REVIEW - Roland MFP1 Digital Piano - Costco

Roland MFP1 digital piano
MFP1
UPDATED REVIEW - August 28, 2017 - The Roland MFP1 is a discontinued portable digital piano no longer available at Costco - Not recommended - The Roland company has a lower priced weighted 88-key digital piano called the MFP1, available at Costco, but there are actually two versions of this piano available from Roland. One of them is called the FP20 ($799US internet price without stand or bench) and is available on-line and also at local stores from piano & music dealers in the US and other countries. The other model is called the MFP1 ($999 with bench, headphones, and Wifi adapter) which is the identical model but only available at Costco in the US (as far as I know). The interesting thing is that although the F20 is offered in two colors (either satin black or dark walnut), the new F20 seems to only be available in the satin black color in the US and the MFP1 at Costco seems to only be available in the dark walnut cabinet finish. Roland offers both these colors in the F20 version but the black is all I see available in the US at any internet or store dealer whereas in other countries both colors in the F20 may be available. It is a bit confusing but there is a reason for this confusion in the US market and it has to do with Costco.

Roland MFP1 digital piano
Costco sells a few of the lower priced Roland digital piano models under $1500 in the US. To give Costco an edge in the US market, Roland provided Costco with the exclusive market for the simulated walnut color (with contemporary black top panel and music rack), gave it a new name MFP1, and included a matching furniture stand, bench, and a couple of other accessories, and this MFP1 is offered at a lower package price than any music dealer is offering for the identical F20 model in satin black. It's simply a strategic advantage that Costco has over anyone else in the US (that Roland has given them) with regard to a better advertised price, as long as you like the dark walnut color, which is actually fairly attractive. If you are as big and powerful as Costco is, it is no surprise they have an advantage over other US retail sites and stores. Of course you can easily return this piano if you don't like it (like just about anything else you can buy there) and get a full refund. That's another Costco advantage.

Roland F20 digital piano
Roland F20 satin black
It's important to understand that the new Roland MFP1 and F20 are identical in every way as far as construction, digital features, key action, internal speaker system, and all other characteristics go (except for cabinet color). I only partially recommend this model because it is using an older key action which I do not like and this action is stiff and sluggish to play, particularly when playing softer and easier on the keys. Regular pianos don't feel like that and a student may acquire bad playing habits (technique) because of it. Also, I do not like the piano sound quality in the middle octaves of the keyboard. It's tinny and unnatural as compared to other digital pianos in this price range. There are better options out there so do your homework and look around before you make that buying decision. I have done a very detailed review of the Roland F20, so to learn more about this new MFP1 at Costco, please read my review of the F20 at the following link before you consider purchasing this piano as there are some notable deficiencies (as I mentioned) in this model with regard to some important aspects of piano playing: Roland F20 review.

If you want more info on new digital pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Between this one and AP220,which one would you recomend?