Questions about player pianos (old and new)

Hello all, I am new to these forums. I have always wanted to own a player piano and finally have the space to do so. I've been doing a lot of reading on both antique and new players, however, I'm having a hard time figuring out what type of instrument is best for my needs. I'm hoping that I can get some recommendations from you all that will point me in the right direction.

First off, I have to admit that I do not play the piano. I sing, so I can read music and pick out a tune, but I don't have the ability to play in any meaningful way. I would like a player piano to use for accompaniment, and for music at parties, etc. This also means that I don't have a highly developed musical ear as far as differences between pianos, etc. I'm looking for something that is for fun vs. professional use.

I don't have room for a grand piano, so an upright is a must. I really like the systems that use CDs, as I am handy with computers and would enjoy finding more songs online, creating new ones etc. However, I've found it difficult to find uprights with this type of system; am I just not looking in the right places?

I am open to a digital piano, but it must have a player system with moving keys. It would be nice to have a lighter-weight instrument that doesn't need tuning! Again, though, my search thus far hasn't yielded any digital uprights with moving keys.

I'm also not opposed to a player that takes rolls; they are so beautiful and it would feel like an honor to own one. However, I am nervous about the maintenance of it. Do they tend to break down a lot? Is it hard to change the rolls, and to get new ones?

And finally, I have cost to consider. I am on a bit of a budget, and would ideally like to spend no more than $5000. I'm certainly open to used systems.

Any advice on what type of system would be best for me, and where to find it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hello Ayesha, and welcome to the PW forum.

With a $5000 budget, I would suggest a used upright Disklavier. Check on Ebay, www.pianomart.com, and www.rickjonespiano.com You might be able to find one for that price. Another possibility is to look for a used digital Disklavier, DGT2IIXG. If you can find a used one, they should be around 5K or a bit more.

The roll playing pianos are sometimes a problem, especially if they have never been rebuilt. Finding one that has been rebuilt properly is a must and for 5K, that might be tough. You can also add a recording strip to a roll playing piano, www.midi9.com but it would not be able to play the file back like a Disklavier or digital Disklavier would. Hope that helps.