Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards A good piano for around 500

Hi guys im learning, but im planing to buy a piano for the future, im between a digital piano or a synth

For example i have looked some

Yamaha P85 Digital
Casio PX-130
Yamaha YPG-535

If u ask me for music i will say classical and rock like queen, beatles and that stuff.

Well, MateoO, folks around here know that I'm a big supporter of the Yamaha P-85, through my own experience with the instrument in both home and gigging usage.

The sound is bright and punchy for the rock stuff, but might be a bit too lustrous for classical.

It will depend on what you play the most, and how you like your piano to cut.

Yamaha's tend to be a bit brighter than most pianos...even their acoustics are picked for their stronger tones, and of course, their digitals have the same characteristics, having been "sampled" from the former.

Personally, I like the Yamaha sound, but not everyone will agree, so expect to have a few more points of view tossed your way.

Are you able to spend some time trying these instruments out?

Snazzy

The thing you need to decide, and it can only be done by trying the pianos at the store is what kind of key action you prefer. The three DPs you listed are very different and span the full range. I'd decide which to get based on the keys, that what matters most to the person playing.

The YPG535 is "unweighted synth action keys are do not even attempt to be "piano-like" and the Casio is somewhat heavy action. The P85 is kind of between.

No i cant test any instruments because i will buy it online and then ship to my country.

Hem the thing is that whats better a digital or a synth, i think i might go for the weighted cuz its more like an acoustic piano, i alredy have a casio lk 50

Those digital dont have any effects right?

I think that if i want to record drums or some thing ill buy a synth or just use the right one that i have here.

But what do you guys prefer weighted or unweighted. also if can suggest another model for the price range would be fine.

Go with weighted. Definitely.

But wich one?

Sorry, but your post is a bit too unfocused to help you very much.

The P85 and the PX 130 are both very good pianos. I preferably went for the P85 since to me it looks like it has more quality for the money and since I only play stuff like bethoven, chopin or things based on pure grand piano that's why I went for it with its better sound quality (this opinion comes from about 30 people who think the same including myself). If you dont care so much about the tone the PX130 will do as good. However, after trying several PX 130s, I noticed that the keys on the PX 130 tend to wobble a little bit and all the keys made a sound when they hit the bottom while the P85 had them very stiff (I consider this a good thing) with no sound at impact(this is a medium to hard hit discovery of course not barely pushing the key). The PX 130 looks nicer than the P85 and I believe it has more features.

Good Luck!

ohhhh and where did you find the P85 for 500USD if that's the currency you meant. Let me know so I can try to get a discount at Guitar center or samash before I actually buy it! Thank you! If anybody else knows something lower than 600USD which is the price advertised at GC and SA let me know to see if i can manage to fit in the three pedal thingy! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's listed as 599.99 at Guitar Center and Sam Ash. I was able to bargain and got it for slightly less. But I took the first offer. They may give a bigger discount if you buy accessories with it.

heck no i didnt fount it in 500 i just say for around 500, its 600 at amazon with free shiping.

So Yamaha P85? thats the one?

Well Mateo I dont want to be the sole consideration of your decision since I don't see any of the posts above leaning towards anything other than Snazzy. You should definitely do at least 3 days worth of research. Since you cant test the pianos. Listen to as much videos of the pianos you are considering that will hopefully be recorded with something good to make you notice the sound difference. Key factor: if you see a video where the person is using the lowest octaves in a piece while no bass sound is coming into your ears then you should move on to another video. This I say because I saw several videos where the piano sounded like a 20 dollar baby piano and you CANNOT use that to decide what you want. You also want to make sure as close as you can that they are not using amplifiers to make it sound better unless you will be eventually doing that which I have been recommended thoroughly and will probably do in the future. Visit their official brand websites and read all you can about it so you can come up with questions we can answer in a more concrete way. Also look around the forums for topics including PX130 and P85 so you can see what might have been said previously.

I don't mention the YPG 535 because in my opinion that choice goes right out the window without the hammered keys and I hope you throw it out the window TOO!

If you dont feel like doing research which I strongly advise you DO, because you need to get it soon either for christmas or any other soon-to-come-occasion and you pick the P85 I'm pretty sure you wont be dissapointed and my conscience will be clean!

Good luck again!

How low were you able to go with them? A guy at the store told me to ask them for 10% off, He seemed awkwardly certain they would so I guess I'll go for it when I go buy it and maybe be able to throw in the 3 pedal unit. I'm hoping they have the L85 stand there as well so I dont have to wait any longer.

By the way if anyone considers the PX 130 and is planning to buy it at guitar center where it sells for 500 last time I checked. tell them you found it for $400USD at www.provantage.com (if you look for it in that site, that's really what it sells for!) and the'll knock $100 off right away! someone told me he did that and I tried it to and they agreed at GC plus they have something on their site guaranteeing you that discount! if they DONT they are offering it at samash for $450 in store only I believe since online still shows 500!

Guitar Center took $50 off. Sam Ash was only offering me $15. I therefore walked out. Sam Ash did ask if I was getting anything else with it. So, you may get more off, since you were looking into the pedals. I've seen someone else online say they got $100 off various other things from GC. Plus it pays to be recognized as a frequent visitor.

Ok i watched some videos of both but i dont know i think im going for the yamaha but if i buy it it would be the next gear first i need to learn with my shity piano then if i succes (so if i like it a lot) ill buy the piano.

Also theres one at ebay for like 670Us with stand, ac adapter and case


Also any pedal suggestion?

Well you definitely need to try the piano first before you commit to it. Don't spend 400-700 dollars for no reason. I learned some excellent pieces on an $80 piano as well before I decided to go for something more expensive you should do the same now that you shared that important piece of info.

About the pedal I might just stay with the one it comes with, while I get used to it since I've never used it ( I know what it is for! all three! :P) before. I've heard about the M-Audio SP2 Piano Style Sustain Pedal a couple of times so it might be a good option. and there's a three pedal unit called the LP5 for the P85 that costs about 74 dollars which you should only get if you are serious about the instrument in my opinion and which I'm hoping I can get with the discount.

Theres alredy people who have tested them and say its good, i cant test it i live in Colombia.

Yeah I understand that you can't test them, Last post I meant you should try the piano first as an instrument that you're really willing to consider for a long time before you go and spend de 1 a 1.4 millones de pesos :P I'm from Colombia too, and that's a lot of money I wouldnt want to throw down the drain should you decide to not play the piano in the future

Try what I did, give it a couple of months before you decide to buy something more serious. I used my friend's cheap piano for one whole year until I decided to buy something more serious. If I see this goes well further and I successfully learn to read music again...which I forgot. then I'll probably buy a real acoustic one later on in my life.

Both the Yamaha and the Casio have very weak built-in speakers that do not make justice to their sound potential. I would suggest you to consider a pair of studio monitors (M-audio make some decent ones for less than $ 200).
Personally I would choose the P-85 because the keys on the Casio are really too wobbly and this bothers me as a sign of inferior quality.