Secondhand Digital Piano Questions 

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Dear Sir,

I wonder if you can help.  I am looking at purchasing a digital piano.  I have just sold my old acoustic piano but would like to replace it with a digital instrument that has a number of voices, especially piano (of course!), church organ, harpsichord and strings.  I know that there are new models available around the £700-£800 mark, but I have an opportunity to buy a second-hand CVP-205.  I have seen and played it and was very impressed by the quality of the sound and the wide range of voices available (especially those that I am particularly looking for).  I am told that it hasn't been played very much (the lady selling it inherited it from her mother) and the case is certainly in pretty good condition apart from a few small scratches near the music rest and on the legs.  I am also told that it is four years or so old.  An engineer has just been to visit to reconnect the pedals to the main electronics (as they weren't working, apparently after the instrument was last moved) and has advised her that she should be asking around £1,000 for it.  She tells me that it was some £2,700 new.

What would you advise?  I like the instrument but don't want to part with £1,000 - I might have offered £800 but would like your take on whether or not this is a bargain or something to stay away from.

Many thanks,

STEVE PETCH.

Reply/  Hi Stephen

I think £1000 seems reasonable (but a little risky is something
were to go wrong with the piano).

Repairs on digital pianos are very expensive -- £100 +

The problem with the pedal doesn't give confidence.

I would try to negotiate for around £700 - £800. 

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

Question/ Hi Graham,

Perhaps you could help me get some info as to which might be suitable. I
want to play piano (my mum was a piano teacher) rather than keyboard but I
am thinking about a technics dig. piano.Model SX-PR100 on ebay. It is 15 yrs
old and in good cond.
Do you think this might suit me to start on and do for a while ?
I am now 61 so I won't be racing to play like Billy Joel, but I do want to
play properly.
Thanks
Peter

Reply/ Hi Peter
To be completely honest, I wouldn't touch it with
a ten foot pole.

Not that Technics isn't a good make or anything, any
digital piano that is 15 years old is ANCIENT and
you will likely have untold problems with it:
sticking notes, rattling sounds etc.

eBay can be a good place to buy secondhand digital
pianos, but I wouldn't look at anything older than
5 years.

My advice to you is to carry on looking for bargains on
eBay or treat yourself (if you can afford it of course) to
a brand new digital piano.

My recommendation is the Yamaha CLP220 (around £700)
or if this is over your budget, the Yamaha YDP131 (£510).
You can read more about them here:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-clp220.html
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-ydp131.html

Regards,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

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