Need a starter piano on a TIGHT budget.. please help!

[red120]

Hi everyone,

I play tenor sax for about one year, and was interested to start learning piano as well (since my sax teacher refer to it constantly in theory). But, as a university student, I don't have a lot of spare money either, and can't have a real piano or anything in my apartment.

So! I thought I can get a digital piano (same as keyboard?) and then learn on my own from a book or something (because I don't have enough cash to take lessons for two instruments, one is very tight already). Plus, my coordination isn't very good, so if I take lessons, it will waste a lot of money.

Would you guys have any recommendations for something to start on? I would want to get 88 keys I think, because I do want to be able to actually play... but not sure on what kind of options I need. Anyways, thanks in advance everyone for your assistances ^^.. I would say maybe 1,000 CDN after tax, of course cheaper is even better as I don't have to save up money as long a time.

(Is it realistic even? Looking at this forum I saw so many people talking about 50,000 pianos..)

[jeremyjchilds]

yamaha P60 is the cheapest weighted keyboard that is still decent. I paid $1100 cdn for mine

[red120]

Still pretty pricey..
Is there any reason that the P60 has speakers and is still cheaper than the P90 without speakers?

Would it get significantly cheaper if I considered pianos that weren't 88 keys?

[jeremyjchilds]

Pianos with less 88 keys are usually not weighted, but I'm sure there is an exception to that rule

[red120]

How about the Casio keyboards? Px100 and Px300?

It's a lot cheaper, is it worthwhile?

[mamma2my3sons]

I started on a $60 pawn shop Casio keyboard. Only took me a lesson or 2 to realize that I would need a real piano if I was going to improve. The keyboard keys were not weighted & I think they were a little smaller than piano keys--although it did have 88 of them.

Then bought a '60's spinet for $400 (US) from local music store. Used that for almost 2 years then sold it & now have a new 5'9" K & C Grand. Which is the end of the line for me.

You have to be quite disciplined to teach yourself piano, however it CAN be done. I would recommend going with an acoustic piano though.

Best of luck to you!

[pianopitchman]

Red,
Although you can probably find a decent quality used spinet for less money than a less expensive new digital (or maybe even a pre-owned digital), you have to take into account the cost of ownership. 
Whatever you pay for the digital piano on day one is all that it will ever cost you.  However, with an older acoustic piano, you need to account for the cost of tuning at least twice a year, moving it to you home after you buy it and other routine maintence issues on an instrument which has more than 10,000 parts. 
If you believe that you will have the money to spend on upkeep for an acostic piano, than by all means, that is the direction you should go.  If not, a digital is your best bet.

Also, Yamaha made some 76 note weighted key digitals that are quite prevalent on the used market and may be kinder on your wallet. 

[jeremyjchilds]

I would say that it is almost never a better idea to go with a electronic instrument. THe resale is much better on acoustics, with a 1000 or less piano, resale is similar to purchase price.

[pianopitchman]

Re-sale value is definately better for an acoustic than a digital piano.  However if we compare owning each type for 5 years...

50 y.o. spinet
$500   the piano itself
$200+ moving
$750   tuning (2 per year at $75 per)
($500) resale value (being generous)

$950 = cost of owning the acoustic piano

Used digital piano
$1000  the piano itself
$0        moving in the back of your SUV/Pickup/Minivan
$0        routine maintence
($500)  resale value (being conservative)

$500 = cost of owning the digital piano

Again I am not saying that digital piano's are perfect or even a better option when all else is equal.  However, re-sale value for a used piano does not bear out to a lower cost of ownership.

[red120]

Yes, I agree, I had decided on a digital piano as well, but pretty much the decision is now just between PX100, PX300, Yamaha 60 and 90.. so if you guys have positive or negative (especially about the Casios, which are cheaper and thus in my prime considering) I would appreciate