Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Casio PX-5S Pro Stage Piano and Yamaha P105...

I've been playing for abut 2 years and thought I post a few things that I now know versus questions I had when I was first looking.

1. The Yamaha was a great first EP. The only thing I had any issue with was the slipperiness of the keyboard when I was tired or had played a long time. Piano sound of the Grand was very nice to my ears (I play mostly with headphones). I would highly recommend it to a beginner or someone who was only interested in the piano or other sounds it has.

2. I am sure that the P105 and the PX-150 are IMHO the best options in their price ranges.

3. The PX-5S which I got really for a song (a refurb) at close to half price is an amazing instrument & tool. The texture of the keyboard is a big plus for me. I can tell it is slightly heavier than the P105, but its the texture that I really like.

4. After just a day of playing, I can honestly say that Casio really has place at the table with the other major brands IMHO. Yes there probably are differences, but for me the Casio on a price/performance evaluation - just like the P105 - fulfills my needs to where there is no regrets. It is more than "good enough" for me.

5. Just because these EP's are electronic marvels don't expect the learning curve to be any easier than playing on a acoustic piano. Some of the tools (recording, built-in metronome or the ability to use your Iphone/Android to act as one with free software) make it more convenient but learning to play only comes with real effort.

6. Buy what you can afford and then play for a year or two before you think I need something better (unless you are one in a million (not just in your mind)).

7. I've found Emedia Piano Software(no financial interest, except I bought two programs from them) to be useful with or without a teacher. Very cheap IMHO for the value you get.

8. You may find that playing is not for you, and that is ok too. For many the convenience of the EP is what gives us the opportunity to even try - and that is a very good thing.

9. Don't take yourself so seriously that you lose the fun in this endeavor.

10. Don't be afraid to spend what you can afford, but don't spend more than you can. The PX-150 and the P105 are modestly priced, but they will work for you. My "upgrade" to the PX-5S (instead of the P255) was based solely on wanting to explore sounds beyond the piano and after one day of serious practice I must say, that while I love the P105, the range of sounds that I can develop on the PX-5S will expanded my knowledge as well as help extend my grasp of what music is. Hope this long post helps at least one person.

Thank you for giving your testimony. I can partly relate to it, I had the P85 (Yamaha) and upgraded to PX-5S. Noticed a big improvement in dynamics right away. However the Yamaha DGX650 would be interesting.

#9 especially is a good point- its important not to lose fun in the grand scheme of things which is to make music.
I had the P95 first and then basically sold it, had a P105 briefly but favor for me the SP280. Sure, it is not the best action but it has the sound and speakers I want and is not a console.

I use the PX130 for office parties, songwriting events and so forth.

I found that I was fine in general not spending more than $800 (Korg Krome) to get what I want for now

It's funny, because I completely agree with everything you wrote.

I started with a Yamaha P85, found it too slippery, moved to a PX-150 and find that the texture is the biggest plus.

I posted about getting the 5S for almost half price ($600) earlier ("The Do Everything..." thread). The extra sounds are very interesting.

And, yeah, I find that almost none of this stuff matters. I see toy instruments being played far better than I can actually play. So, putting in the effort to learn to play well, while not taking yourself too seriously and not forgetting to have fun, is what we REALLY need a forum for. Of course, it's a lot easier to talk about digital pianos, and we're all guilty!

Let me know how your experience with the 5S goes, it's a very exciting board.