Hi there guys, well i've been doing quite a lot of research lately reading just about every forum post on the CLP 280 to decide if its worth getting and i was wondering if someone could clarify a few things for me.

I read somewhere that it is not appropriate for one to learn piano on a digital piano past grade 5 - is this true? I am approximately a grade 7 player so this would be devastating if i spent all of that money on an unprofitable investment.

Also, is the touch on the CLP 280 (black and white keys) satisfying enough to play on constantly without a detrimental effect on technique? - i have not had the chance to practice on one yet as they are not currently in any showrooms nearby so i would like some advice from anybody with any info on this before i place an order.

Any help would be greatly appreciated
Vishesh

I have a CLP280 and a large acoustic grand.

I play advanced rep well above the grading system. I have no problem playing any of it on the 280. The remark about learning in a digital past grade 5 is nonsense in my view.

The action on the 280 is very similar in feel to many acoustic pianos. I play a Yamaha C3 quite a bit in a school and the 290 feels very similar to that. It is fairly light (compared say to a big Boesendorfer or a Steinway D) but I switch between digital and acoustic seamlessly without any problems at all.

The action feels very similar to the action on the 240 and 270. The wooden key inserts make a small difference to key weights I suspect (based on measurement) but not enough to make any significant difference.

I've studied classical piano for about 16 years, and spent the whole of that on an acoustic upright. Given noise constraints in an apartment, I now currently practice on a CLP-240. I find the touch to be very acceptable; given the slight improvement of the 280 over the 240, you won't have any problem now, or in the future with it.

The comment on repertoire of grade 5 and higher being inappropriate on digitals might have been applicable ten years ago, but I don't think there's any truth to it today.

I would advise playing on an acoustic from time to time, if only to maintain an understanding of the subtle difference in touch between digitals and acoustics. However, as advanced as digital pianos are today, the sound you can produce in them are approaching indistinguishably against acoustics.

As a side note, I watched a BBC Television series "Imagine Being a Concert Pianist", and it showed Benjamin Grosvenor (an up and coming gifted pianist) practicing on a digital.