Hi all,

I just found this bulletin board this morning. It seems a good place to ask some questions.

I have been looking for an instrument to use to learn to play the piano. My first idea was an inexpensive keyboard like a Yamaha PSR292 or DGX202. However, some advice from the svpworld board told me to go look at the keyboards. Well
I didn't find any PSR or DGX keyboards, but I did see a Yamaha Clavinova CLP130 that was really nice. They have the CLP120 on sale for $1700.
If its anything like its bigger brother, it'll be nice.

On this board I've heard of the Casio AP38. It
has lesser features, but I can get it for $1000.
Does it have a metronome? Has anybody had any
keyboard problems with it?

I find I like the look of a full piano more than the portable keyboards. We also have cats, so a
keyboard cover is a major plus.

My desire is to learn to play the piano.

I find it very difficult to shop for the piano. Nearest stores are an hour away...and I seem to look at only what the salesman wants to show me.

Thanks for all advice.

I got the Casio AP28 for $800 at Costco and am very satisfied with it. I believe the AP-38 also has a metronome. It should be adequate for your needs.

If you're going to look into the beginners' digital piano range, then check out the Yamaha YDP-223 ($1500) and the YDP-121 ($900 end-of-life product).

Quantum,

I've never tried the Casio, so I can't really give an opinion one way or another. I can say that most folk prefer either Yamaha or Roland. Maybe I'm biased, but Casion has always struck me as lower on the scale (though I could be dead wrong).

For what it's worth, I recently purchased the Yamaha CLP-150. It's very similar to the CLP-130 you mentioned, but with a few extras and a stronger stereo system. I tried out both the 130 and the 150, and both sounded excellent! I didn't try the 120, however.

Just remember that you won't be hauling your 130 (or 120) around with you, so if portability is a concern, you might think about this.

Thanks for the comments guys,

Yamaha's reputation for quality is holding me back from just ordering the Casio. The P60 is supposed to be a real nice unit, and has more powerful speakers, but no metronome.

I did try a Roland RD 150 yesterday, but for $1100, I'd probably get the F90 or a Yamaha P120. The RD 150 does not come with speakers, and sounded a touch electronic in the lower midrange.

Still thinking...

quantumfoam, the P120 would be a good choice. It sounds like you're just looking for a keyboard with piano-style action.

Are the pedal functions (sustain, soft, sostenuto) important to you?

Hi quantamfoam:

I can speak from experience on the Yamaha Clavinova. I have had one for quite some time and I love it, it has great sound and good key-feel. Good Luck to you!

Thanks for all the comments,

I decided to try the Casio PS20. It came on
Friday and I'm fairly pleased with it. The sound is good and keyboard action is very good. It does sound much better with headphones. I haven't tried it through my stereo system yet. The speaker outs are not standard stereo connections and I need to go the Radio Shack and get different interconnects.

The C5 octave sounds a bit electronic. Which gets annoying, as that's all I'm playing so far. Jingle Bells and Ode to Joy from Roger Evans 'How to Play Piano'. You may not notice it.

I got the stand also. For $100, I'm not impressed. Its mdf and plastic. I keep thinking I could make something about the same for $15 in lumber. Oh well, it does have the faux wood grain. Also, the piano is pretty heavy, so there is some peace of mind in having the recommended stand.

QF