Hello!

I went piano shopping for my 7 year old today and so far I like the Yamaha P120. We also looked at a Kawai CN290 which my husband preferred. I've done a little research and have read so many wonderful reviews of the Korg SP200 I'm tempted to buy it site unseen (no dealer in my area, can't find one to look at). Has anyone else seen the Korg in comparison to the Yamaha or Kawai?

We want a simple, student piano with weighted keys, minimal bells and whistles and as close to acoustic sound as possible. We will eventually buy an acoustic piano to replace the yucky Lindner upright piano I inherited.

Any input/opinions will be appreciated!

Thanks!

Regardless of what you decide there is also a third possibility - rent a piano. Work out a deal, if you can, with your local piano store with a 'rent to buy' option. If your seven year decides to quit you're only out the rental costs and you're not stuck trying to sell a second or third hand piano. Just a thought.

Sorry I can't speak about the Yamaha or Korg, but if you're still looking at Kawai, see if you can find one of the new CA series. They have a better action than the CN290 - I have one of the CA9 models and find it quite similar to my grand piano action, and the sound is very satisfying. Not perfect, but close enough to get good practice. The CA5 looks just like the CN290, from the pictures, at any rate, but may be a bit more expensive. You can check out kawaius.com
Some dealers may not have them in stock, because they are brand new, but they should be able to get one in for you to look at.
Of course you pay extra money for the piano cabinetry, as opposed to something like the Yamaha P120, which seems to be a popular choice for folks here.
I'd agree with Dave, though, that renting a piano may be a better option, depending on your child's desires and commitment, whether you or your husband also play, etc.

I wouldn't recommend buying a piano unseen. Everyone has different opinions about different pianos.

After playing the yamaha digital pianos (including the p120) the korg sp200 action felt very "plasticky" and "synth-like" to me. You really might want to try out the korg before you buy it.