Hi all,

I'm searching for a weighted-action digital piano to start gigging in a band with and to use for studio work at home. I have narrowed the search to the keyboards above which are the limit of my price range here in New Zealand (under $2000NZD).

As priced the keyboards stack up in this order:

Technics SX-P50
Korg SP-200
Casio PX-300

I'm leaning towards the Technics as it has got pretty good reviews and compares well with Yamaha P90s,120s. I also like the action on it. The Korg obviously has the name and reliability behind it but it's a brick, the action isn't graded and not all that piano like. I think I would go for the Casio as a second option. It has a pretty good weighted action and sounds for the price - I'm just not sure it would stand up to gigging.

The consensus may be 'buy none of them, get a Yamaha P90 instead' but that isn't really an option as I have trawled every piano store in town (I live in New Zealand) and not seen or played any Yamaha P series keyboards.

I run Logic Express off a laptop so have the option of buying better piano soft instrument sounds (e.g. 'The Grand') so the quality of onboard piano/ep sounds is not critical. However, a keyboard that can cut the mustard when playing with two guitars, a bass, a trumpet, accordian and drums without plugging in laptops is desirable.

Very interested in your advice.

Many thanks,
Matt

PX300 is for home use. It has music arranger function also. Piano sound is not that good. I lean toward Technics given your situation.
I agree Korg SP keys action is aweful. Only Korg model I like so far is Concerto ES300, which is home digital piano.

Thanks, reassuring advice as I have gone with the Technics. It's a solid beast and the action is the best I have tried for the price. have found I get a very nice sound layering the cocnert grand with the pop grand.