If your budget can take it, look at the Juno-D also. As a first synth I want to steer clear of synths that need a lot of button pushing to edit, nice though the Juno-D is. I want an old skool type synth so I can hear what I`m doing if I tweak that knob or push that slider. At the moment it`s a clos...

Yes I`ve heard the `201`s construction is pretty c**p. Thing is it WOULD be used live!
I`m slowly steering more towards the JP8000, "ancient" though it is. Have to try to look for some vids on YT that DON`T make out it`s only any good for trancey stuff....

Have to say reading the reviews the JP8000 is a good synth. Any opinions?

I play guitar in a rock covers band and feel a synth could make us somewhat more flexible. I was originally looking at the Gaia but just can`t get over it`s Fisher Price styling! The JP8000 has been suggested, but it`s a bit too old, for instance I like the fact the `201 has USB. The SH201 has also ...