Digital/Electronic Piano Advice

[Alex_UK]

Hopefully we have an expert or two here at AoS.

My daughter has been learning piano for a couple of years and we started her with a basic keyboard as we were not sure she would take to it, however her teacher has suggested now is the time to get her a proper “weighted” keyboard or real piano. I’m not keen on a real one for the usual reasons (transport, size and maintenance) so an electronic version seems the best bet. I want her to have one that has 3 pedals so it is as realistic as possible. I want to buy secondhand up to around £600 but would obviously prefer to pay less.

I’m leaning towards the Yamaha Clavinova range, but those available are often 15-20 years old - has anyone experience of these and is there a disadvantage in buying an older model? Casio seem to have a similar range - Celviano - so May go for one of those but does anyone have any other recommendations - there are plenty of other manufacturers including some I have never heard of, but my reasoning for going the Yamaha route is that they are well regarded “proper” piano makers, so I guess they know a thing or two about how to make the action feel real?

We could get her a brand new one for that sort of money but I’m thinking a secondhand one will represent better value in the long run as it will have been higher up the range than a new one which is likely to be bottom of the range and she may outgrow it?

Any advice gratefully received!

[dave2010]

Not sure I can comment much - though I was looking at this issue myself a while back. If you don't have space for a "real" piano, then an electric/electronic one is perhaps a good idea. A concert pianist I know has a Roland model - which I think was available a few years ago for around £1400 new. I don't know if they do anything similar now. Roland's current instruments may have actually lower specs regarding the keyboard, but probably more (arguably useless) bells and whistles in the electronics departments. If those particular Roland instruments are still available second hand they may be a very good buy. As you have noted, the Clavinova's have also been quite highly rated in the past.

If you want to follow up the Roland line, I can try to find out the exact model. It does have a good keyboard, though it's not actually too portable. It is movable, but quite heavy and things get worse if one has to shift it up and down steps and stairs. I know, we had to shift it a few times. Weight lifters would consider it trivial, but other mere mortals might not. It's a pretty good instrument in many ways, and several of the Roland models do have weighted keys. There are quite a number of different models on ebay. I'd be interested to know if you do buy one of these how well they do for you - or indeed any other make/model.

Many of the professional people who do private parties or jazz clubs seem to use Rolands.

[Alex_UK]

Much appreciated Dave, I know Roland are big in the synth world, and also digital pianos so will have another scout around tonight. We’ve put a couple of “wanted” posts up on social media so hopefully we’ll find something suitable.

[struth]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283581522351
These get a decent name for money

[Alex_UK]

Looks good Grant, will do some more reading- thanks.

[dave2010]

I don't know much about the Korgs - may be good. Do you have any music shops in your area where you can go and try a few out? It would surely make sense for you and/or your daughter to go and see how the things actually work, ot take someone who plays piano well along to help out. I think keyboards can be quite fun, but they are rather different beasts from pianos. Some pianos also function as keyboards (up to a point**), and some keyboards also function quite well as pianos, but not all of them do - even in the same manufacturer's ramge.

** for example, I think a piano could also output Midi to drive other instruments. However, it would probably always produce a piano sound unless the hammers were decoupled, and tricks which could be done with a keyboard, such as transposition or harmonisation, or simple chord fingerings, wouldn't work.

[Made in 1968]

Another vote for Roland. Do you want a full 88 Note jobbie?

Casio CDP100, yep you heard it Casio..

[mad-moon]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283581522351
These get a decent name for money

I'll second this...however I used a Roland when I played in a band....£500 for a new electric piano, from such a well established keyboard maker, is excellent value for money...and it ticks all the boxes...full size 88 note weighted keyboard and three pedals..this will play exactly the same as an upright/ grand piano...and it will never need tuning...

[Alex_UK]

Thanks guys - yes, needs to be a fully weighted 88 key one. I think most of them have midi, and I have a few bits and bobs (software and hardware) which we could use, so it is more about the actual keyboard itself. There used to be a really good piano/keyboard shop locally but it closed down - however I see the seller of that Korg is actually local, so would make sense to see if we can go and view it. Hoping to check a Yamaha one from eBay out tomorrow evening as well.

[dave2010]

Thanks guys - yes, needs to be a fully weighted 88 key one. I think most of them have midi, and I have a few bits and bobs (software and hardware) which we could use, so it is more about the actual keyboard itself. There used to be a really good piano/keyboard shop locally but it closed down - however I see the seller of that Korg is actually local, so would make sense to see if we can go and view it. Hoping to check a Yamaha one from eBay out tomorrow evening as well.

Yes - go and play the Hammerklavier Sonata, or Prokofiev's 6-8 sonatas, or Bartok's Allegro Barbaro, and see how the keyboard stands up. Then go back to Mozart, Haydn and Bach - and maybe some Debussy and Ravel. These things need proper testing.