I've just started playing keyboard for a church choir. The piano is a dated Samick digital, with very poor piano samples, and not the voices in the patches I'm looking for. I was considering purchasing a lightweight portable for my own use, but one that I could also take to use with the choir, either as a second keyboard, or in lieu of the church's digital. So I need a good acoustic grand sample, a good Rhodes sample, and a nice string patch in a weighted action transposing keyboard that's lightweight and not too expensive.

I visited a local music store on the weekend for other reasons, and noted they just picked up the Kawai line of digital pianos.

So as a reference point, lets look at the ES1. Fairly nice grand piano & string voicing, weighs 40 pounds, and is advertised in the store for $1370 Can. I do alot of business with this store, so I can walk out of the store with a gig bag, pedal and stand for that price, taxes in. I have in my area dealers for Yamaha, Roland, & Kurzweil in digital pianos.

What am I looking at in the competition of a keyboard of this genre, maintaining my criterion for portability, economics, and quality sound. What's your opinion of the ES1. Thanks.

Jamie

Hi Jamie,
Obviously what's most important is that you're happy with the sound, feel, and portability of the keyboard. So if you like the Kawai, then by all means get it.

That said, I would venture to say that digitals are not Kawai's area of strength, and portable digitals are even more out of their sweet spot. Digitals from Roland, Yamaha and Korg are more popular among pros who need similar features to what you're asking for. To me the limiting factor is going to be weight. For example, the RD700 is a great keyboard, but I think it's about 20 lbs heavier than the Kawai. Roland makes an RD150 which is lighter and less expensive, but the sounds/feel are not as good (of course you may like it). I know this sounds like a cop out, but I'd encourage you to play everything you can before making a decision.

One other thing to consider is that there are several companies that make keyboard cases with wheels on one end. This makes transport MUCH easier and takes the weight factor out of it to some degree! But either way, I'd highly recommend getting a case if you want to enjoy your keyboard for any length of time! Hope this helps.

Good advice to try as many as you can.

The Technics P50 stage piano is a weighted kybd with three different settings for touch with at least 11 different instruments and timbre settings. The touch is very good and the sounds, especially the pianos are very good.
They list for about $1499 and my area dealer sells them for $1199 but I got mine for $995.
ej