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Joined: Oct 2010
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I'm looking to buy my first piano (albeit not a real piano) but don't want the cheapest one: http://www.chasedirect.co.uk/ViewPr...8800&CAT_CODE=31&SUBCAT_CODE=265I'm already into music; I know my music theory and am good at the guitar so this isn't exactly my first entry to music. For guitarists: I don't want the piano equivilent of a squier strat bullet: http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-an...Electric-Guitar-Rosewood-Artic-White/9MGI'd rather have the equivilent of, say, an Epiphone es335 dot. Is this piano fairly good? I tried a Yamaha PSRE323 keyboard, which tonely sounded okay to me. So is this piano atleast equal or better then that keyboard? I'm only using it for personal use too. I literally can't find any reviews or demos of it! Please link me to any if they exist. It seems like the perfect beginner piano for me but what puts me of is the fact its an unbranded piano that just gets taylor branded to whatever company is selling it. I really can't go higher then £300.
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I sympathise with your predicament, PianoJuice. However, you usually get what you pay for in DPs as with other products. Here is a link to about the only mention of this instrument I could find: http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/chase-digital-piano.htmlYou'll notice the respondent suggested a similarly priced Casio instead. In any event, you should play any piano you are considering before you buy it. Good luck, Jonathan
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Did you see bluebilly's suggestion of a PDP220 on the other thread? What is it you wish to learn, piano or keyboard, or both? That leads to whether you need a DP with hammer action keyboard or (synth)keyboard with spring loaded keys. I also started with a Yamaha PSRE something or other but within one two months had sold it on and purchased a hammer action DP since I'm interested in *piano*. It's hard to find a good entry level 88 key hammer action DP with reasonable piano sounds within your budget. bluebilly's suggestion may be it. An alternative, perhaps for keyboard, but I have no first hand experience is the Yamaha NP30. This is within your budget, does not have hammer action, has good reviews and a video is here . So decide what you want to learn then choose the appropriate action and go for the best you can within or slightly over your budget. Just to echo others it's best to try it first or you're in danger of making a mistake with a couple of hundred pounds.
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Thanks for the replies!
What is it you wish to learn, piano or keyboard, or both? That leads to whether you need a DP with hammer action keyboard or (synth)keyboard with spring loaded keys. I also started with a Yamaha PSRE something or other but within one two months had sold it on and purchased a hammer action DP since I'm interested in *piano*.
You're EXACTLY like me  I want to learn piano, not keyboard (although I always thought of it like acoustic and electric guitar ). I did actually buy a PSR-E323 about a week ago and soon felt uneased even though it's a good keyboard for the price. So I flogged it. I realised I wanted a DP instead. Not really into sound effects and synthesizers and whatnot. I just want a casual DP that's like a real piano (weight / touch x 88 and comes with a wood stand (no plastic fold up)) and one that I can keep forever without the need to upgrade as I'm really a guitarist. I won't be gigging or taking it past home use, it'll just be used in my room casually. I think I'm going to stay away from the Chase one after reading that link and the general lack of user base on it. The PDP220 does sound a bit more promising. I'll look into it. Fortunetly I'll mainly be using head phones too. Do any other pianists here have an opinion on the PDP220?: http://www.gear4music.com/Keyboards-and-Pianos/PDP220-Digital-Piano-by-Gear4music/7LY
Last edited by PianoJuice; 10/11/10 06:46 PM.
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1. The maker, Gear4Music.com, does not fill me with anticipation.
2. This really IS a keyboard ... with a stand.
3. "Stereo PCM sounds" = ancient technology. Really lame.
Though you don't want a keyboard ... you'd still be better off with a $600 keyboard from one of the major makers.
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For guitarists: I don't want the piano equivilent of a squier strat bullet:
BTW I'm shopping for a guitar. I don't want a Squire Bullet. I'm looking for something better What is your opinion of this. It looks just like the American made Statocaster that I can't aford GUITAR Should I buy it? (sorry, but I think this makes my point) The lowest priced decent digital pianos that always get recommended are the Casio PX130, Kork SP170 and Yamaha P85 or the newer P95. If those are not in budget you should look for used examples of the same or better models
Last edited by ChrisA; 10/11/10 08:31 PM.
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In what way do you guys disagree with the Gear4Music's PDP220? Is it good for my desires? I'm not looking for a top end one, which is why I assume everyone is giving it a low down. You have to understand I'm not using it in the fashion most of you guys will. It'll just be casual. Do you think it's atleast equal or better then the PSR-E323 keyboard? The other one I might go for is the Yamaha NP30B-K: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...amp;pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294But sadly I can't find a wooden stand for it like the PDP220 one.
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Joined: Mar 2010
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1. The maker, Gear4Music.com, does not fill me with anticipation.
2. This really IS a keyboard ... with a stand.
3. "Stereo PCM sounds" = ancient technology. Really lame.
Though you don't want a keyboard ... you'd still be better off with a $600 keyboard from one of the major makers. Casio employ some upto date technology in their Privia range but their keyboards are just like toy keyboards, and I speak/write as one who as played them all plus the PDP-220. -
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@bluebilly Do you have any audio / demo samples of the PDP-220 in action? There's only a couple of vids on youtube and I wanna hear as much as possible. I REALLY wish I could test this DP locally though 
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The Yamaha NP30 has been available for some time now. And is good for what it is. The NP30 lacks weighted hammer action keys. This is fine unless the goal is to learn to play a piano. because the Defining Characteristic of A piano is it's unique kind of key action. Pianos have weighted hammer actions, unlike organs and synths and so on. The NP30 is good if you really need the light weight portability and can live without a real piano-type key action. But if you can live without weighted keys then a whole world of lower priced keyboards opens up and the Casio WK4000 looks good. Amazon UK has a used model for £130.00 Casio makes a cdp100 with has a real piano type key action and I think really is the lowest price CDP100 What's wrong with the no-name piano? Well what's wrong with the "shine WF-110" guitar? Likely nothing. I bet it can be played and will make a sound like any other Strat style guiter. Until you start to look at small details. If you know a lot about guitars you may know why you don't want that one but a beginner would be happy. I think the EXACT same applies to the no-brand piano.
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The Yamaha NP30 has been available for some time now. And is good for what it is. The NP30 lacks weighted hammer action keys. This is fine unless the goal is to learn to play a piano. because the Defining Characteristic of A piano is it's unique kind of key action. Pianos have weighted hammer actions, unlike organs and synths and so on. The NP30 is good if you really need the light weight portability and can live without a real piano-type key action. But if you can live without weighted keys then a whole world of lower priced keyboards opens up and the Casio WK4000 looks good. Amazon UK has a used model for £130.00 Casio makes a cdp100 with has a real piano type key action and I think really is the lowest price CDP100 What's wrong with the no-name piano? Well what's wrong with the "shine WF-110" guitar? Likely nothing. I bet it can be played and will make a sound like any other Strat style guiter. Until you start to look at small details. If you know a lot about guitars you may know why you don't want that one but a beginner would be happy. I think the EXACT same applies to the no-brand piano. The main thing is I in no way plan to get a real full size piano ever. I just want a fairly intermediate piano that can be a "keeper". But the thing with going with a no brand keyboard like you mentioned, is I probably won't tell the difference on it compared to a branded one. Just like a guitar (squier was my first). Then after a while of that guitar I soon realised I'd be better off without it. I'm just trying counter act on this happening with a DP. I wanna get one that doesn't seem great at first and then slowly becomes icky. I'm a real picky person 'eh?
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the Defining Characteristic of A piano is it's unique kind of key action. Not to quibble, Chris, but I think that for some folks (especially those for whom the pianoforte was a novel advance on the harpsichord), a defining characteristic was its ability to play 'piano' and 'forte', and anything in between
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The main thing is I in no way plan to get a real full size piano ever. I just want a fairly intermediate piano that can be a "keeper".
But the thing with going with a no brand keyboard like you mentioned, is I probably won't tell the difference on it compared to a branded one. Just like a guitar (squier was my first). Then after a while of that guitar I soon realised I'd be better off without it. I'm just trying counter act on this happening with a DP. I wanna get one that doesn't seem great at first and then slowly becomes icky.
I'm a real picky person 'eh?
I understand but there's two problems already with this: The first one is your budget allows for an entry level only and not an intermediate. The second is that as you improve, hence your technique becomes better and your ear more refined (although as a guitarist you might already have a good ear) you notice the imperfections in the entry level or intermediate instrument and aspire for something better. That's why it's best to go for for the most your budget can afford and also play test in advance.
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1. The maker, Gear4Music.com, does not fill me with anticipation.
2. This really IS a keyboard ... with a stand.
3. "Stereo PCM sounds" = ancient technology. Really lame.
Though you don't want a keyboard ... you'd still be better off with a $600 keyboard from one of the major makers. Casio employ some upto date technology in their Privia range but their keyboards are just like toy keyboards, and I speak/write as one who as played them all plus the PDP-220. - If your near the Gear4Music retail outlet in Yorkshire, I think, go try it out there, meanwhile why not forego all of the agony of trying out different DPs in your price range and buy a quality piano like the Kawai CL-25 or CL-35....problem solved. -
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If your near the Gear4Music retail outlet in Yorkshire, I think, go try it out there, meanwhile why not forego all of the agony of trying out different DPs in your price range and buy a quality piano like the Kawai CL-25 or CL-35....problem solved.
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Sadly I don't. And there's no where local that does where I've checked. I have this problem with guitars too If you say you've had a bash on the the PDP220, what do you think of it? But not in the eyes of an experienced pianist, just casually. Also, I really doubt this will help much though, but my style of playing a DP would be John Lennon influenced etc. I can't afford a Kawai CL-25 / CL-35 as I only have £350 max and I'm poor and I still gotta get a stool. Buying a portable DP like the Casio CDP-100 looks good but then leaves the problem of having to buy a stool aswell as a stand. I really am poor , still saving for a new guitar!
Last edited by PianoJuice; 10/13/10 02:33 PM.
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Some UK stores offer 0% finance. Bonners for example.
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If your near the Gear4Music retail outlet in Yorkshire, I think, go try it out there, meanwhile why not forego all of the agony of trying out different DPs in your price range and buy a quality piano like the Kawai CL-25 or CL-35....problem solved.
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Sadly I don't. And there's no where local that does where I've checked. I have this problem with guitars too If you say you've had a bash on the the PDP220, what do you think of it? But not in the eyes of an experienced pianist, just casually. Also, I really doubt this will help much though, but my style of playing a DP would be John Lennon influenced etc. I can't afford a Kawai CL-25 / CL-35 as I only have £350 max and I'm poor and I still gotta get a stool. Buying a portable DP like the Casio CDP-100 looks good but then leaves the problem of having to buy a stool aswell as a stand. I really am poor , still saving for a new guitar! "Then let them eat cake"  -
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If your near the Gear4Music retail outlet in Yorkshire, I think, go try it out there, meanwhile why not forego all of the agony of trying out different DPs in your price range and buy a quality piano like the Kawai CL-25 or CL-35....problem solved.
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Sadly I don't. And there's no where local that does where I've checked. I have this problem with guitars too If you say you've had a bash on the the PDP220, what do you think of it? But not in the eyes of an experienced pianist, just casually. Also, I really doubt this will help much though, but my style of playing a DP would be John Lennon influenced etc. I can't afford a Kawai CL-25 / CL-35 as I only have £350 max and I'm poor and I still gotta get a stool. Buying a portable DP like the Casio CDP-100 looks good but then leaves the problem of having to buy a stool aswell as a stand. I really am poor , still saving for a new guitar! "Then let them eat cake" - Sorry, just a joke. It's what Marie Antoinette is alleged to have said when she was told that the peasants were rioting because they had no bread. -
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