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Hi,


I'm looking to buy a used digital model for my daughter and I don't really want to commit to anything serious until I'm sure my 5 years-old daughter does want to pursue. There's someone selling Yamaha CLP-120 for $500. Is this a good deal? I did some research and it seems that the model is not too bad. Plus, how do I know that everything is working?

On 2nd note, there's a piano broker agreed to sell Kawai CA63 for $2500 including everything (bench, delivery, and tax). If the CLP-120 is not good, most likely, I will get this Kawai. Is this a good deal too?

Thanks,

Stanley

Thanks,

The Kawai CA63 has that company's latest action and sampling technology - it is a long way ahead of the CLP120 - but is five times the price. That is a lot of money to spend if the only person to play it will be your young daughter - whose interest may not have been established yet. As to the Kawai's price, I can't say if that's a good deal or not.

To check a used piano, listen for strange sounds when you turn it on - hissing, humming, crackles etc. Turn the volume control up and down to see if such noises become more apparent. Test every key at different volumes to make sure they all work and respond as they should. Also check for excessive side-to-side play in the keys, and listen out for excessive mechanical "clattering" when the keys are depressed, indicating wear. Test all the buttons to ensure that you can access every sound, effect and menu item. Check that the damper and soft pedals work, and if you're not sure about how to test the middle sostenuto pedal, get someone who knows pianos to go with you.

You might also want to find a new Casio Privia PX-130 to compare with the Yamaha. New, they go for somewhere between $400 and $500 and make excellent pianos for beginning students. They are lightweight, compact and offer a sound that is probably at least as good as the CLP120.

Think about resale if your daughter doesn't take to piano. With the Kawai, you are likely to lose a substantial sum once it becomes secondhand - not because it's a poor product, but simply because, like a car fresh out of the showroom, it is no longer new. You might get your money back on the CLP120 if it's in excellent cosmetic and electrical condition, and you'd probably lose $100 or so on the Casio.

As an aside, if I had a spare $2500, I'd be very tempted to buy a CA63.

You can buy a brand new digital piano that is well suited to a young beginner for $500. Several companies make DPs in that price range. Technology moves fast so you don't really want an old piano.

That said, any digital piano with a good weighted hammer key action is suitable for her. The CLP120 has the good keys like that but so do several brand new pianos and at the same price. The new pianos will have warranty and more advanced sound samples inside. I guess the advantage of the CLP is that you should be able to sell it for close to what you paid and that cosmetically is is made to resemble an acoustic pianos

But always when you buy a used piano compare it with new pianos of the same price.

Yes the Kawai is nice, but that is not the question to ask, you should ask if it is a god fit with your needs In this case I'd say it is gross over kill for a 5 year old beginner. For her get either of the $500 entry level pianos from Korg, Yamaha or Casio or if you prefer the CLP

This is just a side issue, but it would be interesting to know the statistics of how many young children who start out on a digital continue on, vs those who start out on an acoustic piano. The reason I am curious is that I am wondering whether the extra "character" and warmth of a real piano would hold their interest more than a digital.

Greg.

The opposite is true. A DP especially one with accompaniment and a range of instruments is far more likely to interest a child. Kids find traditional piano playing boring and uninteresting.
You want a kid to love the piano ? Teach them how to play Lady GaGa as their first song ... they will never stop.

Thanks for the responses so far guys. I really appreciate your input

I really have no preference over what to get and I don't have that $2500 laying around . I'm completely an idiot when it comes with this territory.

Does other brand new model within that price range ($500-$1000) offers something as close to acoustic as possible? I quickly looked at the Casio Privia PX-130 but it does not have the pedals like the CLP-120. I know I can't ask too much this price range.

Lady Ga Ga eh. They need a good rap over the knuckles!! :P

Greg.

You want kids to be interested in music ... then give them the music they are interested in.

It's ok. I was just kidding. Let them play Lady Ga Ga.

EDIT: They can even play Lady Marmalade if they want to. ;^)

Greg.

Watch out for "piano brokers." That price is only $200 less than someone was offered by her local dealer last week. And that was without any negotiation.

Note that you cannot get any console new for $500. So this piano (if it's in good shape) would be a good choice. The price of this unit is low because it's an eight-year-old model.

I think $500 is a bit high ... but when you get down to the low-price end of the market, the price really doesn't have much room to drop.

Odds are that the seller hasn't exactly had a flood of offers. So you might offer $400, cash in hand. The sight of a stack of bills is enticing.

You can get a stand (CS67) and three keyboard kit (SP32) for the Privias. Adding the two will add about $150 to the price.
You can get them bundled with the machine too,
eg: http://www.kraftmusic.com/catalog/keyboards/88keykeyboards/index.asp?product=7348
That seems a reasonable set for $700 to me.

I think it goes the other way. For most kids classical music on an acoustic piano is so boring they can't stand it. Small children do what their parents say but eventually they develop their own tastes. The number one instrument kids take lessons on now is guitar

I wonder what is the proportion of traditional piano teachers vs. people who teach "keys". Looking on bulletin boards at music stores, guitar, drums, keys bass seem to dominate. Music schools that have web sites do have piano, guitar and then band instruments.

The Casio and Yamaha $500 pianos have available stands and pedals thae make them mechaanically very much like the CLP120. In all cases the stand is made of two upright boards connected by a bit of wood across the bottom and pedals connect to that bit of wood.

But really, a beginner is not going to use more than the one pedal until she is a quit older and more advanced and I bet they don't introlduce even the one pedal for some time.

In addtion to the three pedal units most every DP has a 1/4" jack or two where you can plug in a single pedel. All of the DPS come with one single pedal. likey a cheap one but good pedals made cost about $25 each.

The clp120 has pretty good key action and would be good to learn on. As your ears learn what pianos sound like you will notice the newers digitals sound better but if you could get it for less it would be good. Offer 1/2 the asking price. if the seller offers to meet you half way go for it.

Figure the CLP120 is something you'd need to upgrade after a year or so. then sellit for what you paid

The good point of and smaller portables is that you can keep them even if later you buy a big acoustic pianos you can keep the portable in another room or it will fit in a closet standing on end

The seller listed for $800 but I negotiated down to $500. Unless I'm convinced otherwise, I'll pick it up today. Please convince me :0

I won't try to convince you. All I will say is make sure you like the sound. You're going to have to listen to your daughter stumbling towards virtuosity for possibly many years. Also, if you like the sound, odds are your daughter will, too. Has she had a chance to hear it, yet?

Good luck!

Unfortunately she hasn't and I'm not sure if she will know whether she likes it or not. She's 5 1/2 and just starts taking music lesson for less than 2 months. The seller is close to my workplace so I plan to pick up along the way.

The old clp120 is not that bad. I think it uses the same sound generation as the current model Yamaha P85 but the clp has the better "GH" key action and bigger speakers.

And for a LONG time the sound of the pianist, not the piano will be the weak link.

I bought a guitar a while back, it was a cheaper model. I said when I bought it that when someone tells me "that guitar you got sucks big time" I'll take it as a huge compliment and will be happy to upgrade. So far it ain't the guitar that sounds bad.

Good luck. And no regrets. There will always be a better piano out there. But at this price you're doing quite well.

(Not to be redundant, but ... just make sure everything works. Every key must operate smoothly. If it does, you're in good shape.)

Thanks everyone for your input. I picked up the unit (piano + bench + headphone + manual) yesterday and it looks great. My daughter seemed to like it too.

Cheers,

Stanley