Buying an instrument on a low budget?

[annieally]

Hi! I've been playing piano for roughly four years now, and I've been playing on a pretty basic/bad keyboard I've had for roughly ten years now. I'm looking to upgrade but can't afford a 'proper' acoustic piano.

My budget is about £500, willing to go to £700 if the situation calls for it but no higher.

Can anyone recommend any keyboards/electric pianos that are decent to play for around this price range? Given up hope on finding even a second-hand acoustic piano for that price, but honestly anything's better than what I already play on.

[glastofari]

Hello, after reading your post, i can reccommend this website, which is all about finding a decent secondhand piano - https://www.usedpianobuyersguide.com

Best of luck, (& go acoustic, always the best)!

[indianajo]

Pity you are in the UK.   Acoustic pianos are reviled furniture in the US, There are 5 consoles over 39" tall worth driving out to see on my Craigslist, all under $500.  In 2008 I saw a 44" Baldwin in the reviled blonde color for $200. I played on of those at contest once, the loudest console I every played.  
Limiting oneself to the current oriental brands pretty much limits one to a certain price, since they took over the market about 1980.  There are many forgotten brands from the forties, fifties, sixties, and seventies, that are quite competent pianos.  Some brands have their cachet destroyed by new owners that use the name to sell junk.  I have played on competent consoles (over 40" tall) from Sohmer, Baldwin, Cable, Wurlitzer, Steinway,Everett.  Many secondary brands are pretty good, like Goodman, Hamilton by Baldwin, Mason, Chickering. Pianos I did not like or were falling apart, Kimble, Winter. UK brands you will have to get advice from a UK resident, but many US soldiers were in the UK post WWII.
Pianos are not cars, they are not made of rubber and sheet metal, and they don't deteriorate sitting still unless there are mice, mold, humidity or water damage.  When you check out a piano, check the wear on the hammer felts, whether the hammer shafts rock back and forth, whether there is mold or mouse consumption damage, whether the soundboard is cracked or not.  Check the action to see how fast, some are faster than others.  My 1941 Steinway purchased 2010 sounded awful, but the action was fast and unworn, and the upper notes had a certain tone even though badly out of tune. It took seven tunings to get it singing, all by me with my allen wrench and socket.  A bargain at $1000. But the $200 Baldwin was probably louder with great tone, only I don't have a stage so I don't need the volume. I tried to talk the music committee at church to go take a listen, but they prefer their feeble bassless Yamaha studio piano, it is "new".   Watch cragslist and throw away shopper papers, also Salvation army and other charity resale shops.  With 44" HDTV taking over living rooms, console pianos are seen as "old and in the way" by unmusical heirs.  

[john90]

There are lots of nice used acoustic uprights in the UK that need TLC. Yamaha and Kawai Korean/Chinese often overpriced at the low end, so go for something European post WW1 for upto £200. With transport you should be well under.

Digital wise a used Yamaha, Korg, Kawai or weighted Midi compatible and a laptop can keep you going. Get the digital used with the touch you like, and let your PC do upgradable state of the art sound. A good digital setup can let you relax while you look for a decent acoustic, which takes time these days.