I am 11 months into my lessons at 41 years old. I purchased a Casio AP65R when I started just incase I discovered it wasn't for me...Well much to my delight, the quest to learn and hone my skills has consumed me. Frankly, I can't wait to get home from work to practice (after kissing the wife hello).

Anyway I have decided to move up to the "best" digital I can find, and the added plus is that we like the look of a baby grand cabinet (actually we prefer to have it).

My first choice is the Kawai, Yamaha, then Roland in that order. I must admit the 5'3" size of the Kawai is a plus in their favor, versus the smaller "mini" baby grand cabinets of the Yamaha and the Roland (the KR17m is just too expensive). I must admit the Kawai is quite impresive in it's touch, sound and capabilities.

Any thoughts?

I think Kawai Grand case digital piano use real wood pivoted keys which has very close to real one. If you like it, get it. Don't get one simply because of the price. As you experienced, if you don't like it, it gonna be a total waste. I like Kawai grand piano sound. To me, sweeter than Yammy. How much is the price?

Tony,

If you have truely come to love playing "piano", then why not take the plunge and purchase an accoustic? Don't get me wrong.... I'm a big fan of digital and spend hours every day at my electronic keyboards, but NO digital instrument is going to give you the same feel, sound and emotion that an accoustic piano will bring.

My 2 cents,

Rodney

You would have to buy a pretty nice grand piano to compete with what digital pianos at $5000 give you right now. And then there is constant need and expense of tuning.

I am a piano player always on the lookout for a digital that is more like a real piano but with no interest in owning a real piano. In terms of how they sound, I find I have a real love/hate relationship with real pianos. I have a Aunt with a horribly hash grand I hate, and Uncle with a warm wonderful always out tune grand. Can't seem to win with the real ones.

Yamaha CLP175 is the best of Yamaha with wooden keys and grand piano look as well. you just have to go with what you feel the best though.

Actually the Yamaha CVP-309 also has the wooden keys and iAFC reverb so the 175 and 309 will be comparable. I suspect that the 309 has newer samples since it is a much more recent keyboard and of course it includes all the accompinament features not found in the CLP line.

I jump back and forth from the digital to acoustic side of the arguments almost on a daily basis. While I agree that the quality of tone and timbre from the latest digital keyboards is remarkable and don't suffer the issues of regulation and tuning, there is nothing quite like the feeling of plaing on a full size grand. If the argument was between an upright and a digital, then there is no argument. I really don't understand why anyone would purchase an upright in this day and age. Playing on a well kept full size (6+ feet) grand (NOT some wimpy baby grand) can truely be a remarkable experience that the digitals just don't have. Unfortunately that experience comes at a huge cost. :-(

BTW:

I have a suggestion for the digital manufacurers... While playing a grand, part of the experience is the feedback that comes through your fingers. The resonance of the entire piano is not only heard, it is felt. The absence of this in a digital instrument makes playing very strange (artificial) if you are used to it being there. My son's video game controller includes some kind of a feedback device that vibrates when appropriate providing a more realistic experience during game play. Why not include a similar device in the keybed of the digital keyboards???

Rodney

Boy, I sure agree with that thinking. I'm not sure the cost of a digital "grand" is worthwhile but everyone's needs are different. Until I can find the space for a 6ish foot grand, my digitals do a good job instead of an acoustic upright.

FWIW, I own a Kawai CP115. Only complaint is that the lateral motion in the keys makes then clicky sounding. Otherwise, it's quite a good digital (but this model has all the sounds and accompaniment features).