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After a hiatus of many years I want to get back into regular playing again. But my budget only allows for lower-end digitals ($700-1100 range).

I checked the various models at the local piano warehouse - Yamaha, Suzuki, Technics, etc - and found a Kohler KD-25 that I really liked better than any of the others.

After this, I did some web shopping and found a great price on a Kohler KD-20. But since I couldn't try that model out, I'm a little hesitant about buying it online.

So my question - does anyone know the differeces between the Kohler KD-20 and the KD-25? Primarily are they the same keyboards and basic sound generation technology?

I'm not too concerned in extra features the KD-25 may have which the KD-20 does not. If they both use the same keyboard and basic sound genenration, I would probably go ahead and buy the KD-20 (assuming the price still holds).

Thanks for any input on this.

They look basically the same and should play
the same. The price difference is apparently
due to the KD-20 having a less expensive
stand and 2 pedals instead of the
3 on the KD-25 (this would not be a
problem because on most digitals with
2 pedals you can electronically set the
lt. pedal to be middle pedal--you would
never use the soft and middle pedals in
the same song--and most pianists would probably
never use the lt. or middle pedal anyway).

Thanks Gyro -- this is very helpful.

Taking this another step, does anyone have opinions about Kohler digitals they'd like to share? Do they rate with other digitals in the same price range?

sherm,

The specs make Kohlers look like terrific bargains. The one concern I see is one that only you can resolve: its keyboard feel. I didn't check prior to posting, but memory says that Kohlers are spec'd with Fatar keyboards. If you see yourself as primarily a piano player---rather than a synth guy---it'd be worth your while to play a Kohler before buying.

Here's a different take on the use of pedals. In general, I don't like the acoustic result of lengthy use of a digital's damper (sustain) pedal. To my ears, this results in an excessively blurred sound. So I end up using the Sostenuto pesal, instead. This places a pleasing undertone beneath subsequent notes---to my ears. Your ears may differ;-)

Well, I'm certainly a piano player as opposed to a synth guy. But I spent a couple of hours at the local piano outlet checking out different digital piano keyboards, and kept coming back to the Kohler as the one that felt best to me.
You're right, though. It's spec'd with a FatarTP30 keyboard.

There are only two ears and ten fingers that matter, and all of them are yours.

What you don't use your tongue when you are piano shopping?

Sherm, have you tried Casio digitals? They are pretty decent for the price they ask for.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/key/navigation?N=100001+201809

My only concern is that they are 32 note polyphony. That will be OK for beginner players, but 64 is more like what you would want (and the Kohler seems like 64 note polyphony)