Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards On the Search for a Digital Piano: Phew! I'm almost spoiled.

Get the academic version - I remember doing it with other software. Sellers on eBay usually are very 'lenient' when checking your credentials, if they even check them at all. Saving $100 or more just for faxing in my college ID (that expired years ago) is sure worth it.

It's still the same features - but cheaper.

Hey Tinyhands, a bit late i know but if you're looking at the Yamaha P140 which is a stage piano, you might wanna check out other stage pianos. They tend to be cheaper simply because they lack speakers, a self supporting stand and of course not much attention is paid to the cost of making them a "part of the furniture" so to speak! The upside is that most of the stage pianos today contain advanced features and manufacturer patented technologies which make them sound pretty damn impressive. Stuff like damper physical modelling and natural string resonance etc. I won't bore you with the details but they make a difference. And don't forget-they're portable. I play a gem promega3 and although this is probably not what you're looking for and possibly out of your price range, many people including myself will stay true to the opinion that it's near impossible to find a better, more realistic piano sound from any other digital piano-including one's many times the price.

I understand that you're finding trouble locating dealers who stock anything other than Yamaha!! However, it's worth checking out Kawai as someone mentioned earlier. They do have actual wooden keys which makes them feel unlike any keyboard on the market. It gives the Kawai keyboards character-instead of a plastic feel, and allows you to "bounce" or double tap notes if you see what i mean. So if it's action you're after i doubt you'll find better. Check out the Kawai MP series. I have to say that the sound is a matter of opinion, it's fairly dull, more suited to classical in my opinion.

HOWEVER if your preference is for the sound rather than touch, then the GEM (GeneralMusic) promega range are by far the sure winners. Again i won't bore you with the verbal diarrhea, but they actually use synthesis as part of their tone generation as opposed to pure samples. This gives them what nearly all digital keyboards lack.....character, and allows them to come close if not surpass software in terms of tone reproduction! Some people will tell you that they sound crap, but that's the beauty of it!! As you play and listen intently you hear nuances that you should normally only hear from a real acoustic instrument, again purely because GEM use partial synthesis for tone generation. The promega's (promega3-£2000 and the promega2-£1500) have two piano sounds (as well as another 62 keyboard sounds). A steinway 9' which has a nice responsive fairly lively tone, whilst the other Fazioli 10' Grand sound is simply beautiful. Luscious, deep, heavy. I sound like a wine taster! Check out the spec on the promega series, trust me you won't be disappointed.

These keyboards have unfortunately been discontinued and you'll be hard pushed to find one second hand-they're rare and people don't wanna sell them! BUT BUT BUT, GEM have released cheaper versions without the gimmicks (like motorized faders, multiple fx, 320 note polyphony! etc etc) under the name PRP series. Namely the PRP700 and the PRP800-which has built in speakers. They're cheap, around £700 and £800 respectively, AND they use the EXACT SAME TECHNOLOGY as the promega keyboards. And i don't mean a dumbed down version, the piano sounds are exactly the same. Furthermore they have revised the weighted action, which i have to say wasn't great on the promega. These should be available somewhere near you i hope, as they beat the rolands and yamaha's hands down. If you check out GEM's reputation, you'll agree.

The alternative's to the GEM's in my opinion would be the Kawai MP series, namely the MP8, but these are costly.

I hope i've been helpful and i do apologise for going on! But i spent months researching keyboards before i parted with my money, and trust me when i say that Yamaha's are the "Ford's" of the keyboard market...they're good BUT there's far more and far better out there that cannot be ignored.

Hi,

Don't you guys hate the work after holiday ?

First, thanks all for mentioning about the software! I use a computer everyday but when it comes to music, I am clueless. First time I saw those software boxes with a photo of grand piano, I thought it's a game or something. I've never read any threads about those. :p Ok. So now I know I can get any piano sound I want with a couple hundred bucks. (eek!)

Thanks, D.Laviolette for sharing experience and input as well. No, it's not late. I will try CA51 (coz they don't have CE200 on the floor) and P140 again this weekend. I personally prefer a portable one....not because I have a gig (yeah right.) It's just I move things around my place quite often. The CE200 is even heavier than me. I also like a cleaner look of P140. But it's not my main concern when it comes to piano.

It's hard for a newbie like me to say sound or touch is more important. I agree that Kawai's wooden keys make it more special than others. And I do feel the difference compared to Yamaha's GHS, GH and GH3. But it is not like I cannot play on Yamaha at all. With P140 I'd think I am still able to learn how to play a piano and save money. (That's like 4 months of piano classes!)

A digital piano with P140's 3 piano sound and wooden key action will be a perfect one for me (for now. :p ) I know I am dreaming.

grrrrr....(Anyway thanks for bearing w/ me. I'd better go back to practice! I just talked to my 'prospective' teacher again and I might start my first piano lesson very soon! I am excited. He asked me about my goal, what I am interested to play and to bring the books I am using to the first class. It seems to be a good start, heh ? He recognized the piece by Purcell I played on a digital piano at the store which is also a music school and want to hear it again. (Eww) ok ok I am leaving.)

TinyHands

Oh, FYI guys, if you're considering Kawai CE200, it comes with 3 years part and labor warranty. I just got this confirmed by Kawai US. I was told by the dealer that there is no warranty for CE200. They might only forget or want to sell CA51 which they said it comes with 5 years warranty. So you'd better double check!

And if you want the manual which is not available on Kawai website (and almost anywhere), you can request their digital piano product support via email. They get back to you pretty quickly.

Tinyhands,
Question about the Kawia CE 200? I recently traded in my Roland HP 103 PE, because I traded it in for my acoustic baby grand. I'm looking to get another digital and I'm considering the CE 200. How do they compare? I would have to order it from Sam Ash, no local dealer. There is a Sam Ash music store about 60 miles from home. Not sure if they carry the Kawia in the store. Any info would be appreciated.
Dot

salzdt, I would recommend telephoning the store before setting out, just in case they do not stock the CE200.

Kind regards,
James
x

TinyHands
I have a used P140 with the Yamaha stand that's like new that I'd like to sell. Here it is on Craigslist:
P-140 for sale

Hi Salzdt,

The one I have tried is CA51, not CE200. I went to the dealer store and they just don't carry it. But I heard people (here and other places) saying they're pretty similar. CE200's action is a bit "tighter" and it has less feature than CA51.

I agree w/ James that you'd better call first.

Kawai dealer can order CE200 for me but I have to pay sale tax and pick it up myself. So I think order online might be a better option. Check other websites as well. Each has different "reputation" and shipping/delivery cost.

Sorry I couldn't help much here. Let us know what you think about CE200 then.

Thanks MarkL! I'll look at it.

I haven't made my mind on which DP I am going with.....geez it's been so long. I've just been busy at work and with classes. Don't even have enough time to practice. (Complete only 2 pieces in a month....grrr.)

Hopefully I'll get one soon!


TinyHands

Thanks Tinyhands,
My purpose in getting another digital is to practice with the headphones. I now have a 5'3" used Yamaha baby grand, but miss being able to practice any time of the day and not interfere with whatever else my husband would like to do.
I'll check out the CA 51
Dot