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I'm thinking about buying an used CLP-230 Mahogany. What do you think the going used price is for this piano assuming it's in very good to excellent condition?

Thanks,
Dave

Today, used ... hard to say. Sorry.
New a year ago ... $1800 USD

Consider some new models and whether you would like them better than an older CLP. I would say find a new dp that you like with similar specs and compare to that. Have you tried the Yamaha Arius 160 which is being offered for about $1400? I would think $1400 is too much for a CLP230, especially if it is closer to three or four years old. Have you tried a Casio AP or PX model that is about $1000?

Also, check the "Digital price paid" thread on this forum. There are 12 pages, starting at:
http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/6/2405.html
That thread started back in 2006, and continues to this day.

The listings are for new pianos. But you can at least use those figures as a starting point to determine a reasonable price for used gear.

That's important because the Yamaha CLP series pianos (and the Roland HP series) are not sold by mass retailers, nor music stores, nor on the Internet. They're available only from authorized dealers, and the prices are not advertised. So the "price paid" forum is a good place to find out what people actually paid for new gear.

Pay attention to WHERE the unit was bought. Prices are extremely low in the Far East, and can't be compared with prices paid elsewhere. Since you're in Ohio, you should focus on prices paid for units sold in the US.

Also, Yamaha models with the polished ebony (PE) finish are several hundred dollars higher than those with the wood finishes. You say you want mahogany. Don't compare that with the price of a PE finish. The mahogany should be substantially lower. (This might be a moot point ... I don't know if the CLP-230 was even available in PE.)

Obviously, the worth of a used unit will be less than new. You'll have to negotiate.

August 2005 CLP 230 thread

I think lhorwinkle, you have a lot of great points, especially the quality of CLP in general being high, and the GH3 action is (or is expected to be) better than newer lower end models.

I agree with you. I do want to point out that there is no split function on the CLP-230, otherwise you are correct. The recording function is much better than on YDP-160. There are also 4 additional voices.


Peace.

/Richard

If you can take a used digital piano off of someone's hands for a modest or token amount, it could be a good way to get a decent instrument for a decent price. Say offer to pick up at your cost and pay a couple of hundred dollars tops. Paying 75% or 50% or even 25% of its value new may not be a good idea at all.

Considering the continuing advances in the computer technology that goes into these instruments, used instruments ( >3 to 4 years old) do not generally hold their value for reasons similar to why old PCs do not hold their value. In fact, when purchasing at dp, you might want to plan for it to last a maximum of 5 years and assume it will be worth nothing after 5 years. If you can rent one for less than purchase amount/5, that could be smarter financially, especially if you want to play the latest and greatest.

Things to consider are:

1. You will have no warranty and will be responsible for all repairs yourself.

2. These instruments are not built to last forever. The older an instrument is, the more risk of failure, in particular of the mechanics of the keys and sensors. Will parts and service be available and at what cost?

3. Advances in digital piano technology make them play more and more like an acoustic piano and/or give you much better and more realistic other voices. The newer and more advanced instrument you have, the more potential for enjoyment you will have: better feeling keyboard, more realistic sampling and sound reproduction, etc.

Just as in other consumer electronics a good buying strategy can be to buy a new, warrantied, top model that is being discontinued as a new model lineup is introduced. For example, buying a Yamaha CLP280 now or a couple of months ago at a steep discount from a dealer who wants to get rid of them.

It's a buyer's market when shopping for
used digitals. The number of piano players
in the population is small, so any piano
is going to be hard to sell. There's
likely no warrantly, and you can buy
good, new digitals with full warranty
for about $500-$900. This has relatively
modest specs and is a discontinued model.
It could be more than a yr. old, and
that's old in the fast-paced digital
marketplace. There's no place the
seller can unload it fast, since a piano
dealer would not buy it and a pawn
shop would give him almost nothing for
it. Digital pianos are essentially
a computer with a keyboard and speakers,
and they lose value fast, like a used
pc. A 10 yr. old dp, like a 10 yr. old
pc, is worth little, maybe a couple of
hundred dollars, but it would play not
much differently from a brand new one--
that's what a used 230 is competing
against in the used market.

Generally, you should offer half the
asking price for a used digital, and
the seller should grab for that, because
chances are he won't get anything better.
With this particular model, with its
unspectacular specs and the fact that
it could be more than a yr. old, I
personally would not pay more than about
$500 for it. Wave $500 cash in front
of the seller, and he should grab
for that.

Thanks all. You've definitely given me some points to think about, mainly the advancement in technology and the lack of warranty. One repair job could negate any benefit from buying used. Thanks again.

is this good advice? from gyro?

generally speaking, be cautious about whatever gyro says, and always get other people's opinions beside his in any case...