Looking for a keyboard/digital piano

Looking for a keyboard/digital piano

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Discussion

Simpo Two

Original Poster:

85,147 posts

264 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
quotequote all
I'm just a 'dabbler' but would like to get a decent quality second-hand keyboard or digital piano (not entirely sure of the difference but would like weighted keys, and preferably 88 of them though I could lose a few). There doesn't seem to be much on eBay so just wondered if any PHers had one for sale. I had a Roland FP-8 but it was too heavy to lift and wouldn't fit in the cupboard!

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
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If you get a full-sized, weighted one then it's gonna be heavy even if it's "portable"! Check Gumtree!

theboss

6,878 posts

218 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
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According to my Dad (pro pianist / keyboard player) there's a very good Kurzweil stage piano on the market for approx £500-600 - I'll ask for details. He was specifically looking for something lightweight to compliment his other gear (he uses an 88-key Triton predominantly) because he's been having back pain. The quality of piano samples and keybed are of key concern so if he says its the best thing on the market at a particular price, its probably worth a look...

theboss

6,878 posts

218 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
quotequote all
theboss said:
According to my Dad (pro pianist / keyboard player) there's a very good Kurzweil stage piano on the market for approx £500-600 - I'll ask for details. He was specifically looking for something lightweight to compliment his other gear (he uses an 88-key Triton predominantly) because he's been having back pain. The quality of piano samples and keybed are of key concern so if he says its the best thing on the market at a particular price, its probably worth a look...
To clarify it wasn't a Kurzweil he recommended, but the Kawai ES100

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
quotequote all
15kg! That is pretty light. Presumably still weighted keys, though.

Simpo Two

Original Poster:

85,147 posts

264 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
quotequote all
Thanks all - I had hoped to find something serviceable second hand for around £200 - is this unrealistic? Can go one size smaller if it helps.

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
Thanks all - I had hoped to find something serviceable second hand for around £200 - is this unrealistic? Can go one size smaller if it helps.
I picked up my Korg SP300 from Gumtree for £200. (Might have been even cheaper.)

singlecoil

33,311 posts

245 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
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Get a USB keyboard controller new for less than your budget and plug it into your computer. Most of them come with sequencer software with built-in software instruments that will have plenty of good piano sounds as well as all the others.

GetCarter

29,358 posts

278 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
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singlecoil said:
Get a USB keyboard controller new for less than your budget and plug it into your computer. Most of them come with sequencer software with built-in software instruments that will have plenty of good piano sounds as well as all the others.
This... though the keys will probably not be weighted.

Simpo Two

Original Poster:

85,147 posts

264 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
quotequote all
I'd like something that sounds and feels like a piano. But it must be liftable and cupboard-friendly!

The Casio CDP-120 seems to keep cropping up - but to me 'Casio' make toys not instruments.

theboss

6,878 posts

218 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
quotequote all
I'd have thought you'd struggle to get anything half decent for £200. I had a Yamaha P80 a decade ago - it was the best value quality stage piano at that time - and I see they now go for £200-300 on Ebay. Might be worth a punt if you can a nice immaculate one which has had light home use.

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Sunday 6th July 2014
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
I'd like something that sounds and feels like a piano. But it must be liftable and cupboard-friendly!

The Casio CDP-120 seems to keep cropping up - but to me 'Casio' make toys not instruments.
Try it!

Simpo Two

Original Poster:

85,147 posts

264 months

Sunday 6th July 2014
quotequote all
Hoofy said:
Try it!
Do you have experience of one?

I suppose I could always cover up the name with a Bosendorfer logo hehe

NDA

21,488 posts

224 months

Sunday 6th July 2014
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Roland do some very small (weighted) stage pianos which are good quality. A few good piano sounds included and, of course, the option to take them into a computer and then the world of sounds via that route.

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Sunday 6th July 2014
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
Do you have experience of one?

I suppose I could always cover up the name with a Bosendorfer logo hehe
hehe

No, never tried their digital piano. Have used one of their synths from the 1980s and had no problem with it. To me Casio is about scientific calculators so their electronics must be pretty decent in my mind.

GetCarter

29,358 posts

278 months

Sunday 6th July 2014
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
Do you have experience of one?

I suppose I could always cover up the name with a Bosendorfer logo hehe
I have a sampled Bosendorfer in my computer smile >> http://www.stevecarter.com/modp2.mp3

Simpo Two

Original Poster:

85,147 posts

264 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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As an update, I found a 'used' Yamaha P105 at Amazon Warehouse for £380 - a saving of about £100 - so I bought it. Externally it looked brand new but unfortunately some of the voices turned into a stylophone after 15 secs so it had to go back, and of course they can't supply another one at the same price, damn.

I thought it sounded and felt 'OK' but a bit plasticky and you could tell the keys weren't weighted quite right. Hence I'm considering going up a notch to the £500-£700 bracket. Unfortunately the next model in the Yamaha range seems to be the P255 which is £1113 everywhere (a black chipboard 'piano' shape is not an option as it has to be stored in a cupboard).

So... top brand preferred, new preferred, looking for best piano sound and feel, a decent selection of nice voices would be fun but apart from that I don't need any electronic trickery. How about the Roland F-20 at £639? It is not going to get used a great deal, but when I do use it, or guests have a go, I would like it to be a nice one.

ETA: After a little more surfing the likely candidates are the Roland F-20, though it is heavy at 20kg and the voice selection could be annoying, the Kawai ES100 (as kindly mentioned by 'theboss' but an equal shortage of voice buttons), and perhaps the Casio PX350 although it looks rather gadgety.

What does the panel make of these reviews?

Roland: http://azpianonews.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/Roland-F...

Kawai: http://azpianonews.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/Kawai-ES...

Casio: http://azpianonews.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/review-c...

Off for some air!

Edited by Simpo Two on Friday 25th July 12:05

singlecoil

33,311 posts

245 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
As long as there is a way of connecting to a laptop (and you have one) then you can have as many sounds as you want. They call them VST instruments, basically software synths, they range in price from free to quite expensive, and you can trigger them from the piano keyboard (or even from a guitar if you have the right ancillaries).

Simpo Two

Original Poster:

85,147 posts

264 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for the idea, but I don't have a laptop, and wouldn't really want one hanging off the back if I did. Just want a piano really, and 6-10 good voices with a button each so I can select them smile

If I had the space I'd have a pianola!

singlecoil

33,311 posts

245 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
What does the panel make of these reviews?
Quite honestly, I think you will have some difficulty in finding people, especially here, who are having to operate in such limited circumstances. What do the music shops in your area have? Might any of the staff their be able to provide the info and opinions you need?