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Hi everyone, loving this forum by the way.

Does anyone have any comments/opinions, on the CLP-280 as compared to the CLP-270, I am undecided on which one to buy, but have heard the 280 is the one I should choose, and pay that bit extra for the real wood white keys (dont know why its just the white ones).

My question is, is the wood keys on the clp280 alot better to practice/play on than the GH3 on the CLP270? Should I save that little bit extra money and opt for the CLP280? Considering I am an advanced level player and want to venture more into that field, perhaps I need the wood keys to play to a higher standard in advanced piano. I heard the real wood keyboard can be played faster on and gives a far better feel all round.

Also, why are the grand piano models such as the CLP175 or CLP265 so much more expensive than the standard CLP270 or CLP280 models? The specs are the same more or less, I can only think you must pay for the size and look of the piano alone, or perhaps more memory is used to create the piano sample on the grand digital models, they dont tell you that, only how many sample banks are used which I think is different.

Thankyou.
MWF.

Hello MWF, I believe your last paragraph tells the whole story. It's all and ONLY about marketing. Last year when I decided to purchase a digital to complement my acoustic, I spent hours playing the Yamahas first (because of their notoriety), mostly comparing 270 to 280. The difference between them is just a lot of bull. The black keys are still plastic, AND SO ARE THE WHITE ONES!! The latter are just filled with a little wood where you will see it, the rest of the whole mechanism being the same GH3, broken-in-two lever contraption which, to me, never felt natural. Some people claim they love it? Good for them! But at least don't go for the placebo white wood-filled keys, you could never tell which is which if you were blindfolded, and the rest of the piano is the exact same. This goes for the "grand-style" models also. You get a couple of gadgets which they charge you a fortune for. Yamaha dilutes its features and sprays a few more on each upward model if you'll spend hundreds more for important and unimportant details that will, for example, double the cost between a 240 and a 280. Just bull. If you are a serious and experienced pianist, you should see and try other brands as well. Perhaps in the same way as I did you'll find a LOT more value in some of the competition's offerings. You believe in wooden keys? Then for less money, try a CA-class Kawai digital, which offers you real spruce unbroken graded levers which you will feel and love playing. Roland has escapement in some of its models. Perhaps you would appreciate, all this for less than Clavinova. (Whose sound I don't care about, either, but that is more subjective). Happy piano-hunting to you!
Regards,
Claude

Bachmaniac, you seem to have a love affair with the Kawai CA series and feel disdain for the Yamaha CLP line.

I'm wondering if you work for Kawai.

Hey larraby,

you read my mind, I just apologized on another post for being so loud-mouthed about Kawai. I am just and only a devotee, believe me! I have played piano all my life and I have an exceptionally beautiful grand at home to compare digitals to, and I can assure you that the CAs are the only digital "pianos" that are presently vaguely reminiscent of the real thing. That certainly applies (IMHO) to NO Yamaha, sorry...
Cheers,
Claude

Hey Bachmaniac:

Have you tried the Korg SP-250? If so, what did you think of it?

I am only a beginner that wants to learn piano for a hobby, so it's not necessary for me to buy a super expensive instrument.

Also, what was the price of the CA-X?

hello again larraby,

I'm sorry to say I know very little about entry models, but I suspect that interesting things must be happening there also. Electronic chips cost very little to produce once development costs have been absorbed, so ELECTRONICALLY I suppose they can give you a lot for very little money. But again, when one considers that as a learner it's important to develop good hand/finger drill and fingering habits, I tend to be weary about cheapo keybeds that will ruin it for you. I would think that it's more acceptable, as a piano student, to sacrifice sound than to sacrifice touch. An old acoustic clunker might be better than a sophisticated keyboard in many cases. If one decides one wants a digital, it should have a good action unless one has also frequent access to a "real" piano...
Cheers
Claude

Bachmaniac:

You didn't answer my question about the cost of the CA-X. Also, what do you think of Kawai's CN series?

Thanks.

mwf, I think you should wait until January NAMM to see if Yamaha announces a new generation of CLP

I think they are due for an upgrade

larraby:

yeah, overlooked part of your question, my apologies. Well, last winter I paid $1795 CDN plus tax (14% in Quebec) for my CA-X.

I don't care much for the CN, on the basis that (as I said in my previous post) touch is a lot more important than sound as far as students are concerned. They are a big bang for the buck, but I'd be unsure of that --touch-wise-- for learners. GregC makes a lot of sense here also, perhaps new models are on the way, who knows, there may be significant improvements in store without much increase in prices...

Regards,
Claude

Happy new year, Claude

mwf, I agree with Claude on the 270/280 keyboard difference.

It is very minor in my opinion. I could not feel the difference in the 280 keys

with the CLP175, you are paying extra for the GP cabinetry. Unfortunately, it does not sound as good as the 270/280

1 more thing, if a new generation is around the corner, prices of the 270/280 should decrease

Hey Greg, thanx for the good wishes, I also hope you and yours enjoy a wonderful 2007. I really appreciate your posts as being objective and informative, really to the point each time. This forum is really great, and that clearly is because of members like you.
Cheers,
Claude

GregC yes you have a point, but I bet I would have to wait till june 2007 or something before the new models arrive in the shops, and prices of old models go down.

Thanks for replies.
MWF

hey Claude, thanks for noticing. You do a great job keeping up with the various post questions, far better than I

BTW, I have a friend with a Kawai 52" Upright. She hasn't played it or tuned it in over a year. I am attempting to persuade her to sell it to me. Cheap, of course

I sold my Yamaha U3 last month and I have been on the sidelines with the CVP309 or CLP270/280. I am playing a waiting game since I think these models are overpriced

well Greg,

are you familiar with that particular upright? I tried one as I went to answer a for sale ad for a digital, the guy had just gotten one, that's why his digital was for sale. It's pretty good, I think you'll end up telling me it's quite close to your former U1, which is what I'm told. There is far less difference between Yamaha and Kawai when it comes to uprights than between their respective grands or digitals... Keep me posted, I hope you get it ;-)

Regards,
Claude

It's interesting to see that the CLP-230 & CLP-240 are now available with polished ebony finishes and that advertisements for the CLP-265 and CLP-295 are appearing in Europe. However, IMO, I don't believe that Yamaha will do an entire CLP series update before it updates the current CVP series that was introduced in 2H2004. Personally, I'd like to see if Yamaha makes any additions to the CP series of stage pianos.

I suppose that makes sense- CVP series and CLP both would be updated. and possibly 2nd H of this year

In either event, that is somewhat close IMO. I can afford to wait it out. There has been a significant improvement in gig sized software based pianos. I would like to think Yamaha would take advantage of that