Question about the quality of digital pianos.

[kilini]

Hi. I have a pretty new digital piano from Yamaha; I bought it about half a year ago. Problem is, I'm going off to college and no one else would play the piano for months. And I don't want to sell it, as it's bound to be a bad bargain. Would that damage my piano's quality, like long periods of inactivity do to cars? What should I do? Sell it now before its price gets worse in four years?

[xvimbi]

I have never heard of anything like that. Cars and similar gadgets need to be used in order to keep things lubricated or prevent them from drying out and become brittle, etc. Digital pianos are for the most part entirely electronic. The moving parts don't need lubrication as far as I know. Besides, they stay in boxes for months, sometimes years before they get sold, and they work just fine. I would assume that you could put it away for months and nothing is going to happen to them.

But, why not take it with you?

Or, get a cat and have someone put some cat food on the keys every day.

[torchygirl]

Or, get a cat and have someone put some cat food on the keys every day.

One of my cats loves to walk across the keyboard.  I can't imagine the hairs that are collecting between the keys!  Oh, well, he's too darn cute to stop.

Karen

[kilini]

Well, I don't know anything about them. If a car needs driving regularly, why wouldn't a piano need playing regularly? Silly reasoning, I know.
I wish I could take it with me. But surely my roommate would object. 'sides, I probably won't be allowed. I'm a, ah, special student.

My mother would be horrified. She shivers at the thought of cute little kitties playing her thousands of dollars worth piano.

I'm also afraid that it will become obsolete by the time I'm done with college. Like so many of my computers became...

[Torp]

Xvimbi is right.

Nothing is going to happen to your digital piano if it sits for a few years.  And it won't become obsolete.  Obviously it will not be cutting edge technology 2-4 years from now, but it will still do exactly what it does today.  Which, if you bought it, certainly appears to be at least adequate for your needs.  I don't see obsolescence as a problem, especially if what you bought was in the thousands of dollars range.

Also, most digital pianos have headphone outputs.  Why would your roommate be bothered?

[kilini]

Well, come to think of it, she might not be. But it would take up a lot of room in our little place. And I'm not sure I'm even allowed to bring a piano. I'm 13. There are a lot of rules for us.

[xvimbi]

You are 13, and you are going off to college?!?!?!?!? What kind of college is that? What kind of person are you?

[Torp]

Well, come to think of it, she might not be. But it would take up a lot of room in our little place. And I'm not sure I'm even allowed to bring a piano. I'm 13. There are a lot of rules for us.

Hmmm....Lots of rules = Lots of exceptions.  If a college is taking you at 13 years old, I'm sure they're willing to work with you.

[kilini]

Well, I'll ask them.