Why not consider the Studiologic 49-key hammer action controller?, I'll bet most travel with a net or notebook--add a sampled piano, and you're in business. Here's a link:

http://www.studiologic.net/vmk-149.html

Just checking out M-Adio Key Studio 49i , it doesn't seem to say if the keys are weighted, or graded, does anyone know please?
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Yes, that is a very good idea, one that I have also had in mind these past several years. Since neither Yamaha nor Roland want to pick up the ball, perhaps we could petition Honda to bring one to market.

My idea of the perfect travel piano would be one with a built-in case, an historically correct 61-key compass with hammer-action keys, and built-in rechargeable battery. I am quite certain there is a sufficient market for such an instrument to recoup development costs, if a company already involved in DP technology were to commit to it.

My gripe about currently available 61-key instruments: why is middle C not in the middle? This is not historically correct, and precludes one from playing so much early classical music, like all of Mozart and Haydn and early Beethoven up to the Op. 49 sonatas. Not to mention Bach, Handel and Scarlatti.

I make my living as a merchant mariner, and dragging around an 88-key DP just to be able to keep my technique up is such a hassle.

I know this is an old thread, but obviously it covers a topic that just won't go away.

Cheers,

Craig

http://www.fatar.com/Studiologic/Pages/VMK_149.htm

This one claims to be:
49 full size keys with Grand Touch® Hammer Action

-under 20 lbs
-don't know if it is still available

In the m-audio line, the "Axion" and "key station" series are both semi-weighted" the others are non-weighted. So if yu want the short keyboard the best you can do is semi-weighted. An I'm pretty sure they mean this literally too in that they are not hammer action keys but only have small weights glued to the under sides of the keys and key return is via a spring.

The studiologic controls has fatar keys, I think Korg uses these and they are acceptable.

To the person who wanted middle C in the center: You can transpose the keyboard in octaves and assign midel C to any C key you want.

About making a cover, so that the keyboard is it's own flight case: the problenm is the lack of shock resistance. A flight (by definition and ATA requirements) case needs to provide two things (1) Two inches of padding between the case shell and the item inside the case and (2) a water tight seal. If you don't have these two things you can't make a damage claim and insurance will not pay. What you would have is a "road case" that might be good enough as long as you never checked it as baggage.

Peter Moll, are you still using the 53-key Yamaha you described in this old thread?

Still happy with it?

Have you come across any better alternatives?

If the VAX-77 had been available then, would you have considered it instead of doing custom modifications?