can't get over the fact how ridiculously overpriced these things are! These are such simple devices, so much easier to produce than "classical" music instruments. Yet because of small market and the product being somewhat of a "professional tool" we still get these pretty basic keyboards for $1k+ and behave as if it's a totally fair price because of hammer action and stuff (and take it for granted that $500 devices should have shitty keyboards).
Sure, good mechanics are worth something, but (especially when talking about midi-keyboards) it's the only thing that's complicated in these devices, and it isn't that expensive to produce.
>I just can't get over the fact how ridiculously overpriced these things are!
Surely you understand that you're paying for value, and what's valued here is the combination of the software engineering, hardware design, and the cost of manufacturing, assembling, packaging, warehousing, and shipping the final product.
Korg were blowing out the Opsix on Reverb four months ago for $329.
That's about $50 more than a set of nice cello strings.
Sure, good mechanics are worth something, but (especially when talking about midi-keyboards) it's the only thing that's complicated in these devices, and it isn't that expensive to produce.