Keyboard Recommendation for Five Year Old

[noring]

Hi,

Our five year old son just started private piano lessons after a year of group lessons. We are looking to get him a keyboard (88 keys seems to be the best option) as we don't have the space in our NYC apt for a "real" piano. Would anyone be kind enough to recommend some brands/models that would be suitable given his age. Would like to keep it between $250-$500.

Thank you.

[awesom_o]

A keyboard with 88 keys takes up the same amount of floor space in a NY apartment as a real piano.

Are you sure space, and not $$, is the limiting factor here?

Don't cheap out on your child's future!  Buy a real piano if you want him to be a real pianist.

There is no digital piano I consider to be suitable for a 5-year-old.

[iansinclair]

A keyboard with 88 keys takes up the same amount of floor space in a NY apartment as a real piano.

Are you sure space, and not $$, is the limiting factor here?

Don't cheap out on your child's future!  Buy a real piano if you want him to be a real pianist.

There is no digital piano I consider to be suitable for a 5-year-old.

Totally agree.  And for the $ you are quoting, I'm quite sure you can pick up a good used upright or spinet which will be much more suitable than a digital -- and I would further observe that to get a digital which is really suitable for learning, you are looking at three times the figure you mention.

A spinet will take up exactly the same floor space -- well, maybe a few inches further from the wall -- than any decent digital.

[hfmadopter]

Times are changing for sure but have you thought to ask the piano teacher who is instructing your child what type of piano is suggested ? Back in the 70's and 80's when I was taking adult lessons, my teacher specifically asked what you had for a piano. If it was an electronic keyboard she wouldn't accept you as a student. At the time I had an upright that I bought off the sidewalk on my way to work and here I was standing in the studio of a well known and respected teacher in our area at the time with her shiny Steinway looming at me! She said that didn't matter as long as it wasn't one of those electric things. She had 0 respect for electronic keyboards and far more for my $100 upright that actually I outgrew after two years of classical study.

Again, as I say, times are changing. I imagine there are plenty of teachers out there that will teach if a student has "one of those electric things" !

All that said, the least option IMO, for a keyboard if you must start a new student on one, is the Yamaha P105. I'm sure that is way better than anything my teacher ever saw in her lifetime as far as electronic keyboards go. However, you really should look around on your local Craigslist for a used upright at least. A smaller console may be had for your price range and it will be a real piano. Getting it moved is another matter !

Just for the record, I own both a grand piano and a keyboard these days. I find both useful for different reasons. I do agree the better keyboards with more suitable action will cost more than you want to pay according to your post but you can take it from there.

[indianajo]

People are so afraid of the piano tuner.  You can get an 88 key spinet (<37" high) piano that weighs about 150 lb for $40-$100.  They will fit in the trunk of a large car and are about as easy to carry upstairs as a partical board desk.  People love their electronics these days.  About the fourth or fifth year of lessons a spinet action will be too slow, but only about 10% of piano students study that long.  Suitable brands are Baldwin, Hamilton, Mason & Hamlin, Chickering,  Wurlitzer. I saw a really nice sounding Mason & Hamlin at Goodwill last year for $40.   Unsuitable brands are Winter, and Kimball is okay unused but wears out fast.  check that every note works, no strings are broken, the hammers and dampers are not scooped by wear in the middle, the soundboard in the back is not visibly cracked, and the hammer shafts are not bent.  Keys that stay down because mice ate the leather retractor strip can be repaired with a ten cent piece of seam tape.  
Note many electronic "pianos" in the lower price ranges have undersized keys, which makes performing at the piano teacher's studio difficult.  Even the "respected" brands do this vile trick on the lower prices.  

[pianoplunker]

Hi,

Our five year old son just started private piano lessons after a year of group lessons. We are looking to get him a keyboard (88 keys seems to be the best option) as we don't have the space in our NYC apt for a "real" piano. Would anyone be kind enough to recommend some brands/models that would be suitable given his age. Would like to keep it between $250-$500.

Thank you.

I would always recommend a real piano for a 5 year old. It is fun to open it up and play real loud while watching the hammers hit the strings.  And a 5 year old will never appreciate the sound of a digital piano as much as if given the chance to work a real piano. I understand if you cant do it but I am just saying because I had so much fun with it. Nowadays I play digital but that is because I have to carry them out and and set them up. These days I dream about possibly getting a real piano for myself. Not enough room? dont worry 88 keys is around five feet across whether digital or not.  Maybe you can try renting one (?) so you dont get financially committed to something that just wont work. All in all you wont get anything decent new for $500.00 digital or acoustic unless you are lucky