Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards I know it's been done to death, but a little help please

Ok I'm going to ask for a little help and before you all point me to the other thousand threads like this, I will look at them but I'm very busy at the moment, so I'm just using this thread as a start.

Basically I've been learning piano for about 8 months now but only with a basic keyboard so I want to upgrade to an 88-key DP. Problem is I'm a student, and I'm hopefully travelling the states after I graduate for a few months this summer so cash is just a tad tight as you might guess. So I was wondering what the market of DP's below £500 is like?

Is it worth getting one (bearing in mind I'm no musical genius, but anything is better than what I have now) even if I have to upgrade it again in a year or two, or sticking it out and paying more for a better one? I don't have a teacher and I'm slowly working through Alfred's by myself, but having a 61 key keyboard is holding me back somewhat I feel.

Again I apologise for this thread, but any help or guidance is greatly appreciated.

Hello Giano,

Within a £500 budget, I'd say your options are limited to the following models:

- Yamaha P85/P95
- Casio PX-130
- Korg SP-170/SP-250

This is assuming you purchase the instrument new, of course. Second-hand/eBay etc. options may also be worth pursuing, however for peace of mind I'd stick with a new model.

Alternatively, use the months ahead to concentrate on your university work, enjoy travelling in the US, then purchase a new board when you come back after the summer.

Best of luck with your studies!

Cheers,
James
x

I would stay with the 61-key portable for the time being if you're going to be moving around a lot in the near future. You can take a 61-key portable with you, while an 88-key weighted digital is bulky (almost 5' long), and can be heavy (the "weight" on a weighted keyboard comes from actual lead or copper weights under the keys, and all that metal can weigh a ton on some models). Moreover, an 88-key digital is meant to be set up permanently in one spot and played, like a living room piano; and since all 88-key keyboards have the same dimensions, an 88-key digital will take up almost the same amount of floor space as an acoustic upright piano, approx. 2' x 5' (this is surprising to many people because digitals look very compact compared to an acoustic piano). In the US it is not uncommon for people to take several yrs. of classical lessons using a 61-key portable. They don't have much trouble playing on the upright or grand in their teacher's studio.

James pretty much nailed it. Of the ones he listed above, I'd go with either the P95 or SP-250. Casio has come ALONG way, but I still find their actions sluggish. This may not be an issue for you. I'd suggest playing the keyboards James listed above, and deciding which one you prefer.

Good luck!

I don't normally rise to the bait from this troll, but this post is such a huge combination of misinformation and bad advice that it can't go uncountered.

First of all, the idea that all 88-note weighted keyboards are bulky behemoths is frankly ridiculous. To give just two examples, the Yamaha P95 weighs a very manageable 12kg while the Casio PX330 is a kilo lighter still. Both feature built-in speakers for basic home use.

Secondly, you can NOT learn to play piano properly on a 61-key unweighted action. The physical response under your fingers is entirely different to a weighted action and the range of 61-note boards is insufficient for any serious classical repertoire.

Thanks for the advice. I want to change up because of, as you said Aidan, the weighting is a real issue for me. Anytime I change to a proper piano in a music room for example I find the dynamics pretty difficult, and I don't have a pedal atm making my use of it sloppy. I also cannot play anything out of the 61 key range (so any low bass note pieces basically), even if they only have one or two notes down there, it still feels unfinished to me if I cannot play it.

Moving it isn't an issue, as it wont be going abroad with me and I'm living at home for at least a year once I leave uni as I want to save as much as possible for next easter when I'm going travelling again, so it'll just go home with me and that's it. Plus many seem to be as light as possible, and tbh even up to 20 kilos isn't a massive issue, so 11-12 isn't heavy at all.

Thanks for the quick guide James, I'm going to go to one or two music shops near me and see if I can find them and have a play around. I know I'll probably want to upgrade again soon ish, but I feel I can barely progress on my current one without weighting, pedal or ability to properly utilise the dynamics of a piece.

Glad you're on the right track, Giano. Both of James' recommendations are solid budget buys and I'm sure either would be a good starting point for you.

Giano, if portability isn't a strong requirement, you may even wish to look into the entry-level, slimline models with a built-in stand such as:

- Yamaha YDP-S31
- Kawai CL25/CL35

The CL25 is a little long in the tooth (it's due an update...), but may be within your budget. And if you dig a little deeper the YDP-S31 and CL35 (both with triple pedal units build into the stand) come into play. I looked into similar offerings from Roland and Casio, however their equivalent models are at least another £100 again.

Anyway, lots of options to consider - best of luck with your search.

Cheers,
James
x

Really appreciate the help, there's some pretty nice entry level stuff there. I'm basically working through my finances now, and allocating here and there to see how much I can spend. It may be I can go a little over 500 if all goes well. I was avoiding stands as I have a basic one, but one that would be adequate, and they seem to add to the cost somewhat, but if my budget is higher than expected I might be able to stretch for one. If I did go for one with a stand I would wait it out until I'm moved back in at home and back from travelling in autumn.

For now I'll just keep looking around at my options as and when I can. Thanks again!