I wanted to take some time to thank the good folks at Yamaha for creating the Reface line in general, but the YC, in particular. I've long felt that new keyboards have long concentrated on just getting a good Hammond sound in, with any combo organ being a sort of extra. At best, there have been the Nords with their organ section including a Farfisa and a Vox. Even so, it's been my personal feeling that the organ is more marketed to the Hammond gang rather than the combo fans. With the Reface YC, it feels like this it's very much about the combo organs. Yamaha, of course, recognized that a Hammond was necessary, but the keyboard as a whole feels like it's far more about the combo organ. And for that I thank them. I've been crazy about combo organs for a few decades now. I probably still own at least 20, and have likely sold (or traded away) a good 15-20 others over the years. And there are a few I'd still love to get my hands on, although that will only happen given a good price. I do, after all, only have so much room.

When someone on the ComboOrgan discussion group linked to the announcement of the Reface YC last July, I read every review I could find and watched every video demo, as well. I *wanted* one. When they officially came out, my wife got me one as an early birthday present. She also got me a 61-key controller - something I've never owned, as I've always played vintage organs and electric pianos onstage - as she knew that I would be way more comfortable playing full-size keys.

I fell in love with my Reface as soon as I played it. Not only could I hook it up to a controller, but I could also go outside or sit on the couch, etc. and play it on its own. But it was the sounds that made me fall in love with it. These were GREAT combo organ sounds. (And yes, I was also quite pleased with the Hammond.) Admittedly, it took me a couple months before I found settings that made me believe the Farfisa was more than just a good combo organ sound and actually a damn good representation of a Farfisa Combo Compact. But fooling around one day, I did find some settings that really gave me the Combo Compact sound I've always loved Farfisa for.

In fact, I think Yamaha has done a great job at all the organ sounds they've included. I'm guessing that the Ace Tone they chose was the Top-5, although I have no way of doing a side by side comparison as I sold mine a couple years ago. For the life of me, I'll never figure out the popularity of that model. The Top-5 is pretty limited in its sonic palette, whereas the Top-8 has so much more going for it. Unfortunately, my Top-8 has been out of commission for awhile. I suppose I should've had it repaired ages ago, but it went out not long after I fell in love with the Yamaha YC-20, which has been my gigging organ for close to 15 years...Until the Reface YC came along and saved my back, while at the same time giving me more sounds to choose from.

Some combo organists argue that there are too many drawbars for this to be a true version of certain combos. To that, I say, "Nobody's forcing you to use all of them." Besides, rather than getting roped into an exact sound, why not just use this as something that lets you jump off and work with something new? Had many of these combos been produced further into the future, they would not have kept the exact same feature set. So think of this as an evolution. (In fact, Arturia has gone pretty far with their own ideas of a more fully featured Vox Continental...but that's software, not a keyboard.)

I'm also pretty damn happy with the effects on here. While I have yet to fall in love with a digital reverb, this one is pretty good as they go. The rotary speed effect is damn good, as are the percussions, vibrato and the distortion. I have to admit to going to town cranking up the distortion while playing at home. I suspect the next band I form will employ a good deal of distorted combo sounds. I feel an urge to get nasty.

Now...How about a Reface Pro line with 61 full-size keys? I just love the idea of this gorgeous red Reface YC at full size sitting on a Yamaha stand. (Considering they still make a stand that looks pretty close to the old YC stand, this would be GREAT.)

Once again...THANK YOU, Yamaha, for the Reface YC.