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Topic: Digital Piano Advice?  (Read 3230 times)

Offline cuzza4321

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Digital Piano Advice?
on: December 22, 2013, 01:51:18 PM
Hey, I have an Acoustic piano in my living room that is kind of a sharing piano for my family (nobody is good we just had it as we used to take lessons as children now 5 years later I am finished school and want to learn). The thing is due to it being in the living room I only have a few certain times of the day when learning will not disturb the family and that time doesnt always match up to my personal times.

 Now I am only 17 and I have saved up $1000 AUD but I am not keen on spending all of it. I would like to buy a digital piano for my room as I can practice late at night (i am practically nocturnal). I am newish to piano, I can read music 1 hand at a time but i cannot play full speed while reading only slowly and I can play the entire Fur Elise its the only song i know. My point is that I know the feel of a real piano, and the whole pedaling and how it feels to hit the keys harder etc but as i dont play regularly and only on our home one I wouldnt really know the difference between good and bad ones.

 I probably sound extremely uneducated on this subject but overall I would like a digital piano, that has headphone support, pedals, weighted keys that feel at least a little similar to a real piano and full length. Could anybody recommend a digital piano/s that for around 500-1000 would be okay? And by the way I mean retail price can be higher as i can search for preowned ones but yes any suggestions?

Offline lhorwinkle

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Re: Digital Piano Advice?
Reply #1 on: December 22, 2013, 05:23:14 PM
At under $1000 US you won't find a digital piano that feels like an acoustic.

Kawai has good feeling key action above $2000 USD (or a bit less for their VPC1). But under $1000? None available. You'll have to settle for something less.

Can you stretch to around $1300 USD? Their are some decent Yamahas in that range. But below that the actions have a cheap feel ... better than toys, but still not very good.

The problem is that while there are some choices in this price range in the US (and Europe), prices in AU are ridiculous.

Offline cuzza4321

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Re: Digital Piano Advice?
Reply #2 on: December 23, 2013, 05:47:52 AM
i think i could stretch. It doesnt have to be exactly like an acoustic, im just saying i do not want something that feels like a 44 key keyboard and its bad. I saw for example a Casio P750 for $1000 and they looked alright but of course i need to feel it.

Offline hfmadopter

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Re: Digital Piano Advice?
Reply #3 on: December 23, 2013, 09:41:24 AM
i think i could stretch. It doesnt have to be exactly like an acoustic, im just saying i do not want something that feels like a 44 key keyboard and its bad. I saw for example a Casio P750 for $1000 and they looked alright but of course i need to feel it.

The keys are a little light and springy on the PX750 but they are grade weighted, so heavier on the left than the right and there are 88 of them. The internal speaker sound is thin, it doesn't produce rich sound through the little 8 w speakers on board. But what you need to do is try it with headphones, that could be a whole different experience. Keep in mind that it has two 1/4" headphone ports. So if you own headphones with the little jack end on them you will need an adapter which is readily available. If you don't own a set, budget in for a decent set with 1/4" plug on them. borrow a set from the store you are looking at the piano at to try it out. You most likely will find the sound is very good through the headphones or much better than through it's own speaker system. And the headphone quality change holds true with about any digital piano or keyboard that you will try out, so keep them on hand.

Here in the US that piano sells for $899 in a bundle with headphones, a bench and some other gizmos or $750 US as it comes.

Here at about $1500 you might get one of the Yamahas with slightly better action. A Clavinova is out of your price range but a lot of people like those.
Depressing the pedal on an out of tune acoustic piano and playing does not result in tonal color control or add interest, it's called obnoxious.

Offline cuzza4321

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Re: Digital Piano Advice?
Reply #4 on: December 25, 2013, 12:55:30 PM
Ill list a few in an Australian store that i can afford.
    Roland F120B
    Hemingway 88 Note Digital Piano - 701 series Black model
    Casio Privia PX330 88-key digital stage piano
Casio Celviano AP250 Cabinet Style Digital Piano (Black)
Roland RP-301 Digital Piano (Satin Black)
Yamaha Arius S31

Those are 1s that are just at the 1 store, they all about 1.5k AUD.
I swear Australia when it comes to hobbies always gets the short stick. -.- Everything is always like double the real value. Like grand pianos Yamaha C1X NEW Grand Piano is 30k! D:

Offline hfmadopter

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Re: Digital Piano Advice?
Reply #5 on: December 25, 2013, 02:41:16 PM
Ill list a few in an Australian store that i can afford.
    Roland F120B
    Hemingway 88 Note Digital Piano - 701 series Black model
    Casio Privia PX330 88-key digital stage piano
Casio Celviano AP250 Cabinet Style Digital Piano (Black)
Roland RP-301 Digital Piano (Satin Black)
Yamaha Arius S31

Those are 1s that are just at the 1 store, they all about 1.5k AUD.
I swear Australia when it comes to hobbies always gets the short stick. -.- Everything is always like double the real value. Like grand pianos Yamaha C1X NEW Grand Piano is 30k! D:

If the store has all of these then what you need to do is try them out.

A couple of things: Are you sure the Roland 301 is in your price range? I say this because it's out of range of the other pianos. Here it costs around $1600 US ( there may be some deals for less but still  not down in the price range of your other options). It would be the superior instrument I would tink, of those you listed anyway.

Secondly, the PX 330 I believe has been replaced with a superior PX 350, better keys better sound. Remember, this style piano needs a stand ! I would probably place this piano as second on your list, especially with the upgrade.

The others you really have to try for yourself, actually all of them you do.
Depressing the pedal on an out of tune acoustic piano and playing does not result in tonal color control or add interest, it's called obnoxious.
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