Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Help! Should I buy a used Clavinova CVP-208?

Hi everybody! First time poster here but I've read these forums for quite some time. I recently sold my house and gave away my 1950's Everett school model upright - it was really nothing special, but it got the job done. I'll be moving into an apartment and won't be able to have an acoustic piano, so for the meantime I've decided to go digital. I have mixed reviews as I've always preferred the real deal. I was going to wait until Black Friday to purchase a new Clavinova as the music shop near me had a special last year on Black Friday that all new Clavinovas were 50% off - which is an insane deal! It means I could get a higher end model for what I'd pay for one of the base models. However, I'm not sure if that deal is going to happen again this year. I have not tried any of the CLP-500 series in person yet, but like what I've read and heard on online reviews. I don't really do all the things one of the CVP models offer. I just want something that has a great touch and piano sound, and ability to hook up to the computer to record - basically a piano.
The high school in the district I teach in just bought a new CVP-601 - I absolutely hate it. I don't like the touch or the sound - I don't know if it's the speaker system or what, but I just don't enjoy playing it. So that makes me a little leery of the 500 series.
I came across an ad on Craigslist for a CVP-208 in Mahogany. I know, I know - it's old! But, the church where I play organ has a CVP-208 which they bought new in 2004. I actually enjoy the CVP-208 far better than the CVP-601 - and it's 10 years old! I'm going to check it out tomorrow. The folks are only asking $800 for it, and it's in excellent condition. I figure if I don't like it, I could always use it in my classroom if the Black Friday deal happens again (and granted I want to spend upwards of $2000 for a digital). Am I nuts for considering a 10 year old digital instrument? I wouldn't even think of it but am familiar with the same model playing it every weekend at church (the church has a small, SMALL Howard petite grand and I much prefer the Clavinova over that). Any advice would be welcome. Thanks all!

As you will know, the CVP range of pianos does a lot more than just play piano - it is intended, I think, for people who want to play & record arrangements just using the DP. So if you only want good piano sound and touch, a lot of those facilities wouldn't be needed - though you might find them useful, of course.

The older piano you mention has a good (though not great) keyboard: Yamaha GH, and the newer one has GH3 which should feel similar, but offers 3 sensors for better playing of quick repeated notes. If the price is low, the CVP 208 might be a good option - the Yamaha range has not changed greatly in the last 10 years. $800 sounds like quite a good deal to me, if you can maker use of the extra facilities it offers.

Thanks Toddy. I wouldn't even consider it if I didn't use the same model at church. We have a wonderful Allen organ as well, and often times I'll play piano/organ duets with myself if no one else is available, recording the piano part into the Clavinova and playing along on the organ. If I had the same model at home I'm sure I'd do a lot more of that. Also, I'm not planning on apartment life forever - it just makes sense now. So, if I buy a home in the next few years I'm going to want another real, preferably a grand, piano. So maybe $800 for a short term fix is good? Especially since I'm familiar with the model.

Just make sure you test each and every key at different velocities before buying. 10 years is potentially a lot of wear and tear to all the various switches and components, depending on how heavily it has been used.

Well, if you like it, for sure, go for it! However, have you tried playing other digitals in your price range?

If you want a no-frills piano, the Kawai VPC1 would be an excellent choice, I think. The action feels great, and you can choose whatever piano software to run on a laptop or computer to accommodate your personal preference for sound. They are hard to come by in a showroom for demo purposes, but I believe there are other Kawai DPs out there with similar enough actions to compare. For example, the CA65/95 or MP11 has a very similar feel to the VPC1. I will only say that the VPC1 feels a bit heavier towards the tops of the keys (when playing in between the black keys for example).

Personally, I find the VPC action to be much more authentic and pleasing to play than Yamaha's GH action (which the CVP208 has).

I tried the cvp601 and didnt like it, either. But the cvp 609 was magnificent and better to play in so many ways.

So you do have to try them. The church is asking over the top, I think. But it will have had little use overall, and could be a decent buy, particularly as you like it anyway.

$800 seems a lot for a 10yr old digital? How much was it new?

Perhaps a better question is: what can $800 buy in the new digital market?

Thanks for all your advice. I'm still torn. When it was new, I believe it was top of the line or close to it. My church bought it new and it was over 5k. I'd like something with a more furniture type cabinet like the Clavinovas as compared to a stage piano or portable digital. I tend to play hard (which is why I've always preferred the real thing) and a keyboard on a cross stand is just not going to cut it for me; even for short term, because I can't stand the wobbling/lack of foundation in the "cabinet." My other thought is, would Yamaha take the the CVP-208 as a trade-in for at least $800 if I were to buy a brand new Clavinova? Or is that something that is up to the individual dealer. Like I said, I'm glad it's the same model as my church because I know what I'd be getting into and I thought the price was a good deal. I like the speaker system on the CVP-208, too - as it is by no means shy - I think that helps a lot. I know, if I don't like this at home, I could use it for certain in my classroom - I teach general music to grades Kindergarten through 6th grade - lots of fun stuff to do with it in the classroom for sure.

I'm also not sure if a controller is the right route for me, i.e. something hooked up to the computer with different sound files and capabilities.

I did just do a quick search for used CVP-208s and found one on eBay in the UK going for about $2500 US. I found another on a used piano website, the exact price was not listed but was in a range from $1000-$3000.

There are excellent stands that do not wobble. If you get a cheap x-stand, then ya, they wobble.

I doubt a dealer would give you anywhere close to $800 for a used Clav. They may try and sell it for that, which means they'd probably give you $500 for it. Maybe.

So, I just spent an hour and a half at church playing the Clavinova. As I like it, I think it has way many more features than I would ever use. I did find the sales receipt in the bench and the church bought it new in November of 2003 for $5495 - wow! I think I was overwhelmed by such a deal at $800. I've decided not to go tomorrow to check it out. I came across the Kawai ES100 in a search - and that price is $800 brand new. And it's really just a piano - which is all I really am looking for. Something to replace my acoustic piano while I endure apartment life for a year or so. I just want to make sure it's something I will enjoy playing. Thanks for all your advice today! I'm sure I'll be posting again!

Hello everyone. I'm not sure if anyone will still read this thread as it's been so long ago. I ended up passing on the CVP-208. I went to the Yamaha dealer a couple weeks after to try the new CLPs. Actually was very impressed with them. I tried the 545 (dealer price $4199), 565 (dealer price $6275), and the NU1 (dealer price $6995). I was surprised at how much over the Yamaha MSRP price and Larry Fine's estimate they were. I was very interested in the 545 and was thinking of purchasing it until 3 days later my parents let me know of a fellow church member of their's who was wondering if I'd be interested in buying his father's 1912 Steinway Model M grand (at a very reasonable price). Yikes! I know, I know....a one hundred year old piano will probably need a lot of babying and will have a pretty sluggish action, etc... I was so surprised when I went to check it out. The touch was wonderful, ivories in perfect condition. It needed a good tune, but other than that it seemed wonderful. I went for it. I still am in shock - just goes to show you never know what lies ahead. I am so glad I went with it. I can't believe I almost bought a digital (which would have more than sufficed). It truly was a once-in-a-lifetime thing.