Are You Drowning In The Sea Of Digital Pianos? ... Feeling Overwhelmed With Choice?

"The most important thing you need from a digital piano when you're learning is a realistic touch. A good piano sound and a minimum of 4 touch sensitivity levels (pp, mp, mf and f) are also important. Other factors such as: dimensions, weight, colour, 'bells and whistles', shouldn't really be a deciding factor in your purchase", Graham Howard, Piano Advisor and Author

If you need advice on buying a digital piano you can either send me an email: grahamhowardukpianos.co.uk, call 020 8367 2080, or click on the link below to chat with me online...

Confused? Need some advice? - check out piano questions.

 The world's first and only dedicated digital piano forum. Check it out here

Further Reading
Digital Pianos - Which Brand Should I Buy
Should I Buy a Digital Piano or an Upright Piano?

All digital pianos bought through ukpianos.co.uk come with an 'on-site' warranty...
This means a technician will repair your piano in your home.
You won't have to send it anywhere.

Best Sellers

       UK Pianos Shop, Enfield, North London - Telephone: 020 8367 2080

... Upright and digital pianos for sale | New & used | Piano rental | Piano lessons

Interest free finance available on selected digital pianos. Click here to see the range.

If you want an instrument that sounds like a real piano, doesn't take up as much space, or requires any maintenance, then digital pianos are for you. Digital pianos are 100% electronic, and usually have a number of instrument sounds and functions. The most popular makes in the UK are: Yamaha, Roland, Kawai, Classenti, Casio, and Korg. Also check out digital piano reviews, comparisons, and tips on this site.

Advantages of digital pianos over upright pianos

• Space saving
• Lots of instrument sounds and functions
• Much cheaper than upright pianos
• Headphone connections and volume level control
• Easier to move around
• No tuning required (£90 - £150 saving per year)
• No maintenance needed

Find a selection of digital pianos for sale below. Compare brands, prices and specifications. Read comparisons and reviews from other users. You can order over the phone or visit our London piano shop and try out the latest models... Please call first to check what we've got on display.

You might want to read this article which digital piano to buy -You'll discover how you can save money on digital pianos, which shop to buy from and how much to pay.

~ Classenti Digital Pianos Are Making A Big Splash In The UK...

Designed and engineered by Germans... French, German, Japanese, and Chinese parts... Japanese sound technology...
 
The Classenti digital pianos have an EXCELLENT sound, 88 fully weighted keys, and they feel just like you're playing a real upright piano. The touch is slightly heavier than most digital pianos (which is good for all players - especially beginners). The slightly heavier key touch will strengthen your finger muscles so it'll be much easier when the time comes to play a real piano.
 
And, what's more... the price is competitive compared with the equivalent models from Yamaha (YDP140, CLP330 and CLP340), Roland (RP101, HP201 and HP207), Kawai (CN22, CN31 and CA71) and Casio (PX730 and AP500).

Classenti Models
Classenti CDP1
Classenti CDP2
Classenti CDP3
Classenti GR1

"I personally recommend the Classenti digital pianos". Read more.
"The Classenti CDP2 is the best all-round piano I've seen under £900. Super value for money!"
 For more information, send Graham Howard an email: grahamhoward{AT}ukpianos.co.uk

Graham Howard,
Piano Advisor and Author

Buy or Sell a secondhand digital piano in the Market Place.

New Yamaha stage pianos recently launched. Could they be the best stage pianos ever made? Find out here: CP1, CP5, and CP50

Most Popular

Yamaha Digital Pianos   
The best and most popular by far! This is backed up by thousands of teachers around the world that not only own a Yamaha digital piano but usually recommend them to their students above all other makes. The most popular ranges are the CLP, CVP and YDP. The YDP offers nice sounding, budget models; the CLP Clavinova range offers the finest sounding digital pianos around; and the CVP Clavinovas offer additional instrumental voices, rhythms and advanced functions.

Roland Digital Pianos
The Roland sound is quite unique. It's like Marmite: 'You either love it or hate it'. Personally, I love the sound. The touch feels a little too light though: I feel that my fingers start to run away with themselves when playing fast. The range of HP models is the most popular. These pianos offer a variety of sounds and functions similar to those you would find on a Yamaha CLP. The Roland is worth considering and comparing against the Yamaha, Kawai or Classenti. But the prices are quite high. Verdict: Decent pianos with the latest technology, excellent build quality, extremely reliable, but... why do they cost so much?

Kawai Digital Pianos
Because Kawai also manufacture upright pianos they claim to have superior 'piano knowledge' which enables them to build the best digital pianos. Well you'll find that Yamaha have been making uprights for a lot longer than Kawai. Classenti, and Suzuki also produce uprights - So they're not the only ones! Kawai digitals have a pleasant sound, and a medium-weight, soft touch at the bottom of the key stroke. There top end digital pianos from the CA range are their very best (they're definitely worth comparing against the equivalent Yamaha CLP models). Their budget models are their best sellers. This is mostly because of their compact size and affordable price. Kawai also have a big range of styles to choose from.

Classenti Digital Pianos
Great value for money! There's 5 models in all: 3 digital pianos and 2 baby grands. The 1st model (CDP1) is designed for someone that wants a realistic piano sound and touch without the 'bells and whistles'. The 2nd model (CDP2) has a deeper, more resonant piano sound, and is suitable for pianists of all abilities. The 3rd model (CDP3) looks, sounds, and feels just like an upright piano. The sound is also incredibly real. With Classenti you get a superb quality of sound and a realistic, heavy-weighted touch. You don't get hundreds of gimmicks and flashing lights (otherwise known as 'bells and whistles') that you get with most digital pianos.

Casio Digital Pianos 
If you're looking for a cheaper alternative to the Yamaha or Roland, but at the same time having a reasonable piano sound and touch then the Casio digital pianos are an option for you. You get to choose from two ranges: The Privia PX, and the AP range. The Privia pianos are modern/cool looking space savers, but the downside is the rather weak, and bright tone, the light/springy touch and very noisy keys. The AP range is better, but still lacks a decent touch. Casio have made improvements over the past few years but they really need to focus a but more on quality.

Kurzweil
If you need a top end, high performing stage piano then Kurzweil are certainly worth considering. Kurzweil's basic model can be compared against the Roland FP, and Yamaha P series. Kurzweil's top model is really something else.

Korg
Korg make excellent stage pianos (some of the best), but their digital pianos don't quite live up to this. Prices are also not as cheap as you would expect.

Suzuki         
Suzuki produces some of the cheapest digital pianos on the market. The keys are weighted, but they feel quite light under your fingers. These pianos are not ideal for the long term. But if you want something that's got a good selection of 'gadgets' and fits into your budget, then Suzuki might be worth considering. A better alternative to Suzuki is the Casio Privia range (see above).

Mantova
At last a decent entry-level digital piano around the £500 mark. There's not many pianos to boast about in this lower price bracket. The downside is Mantova only currently produce two models. Not much choice there! But they're certainly a nice piano for any beginner to intermediate player.

Valdesta Digital Pianos
Made in Asia and sold exclusively in the USA.

Others

Alesis, Amason, Baldwin, Behringer, Bentley, Bohemia (no longer in production), Bohm (no longer in production), Chase, Cranes, Daewoo (no longer in production), Delson, Digiano, Diginova, Digitech, Dynatone, Ensoniq, Farfisa, Galileo, Gear4Music, Gem (no longer in production), Hammond, Hemingway, Ketron, Kobrat, M-Audio, Minueta, Orla, Pianonova, Rikter, Ringway, Robertson, Samick, Sejung, Solton (no longer in production), Sulinda, Technics (no longer in production), Thomann, Viscount, Wersi (no longer in production), Williams, Winchester, Worlde.

Gem (No longer in production from June 2009)
Oh, those beautiful looking pianos, The gem with the polished black finish looks stunning, but are they as good as other digital piano brands? Well, the answer at the moment is "definitely not!" As you know, looks aren't everything in life. Gem are part of the General Music Company. Their pianos are quite popular in European Countries such as Italy and France, but not so much in the UK.

More makes coming soon...

Questions and Comments

Want to ask Graham Howard a question? Send your email to: grahamhowardukpianos.co.uk

--

Dear Graham,

I am looking for the right digital piano for myself and my two children, and came across ukpianos.co.uk and your very helpful "7 things ..." booklet. I am very grateful for the time and effort that has gone into these resources - I was dreading weeks and weeks of scattergun searches on the web. I hope you can give me some confirming advice to help me move forward to ordering. My consideration points are as follows:

1. My daughter (aged 7) is doing recorder lessons, can read music quite well for the time she's been at it, and is keen to start piano. There is little doubt that she will pursue music seriously. She will get weekly lessons, where she will play an acoustic Chappell upright. The teacher insists that if she plays a digital piano for home practice, it should have a key touch as similar to an acoustic piano in weight as possible (which she thinks is only available in very expensive models). She is also against what she calls "ensemble units". I'm not sure what these are, but perhaps this has to do with many different voices, rhythm programmes, auto-accompaniment, etc., for the child to play around with.

2. My son (aged 5) is starting to show an interest, but it's too early to tell whether he will develop sustained interest. When he's allowed  on a Yamaha PSR79 keyboard I have from some time ago, he spends all his time messing about with voice/effects buttons to find Star Wars light sabre sounds, etc. If he's to learn, we need something that's got the least possible messing about potential.

3. I would like to take this opportunity to intensively develop my own piano playing. My music training was in the north Indian tradition (voice with harmonium), but I have since learned to read music, and have some right hand ability. The piano is my favourite instrument, and it will be a lifetime's wish-fulfillment if I can learn to play some of my jazz and romantic favourites. I plan to spend a lot of time on this piano myself.

4. The piano will go in the upstairs study (fair sized but not big room), and needs to be as compact as possible. If it's easily moved around the room, that would be a bonus. If it has good sound, that would be great, but a lot of playing will be with headphones. It will very close to my Apple Mac setup, so if it can be connected (via USB or whatever) so that we can use learning software like EarMaster, etc., that would be brilliant as well.

All in all, piano-like key touch, compact/portable body, and basic computer connectivity are the only important factors for now, and I would like to maximise what I get in these and minimise everything else. From going through your booklet and website, it seems to me that your Classenti P1 bundle is just about what I'm after. Based on the info above, could you please comment on this model's suitability, and suggest if there are any alternatives I should consider? I would be very grateful for your thoughts.

Best wishes,

Satu

Reply/ Hi Satu

The Classenti CDP1 has everything you need.

Your teacher would be happy to know that the Classenti's
key touch is as close as you can get to an acoustic piano.

The CDP1 is certainly the best value for money piano
around the £600 - £700 price range.

I confidently recommend it for you and your children.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

--

Hi,

I've only just started learning piano and I've been using your guides for a while to look at getting a digital piano.  I have my heart set on a Kawai CN32 (I'm not totally adamant about the decision, but it's one I've tried out and quite like so I thought I would go with it).

I spoke to a local retailer about buying the CN32 from him and their price was about £1300, however I have found it from the Thomann website link on your site for £813 which includes a chair and headphones.

When I spoke to the local retailer, he seemed to add the fact that the piano they were selling was a 'British' one.  I've had a look around on the internet to see if there are any differences between ones that might be British and ones that aren't.

I was just wondering if you knew of any significant differences that might be between a specifically 'British' one, or one that I could get for quite a bit less from Thomann which might not be from the same place but is the same model.

Thanks very much,

Josie
           
Reply/ Hi Josie

The Kawai CN32 that's sold in the UK is exactly the same
Kawai CN32 that's sold by Thomann.

It's not a British piano anyway. Kawai digital pianos
are made in Indonesia.

I recommend buying the CN32 from Thomann. They give
you a 3 year warranty. What's more, the delivery is free.

Their warranty covers all parts and labour. They also
come to your home if anything needs fixing.

Here's where you can order, or find out more information:

http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/kawai-cn32.html

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

--

Hi Graham
I, and several others are responsible for the music at a church in Epsom. 
We need to upgrade our old clavinova and are searching for advice.  The piano needs to have pretty good sound as we need to accompany up to 200 people singing lustily.  We thought 60w x 2 output should be adequate. 
We had settled on the clp270 but it is a difficult model to find.  I wonder if you could help us at all, bearing in mind a budget of about £2000.
Thanks, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Henrietta

Hi Henrietta

The Yamaha CLP340 would be a good one to go for...

Although the speakers are only 2 x 40 watts,
the sound quality is superb. It should give
you enough volume to accompany 200 people singing.

You can read more about the CLP340 here:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-clp340.html

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

--

Hello Graham

I found a store that sells the Yamaha P155, but also the Yamaha P85 for
half the price. Is this latter model a quality alternative? Also, I saw another
store that sells the Roland FP-4 and the Casio CDP 200R. How do these
measure up in your opinion?

Regards, Tal

Reply/ Hi Tal

The P155 is a much better piano than the P85.
Yamaha designed the P85 for mostly beginners.
It doesn't have the same clear tone as the
P155, and the touch is not so realistic either.

The Roland FP4 is definitely worth considering
against the P155.

They are both excellent portable pianos and
you should choose the one that you prefer.

Another one to throw into the equation is
the Kawai ES6. You should try this one out
if you get the chance. But, again it comes
down to your personal preferrence on this
one too.

The Casio AP200 is not a portable piano.
It's designed to be kept mostly in one
place in your home.

Usually, digital pianos that have fixed stands
outperform their portable equivalents. But
the AP200 is inferior to the FP4, P155 and ES6...

The AP200 has only 2 x 8 watt speakers which
results in a thin, weak sound.

Let me know if you need more help choosing your
digital piano. You can call me on 020 8367 2080.
I'd be happy to help you.

Have you read my latest report: "7 Things You MUST Know Before
You Buy A Digital Piano"?...

The information in this report will help you decide on the
right piano.

You can claim your free copy here:

www.ukpianos.co.uk/7-Things-You-MUST-Know-Before-You-Buy-A-Digital-Piano.html

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

--

Hi Graham,

Thanks for the piano buyer's guide which I must confess I have only read the
firstcouple of pages so far.

My wife found the article as we have been discussing buying a piano for
our 5 year old son to begin learning on and also for me to improve my
keyboard playing skills to help in my writing of electronic music and of
course my overall music knowledge.  I still have the printed out guide
in the back of my car but will pass onto my wife one day this week so we
can both look into it more together.

One question we have asked ourselves a couple of times recently is
whether, with our son only being 5, we should be purchasing a full size
piano or a reduced size to suit our son's small hands?  Maybe this is
covered in your guide but if not I thought it worth mentioning.

I will contact you once we have finally got one, which could be several
weeks/months yet but once we do I'll let you know what we got and why we
got it!

Cheers

Peter

Reply/ Hi Peter

There aren't any pianos that have smaller keys.
Only keyboards.

It would be best for your son to learn on a piano rather
than a keyboard. This is because the key weight on a
keyboard is too light. It feels nothing like a real piano
and will hinder his progress.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

Graham,

Many thanks for your very informative book.

I am leaning toward purchasing one of two digital pianos.  It will be either a Yamaha P-155 or a Roland DP-990.  While there are many factors to consider between these two, perhaps you can help me decide?  Both of these are on the lower end, but that may be ok.

Some information that may help you to suggest one or the other:

- The price issue between the two is not an issue. 

- I hear the P-155 is used by some professional musicians as a practice machine.

- The DS-990 (in cherry) is beautiful and, hopefully as good, if not better, than the P-155.

- I have also purchased a Steinway upright (from 1906) and while I'd like these digitals to sound great, almost great will do.

- At 65. I am a rank beginner at piano.

- Intend to learn piano, both classical and popular.

- I have been involved with computers for 40 years and am in the process of figuring out which piano learning software will be best for me.

Regards, Mark

Reply/ Hi Mark

If you've been spoiled by a fantastic Steinway piano
then both the Yamaha P-155 and Roland DP-990 will
surely be a bit of a disappointment?

You would be better off with something that feels
and sounds a bit more realistic.

I can suggest the Yamaha CLP-340 or the Classenti CDP2.

The Yamaha is better overall, of course, but both pianos
have a really good piano sound and heavy-weighted
touch. The feel is MUCH closer to your Steinway.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

When I started looking for my piano, I had the following constraints and desires (I have to mention that I'm an absolute beginner and so is my 7 year son):
- Budget. Initially, I was planning to spend around 400 Euro but I had to soon raise it to approx 600 Euro if I wanted to get something decent.
- New. I wanted it to be new not second hand.
- Closest to a real piano, that is weighted keys and 88 touch keys and sound alike.
- Have a stable, solid stand. For many digital pianos, the retailers do not have in stock/do not sell the wooden stand appropriate to it (at least, here, in Romania).
 
After a lot of research on the internet, I was finally left with 3 choices:
- Casio CDP 100
- Orla Stage Player
- Hemingway DP-201 AT
All were in the planned budget and all met the requirements set above.
 
Casio CDP-100 seems to be a be very popular model, I found many reviews about it, both with pros and cons which confused me a little. Orla and Hemingway are less popular, and the reviews/comments are scarce.
 
Finally, I went for Casio CDP100, largely based on your book's recommendations (7 Things You Must Know before Buying a DP). Your book was of an immense help. It would have been useful for me if your book had also compared different pianos within the same price range (like the one mentioned above, Casio, Orla and Hemingway) but I realize that, in this case, it would have turned into a 300 pages book!
 
I am very pleased with my new Casio but I'm still not clear on its pluses/advantages over the other 2 models (Orla and Hemingway) that I chose it against. I'd only wished it had a metronome, it's a bit difficult to figure out the beats in a time signature... To me, that's the only thing it lacks.

I don't know if it adds anything valuable, as I said, I am a total beginner and I am not qualified to comment on technical or other such aspects.
 
Sincerely,
Catalin

I got my piano 2 days ago: Yamaha CLP 340. There were many reasons I have chosen it:
- a friend of mine also bought it few months ago, I could try it in her house in liberty.
(I could not play all pianos in the shops freely, which I needed to really feel & decide)
- I read your 7 things you must know before buying a digital piano I also read the
web page about your evaluation
(http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/digital-pianos-which-brand-should-i-buy.html)
    There were few facts which affected me from these 2:    - Yamaha was the 1st place producer
    - Yamaha had the highest touch and sound evaluations, these two were key points for my decision.
- Then I went to a Yamaha shop and tried Arius series (indeed I was inclined to spend ~1,000 euro
as I am a beginner); but I found their sound not good and the touch was "plastic" to me
- Then I went to a Kawai shop and tried few models, the only thing I liked was CA 91;
the rest I tried was again very plastic and the sound was not good. Plus they were expensive
for that sound-touch combination (obviously that was for my personal taste, though it can be immature).
- One of the sales person a shop made a statement, which made me give my decision:
he said both Yamaha & Kawai are good; and very widely common. I need to select the piano
which I like the sound & touch; otherwise I'll not enjoy playing it; and then I'll stop playing it
- I saw that CLP 340 was by far the cheapest one in your top 10 piano list (top 20 piano
over £1,000 - page 50)
- I didn't want to consider too expensive options like CVP series, as I don't know if I'll play
piano for long years, and technology evolves fast; better models are produced with cheap price
tag few years
- I went thru a comparison page for CLP series models, I wanted a GH3;
    - CLP 380 was too expensive, it was out of list
    - CLP 330 was very close ( price-wise) to CLP 340
    - CLP 370 was 400-500 euro more expensive and possibly would be too much for me, both for
    price and also about quality for a beginner; hence I decided for CLP 340.
    Plus I really liked its synthetic ivory  keytops.
- CLP 340 had many other nice things which I don't use now but will need/understand in near future
such as transpose, reverb, midi in/out, ... I would not select this model due to these only, but the fact that
it has those were plus
- It's not very common to find second hand digital piano in Turkey; I didn't want to risk as models get
obsolete (e.g. Yamaha 200 series are not sold any more, and possibly their spare parts might not be
easily available in case something breaks). I wanted to be covered for few years for possible technical issues.
- I would like a lot if we had rent-to-buy options in the country for digital pianos; but I could not find any.

I'm quite happy with my brand new piano. It's great to have it at home so I can practice whenever I like;
it was not possible to proceed learning without one at home.

Thanks again - your openly shared experience helped me deeply!
Kind regards
Sebnem Akyildiz, Turkey

Thank you Graham. I found your book very useful. But now I am concerned about which digital piano we would need.
I am Chairman of the Trustees of a new Community Centre in Angmering, West Sussex. We are trying to apply for funding for equipment - and I need to cost out a piano on our "Wish List".
The Main Hall is 56ft by 51ft (17m x 15.5m). Looking through your information it looks as if we would need something capable of 2 x 40 watts output - and they look very expensive.
Could you help me here? What should we be looking at?
There is no point buying something that wouldn't be heard.Total waste of money. Perhaps we could go for a good second hand one if we knew what we were looking for.
I've been told (by a piano tuner) that with underfloor heating we would be better off with a digital piano which wouldn't be going out of tune all the time.
I would appreciate any advice you can give.

Many thanks

Val Jerram

Reply/ Hi Val

The Yamaha CLP340 would be a good choice, but I suspect,
from what you say, is more than your intended budget.

So, keeping it under £1,000 you would be best off
with a Classenti CDP2.

The speaker wattage is 2 x 20 watts. This would
probably be adequate, but if you need more volume
you can always connect it up to an external amp.

The next model up, Classenti CDP3, offers 2 x 30
watts. This would certainly be enough for this
size of hall. This comes in at £1,200.

Is this too much?

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

Hello Graham,

Went to a piano shop in Dublin yesterday and the salesman really pushed
the Kawai CN32 as the "best digital piano he had ever heard".

According to him the Yamaha CLP330 was not worth considering even
though he had one in the shop, which was strange!   He ranted on about
the fact that it had 128 levels of touch and the chip sound was based
on the top of the range Kawai grand piano.   Also the build quality was
far superior.

Something is odd here.

Jackie

Hello Graham,

Are you familiar with the Kingston BP-890 digital Piano?
I am looking for a digital piano under $1000 and found this one on the Costco.ca site. (CANADA)
Thank you for your reply and information on the website.  It has been most helpful.
Janet, Canada

Reply/ Hi Janet

Yes, I am familiar with the Kingston digital piano.

Kingston is made in China and you can find this piano
in other Countries under many different brand names.

It is a VERY basic piano. I advise going for something
a bit better.

The Yamaha YDP140 would be a better choice.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

UK Pianos

Hi Graham,

Thanks for your useful book which has finally made up my mind to buy a digital piano. I
was already aiming for purchasing a Yamaha Clavinova having heard and played a little on
a friend's daughter's CVP model (not sure which one though).

I currently own an ancient Dale Forte upright piano (c. 1920s) which has been tuned
regularly for the last 20+ years but is now only holding it's pitch for only a matter of
a few weeks after the last 2 tunings. So I think now it's time for a change and since I
welcome the idea of no further tuning and practising silently then I thought a digital
piano would be a good idea and also something to add an extra dimension to my hobby.

I've got a rudimentary knowledge of music - having had several years of lessons as a
child but never taken any exams and now aged 52  play for my own pleasure and can tackle
stuff like Moonlight Sonata and Scott Joplin's  ragtime but not to any accomplished
standard! I need to practise regularly to retain my moderate tunefulness but would enjoy
being able to keep this as private as possible until happy with the results so headphones
seem an ideal solution.

Your recommendations about avoiding the CVP models and not paying more for 'non-piano'
gimmicks (which would in my case be used very infrequently) rang true.  I have therefore
narrowed my choice down to 2 models - the CLP330 or CLP340.  I'm not too sure whether the
extra cash for the 340 is worth it but the GH3 vs GH function alone seems worth having
being used to a real piano for so many years. What do you think? I'm quite happy to spend
more if necessary but feel that paying any more for a higher spec model might be wasted
on me.

I'm hoping to try one (and buy if I like it) at Cranes Music in Worcester in the next few
weeks as I have some time off work. They are my nearest local stockist and have been
in business for 35 years so must be doing something right!

Thanks again for your excellent information and for whetting my appetite for a new
direction in my leisure time.

Cheers

Pete

Hi Graham
 
Thanks for your answer, nice reading from you.
 
Actually I found out that the gear4music was sort of local to me so I came down to check out the forementioned pianos... yes you’re dead right they are extremely basic.

Was good to go and try the pianos myself as it made me realise what I was really after: a good piano touch i.e. fully-weighted keys indeed and a good piano sound (silly me, with 25+ years playing what was I expecting).

Not a massive choice there although some good ones displayed, and eventually I went for Casio’s Privia PX-830 model. Sober and compact design, good sound, good feeling, it fitted the bill very well. I was hesitating between the PX-130 and the PX-730 models at first but to my surprise neither of them had a Line out which was a killer to me so I went for the PX-830.

Looks close to the Classenti CDP1 by the look of it but no regrets they did not sell this brand.
Also not quite the budget I had envisaged prior to my investigations – though I got it for £680 – but things come at a price don’t they...

Anyway I have to say I am really pleased with this one and my wife Fred too is delighted she was getting me a very nice digital piano!

Thanks for your advice again,

Yours,
Xavier

Dear Graham,

I found your "7 Things You MUST Know Before Buying A Digital Piano" very informative. I am a 28 year old pianist, but also a great fan of technology. I believe that sometime the clavinovas will actually be better than acoustic pianos.

However currently one aspect of them is very disappointing to me and does not let me to pursuit them. That is the sound creation in relation of the characteristics of the hammer's movement. I did not express myself in such a complicated way unintended. Let me explain:

It is a common misunderstanding in MY opinion, that the speed of which the hammer hits the sting only matters (by the way, STILL, the most expensive Yamahas, distinguish between 5 speeds only - I would expect 50 something....) - back to the original point - it is also the acceleration of the hammer which matters and the accelerations acceleration.... the accelerations accelerations acceleration and so on. That is called producing different COLORS. This is one of the main elements in how one expresses itself at the piano next to rhythm, agogic and so forth...

That is why playing with whole arm versus fingers only... are the fingers straight or curved...any tensions while playing... that all makes the piano sound different because of all the movement characteristics.

The digital piano should measure the key or hammer in at least 3 or more positions on the way down and be able to produce the right volume and color accordingly. Currently they don't do it, only measure the end speed and even so only 5 steps??? That makes the instrument close to dead to me.

Many of the secrets of how to produce good sound at the piano useless on this instrument today.

Therefore I cannot pursuit the digital pianos until they have gone through this stage for me.

As I said, I think that someday they can even exceed the acoustic pianos, as they are also mechanical machines and not perfect, also in color reproduction.

Also the digital pianos can have different sounds of different instruments, they could have different tuning systems in ALL keys, which they don't currently (I would welcome it).

Also the acoustic piano has faults in mechanics when they key goes down very slowly... this could be fixed in digital pianos - there I certainly agree with You.

Greetings,
Margus

Reply/ Hi Margus

Maybe one day digital pianos will be like this?

If Yamaha don't do it then there's a high probability
Classenti will. They've got some of the best technicians
in the business working on many of the things you mentioned.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

Hello Graham,
My daughter Jessica is going to do a grade 5 piano exam very shortly. She is taught on an acoustic piano once a week but comes home to practice on a Yamaha PSR 225 keyboard (a number of years old) 36 unweighted keys.

I would like now to buy her a 88 key digital piano. Unfortunately we will have to have it in an upstairs spare room therefore this rules out buying or hiring an acoustic piano. I have been considering a Casio PX720, as it is quite compact. Would this be suitable for her level and possibly beyond. She is 15 years old and seems to be enjoying her piano playing more than ever.

I do not see any reason why she should not continue to improve. Therefore I would not want to spend money now only to find that she outgrows the new piano. I would be willing to go a step further and buy a more advanced piano if there was to be a notable difference in quality. Please can you advise?

Best Regards
David A Matthews

Reply/ Hi David

Your daughter is clearly very talented to have got up to grade 5 by
practicing on a tiny keyboard -- amazing!

She deserves now to have a decent digital piano.

I'm glad that you asked me about the Casio PX720 before making
your buying decision...

Here is what I think of the PX720:

The keys are on the light side (which is not good for the strengthening
and co-ordination of the fingers). She will find it very difficult to play
higher level pieces on an acoustic piano if she practices on the PX720,
or any other Casio for that matter.

The sound is weak, and the piano does not have enough power.

If you are attracted to the PX720 because of the price and the compact
cabinet then you should take a look at either the:

Kawai CL25
Read more here:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/kawai-cl25-piano.html

or the Classenti CDP1
Read more here:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/classenti-cdp1.html

or the Yamaha YDP140
Read more here: http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-ydp140.html

My personal favourite is the Classenti. You get a really pleasant piano
sound, and a heavyish authentic piano touch --A great all-rounder.

The Yamaha is also very good. The only real problem is the small
speakers (2 x 6 watt). This is not enough to get a decent power.

The Kawai is the cheapest and most compact. The sound is good,
but the touch is a little false and un-realistic.

You can call me on 020 8367 2080 if you would like some more advice.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

More/

Graham, thanks for your very good advice.  I will get down to piano business with Jessica and we will do some serious homework in the shopping department. I will not be purchasing for a few weeks yet as I will wait for Jessica's birthday next month. The Classenti looks beautiful especially in the polished ebony. It would be very advantageous to try before we buy.

Best Regards
David A Matthews

Good morning,

We have a Yamaha clavinova and need to move it fairly frequently. Would we be able to buy castors that could be permanently fitted?

Regards

Carolyn Butterworth

Reply/ Hi Carolyn

We can supply you a set of easy-to-fit castors for your Yamaha Clavinova.

These castors fit all Yamaha digital piano and Clavinova models.

The cost is £185 + £7.99 delivery.

You can call me on 020 8367 2080 if you would like more info.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

I have been looking at the Roland hp 203 how does this compare with the classenti pianos - any advise you could give would be appreciated.
Many thanks
 
Carol

Reply/ Hi Carol

The Roland is £1306 and the Classenti £599.

The Roland HP103 is a higher spec than the Classenti.
It offers hundreds of sounds, effects, LED display, more
powerful speakers etc.

The sound is also a little better and the touch a little lighter.

But for over £700 more? The difference is certainly not worth
that.

If you need all these 'gadgets' then the Classenti is not for
you. But, still the Roland is overpriced. Why not look at the
Yamaha CLP-320, CLP-330, or CLP-340? It is cheaper than the Roland
and offers a more realistic sound and a touch that is second-
to-none.

Going back to the Classenti...

I don't know what your intended uses are. If you are a
beginner, or you have children that are learning to play,
then the Classenti is an absolute bargain at the moment...

The sound is definitely good enough and the touch - although
a little on the heavy side - is actually a good thing to have
for all learners.

Let me know if you need more information.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Further comments/

Thank you so much for your reply.

What you have said has been very useful.  I learnt to play about 30 years ago and have just gone back to it a much more enthusiastic adult than I was a child!  Hence I am looking for an instrument that will take me back as a learner but also right through the grades and as a competent player.  In short I want an instrument that will last me for a number of years as I don't intend to change in a few years time.
 
Sound is really important to me and also the weight of the keys as my tutor uses a grand piano, at the moment I am using my daughters Yamaha 205 DX which is sadly lacking in the weight and makes my lessons really poor as I have to adjust to the different weight.  I really am not interested in all the extras such as voices etc just to replicate a good piano as much as possible.  Also with Classenti being new in this field what would the backup be like?
 
I have been looking at the Roland 203 and the Clavinova 230 as a comparison, you mention the cheaper Classenti, I gather there is one about £1000 is there any merit in comparing this against the Roland and Yamaha I have mentioned?
 
Carol

Reply/ Hi Carol

If you buy a Classenti piano from us, you get a 5 year warranty.
This is backed up by us. Don't worry -- we WILL look after you!

You also get a 60 day money back guarantee. So, if you're not
happy with it (in any way) you can return it for a full refund.

There is no need to go for the CDP3. You are paying more
for the design and instrumental voices. The touch, or sound
is not a great deal better than the CDP1, and, if anything, the
CDP2 has a better sound than the CDP3.

Classenti CDP2 is my recommendation for you.

You can call me on 020 8367 2080 if you need more info.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

I'm wanting to buy a stage piano type portable piano - as portable as
possible. It would only be to use a piano sound. Used for church use for
playing for groups of 20 to 100 people. I was looking at the Yamaha P85
and P140 and wondered if the difference between these models is worth the
price difference? I also wanted to check that these models could be
plugged into a PA system. If it is plugged into a PA system or amplifier
would the on-board speakers still work. Also how good are the onbaord
speakers for use as a stand alone piano?
Would we get a lot more for one of these than something like the Yamaha
NP-30? or is there anything else you would recommend?
Many Thanks
Suzanne

Reply/ Hi Suzanne

The Yamaha P140 is the better of the two. The sound and touch
is more realistic and you will find it more enjoyable to play.

There are no speakers though...

It is best to buy the Roland KC150 keyboard amp to go with the
P140. This way you get enough volume to fill a large room or
hall.

You can read more about the KC150 here:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/roland-kc150.html

And the P140 here:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-p140.html

If you connect a digital piano with built-in speakers to an amp,
the keyboard's speakers cut out. So the sound will only come out
of the amp.

Suzanne, let me know if you need more help choosing your digital piano.
You can call me on 020 8367 2080 if you like. I'll point you in the
right direction.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Further questions/ I have more! I’m struggling to actually find a shop to play these keyboards in.

As an alternative to the Yamaha P85 I was recommended in a shop  the new Casio PX120 – initially I cringed at the idea of a casio fuelled from from 30 11 year olds following the flashing lights together in school music lessons!! But they did have it there to play and I was surprised by how good it sounded, however their Yamaha P85 was broken so I couldn’t compare it.

Have you any opinions on the casio?

I see what you’re saying about the P140. I only really have £650 in my budget, so it might be out of the church price range when you include an amp and stand. Whereas the P85 and PX120 I could squeeze everything in – with that in mind how much difference would the listener notice between them? Bearing in mind we have a main instrument already – Yamaha CVP 480 – this is in the main church and fairly immobile.

This keyboard would be for flexibility – things like, teaching new songs, playing for events in smaller rooms in the building – these range from a hall type room that accommodates up to about 100 (we do have a portable PA system to use in there), and several different smaller rooms ranging from fitting in 10 to 30 people. So obviously I want something good enough but we already have something really good for occasions that need it. I just wondered with a keyboard with speakers on it if we could get away without buying an amp – as I say we have a sound system in the larger rooms and wondered if the speakers may be powerful enough on their own in the small rooms?

Thank you so much!

Suzanne

Reply/ Hi Suzanne

It is a shame that you could not compare the Casio PX120 with
the Yamaha P85... You would have not only felt the difference, but
heard how much better the Yamaha is.

I understand your church has a budget, but looking at what you are
going to be using the piano for, the Yamaha P140 is really the best
choice.

Built-in speakers just don't give anywhere near enough volume.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Hi Graham

Subsequent to the below email I sent you a note saying I'd fallen in love with the CLP 380, to which you suggested looking out for a CLP 280 2nd hand which would enable me to get a similar instrument to the 380 but within my sub-£2k price range.

Well in the intervening 4 months I've scoured the internet for second hand 280s and have only found one, it was offered by Bonners at £2k, which is an extraordinary price given they were selling new online for 2,100 before the 380 came out! As I'm still saving I wasn't able to buy it but I'm also now having second thought about thwther I'm right to be focused on the 280.

I'm starting to wonder whether I might not be better off buying a new CLP 340 rather than waiting for a reasonably priced CLP 280 to come onto the market. Problem is, I can't compare the two instruments as I have never even seen a 280, I'm purely going on your recommendation based on my preference for the 380 over the 340. But maybe I'm being unrealistic and should just plump for the 340 and be done with it.

Your thoughts would be appreciated as you can see I'm in a bit of a quandary!

Many thanks

Sam

Reply/ Hi Sam

The CLP380 doesn't offer much more in quality of
sound and touch than the CLP340.

I would stick with the CLP340. It's a great piano!

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

UK Pianos

Hi
 
Can you suggest a keyboard which does not need connecting to an external sound module, i.e. with built in sounds for someone who wants to start learning piano? I need something small(ish) and portable, preferably around £250.00.
 
Thanks
 
Lorraine

Reply/ Hi Lorraine

The cheapest digital piano is the Casio PX120. You can
get this for around £400 if you shop around.

You can read more about it here:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/casio-px120.html

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Hi Graham,

Thank you for your email. I have been looking for a digital piano and your email came at just the right time. I would like to ask for your opinion about the new Casio AP200. I am looking to buy this one for myself to replace an Yamaha acoustic U2, and also to teach my 3 year old baby.
I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Thank you.

Carine

Reply/ Hi Carine

The Casio AP200 is not one I recommend...

The sound is not very good; It is a little on the bright side, and
you can easily hear that it is an electronic piano. The touch is
also un-realistic.

If you are replacing a Yamaha U2, I think you will be disappointed
with the Casio AP200.

My recommendation is either the Yamaha CLP-320, the Classenti
CDP2, or the Roland HP201.

All three pianos have a great sound and realistic touch.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Graham,

I am ready to buy a digital piano (probably Yamaha/Roland) but am finding it difficult to know if one bought in the UK will work in North America (Canada). I don't want to buy one now to find out that it won't work when I move in a few months!

Are all Yamaha/Rolands suitable for Canada?

Many thanks,

David.

Reply/ Hi David

All Yamaha and Roland digital pianos bought in the UK will work in America or Canada.

All you will need to buy is a step-up transformer. They cost less than £10.

The step-up transformer converts the voltage from UK 230 volts to US 115 volts.

The cheapest place to buy one is on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Power-Voltage-Convertor-Step-Transformer/dp/B000UPEWLI

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Further comments/ Graham,
 
Many thanks.  The piano is for my beginner son to practice on (and for me to try and remember how to play!).  I have found a Yamaha YDP131 at Reidys (on-line) for £425 which seems to be as good as it gets - unless you know of a better deal?
 
David.

Hi David

That sounds like a pretty good deal.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Hi Graham,
I was wondering if you could help me decide between the Yamaha CLP220, and the Classenti digital pianos. Although you say that you are really impressed by the Classenti, it rates lower than casio and roland in your "Which Piano" guide....
I am a professional Violist, and I studied piano as my first instrument until I reached Grade 7. I am intending to give piano lessons to beginners, and would love to play again. unfortunately, due to budget and space issues, I cannot afford a real piano.
I have tried the yamaha, and was impressed by the feel and sound- the 2 most important factors to me as I have access to a studio, and a metronome, but obviously cannot try the Classenti as it is only available online.
Please help!
Thank-you,
Sophie.

Reply/ Hi Sophie

The Yamaha CLP220 has the edge over the Classenti both in
sound and touch.

If you can afford the price tag (around £800) then I recommend to
go for this.

The Classenti CDP1 or CDP2 are very good alternatives. You will
be happy with either.

The CDP2 has got a slightly better sound than the CDP1 and the touch
is similar on both.

You will be more than happy with whichever one of these 3 you choose. .

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Hi Graham,

I'm looking for an entry level digital piano or keyboard, which has good
key weight, for me to start playing casually again (after 20 years), but
also to allow my son to be familiar with (he's not even 1 yet!)

Not essential (although interested if they exist) I would also like to try
and get one that is less than 110cm if possible (although I suspect that
they don't exist otherwise there wouldn't be enough keys - could you
confirm if that's true pls)

Budget probably less than £400 but could stretch to £600 if I can persuade
my husband!

Cheers
Yvette

Reply/ Hi Yvette

The Classenti CDP1 is the piano that springs to mind.

It has a very realistic key weight and great sound.

The cabinet is also very compact, so it will take up minimal
space in your room.

Most digital pianos are a similar length (within 2-3 inches of each other).
This is due to the keys being the same width. You don't really want to
get a piano with less than 88 keys. This would hinder you later.

The price of the Classenti CDP1 is £549. You can read more about it here:
http://ukpianos.co.uk/classenti-cdp1.html

Let me know if you need more help choosing your digital piano.

You can call me on 020 8367 2080 if you like. I'll point you in the
right direction.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Dear Graham,
 
I am 23 years old and I passed Grade 8 piano when I was 18 years old.  Since then I have not really played the piano as much as I should have as I have been at university without a piano at my house.  I have started a new job and have moved house and I would like to buy a piano to go in this house.  I want to focus again on my piano playing so I would like a piano that feels and sounds like a real piano but I am not too worried about having lots of different voices or recording capabilities.  I would like it to be digital so that it does not have to be tuned regularly.  I am prepared to spend the right amount of money on the right piano!
 
Please could you advise me on the best piano for these needs in your opinion?
 
Thank you,
 
Jenny

Reply/ Hi Jenny

The CLP220 will meet all your needs.

Realistic sound and touch. Just a few extra instrumental voices
and at a reasonable price.

Check it out here:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-clp220.html

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

I used to play the piano but do not have the room in my house for an upright piano. What I was looking for is an electronic / digital piano which can be folded/stored away when not in use, and when in use is on a stand for playing. I want it to as closely resemble a real piano - particularly in terms of the touch. What would you recommend?

Thanks
Kathryn Hargreaves

Reply/ Hi Kathryn

The piano that fits best what you are looking for is the
Yamaha P85.

This is the best value for money portable piano out there.

You get a realistic piano sound and a very good touch.

Read more about it here:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-p85.html
 
Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Hi,
My daughter has just got a place at Leeds Uni. doing music. She wants an electric piano to take with her; I have seen some on Ebay but I would be grateful for any advice. The ones on ebay are all over the country and no one can give me any idea of the average weight of an electric piano. I need this to give to the couriers when I request a quote for delivery. Can you help please.
Thanks,   Rob

Reply/ Hi Rob

The average weight of a portable electric piano
 is around 20 kg. A standard digital piano with
fixed stand is around 45 kg.

Be careful if you are buying a secondhand electric
piano from eBay. If there is anything wrong with
it, the cost of repair can be very high.

It is best to buy a new one with a long guarantee.

These are the ones I recommend:

Yamaha P85
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-p85.html

Yamaha CLP220
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-clp220.html

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Further comments/

Hi Graham,
Thanks very much for your answer, as it happens it was not neccessary; I did buy a Yamaha YPP 50 from Ebay for £104. It had a good history from a 100% pos. feedback ebayer. I collected it, met the guy, tried it and my daughter is delighted with it.( did I mention she is doing music at Leeds Uni?)  Much as I would have like to have bought her a new one, what with the Uni fees etc. the budget didn't run to it. You were spot on with the weight.

Thank you again, it's a great site.
Regards     Rob.

Dear Graham,

I am living in Budapest, Hungary for several years.  I have played piano for 50 years, and I am of intermediate/early advanced capability.  Since we are living in an apartment, I have decided to get a digital piano (altho acoustic pianos are my first love).  I have been reading about digital pianos, and came across your article.  The Classenti piano sounds like a winner to me--I do not want all those voices, I want the piano to feel and sound like an acoustic, and the price seems right.  And, we will probably take the piano back with us whenever we do return to the United States.

But, the question is, how do I get one to Budapest?  We do have a car, and I can travel to Vienna (a friend lives there, Osijek, Croatia (another friend), or Prague (no friend) or Bratislava, Slovakia, or Berlin (where we have another friend), but I don't think I can get to England.

Do you ship?  Where can I buy a classenti? I am thinking about a CDP2 model.  Do you recommend Classenti pianos so highly that I can buy one without listening to it or playing on one?

Thank you for your time!  I really appreciated your article about choosing digital pianos.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Otterness

Reply/
Hi Carolyn

We are not delivering to Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, Czech
Republic, or Austria at this time.

We do plan to deliver there by September 2008 though.

Sorry we can not be of help right now.

By the way... Yes you can safely order a Classenti digital piano
without having to play one.  I am confident the sound and touch
will be to your liking.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Dear Mr Howard,

My 7 year old daughter has just started some piano lessons (it's 1.5
hour/week during the school days). Currently, she keeps practicing at
home for 15 minutes every day on a small Yamaha keyboard that is
slightly more than a toy. My daughter likes playing the piano and so
far the teacher is happy about her progresses.

I think it's now time to buy a "real" piano, and I am considering a
digital piano, but there is so much choice that I am totally confused.

The first question I have is: should I look for a good model since the
beginning or should I buy a relatively inexpensive piano first, then
move to a better piano later? Maybe after 3-4 years, my daughter will
give up, so we may decide to sell the piano as a second hand model.

I have looked around and I have found some models that may fit our
needs, but please let us know any comment or suggestion for these or
for other models.

As a piano for beginners, I was considering the Yamaha CLP220. A more
sophisticated choice would have been the Yamaha CLP240 or the Kawai
CA51. The Kawai has attracted my interest because it has wooden keys;
I tried the Kawai in a shop and although I can't play a piano, I have
experienced myself that there is a difference between the wooden and
the plastic keys. Unfortunately I have not found a store where I could
listen to the sound of these models, but even if we could, none of us
in the family would have been able to really try these models and come
up with a good idea of how they play.

Last point, I read that Yamaha is going to release the new CLP300
model, so all the CLP2XX will be replaced by the new models in July-
August. I think that this means that we may get good prices for the
Yamaha, but also that a CLP3XX would probably retain the value for
longer.

As you can see, I am totally confused and I am scared of taking the
wrong decision. Would you be so kind to give us your opinion?

Kind Regards,

Ivan Zoratti

Reply/ Hi Ivan

The CLP220 is a good choice.

I wouldn't wait for the new model (CLP320) if it means
delaying your daughter's progress.

The long term value is not going to make a great difference
if it is a CLP-220 or a CLP-320. It is more the age really.

I see the wooden key feature of the Kawai more as a gimmick.
Personally I do not find any difference in the feel of the
wooden or plastic keys... Maybe only psychologically.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Hi Graham,

Enjoyed reading all the questions and answers by the way.

Here's mine...

Looking to replace my Roland RD700SX stage piano.

My shortlist of two are...

Roland RD700GX and Yamaha S90ES.

Primarily for our wedding ceremony music business so quality of pianos /
strings / guitars / woodwind etc etc would be a priority.

Would very much appreciate if you have any opinions ?

Are you able to also suggest best keyboard amp that would produce best
quality sound. Was thinking about Roland KC series, possibly KC150 ?

Anyway, many thanks in advance.

Kind regards,

Graeme

Reply/ Hi Graeme

The Roland RD-700GX is the better piano.

I much prefer the sound and touch over the Yamaha.

You have picked a very good amp to go with that as well.

The KC150 or KC350 are probably the best out there.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Hi Graham
 
I have been reading with interest the advice you have given on digital pianos and have tried to purchase a Yamaha CLP220 only to find them out of stock for most on-line shops as they are shortly to be discontinued.
 
I have been advised by my shop to purchase the new CLP320 but there is a significant difference in price and the price seems to be similar to the older model CLP230.  Can you advise which would be the better option?  The main thing I am looking for is for the piano to be as close to possible as an accoustic piano as this will be my first digital.
 
Many thanks
 
Sarah

Reply/ Hi Sarah

It is worth waiting for the new CLP320. I am not sure
how much more they are going to cost though.

The CLP320 should be available around June/July 2008.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Hi Graham

I was just on your website and I’m in desperate need of advice on which piano to buy – would you be able to give me some guidance please?

I’m looking for a digital piano for use in a music classroom in a secondary school. It will receive heavy use on a daily basis from students and from teachers, so I need something fairly robust, but still a good quality piano sound/feel as I have some reasonably advanced students that would require it to practise on. It doesn’t need to have particularly flashy functions, but an internal CD player/burner would be useful. It wouldn’t be moved much as it would be based in one room, but some moving is a possibility for the instrument.
 
I have no fixed budget in mind, I am currently fund-raising to be able to purchase this, and think that around about the £1000 would be a feasible sum.

I would appreciate any advice on makes etc. of digital pianos that you think would be suitable for these playing circumstances in this price range.

Thanks in advance

Nikki

Reply/ Hi Nikki

The Yamaha CLP230 will be the best choice for use in the school.

It has a great sound and touch. You can find many additional features,
and instrumental voices that can be useful for lessons too.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Graham,
Your web site has been very helpful. I wondered if you could please offer some further advice.

Our daughter is 7 and enjoys playing on an old keyboard we have. We are looking to purchase her one of her own. We need something compact as her bedroom is tight on space, possibly something on a collapsible stand but we are looking for a proper piano "feel" not a childs toy. We have no knowledge and would really appreciate any pointers you could offer.

Thanks, Kind regards, Nicola Bond

Reply/ Hi Nicola

Thank you for an excellent question.

There are many parents that are in a similar situation to you... Space is always an issue.

I have yet to see a decent digital piano that comes with a collapsible stand. To get something with a decent enough sound usually requires a separate amplifier. This is clearly not suitable for what you need.

The Yamaha YDP140 or Classenti CDP1 are the pianos you should consider.

They are both compact (but come with a fixed, not collapsible, stand)...

The Classenti has a slightly heavier touch than the Yamaha, which is a good thing. Young fingers need to be strengthened from early on, and your child will find it much easier to transfer to an acoustic piano later in life.

The sound is excellent on both instruments.

You can view more details about them here:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-ydp140.html
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/classenti-cdp1.html

If you would like any more help, you can call me on 020 8367 2080.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Good evening,

I wondered if you can help me, I am looking to buy a digital piano… on a tight budget.  I am a beginner and have had previously a Casio AP65R… on the whole I thought it was OK – didn’t love the sound of the Piano… but I was attracted to all of the buttons etc.

I have for the last 36 months had a keyboard and I broke my arm severely and lost most of the movement – I have just got the movement back and I am desperate to play the piano again… one for the exercise but 2 because I love to play – badly.

I have narrowed down 2 pianos within my price range and I wondered if I could have some advice on the best piano… its really tricky to find reviews online and I can’t find these models in shops as they are not “top of the range” now so I am unable to try them.

Casio AP80R

Yamaha YDP 131

Thanks for your help in advance.

Kind regards,

David Lynn

Reply/ Hi David

The Casio AP80R is very similar to the AP65 you owned.

The sound is marginally better.

The Yamaha YDP131 has now been replaced by a much better
model, the YDP140. I was never that impressed with the YDP131.
The sound was a little weak and the touch not as you would expect
with a Yamaha... But... The YDP140 is actually rather good.

The sound is mellower and the touch has improved immensely.

Another piano to consider is the Classenti CDP1.

This is a nice, compact piano and has a good touch and realistic
piano sound.

You can read more about it here:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/classenti-cdp1.html

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Thanks Graham,

Further comments/

Your website has been a great help! There are just so many choices and it’s hard to make the right decision. 

I will have a look at the Piano’s you mentioned and try and shop around for a good price!

Kind regards,

David Lynn

Further questions/

Hi Graham,

Sorry to bother you again, I have been looking out for the Yamaha YDP140 and unfortunately I cannot find one within my budget (apart from www.normans.co.uk who have no stock – and aren’t overly helpful in letting me know if and when they will have more) – I really can’t exceed the £450.00/£499 mark due to recently moving house etc… and I have been given a budget, which I cannot go over!

Which still leaves me with the following “affordable piano’s”

Yamaha YDP131           

Casio AP80R                 

Casio Priva PX800                        

G4M 8826                     

Korg SP250                   

Yamaha YDP S30          

Hemingway DP-501       

BEHRINGER EG-2080    

These are all within budget – but I struggle to know what’s the best choice…  Can you highlight any from this list… or rule any out as “not great” any feedback you can give about individual makes etc would be appreciated – I realise this is a small budget, but with your help I am hoping to buy the best I can within the budget!

Thanks in advance for your help!

Kind regards,

David Lynn

Reply/ Hi David

It seems you have too much choice and ultimately are confused.

This happens to almost everyone looking to buy their first piano
on a tight budget.

Let me try and make the choice simple for you.

The Yamaha YDP140 and the Classenti CDP1 are the best pianos --
but, both are over your budget. So lets look at the other pianos on your
'short' list.

Forget the Casio AP80 and the PX800. Apart from them both being old
models, the Casio Privia range does not deliver a good enough sound and
the touch is quite poor. The AP80 has many 'bells and whistles' which you
are paying money for at the expense of loss of sound quality and touch.

I have not heard any good reviews about the G4M 8826. The G4M JX120
I have yet to test.

The Korg SP250 has a poor action. The keys are not heavy enough and it
feels a litte awkward to play.

The Yamaha YDP-S30 has an un-balanced key weight which you notice
more on the key's up-stroke. The sound is not as good as other Yamahas
either.

The Hemingway and Behringer I have also not tested yet.

The problem is, most digital pianos under £500 are missing an important
ingredient. If you really must go for one of these and cannot stretch a little more
for the Classenti or the Yamaha, then the AP80 would be the next choice

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

Further comments/

Hi Graham,

Yes, I am still looking for a digital piano… I feel like I am losing sleep as I want to make sure I make the right decision – but with my budget I realise I am going to have to compromise.

I am trying to locate a store where I can try the casio AP80, as I am a little dubious as I wasn’t a fan of the AP65.  I am still looking for a decent Yamaha within budget – I think I am ruling out the YDP131 because I have heard some disappointing feedback on the piano… plus the speakers seem very low wattage?

I wondered, when are you expecting to receive the Hemingway 500 series???  I have seen the 700 series in polished black… which seems to have EVERYTHING on paper – but of course the sound and touch is so important.  But I was thinking if you thought there were some positives to the 500 series… in addition to the price that I would just go ahead with the 700 series as I am sure they could only have improved on the previous model (well, one hopes so).

Keep me posted and thanks for your replies!

Kind regards, David Lynn

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