Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Help me plz! It seem like I'm too cheep to get a good DP! :(

Hello everyone! This is my first post in pianoworld forums, and I've joined because I'm totally as to which digital pianos is great at my price range.

Ok, I've done some looking around to see which DP to get, and i've found that yamaha P-155 and the Roland F-110/F-120 are great for my needs, the only problem is they are both a 1K+

now my price range is £200-£300 or $310-$465. I know that in order to get a great keyboard i must spend £$£$£$£$ but i'm pretty sure there must some great DP out there in my price rang

Here are a few things i'm looking about for:

1)I really want my DP to have Grand acoustic piano sounds
2)To have 88 keys
and 3)To feel just like a grand piano

I am a beginner, so if you guys to have suggestions then please go ahead ^^ thx all

I recommend saving your money until you can afford to buy a reasonably good quality instrument.

James
x

I just bought a Casio Privia 130 as a gift for my pro bono student. I paid $440 out the door. It isn't something I would buy for myself, but I was very surprised at how decent the Privia was, especially at the price point. I think it is good for a beginner. I wouldn't spend much more until you know that you enjoy playing.

Save up. There are no good new digital pianos for less than a thousand bones.

Yeah exactly spot on, that's what I was thinking Hideki . Spending more than $465 and not knowing if you're gonna stick to playing or not is, really too much for me. Hence why I don't really want to save up and would like find an excellent grand 88 key DP in that price rang, and tbh I think this thread may help a lot of people like me out there cuz really I haven't been able find one like this on PW so far, and for people like me who are just starting off and have never play the piano properly having to pay 1k is kinda crazy especially if you're a student!

thx again Hideki, I'll list that one down and check it out at my nearest shop (I'm wait for a few more DP's to be suggested to i can go check them all at once and compare)

anyways thx for everyone who's commented so far reallllllly appreciate it!! KEEP SEARCHING AND PLZ TRY AND SUGGESTING!!!

Donxraul,

The following entry-level instruments are suitable for beginners who do not wish to break the bank:

- Casio Privia PX-130/PX-135
- Yamaha P85/P95
- Korg SP-170/SP-250

Good luck!

James
x

The entry level pianos everyone recommends are the Casio PX130, Yamaha P95 and Korg SP170. Of that batch I like the PX130. Here in California you can buy one for under $500. That is as low as prices go for a piano that will give you what you are asking for

You could find a used piano but do NOT buy an old one. Get one that is one the above list and expect to pay about 60% of retail. But they are hard to find.

Isn't this why they invented credit cards? Seroisly the only thing to buy on credit is something you will have long after the payments are finished, education is one good use of credit. I think a first piano falls into education.

Prices go up fast. The next step after those three $500 pianos is the $1000 step you already know about. Then it just so $2,000. Each step is not twice as good as the last. The entry level pianos are good and certainly good enough for a beginner.

Or ... the Yamaha YPT-420. It's only around $200.

I second the vote for the Yamaha and Korg models that KawaiJames
Mentions above. I didn't really like the feel if the Casios but they are at a good price point.

If you are in no rush maybe you can save some more and get closer to
The $1000 budget. You will have a good start with a better instrument and if you stick to it you already have a good piano that will take you farther. If money is tight or your budget is fixed go for one of the above mentioned models.

Some would say two thousand bones.

[edit] ... and some would say merely acceptable, and only to some. Yes, they're that bad.

Personally I think if you can afford 5 or 6 hundred dollars you can afford a thousand. The gains from going from a GHS or Casio action to a GH action is the difference between a children's keyboard and a real digital piano. Above that there are differences in quality, but starting with the P155 it's a suitable instrument not just for beginning on, but for continuing to learn and practice on--a suitable replacement for a real, acoustic piano. Buying something lower pretty much guarantees that you will either give up piano or have to upgrade in fairly short order.

Remember also that the used market for newish pianos of decent quality exists. You can get back at least half what you paid in a few years if you really end up not liking piano. If we assume that ratio is the same for lower and higher end pianos, we are talking about a couple of hundred dollars.

Anyway that's my advice. The P95 (and similar models) is not something I advise for anyone. When I was a poor undergrad, just leaving my parents' home, living on scholarship and minimum wage money, not sure how seriously I wanted to play piano, I saved up and bought a Yamaha P-80 (similar in quality to the P155) for $1000. You can too.

I don't agree with this advice. Furthermore, I think trivializing the difference between $500 and $1000 without knowing the OPs financial circumstances is somewhat ignorant. I have worked with many underprivileged kids and $500 can supply two months of food for their families or even a car for transportation. Many of them have excelled on much worse instruments and have persevered despite their instrument's shortcomings.

Furthermore, I'll take the Casio action over that crap on my Kronos.

The first time I tried PX-130, I found it perfect for my need. Then I came here to take advice. And then, I began to inform myself, and try everything. Now, I have a different perception of PX-130, because I could compare (hear or feel the difference) with DP that are better. I couldn't really love the PX-130 anymore, and that is what matter, love your DP and enjoy when you play, and don't be bothered with limitations or regrets in the middle of your piece. This story finished by an upgrade to a 1400€ DP (ok, there were other reasons, but anyway I would have upgraded) !

So this is my advice, If your budget is limited and you absolutely want a DP, just try a casio PX-130 or other model recommended by Kawai James, and if you enjoy it, buy it and don't look back. I think limitations and regrets are mainly psychological due to head to head comparaison, and not real issues that block your progress (well at home, you will only have one DP). I really think you can increase your finger ability and playing expression with a PX-130, and be happy !

But, if you try the casio and then you think : OK, i don't really like the action, the sound not please my ears, and so on... but it is the only one in the budget. Don't buy it, and save money for the P155 upgrade for example. You need to like your instrument, no compromise...

Errr nope there is no GREAT DP in that price range





Easy enough to get a passable AP sound ... Casio PX-135



Easy enough .... Casio PX-135



Not possible ...the cheapest would be a N1 at around £5000


The way I see it your choices are a Casio PX-135 or a Yamaha P95 and out of those two I'd pick the Casio

Same opinion. Perhaps you could find PX-130 (replaced by PX-135), with good rebate...

Wouldn't you agree that the Casio CDP range could be a good solution for Donxraul? The problem with Casio and Yamaha is that they make many ranges of keyboards that are either non-pianos or even toys - they are all to be avoided completely. But the Casio CDPs are not in that category.

The other day, I came across a CDP 120 and was quite impressed. The keyboard felt pleasant to play (better than Yamaha GHS) and the sound of the piano was good. The amplification was passable.

Perhaps someone knows more about the differences between the CDP 100 and the CDP 120. In any case, I was more impressed with the CDP 120 and it costs 406 British pounds or 350 US dollars, so is really at entry level for serious DPs.

(ps 350 dollars vs 406 POUNDS!! Why is the world so unfair?)

Not when he can get a Privia for the same dollars

Really? So the P-155 doesn't have the feel of a grand piano?

Anyways I guess it's starting to become clear now as to what options I have available. I'll list all the DP's mentioned above down, tho it seems the Casio PX-130/135 is the best choice I have, so I will go an search for that and let you guys know how I feel about the DP's. But for now I'll give this thread another day or 2 for other who might want to suggest before I go hunting

PS Thank you all for taking the time to read and comment on my behalf, it means a lot too me and I will always appreciate it

I think the currency converter used by most consumer electronics manufacturers must have some serious bugs :-) However, we do pay a hefty 20% sales tax in the UK (VAT), which accounts for some of this.



Unfortunately the models most people will recommend (Yamaha P95, casio PX, etc.) won't leave much change from £500 in the UK (the P95 at £476 from several well-known internet shops is about as cheap as they get). The CDP series looks interesting, but I've never played one. At £300, the CDP-100 is the only DP I can find that claims to have a hammer action and falls in the original poster's price range. Otherwise, I guess there may be some secondhand bargains to be had on recent mid-range models if you look around.

When I had to choose my first DP last year I was in your exactly same situation.

I found a P85 Yamaha (in July 2010) at 480 euro.
You can save money avoiding to buy its stand (look for a double X stand, or use two old night-tables bed-side), bench (use a chair) and proper headphones (use what you alrady have at home). Then you will add those thing later if you feel the need.

Are you sure in london you are not able to find a P95 (the successor of the p85) for about 450/500 euros. Or in some online shop?

I think the p85/p95 are excellent for a beginner. Then if you stick with the idea to learn piano you will think to an upgrade in one year or two (like I am doing now) but to begin the P95 it is enough according to me.

A.