Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Newbie Piano

Hi. I just started learning piano in this year, well really, a few weeks ago. I have been playing acoustic guitar on and off since i was 11 or 12 (I'm 20), been singing on and off just about as long, and really just started playing the piano (in my college newbie class) and taking up vocal lessons at the same time.

I like music. (though I just switched my major from Music to Comp. Engineering, but that's another story.)

Anyway I was in the market for a digital piano because I need to be able to practice on something other than my Axiom 49 (bleh) and flat out can't afford an acoustic piano (plus I practice late after work so, can't be loud) To tell you the truth, I have no idea what an acoustic piano feels like, but I wanted to get a weighted piano for sure..

So I looked around town, local store L&M Music, and also Guitar Center if only to know what I'm looking at pricewise, and the feel of the pianos. I noticed that the Casio keys are weighted a lot heavier than the Yamaha's out on display. I'm on a tight budget looking at $600 or less. I like the Casio keys because their heavier. Makes it feel more tangible, but then again I have no experience with pianos.

To make a long story not as long, after about an hour and a half there, I ended up buying a display of a discontinued piano.. Casio PX 120. Yah, a scratch in front, not horrible. Thing is I got it for $350 (+accessories +tax made my total $530 ish) $150 less than what I could find it for online or anywhere nearby. All keys worked, no sound buzzing that I can notice.

Did I make the right decision? Should I have waited for the PX 130 and gotten that? (Not sure if a newbie like me would warrant it) Any suggestions? I'm on a 30 day return policy, so I got time to look around. But tell me if this is a steal or not.

And lastly... do you have a CS-65Pdk to point me to or give me? XD (Cos they are disappeared.)

/superlongpost

If it were me personally, I would return it and save up that extra $170 and get the 130. Mostly because I think I would have buyers remorse if I didn't, which I think you already have since you're making this post in the first place.

Is the differences between the 120 and the 130 enough to merit you taking yours back for a refund? Some would say Yes, some No. But ultimately the decision is yours, I can only tell you what I would do in your situation.

Good luck!

It's up to you of course. But I have a Casio PX-100 and I'm still happy with it most of the time. It's fine thru headphones, which it sounds like you'll be using, and really good thru a sound system. So only you know if it's a good enough deal for you, but the piano's fine IMHO.

Cathy

Also you don't know if that wasn't the floor model for the past year and every kid and his pet monkey tried it out several times a day for that year. I'd return it too and just get my money back; only problem is they jerk you around there a bit and issue you a check in the mail within 14 days if i remember how they work it there.

If you have the money though and can wait for the refund musicians friend has a 15% off this weekend on the $499 for the 130 bringing it down to $425 and that's the total with free shipping. This is on phone orders only and you're supposed to say the word 'workers' to the phone person to get the discount.

I might return it. But I will give i a try and see how I like it. I wouldn't die from an extra 170$ on the piano, though I plan on getting the stand too, which'll put me back another 100 ish for sure.

But, all buyers remorse aside, is it big enough of an upgrade for me to have to get the PX 130 over the 120?

And I don't plan on staying on this DP forever. I'm willing to spend around $1000 on it when I feel my playing skill warrants it, just like I did with my guitars. Right now, it doesn't.

But hey, what do you think? for 150$ is the PX 130 THAT much better than the 120?

Edit:

Also, when I'm practicing, headphones or not (headphones are Sennheiser HD 280 Pro's) I hear a kind of wood thud on the high notes. Its not the clack of the actual keys that I think some people have mentioned happen over time, but... on C5 and up, I hear it pretty clearly. I'm guessing that's intentional?

A PX 120 is a grand piano-like instrument,
with sound sampled from a concert
grand and an action modeled after
a concert grand action. You really
can't outgrow something like this,
because you can't outgrow a grand
piano. If you can't play it on a PX
120, then you won't be able to play it
on anything else, not on a PX 130,
a CLP 380, a V Piano, an Avant
Grande, or a $100,000 concert grand.

I think the 130 is worth it. I kicked myself for buying my YPG after I heard the new Privias were coming out, I would have waited and bought one. Still, you could check out Ebay, I'm betting a lot of people will be selling 120's soon and I think for a used demo last year's model, you could do a lot better on the price.

maybe even go to or call the guitar center you got the 120 at and see if they'll price match the $425 for the 130- think that's just through monday though- then do a trade up- i just worry about the 120 being basically a floor model and banged on by alot of people before you came along. And the 130 i also think as Nikalette was suggesting is a decent improvement.

You'd get more insightful advice if you posted this in the Digital Pianos - Synths and Keyboards forum. A lot of people there are knowledgeable about digital pianos. There's a discussion going on there about the new Casio PX- x30 models and it seems the consensus is that the new models aren't much of an improvement over the last generation. Read the discussions/reviews and try out the new models to find out for yourself.

Go play a PX-130. If after you play it you find it's worth the extra cash you can go from there. If you can't find one to play, good luck finding one to buy, and I'd stick with what I had before buying sight unseen. As far as the 120 being a demo or some of the other issues raised, that's why you got the deal you did. I don't see a problem there.
I own a PX-120 and love it. It does it's job well, and I don't have the cash or inclination to chase down every new model Casio or anyone else puts out. The 120 will be my piano for years to come.

Got the PX 130 on the way for $450 from Sweetwater.



Thank you for your kind reply. I apologize though because I cannot play anything on the piano at the moment. I just wanted to get the best deal for my money. And yes, I understand that one cannot buy skill. I just wanted something with the better technology, if only for getting a little closer to what a real piano might feel like.



I saw it. =) Joined in a little, but really I'm just leeching off what other people say and going from there as all of you have much more experience with pianos than I do. =) If a mod wants to move this thread, please go ahead. I probably did post in the wrong subsection now that I think about it.

Thanks all of you for your input, in particular limavady, as he's been helping me so much its crazy.

I returned the PX 120 and am waiting on the 130 to come in shipped. I'm lonely though.. No piano to practice at night.
BTW, that PX 120 made me forget my homework monday. 0.o Yay. ?