$5000 is my budget for digital piano. I Like the cvp503 style. Other options?

[ramjet36]

I would like to be able to have the voices and musical options that the cvp 503 offers.  I was just wondering if there were other options.  The Roland RM700 looks to be out of my $5000 limit.

[john90]

I would suggest a used Yamaha acoustic with a silent system, which has Midi, and reasonable Yamaha inbuilt voices. Then use a laptop with Midi adapter to get much more realistic sounds. Or even use the acoustic. 5K is  a lot to spend on a digital, and you will loose 2K as soon as you take a new digital out of the box. A PC/Mac should be able to do much more than a keyboard in terms of sounds.

[ramjet36]

Thanks for the tip.  But I don't care how much I lose once I take the piano out of the box.  I intend to keep it for many years, not for resale.  Going the pc route is to teckie.  I would just as soon pay for having the features built in.  How about the Kawai models?

[toner22]

well hell I wouldn't blow 5 grand on a digital. Basically because they're all pretty much the same. The higher you get the more gadgets they give you.

Though I might spend it on the advent grand. A nice digital though costly.

Other then that id go for a CA63 (93 is you want it to look fancy) The RM3 action they have is pretty nice. Or maybe the cn's with the RH action. They all pretty much have that ivory touch. Thing with kawai is I don't hear as many stories about keys breaking or scratching or eroding down as the rolands.

Next is the rolands. With supernatural sound. It does sound pretty nice except for the top treble keys. Sounds like a metallic processed sound instead of that pitched granite sound an upright has. Plus as I said roland needs to get it's act together keybed wise. With roland theirs the 2 and 3 actions. 3 is on the flagship and very light to the touch. 2 is pretty good to.

Yamaha has some nice sounds if you like em. Some find them to bright and don't care for em. They came out with a new line but from what ive heard of others who have tried them they aren't that great of an improvement over the 300 series to spend the cash on em. Another thing is the action, the GH3 has a nice heavy action to it. Some love it as they enjoy a stiff key, others it makes their fingers and wrists hurt. (Me id go heavy give them fingers a workout)

Those are the big three that dealerships usually carry in quantity. Id go with kawai as it's my preference in action feel, but everyones different.  I had read that they're also releasing a cl1? Or something like that. They're literally building an upright cabinet in polished ebony to house an ok digital piano.  It's about the same as a cn23 but looks damn nice.

[ramjet36]

I hear what you say about over spending but here's where I'm at:  I like all of those bells and whistles and I am afraid I will have buyers remorse if I get a piano without them and then want to trade up again. (My wife will never stand for that.  This has to be my last upgrade so I am willing to pay for the specials.)  So having said that, I am looking hard at the Yamaha cvp503.  I am concerned only that the 40 watts of power will be to low and that there are not enough piano voice options as some of the others listed below.

What are the best deals that you have heard of for the Roland RM700, the Kawai CP139, the Yamaha cvp503 and cvp505?  I might consider going over my budget a "little".

Thanks.

[nyle124]

My CVP 103 is 10 years old and it is still in great condition.
I also love all those bells and whistles, and specially the "follow the lights" lesson/guide- I've learned a lot of classical music with this feature.
I don't know what your level is, maybe you don't need this feature, but if you have kids- then it will be very useful.

Downside is-the keys are very clunky, and got worse as it got older.
OK, the technology is 10 years old, so maybe the 500 series have better keyboards?? or maybe you should avoid the entry model, and get the upgraded wooden keyboard??

A piano technician suggested I should have the felts under the keyboard changed, but I have read on another forum that it doesn't take a long time before it gets clunky again.

I got sick and tired of the clunky keyboard, so I have just bought an acoustic piano. (Bohemia Piano)
I have toyed about the idea of an entry model silent piano (Yamaha B1 silent), but decided to get a better acoustic piano, and just use my CVP 103 for silent playing.

Good Luck.

[toner22]

ah so your a sound man. Ok then that narrows it. I don;t think you'll want a ca then, the 93 only has 80 sounds to it.

Id say you would want either a cn43 or the kawai cp series. Basically the lowest model has the RH action with 800 sounds, the next one up is RM3 (better) with 900 sounds and the next 2 have over 1000.  No idea the pricing though. But with 5 grand im sure they're in reach.

Yamaha I would go with the cvp line. Minimum of the 503 as the 501's a jip in key action. Or you could go up to the 509 and get that 5th sampling. Or to just have a great looking digital go for the CGP-1000. Damn what a fine lookn thing.

[ramjet36]

Thanks, Toner, I'll check out the cn43.  The cvp 509, I know I would like but it is out of reach I fear.  I don't think I could get one in the "little over" $5000 range.

[ramjet36]

Anyone have any feel for the best $ deal you can get on:

Yamaha cvp503,  or  cvp505
Kawai  cp139
Roland RM700

?

[toner22]

Only one I could find is a guy who bought a cvp505 for $3750 back in spring of 2010.

Usually if it's new id say the retail price (what they have marked it down to not to stupid manufacturers amount) and then deduct about 35% Then you have haggle room.

And if it's been used (sitting there while joe somebody just did some business upstairs in the food court without washing his hands fingered up the keys) then id say there's plenty of haggle room.

[ramjet36]

Thanks Toner.  Some good insight regarding the price negotiation.  I'm the the kind of guy who just assumes the sticker price is the price you need to pay.  It usually does not cross my mind to ask for a better number so this is great info.

[lhorwinkle]

Some good insight regarding the price negotiation.  I'm the the kind of guy who just assumes the sticker price is the price you need to pay.  It usually does not cross my mind to ask for a better number so this is great info.

Just so you know ... You don't "ask" for a better number. You have to make an offer.

Higher up in the thread someone suggested taking 35% off of the dealer's asking price. I think that's a good idea, though you should allow yourself to come up a bit from that during the negotiation.

Earlier you said you were concerned about the 40 watt sound system of the CVP503.  Don't be. You'll probably want to add an external sound system anyway. Every piano (short of the Avant Grands and other $10,000+ pianos) will need an external sound system to give good results. But you need only spend a few hundred dollars to get excellent results.

[toner22]

always helps to have cash on hand to. A nice thick stack of 100's will make that salesman all giddy. Sticker says 2200, I'll ask the salesman about it and he'll ramble (they all do) then I'll tell em, 22's to high. I'll give ya 1300 cash right now. Go up by about another 1 or 200. Always helps to flash it to. (Odds are they'll prolly pocket 100 but who cares) If they don't want to come down, then just take that nice stack of 100's and put em back in your wallet in front of him saying sorry and to call you if they get the piano you want in around your price as you walk out. 

Maybe they'll break, maybe you call back in a week or 2 to see if they have anything.

[quantum]

I know you said you didn't want to go the "techie" route.  But for the most voices, I would be more inclined to go with a MIDI hookup to an external synth or PC.  You really don't have to go PC, you could go MAC or Linux  .  Since you say you don't want to upgrade for some time, this setup will give you more flexibility.  You could get the latest soft synths on your computer and still keep the same physical setup.  Have the wife think you're still playing with the same ol' stuff (well you are, just different sounds). 

If you're concerned with speaker output power, just get yourself a good keyboard amp.  The amp will stay with you even if you do upgrade your keyboard later on. 

[ramjet36]

Good stuff guys.  Thanks for the advice.  I'm starting to think that for me it will be between the Roland RM700 and the Yamaha CVP505.  I have not been able to see the Kawai CP139 and from what I hear the sound on that one is not equal to the others.

What I like from these is the ability to work with their built in styles, songs and rhythms.  I am not that good of a player so the built in back round music helps to make me sound a bit better.  And is a heck of a lot of fun.

Still would like to hear from anyone who has worked with either one of these models and or has a purchase price story to tell.

Thanks all.

[keys60]

35% off the MSRP or list price is spot on. The salesperson will usually quote the list price, knock of 15%  to let you think your getting a deal. Offer 40% of the list and come up if you must.