I'll be departing for college soon and I realize dragging my piano along with me is not an option. I think purchasing a digital piano would be better for me until I settle down. I've been looking around local dealerships recently, but I'm really skeptical of all these dealers I've encountered. There is a lot of conflicting information that they're telling me as they try to sell me their products and it's just confusing me.

I'd like to buy a console DP (rather than a keyboard) that is less than or approximately $2500, and most importantly, feels like an piano.

As an unbiased group that knows their stuff, what do you recommend I purchase?

The best digital piano for you is precisely that: the digital piano that brings you the most enjoyment.

I would recommend sticking with the three largest digital piano manufacturers: Yamaha, KAWAI, and Roland. Set yourself a reasonable budget, then spend plenty of time play-testing as many different models as possible until you eventually find the one that's best for you.

Good luck!

Cheers,
James
x

That's a good budget. You can buy something that will meet you needs for 1/2 that price. Look at the Yamaha YDP160. But with $2,500 you can do even better.


You pay about $500 to $1000 extra for the console piano vs. the portable or a stage piano. If you know this and have the extra $1K fine.

You can get the same identical key action in portable models. Kawai and now Yamaha make portables with wooden keys. Put them on a good stand and the feel is the same.

When people say "keyboard" many times they are referring to a synth-action keyboard. It's clear that is NOT what you want. Portable digital pianos are not the same as those synth-action keyboards. So if you tried some slab style keyboard and did not like the very light keys, they are not all like that, some have actuall weighted hammers.

How to figure out what you want? First figure out which key actions you like. The best place is the local Sam Ash or Guitar Center. Even if you are completely set on a console piano try every piano in the store and keep notes about which key actions you like and which you dislike. Bring a pen because you will not be able to remember. Then go on-line and look up which key action each piano used. All of the manufacturers re-use the same keys in many pianos. So you don't have to play every piano, just two or three of each brand.

After you understand all the GH,GH3, PHA-II, "alpha" and so on key actions then make a second pass and listen to the sound.

Of course in the end you will find you like one company's keys and the other's sound and the other's prices.

Chris,
There you go again. The OP asks about consoles. You push the slabs.

bauss,
For $2500, there are several good models. As Kawai James points out, you're best off looking at Yamaha, Kawai, and Roland. I don't think you can go wrong with any of those brands.

In your higher price range ($2500), you won't find these pianos in music stores. You'll need to visit piano dealers. Your home (Los Gatos) is not far from a major metro area, so you're sure to find piano stores nearby. You'll want to try out the touch and sound to decide what's best.

Note that the selling prices on these are negotiable. Some people pay more, some pay less. Check out the listings on the "prices paid" thread to see what others have paid.

If you're going to be living in the dorms for a year or two, you'll want to reconsider your console requirement. They typically end up weighing north of 100 lbs and are more difficult to transport safely without all the original packing materials. If you're living in the dorms, consider the precious space those packing materials will occupy.

You'll also want to think about dorm parties. A console is more than likely going to end up being a good option for someone to put their drink on. And all it takes is one spill to really mess up your DP.

Also consider what you'll do during the summer. Will you pack it back up into the original boxes and put it in storage? Or will you try bringing it back home with you? Either way, it's a lot for someone to handle during undergrad. I'd give serious consideration to the slab style DPs if I were you.

What about the new Casio Privia PX 830 ? It is a console piano, but very modern and compact. It sounds absolutely great and it costs less than $ 1000.

Try a Kawai. The CE200 is well under 2500 (1700 plus or minus); I got the CA51 for 2700 several months ago, and I'm delighted with it.I had narrowed my search to the Kawai and Yamaha, but couldn't ever find them both in the same place. Once I did, there was no question in my mind. I purchased a polished ebony model; other finishes may cost less.
Good luck!

If you're really set on a console I've recently purchase a Yamaha YDP-160 and I'm very happy with it. Realistic piano feel, and decent sound in a no frills affordable package. Before you invest in a piano that will be difficult to transport back and forth to college, and you may not have room for in a dorm, have you asked about the availability of practice rooms with pianos at the college? When I was in the Navy I got access to the base chapel instruments by volunteering to play on Sunday mornings. If you're creative you should be able to find a piano or two on campus that will be available for practice.

Oh my goodness, so much information! Thank you for the well thought out responses.

I've already thought out the logistics of owning a console piano, so I'm ready to fend off drunk college students and move it around with me. I was not attracted to any of the keyboards I played but I liked plenty of the consoles... it seems that a console DP is the way to go.

I guess I'm a bit of a lazy person... I like having my piano a few feet away from me, especially since urges to play strike at random times throughout the day, several times throughout the day!

Jaydee, a question about the polished ebony model... I talked to a Yamaha salesman and asked him why that finish was more expensive than the other finishes and he said that it allowed for easy buffing if scratches got on it and was more aesthetically pleasing. I agreed with him that it looked nicer, but then a Kawai dealer refuted what he said about the buffing and claimed that buffing was not possible and scratches were much more noticeable on the ebony finishes. Is this true?

Are the Concert Artist series in my price range?
(edit: Oops, just looked around and answered my own question. Not really... I'll have to shop around.)

On a digital piano those finishes are typically not what they say. "Ebony" is really a polyurethane paint. There is no ebony, it's particle board. Same for some of the wood finish. It is plastic laminate. Actually yu can buff out scratches in paint. But not in Formica. But the tyical defecf after taking a knock is not a scratch not a chip