Buying a Piano?

buying a piano

- Thinking about purchasing a piano? 
- Need EXPERT digital piano advice?
- Want to get lower prices than Amazon & Internet stores on new name brand digital pianos?

Please contact AZ Piano Wholesale 1st!
We will answer your questions (no charge) and help you find the best piano to fit your needs and budget at lower prices than internet, bundles, stores, Amazon, used, sales, etc.


Tim & Erik Praskins
email: tim@azpianowholesale.com
phone: 602-571-1864 (Mountain time)


Mon - Thurs 10AM - 7PM  
Fri & Sat 11:00AM - 5:00PM
Mountain Standard Time (Pacific Time in summer).
We do not accept international calls (please email me)


Check out my "10 Top Digital Pianos
Check out our 10 Top Digital Pianos for "Best Bang for the Buck" report at the following link: My Top 10 "Biggest Bang for the Buck" Pianos. 


It can be scary out there shopping for a digital piano and trying to make a good buying decision! My name is Tim Praskins and I am a digital piano expert. Along with my son Erik (he knows his stuff too:), we will recommend a piano for you (acoustic or digital) that meets your (and your family's) musical goals, skill level, and fits your budget at even lower prices. 

I do not limit my reviews and recommendations to just a few brands or models like piano stores, music stores, and certain so-called reviewers on the internet do. I have played & understand all of the major (and not so major) brands and models and I know the differences and what works and what doesn't work. Want to know more about us, Tim & Erik Praskins? Please go to the following link to read our bio: ABOUT US!

Online Piano Reviews: It's good to be aware that there are some digital piano reviews online which are out of date, show discontinued models as the newest models, try to get you to buy poor quality digital pianos just so they can make money on a "Amazon web site link" or give high marks to some terrible digital pianos, in my opinion. 

When we see something like that then we encourage people to stay away from those reviews as they are likely done just to get you to purchase them on Amazon and other resellers of those particular brands. Making money by selling pianos is one thing, but recommending vastly inferior pianos to make money is quite another thing, and then you wind up with the problem, not them.

Used Pianos: Also, sometimes buying a used piano can be a good choice, but it's a "minefield" out there when it comes to shopping for used pianos, but I can help you avoid mistakes if you contact me. Check out my piano shopping tips section for info on used pianos.

*Site Advertising
In an effort to support this blog and keep it free and available for the public, you may see some advertisements. These advertisements are controlled through a 3rd party company and by no means are the companies, products or messages seen in these advertisements controlled or endorsed by me.
My AZ Piano Reviews blog is very time consuming for me and takes a lot of effort, so if you would click on some of the ads to read more about them, that would be helpful to me. As always, please don't purchase any piano anywhere without contacting me first!


** Please Note: All my reviews are independent of any others on the internet and are done with great research, time, energy, and personal experience with each instrument and I have played and listened to them. I do recommend many models from the top brands and can help you find a good place to make a purchase should you decide you want one and I can also order many pianos from the national and distributor factory authorized warehouses for less money than store and internet/Amazon discount prices if that can help you. I am in no way affiliated with or part of AZ Piano Company, a retail piano store in Phoenix, AZ. 

No one pays me for my reviews including manufacturers, distributors, resellers, etc. All my reviews are my opinions and done by myself for the public at large and I do not link to Amazon, eBay, or other similar affiliate selling sites. Also, I reserve and exercise the right to update my reviews as new information comes my way through further examination of these pianos or new information is brought to my attention from the manufacturers or users. My desire and goal is to refer you to any brand and model of new digital piano if that brand and model meets your musical goals, budget, and overall needs.

Thank you!

Tim Praskins

Creator of AZPianoNews.com





how to buy a digital piano, what digital piano to buy, digital piano prices, compare digital pianos, help on buying a piano, best place to buy a piano, buying a Casio digital piano

95 comments:

Holmes Zone said...

Tim,

I'm looking for a Yamaha CVP-501 Clarinova. What kind of pricing can you get? What about a Roland with similar capabilities?

Mike Holmes
holmeszone@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Hi, i'm looking to buy a piano casio Privia px750 or px350 (more portable) in Canada, or ship to Canada. I'm beginner in a piano and the casio look nice with the comments i saw.
Where can i buy it? if i live near Montreal,Québec.
Thank you verry much!
I search for a piano with a good sound for piano, 88 notes and graded hammer action for the notes. What's the best for me if i want to pay max.700-800$.
Isabelle
isanica@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim,

I truly enjoy all of the wonderful and informative reviews you post here on this forum. In fact, I am basing my decision most soly on your recommendation. I am down to two choices: the Kawai C220 and the Arius YDP-V240, both of which are priced about the same.

Which would you recommend?

Thanks in advance for your help

Unknown said...

The Kawai CE220 is a vastly superior piano as compared to the Yamaha YDPV240 with regard to key action movement, piano sound realism, polyphony memory, and the piano playing experience in general. The Yamaha is a better piano in terms of automatic chord/arranger functions with multi-track recorder and additional instrument sounds. It depends what your musical goal and skill level is. For more info please email me directly.

Anonymous said...

Can you please do a review on the new Suzuki MDG 200 Digital Grand Piano? I saw that you gave a review on the Suzuki MDG 100 Digital Grand Piano and I would like to know if the New MDG 200 is as bad as the MDG 100. Or is the Suzuki MDG 200 worth buying unlike it's autistic brother

Unknown said...

Although the Suzuki MDG200 is improved in certain ways over the MDG100, the key action and sound is the same as the smaller vertical SD10 which I have done a review on already. The MDG200 has poor volume and dynamic sensitivity and the playing experience is not anywhere close to a real piano or even to new model Yamaha & Casio digital pianos under $1100. Although the Suzuki pianos look attractive, I don't recommend them as far as having a reasonably good playing experience.

Anonymous said...

Tim -
I am ready to buy a piano and was thinking about the CLP-465GP.
Like you said, it is $5,000 in the stores, but I want to know if I
can get it cheaper anyplace else. I live in Atlanta, GA. I can pay about 20% down and planned on financing the balance. Please let me know. Elizabeth

Unknown said...

as i have come to know from the reviews ,almost all are saying that the sound of yamaha is vastly superior to casio in same price range...is that true?

Unknown said...

sound is always subjective and I have heard 100's of people say the new Casio sound is vastly superior to the new Yamaha's in the price range under $2000 since Casio does not make any pianos selling for over $2000. If you personally like the Yamaha sound better, then definitely buy a Yamaha. But the Casio 3-sensor dynamic key action will provide more musical color to the sound then pianos without that 3-sensor key system. Yamaha Clavinova's have it for over $2000 as do Kawai & Roland digital pianos so it seems that everyone agrees that 3-sensor key actions are better than those without. Yamaha does not have the 3-sensor key action in any digital pianos under $2000. But the sound choice is always up to the individual listening.

Anonymous said...

Hi Mr. Praskins! It would have been interesting having read your blog before buying the RP301 for the church where a attend to. We bouth a new one of this model here in Chile for about US$2.200. I was very expectant about the sound quality of this Roland. Now, reading your review, I match my playing experience at a 100% with your comments. The bass octaves sounds very good, but the midle ones seems quite "unnatural". The built-in sound power and speaker are also very poor for the price, especially compared to Celviano Series or Yamaha CLP series of similar or lower prices. I'm really in the mood for selling it and buying another one. The problem is ¿¿wich one?? for this price. Also considering that I've already lost about US$300 just in removing it from the box. I this case, we have the option to amplify the piano sound with a power mixer, but it would be nice to have a good built-it sound power. I would really appreciate your comments. Thanks! Jabes.

Anonymous said...

Tim, I wanted to "officially" thank you for talking to me and helping me pick the 'best' piano for our needs. I placed the order yesterday. If possible, please keep me updated on when I can expect the shipment. -Sushant

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim! I was looking for a Piano with great sound. At my lokal music store they showed me the Yamaha CVP 601 priced at 2300€.

I'm new to playing the piano so i let them play it for me and it sounds great! Also i tried it myself (with a few notes from requiem for a dream ;) ) and it also felt great.

Is this Piano worth it's price? or are there pianos with similar sound/felling for less?

PS: I don't care about a shitload of functions as i won't use many of them anyway. I just want great piano sound and maybe the possibility to plug it to my pc.

PPS: Pls excuse my bad english as it is not my native language :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Mr. Praskins! I want to thank you for your wonderfull 2012 under $1000 piano reviews. It was very helpful as I have very little knowledge about digital pianos.

But unfortunately it has still left me undecided, so I have one little question for you sir, if you don't mind answering:
What is the difference (if any) between the Casio Privia PX150 and the Yamaha P105, and which one would you recommend?

Thanks again,
-Mario

Unknown said...

I have to choose a piano from
Korg SP170S
Yamaha P105
Casio PX 150
Which digital piano should i buy ?
as i am looking for the best sounding piano among these..
Please Suggest

Unknown said...

Hi Mario,

You question is actually not "little." I have described the many differences of those two pianos in my reviews on them. Search for those specific brand & model numbers on blog search bar and then you'll get all the information you need in those reviews.

Unknown said...

I would recommend either the Yamaha or Casio for best sounding and playing.

Unknown said...

sorry for the delayed response. For your needs without a lot of automated features or many functions they may not get used, in a similar price range I would recommend the Yamaha CLP440, Kawai CA65, or Roland HP505. The CVP601 has too many additional functions and not enough pure piano playing features as compared to these other pianos

jesus said...

Hi Mr. Praskins!
What do you think about Thomann dp-85 or Fame dp-680. They have a good price.

Thank you very much.

Jesus

Anonymous said...

Mr. Praskins thank you for sharing your knowledge with everyone, I'm thinking about buying a KURZWEIL MARK SERIES 110 BABY GRAND DIGITAL PIANO I'm new to all this piano world, I'm buying it for my daughter she is 15 and seems to really like the piano, she has been taking classes for 2 years and I have to other sons that seem to enjoy it too, so I'm thinking that it might be worth it to spend some money on it, thank you again for your valuable opinion on it.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Praskins,

I'm a beginner piano player (61 yrs young) with no inate talent, just a stong desire to learn. I've read about and listened to just about all the Yamaha YDPs (on youtube) and I'm overwhelmed. Then I found your review on the Kawai CE220 and that seemed to have it all.

I want to keep the price below $2000, and the cabinet smaller than 57" wide. All those electronic bells and whistles will be lost on me. What I want is a "real" piano sound and feel and the ability to plug in headphones to shut off the ambient sound. A metronome would be nice (I like the idea of the drumms as metronome, but that wouldn't be the deciding factor).

What would you recommend?

Thank you very much for your help!

Unknown said...

You are right...it can get confusing out there with so many digital piano possibilities. I would be happy to help you narrow it down so that you get the right instrument for your needs and budget. Please email me directly, or call me during my studio hours listed here on this page (assuming you live in the US).

Anonymous said...

Hello Mr. Praskins!
I can duplicate the previous question with slight differences:
1. 12 years less old ))))
2. Don't want (at least need at the beginning) a piano that I will buy to sound by itself, I plan to connect it to computer with good sound card and software and plug headphones into this assembly.
3. My goal is to learn, learn and learn privately until what I will be able to record will justify next $2000 investment (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X_hOY6tEvM for example? no, just kidding ))))) )

Anonymous said...

Hey I am a novice lerning piano guy, and I am planning to get a new digital piano or a keyboard, butget it is problem, so I am considering the CASIO WK 7500 or the PRIVIA PX 150, which one do you recommend?? it is for home usage and maybe for family parties, I consider that the WK 7500 piano sound is very good and I like all the stuff is on it, what do you consider about the gran piano sound between these two models, is there a significan sound difference?

I really apprciate your comments.

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr. Praskins,
I've been in search for a nice DP for some time now, as I'm ready for an upgrade. I currently own the Yamaha P-155, and I love every bit of it. I've had it for two years now though, and I'd like to spend a little more money this time. My biggest concern is that I want my DP to replicate a high end grand piano to the closest degree. I don't care about any extra sounds, beat makers, patterns, arpeggiators, etc. I just want 1-4 high quality grand piano sounds, perfect key weighting, and beautiful sound. I've considered the MP-6/10 but I've never been able to get my hands on one here on the east coast.

Whats the best thing for me, in the 1500-3500 dollar range? Thank you so very much for your advice in advance!

Unknown said...

Thank you for your comments & question and I understand what you are saying. For a detailed response I would prefer you contact me by email or call me during my studio hours if you live in the US. I would be happy to give you some advice.

Anonymous said...

Greetings Mr. Praskins,
I stumbled across your very informative site while looking for information on *repairing* an existing Technics PX106, vintage 1994. Mechanically, it's fine, but the electronics appear to be the problem, since there's no sound, and the LEDs come on intermittently. Do you recommend spending $200-400 (?) on repairing a 19-year-old $2200 piano? I love its sound and touch, so am reluctant to give up on it. I welcome your thoughts. RH-Atlanta

Unknown said...

If you love your Technics piano that much (I have played that model and know what it is) and feel confident it can be repaired for no more than $400 and that everything else seems like it is in working order, then I recommend repairing it. You can buy nice new furniture cabinet digital pianos for around the $1000 range but that is obviously a lot more money than $400. It is irrelevant what your piano originally cost. It is only relevant what a new one would cost now.

Unknown said...

Hi Tim... I would like to buy de Casio CDP 120.. do you have this? and the price is?

Unknown said...

Question about headphones. Just bought the HP 507 and just love it. I'd like to buy some high quality headphones that will faithfully transmit the music without any distortion or alteration. There are so many on the market that it's very confusing. I look forward to your opinion. And btw, your reviews are absolutely indispensible. Thank you! Art

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim, what would you suggest for me to buy, I need a £800- budget, and I need very good weighted keys - Ned

Unknown said...

Assuming you live in the US, please email me and I can tell you the best way to purchase this model.

Unknown said...

My favorite quality stereo headphones under $100 is the Sony MDR7506. This model has been very popular over the years for quality full sound reproduction, comfort, and durability. I use them in my studio and recommend them. There are other models over $100 and a couple under $50, but this is the one I would invest in. It is important to note that everyone has different hearing when it comes to frequency range and other aspects of sound so there is no "perfect" headphones unless you want to spend hundreds of dollars to get close to that:)

SillyJilly said...

Hi Tim, I'm in the market for a digital piano. The piano would be used to teach my kids how to play and to play on it occasionally myself. We don't plan to become concert pianists and it's more for fun and entertainment. My mother has a Kawai that has the "Concert Magic" feature on it. I absolutely love this feature because anyone can sit down at the piano (including a 2 year old) and it sounds like they are playing beautiful music. The problem is that all of the Kawai models that have this feature are at least $3500. I'm trying to find a new or used digital piano for under $1000. Are there any other digital pianos that have this feature? If so, do you know which ones they are and around how much they cost?

Unknown said...

Yes, there is a brand new model Kawai digital piano for close to $1000 that is just coming out with this feature on it and the piano also has a realistic piano key action and piano sound in a nice cabinet. I can give you more detailed info on this model incl Kawai discount pricing if you email me directly.

Alexander Jejkal said...

I like your homepage and the qualified info/opinion you give. Greetings from Germany.

Anonymous said...

Hi,

I am choosing between a PX750 or 780 for my 14 year old daughter. Is there any difference in USB / MIDI connectivity or digital self learning opportunities between the 2 models?

Anonymous said...

Hi Mr Praskins,

I am also looking for a piano for my daughter, 6 years old, starting piano lesson this year. there is a mini grand piano Robson at Costco and we were thinking it may be not too bad for 1000 $. Reading all your reviews, I understand it might not be a good investment. I am writing from Quebec, Canada, I guess we can find almost the same model here. I would like to know about the Kawai...

Unknown said...

I do not recommend Robson pianos as they are not a real brand (manufacturer-designer of pianos) but simply a already built chinese digital piano using very cheap technology and key actions.

Anonymous said...

Hi
I am looking for a digital piano for my partner who has played piano and organ for many years but become rusty as we had to sell ours when we emigrated to UK. I like the look of the Yamaha DX650 but a little pricey. He loves the sound of the grand piano -space is a problem hence a more slim line version and ideas

ClaudiB said...

Hi Tim, here 's a brief note to thank you for your informative and enjoyable digital piano reviews. After reading your take on the new Yamaha models (specifically, the YDP162) and the Kawai KDP90, I decided to purchase the Kawai model (which I hadn't heard of prior to reading your review). The link to the sound samples was extremely helpful in deciding what to get. I'm more of an acoustic piano kind of person but not having played for several years I'm not sure I want to subject my fellow human beings in the house to my musical output, plus it'll be nice to be able to play whenever. Now I can hardly wait for the package to come in! (Bought it online at the price you quoted :-) )

Anonymous said...

Hello Mr. Praskins,

Thank you for your informative reviews on digital pianos. I am looking to purchase a beginner digital piano for my 7 yr. old daughter who has just started taking piano lessons. Her teacher suggested I get a piano with full 88 keys and that they should be weighted. I saw a Casio CDP220 bundled package which includes sustain pedal, AC adapter, piano stand and bench at Costo.ca . I'm thinking of getting this over the next few days. What do you think?

Thanks!

Unknown said...

That model would be a good one for your daughter to begin with and I would recommend it. As she progresses in her piano studies and playing then a better piano would be advisable.

Anonymous said...

Hi Mr. Praskins,

What great expertise you offer! that is so awesome! My husband and I want to purchase a digital piano for our family. I sort of have it narrowed down, but am having a hard time finalizing. What is your opinion on Roland's vs. Yamaha's? the sound quality and weighted key touch response? Are they pretty similar? What would you recommend between the arius ydp-142 or clavinova clp-430? and then between the clavinova and the roland rp- 301? costco is having a special on the roland rp 301 right now. my neighbor as an old roland kr 177 digital intelligent piano and i really liek the weighted key feel and it's really sturdy- but i dont think they make that model anymore shes had it for like14 years. thank you soo much!!! can't wait to hear back!

Unknown said...

You are asking many good questions and it would be easier for me to respond with detailed answers if you email me directly. Thanks

Anonymous said...

Thank you very much Tim. I recently bought a Roland HP 508 based on your review, and i'm totally happy about it! Keep up the great job

Anonymous said...

Hi Mr. Praskins,

After reading your review of Roland HP504, HP506, HP508 Digital Pianos, I am thinking of purchasing HP-506. If you can, please give me a range of prices for a brand new, least expensive HP506. I heard a price varies depending on the outside case and color.

Thank you so much

Anonymous said...

A Roland HP 506 is for my son who would like to have a digital piano so he can practice at night in home with headphones. He is a first year master student in piano performance at one of the top music schools in US. You viewed a youtube video of him performing Rachmaninoff piano concerto no. 3 in D minor, Op. 30, Liszt Dante Sonata, and Barber sonata for piano in E-flat minor, Op. 26 recently. Thank you so much for kindly sharing your expertise with us.

Unknown said...

I can only share specific discount price info through direct email. Please email me and then I would be happy to speak to you about that.

Unknown said...

Hi Tim, it is a shame that you are not in AUSTRALIA!!! So confused about which digital piano to hire/buy to my daughter!! She is taking private piano lessons and needs a better piano to practise. Read your review about the Roland F-20 about the issues that it has in the keys and wanting another option in the same category! I would appreciate if you could give me directions!! Congratulations for all the information that you share!! Will be following you from down under!!! Daniele

Anonymous said...

I would like to purchase the Yamaha P105. Where is the best place to buy the keyboard at a reasonable price? In addition, are there any shipping concerns I should consider before purchasing?

Unknown said...

I do not know what a reasonable price would be other than what the current internet discount selling price is. As for a place to buy, there are many good on-line stores that offer that model (the popular stores) and they are good at shipping them.

Unknown said...

Hi Daniele, I like the Casio PX350, Casio PX750, Casio PX850, Casio AP250, Kawai ES100, Kawai KDP90, and Yamaha YDP142 in the lower price range. Key action, piano sound reproduction, and realistic pedaling are always the main concerns and any of those pianos would be good to get with some being better than others. Check out my reviews on those models and hopefully that will help you.

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim, yamaha has newly launched CLP (Clavinova) 500++ series. I have my eye on Casio PX850 and Yamaha CLP535, can you please advice which one should i go for? Much appreciated for your valuable feedback.

Unknown said...

As far as I know, the CLP535 has not been released in the US yet. It will sell at discount price for more than $2000 so it is not a piano which can be compared to the Casio PX850 which is more than 1/2 that price, so I am not sure why you are doing that? If you can spend well over $2000 then the Yamaha is always a good option as well as what Kawai & Roland have to offer in that price range.

Unknown said...

i thinking of buying a new digital piano at a price range of €600, do you think the casio px-150 is the best choise?

Unknown said...

Depends on pricing for the other lower priced digital pianos I recommend which are Yamaha P105 & Kawai ES100, and also what you are mainly going to be using the piano for and what playing skill level you are at? That will help determine what would be best for you

Unknown said...

Well, at the moment i have a yamaha psr-323 its more like a keyboard no weighted keys and i want the more the feel of a real piano, im an okay player but not the best.

Unknown said...

i also found the casio px-735 for €610 new

Erigmac X said...

Dear Tim,

Can you help me pick the best portable digital piano for these price ranges: $1000 and $1500. I will be mainly using them to practise since I have not played piano in a while. I finished grade 8 and it would be a waste not to practice since I am studying abroad now. It needs to be portable so I can carry it back to my country.
Another function that is really important is to be able to record and make music easily.
What do you think of the Yamaha P255? Is there any alternative to the yamaha at that price?
Thank you very much.

Best Regards,
Eri

Cleopatraa25 said...

Hi Tim
Where i can find a good deal for the cvp601 , thanks
Cleopatraa25@gmail.com

Unknown said...

The best "deal" on a CVP601 in the US would be at any authorized Yamaha piano store that you can drive to and negotiate for the best price you can.

NMadhu said...

Hi Tim
I plan to buy Yamaha digital piano. My budget is $1000. Among Yamaha p105 and Yamaha ydp142 which is best to buy.

Unknown said...

They are very similar pianos except one is portable and one is in a cabinet. The P105 offers more technology and even a better sound. However in the YDP142 price range, the Kawai KDP90 and Roland F130R are good alternatives for even better piano playing experience.

Unknown said...

Hi Tim,
I want to buy a Yamaha 535 for my daughters ( 6 and 9) but I am afraid that the key action might be too heavy. The one I've tested required quite a lot of pressure to play. What's your finding in this ?
My option could be to buy the 545, but is that worth it ?

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim, I'm deciding between a Kawai ce220 and kawai cn 34 . what's the difference?

Tim Praskins said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Hi Tim, I'm looking for the best price and dealer for a new or used Clavinova CLP-465GP.

Unknown said...

best thing to do is keep searching until you can afford it

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim, what would you recommend for a piano student?

Anonymous said...

Dear Tim

I find very little information on the Yamaha Clavinovia CLP 680.Is there anything you know about it? Thank you very much.

Unknown said...

I know about the CLP670 from many years ago, but not the CLP680. I don't know if that was a model number sold in the US. I cannot help you with that one.

Anonymous said...

Hello,

I'm hesitating between Kawai CE220 and Roland F-130R. I'm a beginner/intermediate looking for the best keyboard to practice scales, Hanon, etc... Seems like wooden keys would feel more like a real acoustic piano right ??

Thanks

Guillaume

Anonymous said...

Hi,
What would be your opinion as to the better sound and quality of the two:
Yamaha YDP-181 vs Roland RP401R

Thanks, John

Tim Praskins said...

Both are good and a person can be happy with either one. However I prefer the Roland RP401 as it has a more complex quality piano sound with being more natural and organic along with a wider dynamic range and tonality and longer pedal sustain/decay time.

Jim Kendall said...

Tim, Eric, and Kevin,
I love my new Roland HP 506. It exceeds my expectations, and the only problem I have is my rusty eyesight, awkward fingers, and length of inactivity.
I am so glad I kept digging for information, and I feel it was a wonderful decision.

Anonymous said...

Dear Tim,

It would be great ıf you could suggest me for the each Following options :

Option A-) yamaha clavinova 545 / kawai ca67 / roland hp 506

Option B-) yamaha clavinova 535 /
Kawai ca 65 / roland hp 504

Thanks ın advance for your help.

Regards,
Tufan

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim

I want to buy a digital piano, I've seen
YAMAHA CLP 525 by 1095€
ROLAND RP 401 R by 1165€
ROLAND F130 by 799€
Could you suggest me the best choice?

Thanks

Vicenta, Badajoz (Spain)

Tim Praskins said...

I prefer the Roland RP401R and then the F130R after that. The Yamaha CLP525 is also good but in my opinion does not come close to the other two models for piano playing authenticity and useful features.

Monday20 said...

Hi Tim,

I am buying a piano for my son so he can begin to learn and I was wondering if I should go with the Korg SP170s or the Casio Privia PX160. I would like it to feel and sound like a real grand piano with same touch feel as a real piano. I am wondering if you have tried the Privia PX160 yet or should I just go with the SP170s? But I like the fact that you can have 3 pedals with the Privia PX160. Can these pianos use learning software from ipad to piano? I am trying not to spend more then the $500 range but I would like something with good quality and feels like a real piano or maybe you can recommend a piano that I should buy?

Thanks Tim and I look forward to your response and greatly appreciate your advice.

Bobby

Anonymous said...

Thank you, very much.. I think i will buy Roland Rp 401. I've already tried and I liked it, But in this moment i am thinking about, Kawai cn 25 too. Tomorrow I'm going to try it. Buying a piano is very very dificult. Ha ha ha.

Thank you by your reviews.they help a lot to know all the features of different brands. :-)

Vicenta

Tim Praskins said...

I much prefer the newer Casio PX160 over the Korg for a number of reasons including better key action, piano sound, and features. I done a recent review of the Casio PX160 which you can find on this blog (in Search Reviews) which will give you more info on that model.

Tim Praskins said...

In my opinion the Roland RP401R would be the best choice of the pianos you listed.

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim,
I've really enjoyed reading all of your reviews and they have helped me immensely. I have narrowed down my search to a few options and am trying to decide between the Kawai CA-65 and the Roland HP-506. Which do you prefer? Also, depending on the price of the Roland (I haven't checked out prices at my local dealer yet) my decision could be between the Kawai CA-65 and Roland HP-504. What would you suggest between those two?

Thanks in advance for your help and advice!

Emily

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim,
Thank you for your great work in providing correct information on various pianos. Im a beginner buying a casio digital piano and was wondering which of the following pianos you would recommend.
AP-260
PX-760
PX-160

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim,
If I had to choose between a Roland DP90e or a Roland F-140R which would be better? Also, what are the other good digital piano brands? I'm new to buying pianos and don't know what to look for when owning one. Thank you.

Unknown said...

Dear Tim,

I'm looking to buy a piano for my daughter who's just started the music school - piano class.
We don't have so much space in the flat, therefore I've narrowed down on my short list the following digital pianos:
Yamaha YDP - 143
Yamaha YDP - 163
Casio Pavia PX 760
Moreover, today we saw an acoustic piano who looked and sounded very good, Ottostein.

Considering that it's our first piano and the price difference between above listed digital pianos and the acoustic one is significant, what would you recommend?
Would it be a mistake to buy a digital piano for the beginning?

Thank you!
Ilona

Unknown said...

Dear Tim,

I'm in the process of buying the first piano for my daughter. As we don't have a lot of space and we don't want to spend a lot for the beginning, on my short list are the following models:
YDP 143
YDP 163
PX 760 (Casio).
Today we saw also a nice acoustic vertical piano Ottostein, but it cost almost double than the above listed digital ones.
What would be your recommendation?

Thank you!
Ilona

Unknown said...

Dear Tim, I'm having hard time deciding between Kawai CS11 and Casio GP500. I tried them both, Kawai quite extensively, Casio just a little, but will have my chance some time soon, but the first impression were very good. I liked the key action, as well as the built-in sound, also the other digital features seem to be quite comparable. I want to develop my skills to the next level (currently I own a Roland FP-7F), I play mostly jazz, some pop, folk and classical mostly for my own enjoyment, but there have been some gigs in the past and I wouldn't rule out at all that I will have some opportunities in the future as well, strictly as an amateur, though. Budget-wise I can get both pianos for a rather similar price, this is not a deciding factor at all. And, the form factor which is slightly different for these two models is also not a deal breaker. Now, which one to choose if I guess I like them both? Many thanks for your opinoin.

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim, first of all, congrats for your blog and after reading your excelent blog for several weeks, it was very helplful to decide to buy a Roland Digital Piano. In this case, I'm almost decided for the Roland HP605.
The final question is, would you think, there is another model from other brand similar in price and quality which can be equated to the Roland HP605?
Previously, I was undecided between the HP 603 and HP 605 but reading your comments and people on this blog, I realized that the sound system is very important, therefore, understood that it was better to invest a little more in the HP605.
Your final comments will help me to buy the best Piano.
I am currently trading at a dealer in Miami because I live outside the United States and the piano will be shipped door to door to Venezuela and Miami is the best option to deliver the Piano to Caracas.
Thanks for your comments and help.
Regards,
Angelo Chirico
Caracas - Venezuela
achiricop@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Hi Tim, I am in process of buying a new piano for my son who has started learning past one year. I am confused between Yamaha, Kawai digital pianos or accoustic pianos. The one shop we went, they tried to sell meYamaha CLP 535. And the piano teacher recommends an acoustic console size piano which is been tuned.
Can you please help me with your expertise.
Email - Mayureshs at gmail dot com

Nicky said...

G'day,

I've just read your article on the Korg Grandstage and i'm inquiring if your price listed in the article for the smaller version is still available.

Cheers

Nicky

Tim Praskins said...

yes it is

Unknown said...

I am confused between casio ap650 vs privia 870 what would you recommend

Rayscac said...

My son has been playing piano for a couple years. He's been using an inexpensive keyboard with 61 keys. I would like to purchase a piano with 88 keys. The one that caught my eye was the Yamaha Clavinova CLP 725. I see it listed just about everywhere for $2000. Any suggestions?

Rayscac said...

My son has been playing piano for a couple years. He's been using an inexpensive keyboard with 61 keys. I would like to purchase a piano with 88 keys. The one that caught my eye was the Yamaha Clavinova CLP 725. I see it listed just about everywhere for $2000. Any suggestions?