Hello,

I am new to this forum and to the music world also. I have been looking for Digital Pianos and finally decided to buy Yamaha CVP 401. Dealer is asking $3300 for this DP. Is it a good piano for beginner and is the price reasonable. I couldn't find the price on internet.

I will appreciate your help/response/suggestion.

Thanks in advance !
Music Lover

offer them $3000

it's a good piano with wealth of features that you will find enjoyable

Dealer was asking $3900 and I finally bargained for $3300

The CVP-401 has a lot of autoplay features (rhythms, accompaniment, scores, many extra sounds, etc.), so if you are especially attracted to this, it's an OK choice. Strictly as a Digital piano though, it's unexceptional. It has Yamaha's GH action and a 1-level piano sample, similar to a YDP-223. Many cheaper instruments have much better pianos (for example, the Yamaha YDP-160 or Roland RP-101, both of which are $1500 or less). Even the very cheap Casio PX and Korg SP have 3-level piano samples, so there's very little excuse for this.

Yamaha will soon be replacing the CVP-40x line with a brand new CVP-50x line. The CVP-501 has a multi-level sample and is much improved over the 401. I would wait and see if you can't get a closeout deal on a CVP-403 or 405. Or jut wait and buy a CVP-501. Either way, I'd avoid the 401.

I thought $3300 is a good price for CVP -401 and placed the order. I was not aware of the new model. I did not see any posts related to CVP-401 in this website.

Thank you for the responses

you might want to wait a little longer till CVP500 series coming out, when the dealers would want to discount CVP400 series further and you could even buy a 403/405 instead.

piano19

contrary to what geoff said,

CVP401 has GH3 keys, which is superior to GH or GHE in CP33/CP300

Using Yamaha CFIII Piano sample, which is REMARKABLE

Geoff might have mistaken 401 to older series?

last time I read the specs the CVP401 had GH keys, not GH3 keys.

I recall seeing the same thing when I visited the Yamaha dealer 2 weekends ago.

http://music.yamaha.com/products/main.html?productId=612126&hierarchy_id=20017_20018_16277

That's correct (and henrik is wrong). The 401 has a 1-layer sample and a GH keyboard (or GHE, which is the same thing by a different name). As I said, it is a similar spec to the YDP-223 (also GH and 1-layer). It doesn't really sound bad--it's just that being one layer, it isn't realistic and expressive with changes in volume. So it's like playing a flat recording rather than a real piano.

That's embarrassing on the $500 P-85, but it's inexcusable on a $3000+ CVP. Fortunately the new CVP-501 will fix this.

Thank you for the responses ! I will check with Dealer if still I can cancel the order. I may rent piano for time being and will decide later.

If any of you owns CVP-401, please let me know about your experience.

This model apparently sells for
about $2700 in some
areas, so you're giving the
salesman an apparent $600 bonus,
after you "bargained him down"
to $3300 from $3900.

This is a fine instrument, but,
aside from the apparent inflated
price you're paying, this might not
be the best choice if you've
never played a note before.
This type of piano is loaded
with bells and whistles that
you won't be using as you are
learning to play. And in any
case, the extra features probably
will lose their novelty after
a while, and you'll likely end up
hardly using them.

Something like the Casio PX 800
or the M-Audio DCP 200, both
$900 online, would probably
be a better choice for a beginner.