Broadway AB1 (brand new piano)

Description

Delivery

Free delivery anywhere in mainland UK.

Also available is a base unit with 3 pedals, should you subsequently want to make it into more of a furniture piano.

Specifications

88 Fully-Weighted Keys
128 Note Polyphony
30 Voices (pre-set sounds)
Built-in speakers
1 Drum Set +1 SFX
Multi Layered Sound
Total Bank Memory Size 128 Mbit
LCD Display with Back Light
50 Classical Music Songs (internal)
DSP Reverb/Effect
Sustain Pedal
USB Connection
MIDI Interface
Audio Interface (48KHz 16bit)
USB 1.0 Compatibility PC/ Mac/ iOS/ Android
2 Track Recorder
Layer
Split
Twin Piano
Master Tune
Master Key Transpose
Touch Adjustment
Metronome
USB to Host (type B)
Stereo Audio Out, Stereo RCA
MIDI Out
Headphone Jack
Pedal In

 

Speakers

15 watts x 15 watts (2 speakers)

 

Dimensions

Length: 131.5cm
Depth: 33.7cm
Height: 13cm
Weight: 11kg

 

Included

Sustain pedal
Music rest
Mains power adapter

 

Extras

Wooden stand with 3 pedals

   £99.99

 

 

Rent-to-Buy from £39 per month.
Rental goes towards the price, more info

 

Reviews

 

“Sounds very good”

Very good piano for the price. Keys are a tad light, but easy to get comfortable with. Sounds very good and worth the purchase! The only real complaint I have is the pedal is too sudden, but it is a digital piano so I suppose that would not be a limitation.

Review by Titash Reza, Brockley, South London

 

“The sound is superb and the fully-weighted keys build my strength”

I found UK Piano’s after an internet search after yearning to play the piano again after a 30+ year gap. I wasn’t sure what I needed but I knew I wanted a full size keyboard and weighted keys. The model I originally enquired about was not available but after talking with the very knowledgeable staff I decided to go with their recommendation of the Broadway AB1. The rent-to-buy service was amazing as it gave me the security of beginning to play again on a superb instrument but without the full upfront cost if I had ultimately decided not to continue. However continue I have and the Broadway AB1 is an absolute joy to play. I have started taking lessons again at the age 55 and am thoroughly enjoying playing again. The sound is superb and the fully-weighted keys are helping me not only build my strength but give a lovely depth to playing that would otherwise be missing.
I would definitely recommend UK Pianos and their rent-to-buy service – 10/10.

Review by Katrina Halsey, Paisley, Scotland

 

Questions

I’d like to have the stand with three pedals. Although is that wooden stand with pedals foldable?

So you mean the speaker/sounds also work without power in? Even better!

Do you mind provide the details of the size of keyboard and stand (W/L/H) and also the size of the delivery pack?

And how do we do the next process? Hopefully we can get it delivered before bank holiday next week!

Reply/ Hi Michelle

The wooden stand is not foldable.
But it only attaches with 4 screws, so it’s east
to store away or transport.

The piano needs to be plugged into a socket
to work. It comes with an adapter included.

Here is the size of the piano.

Length: 131.5cm
Depth: 33.7cm
Height: 13cm

I don’t have the dimensions of the stand,
but the length and depth will be almost
the same as the piano.

Packaging sizes:

Broadway AB1
146 x 43 x 23.5

Broadway AB1 wooden stand
161.5 x 39.5 x 11.5

Regards
Graham Howard

—

I would like to enquire about setting up a rental. I think, due to the stands etc, the one I’d be interested in is the Broadway AB1 portable 88 key. I wouldn’t need a stand, it will go on a table.

I’m aware it has Bluetooth, but what is the Bluetooth for? Connection to other things or connecting Bluetooth headphones for example?

Does it also have a headphone socket? does it record? Does it have an aux in function?

I already play piano, but haven’t been practising for a long while, just need something good to practise on. I had a Korg B2 prior to this just as a point of reference for you.

What else can you tell me?

Thanks in advance.

Reply/ Hi Kane

The Broadway AB1 doesn’t have Bluetooth.

Bluetooth is used to connect up to online apps
without having to connect a USB cable.

The Broadway AB1 has 2 x headphone sockets.

Yes, it can record.

It has Line in and Line out ports.

The Broadway AB1 has full-weighted keys.
The old Korg B2 has only weighted keys, so the
Broadway feels closer to playing a real piano.

Yours pianistically

Graham Howard

UK Pianos Shop
83 Southbury Road
Enfield (North London)
EN1 1PJ
020 8367 5107

—

My 4 year old son has started to learn the piano. He needs a piano with weighted keys and a pedal. Would you have a keyboard of that spec that we can rent for home at all? Space is at a premium unfortunately!

Kind Regards

Reply/ We have a Broadway AB1 available.
It is £42 per month.

This piano has the advantage of having
fully-weighted keys. so it feels just like
playing on a real piano.
It’s a really good piano to learn and progress on
and will take your son up to at least grade 5 level.
So you can keep it for many years without having
to upgrade it.

Yours pianistically

Graham Howard

—

Hi again Graham,

Thank you for your kind reply – the Broadway EZ-102 does look like a good instrument.

I have a general question about key actions, as this is still confusing me.
In your “bible” you identify five weightings:

Light-weighted
Semi-weighted
Weighted
Medium-weighted
Fully-weighted

I believe (correct me if I’m wrong) that these represent different levels of springs and weights in the keys (as opposed to the unweighted MIDI controller that I have, which is spring-loaded and unweighted)

I get confused as to where “hammer action” comes in. I had almost concluded that Fully Weighted = Hammer Action but then I took a look at some “portable” digital pianos. The Yamaha P-125, which you rated as Medium Weighted, also has their Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) action.

So, is Hammer Action something that can apply to ANY weighted action, or only certain ones?

To add to the confusion, I have also read other online articles and they often only refer to Semi-Weighted and Hammer Action and seem to use the imprecise term “Weighted” variously for either of these.

I mentioned the Yamaha P-125 above. This is because I am also considering whether a portable digital piano would be more suitable for my small flat. That would allow me more flexibility about where to locate it, and some (e.g. the Broadway AB1, which you give a good mention also have available a base unit, should I subsequently want to make it into more of a “furniture” piano).

Taking the AB1 as an example of my question above about key actions; on UK Pianos, the AB1 is described as “fully weighted” but makes no mention of hammer action. Is it hammer action?

Reply/ Hi Jeremy

A hammer action usually has a small hammer
located at the back of each key.
This is supposed to give it a weightier and
more realistic key feel, but it doesn’t always
achieve that.

What’s more important is the key weighting,
i.e. ‘fully-weighted’.
I don’t find the keyboards that only have a
‘weighted’ key touch heavy enough to resemble
a real piano.

The Broadway AB1 doesn’t have a hammer action,
but it is fully-weighted and feels close to
the action of an acoustic piano.
This is the piano I recommend for you if you
would like something with an authentic feel.

Kind regards
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

—

Graham

I have a Schimmel piano, however, I’ve been looking for digital pianos for a couple of my students, with fully weighted keys and a fold-away support. They should also accommodate headphones and a sustain pedal, and ideally have a record function, so students can play back pieces they’re learning.

Reply/ Hi Robert

I recommend for your students the Broadway AB1.

The Broadway has 88 touch sensitive, fully-weighted keys.
I recommend this piano up to at least grade 5 level.

It has headphones connection, sustain pedal, record function
and can be placed on a fold-away or fixed height stand.

Kind regards
Graham Howard

Buy From UK Pianos and You Get All This:

• FREE 2 Year UK Warranty (all parts and labour covered)
• 60 Day Trial Period (If it isn’t as good as you expected, we collect the piano at our cost and give you a full refund)
• Safe Shopping (UK Pianos are an authorised main dealer for this piano range)
• Peace of Mind (see reviews of UK Pianos shop on Trustpilot: the number 1 review site)
• Owner’s Manual (operating guide in English and other languages, assembly instructions, computer related operations, and more)

Note: The AB1 comes with a 1 year warranty. Check the digital piano warranty page for all Broadway digital piano warranties.

—

“Yamaha P45 doesn’t have weighted keys, is the Broadway AB1 the best option for me?”

My name’s Amanda. I took a classical piano course ten years ago in my 20s… just for a few months but stopped due to budget constraints. Now I want to continue where I left off.

I initially thought of buying Yamaha P45 or Yamaha NP12 Keyboard but realised that the latter does not have a weighted-keys function… and I am not entirely sure if I will be consistent, in addition to limited space at my rental home, thus avoiding buying.

Could you advise if renting Broadway AB1 would be the best option for me? My only benchmark is Yamaha P45 (based on online reviews) due to its highest possible similarity to a real piano and compact size.

And how does renting at UK Pianos work, 1) is it necessary to come to the store to complete the payment and deposit? I live in NW2, so 2) what happens after 6 months if I want to return it, I assume I just need to pay the delivery cost?

Thank you!

Reply/ Hi Amanda

The Broadway AB1 has fully-weighted keys and feels close
to playing a real piano, so it would be suitable for you to
get back into playing again.
It has larger speakers than the Yamaha P45, so the tone is
more natural and resonant.

The rental can be done over the phone, and we can email
you the rental form.

If the piano is returned after 6 months then there is a
return delivery fee (the same as the initial delivery fee).

Kind regards
Graham Howard

 

Recommended Reading

1) Article: “Which Digital Piano to Buy”
2) Piano questions section and FAQ
3) Free Book: “7 Things You Must Know Before You Buy a Digital Piano”
4) Digital Piano Rating System: “The Howard Score“