Digital piano recommendations.

Teetonetal · November 2022

The daughter has been getting on well with the piano (well midi keyboard) over the last year, so we've decided to buy a digital piano. I play a bit and fancy getting better, so will use it as well.

Looking at the roland hp704 and kawai cn301

Must haves:
- Nice action
- Good sound
- blue tooth audio
- split keyboard (or dual)

I tried the 704 and was impressed with the action, it also has a 10 year warranty. Sound is modelling and for me was quite dull.

Tried a kawai cn 49, action was not as good. Sound was fab. 5 year warranty, but no audio over blue tooth.
Now replaced with kawai cn 301 which has a few improvements.

So, anyone got any good tips on buying digital pianos, especially things to watch out for, pitfalls or recommendations?

Octavio · November 2022

I bought a Yamaha P-125 about 18 months ago and have been very happy with it. It has all of your must haves except the Bluetooth audio. This was also a concern for me however, there's a usb cable that I have connected permanently and I bought a USB-C adapter on Amazon for about a tenner which connects to both my iPad and Android phone.

The best thing about the piano is that it has midi over USB, so I can connect to a piano (or synth) app on phone/ipad, disable the piano sounds locally, and I have a Steinway or Moog through my piano's speakers. Pretty flexible! I imagine it also works pretty well as a midi controller too, with the better action. Full size but with compact form factor, so if she ever wants to gig it it's an option.

Stratavarious · November 2022

How old?

Something portable might be sensible.. Yamaha P125 is nice, my daughter took the earlier model with her to her Uni and used it in her school age bands and folk groups.

That said, both my kids gravitated strongly to our vintage upright grand rather than several digital options. People can barely give away real pianos. A good one with a tune up and service can be a right find.

I have a Yamaha Clavinova (can’t remember model), in the studio… lovely action and nice sounds, but not easily portable. Similar to options you are looking at,

Have you got a piano teacher or a place to try a few?

thecolourbox · November 2022

I tried a few when setting myself up as a wedding pianist, albeit that meant I was looking at stage pianos rather than home style pianos if that makes sense. Also a fair chunk less on the budget to be fair.

It's worth bearing in mind that my requirements are therefore different, although I didn't realise this myself until I was there trying them. I needed something portable and which looked in keeping with a wedding setting, I found I preferred to go for the one which felt nicer to play than one I liked the sounds of.

I always seem to prefer the sound of Yamaha pianos in general - my home piano is a Yamaha upright, and I've a keyboard on which the Concert Grand is my favourite digital piano sound (though it's not full size and the action isn't great as it's a workstation synth really). But I tried a P125 and another one of theirs and the keys felt really heavy and clunky. Admittedly my piano-fitness wasn't at its best as I was just starting practising properly again, but it felt like hard work. Sounded nice but I felt that if I was going to be playing for 3-4 hours at a time at weddings I needed comfort. Also, as I was going to need to use a keyboard amp with it, so a lot of the finer piano detail was going to be lost anyway (and would be lost further on the ears of the average wedding guest!)

I went for a Roland FP30X (in white, i'm not as camp as that would suggest). It felt easier and lighter to play than the others. It doesn't sound amazing but it sounds decent enough and it sounds like a piano to other people listening. What is weird is that the built in speakers face downwards on that, rather than upwards and outwards like a real one would, which I don't like very much and it makes it hard to hear the speakers for monitoring purposes if there's background noise (and my amp is out of ear shot). I assume the sounds on the Roland HP704 are on a similar basis but perhaps better in the same direction, and likewise with the action on the keys. If so then I'd say that would be a good choice

I wasn't able to try a Kawaii as the shop didn't stock them. So they might be amazing for all I know. But I think the point I'm making is definitely try them, and try things with an open mind as to what you actually want. If you're inspired by better sounds and can cope with a less comfortable playing experience in order to get it, or if you're more likely to stick at it if the mechanics are easier and you're happy to have an adequate rather than amazing sound, then you'll find then you can gravitate to the one you (or your kid) feels happiest with

thomasw88 · November 2022

I tried a few briefly in a shop a few weeks ago.

I liked the Casio pxS3100 a lot. I didn't have a massive go on any of the ones in the shop, but action wise it felt really nice.

I've had a yamaha P115 before and that was great, and you won't go wrong with any of the yamaha P series.

ToneControl · November 2022

Another option
Have a look at the top of the range Kawai upright-format digital pianos (and Roland)
Often the previous model is on sale on ebay around £1000
These are wonderful pro-quality instruments with a real vibrating soundboard, driven by a transducer

I bought a Kawai Concert Artist CA95 Rosewood Digital Piano for £827 4 years ago, delivery from the shop in Scotland to Cheshire was less than £100

Teetonetal · November 2022

Thanks for the comments , certainly lots to mull over. Trying a yamaha has to be done.

On the 2nd hand front / end of range stuff anything to be wary of?

JayGee · November 2022

I just got a Korg G1 Air, it ticks all of your boxes (as a rank beginner I’m probably not qualified to have an in depth opinion on the keyboard action, but it certainly seems to feel and respond like a “real” piano so far…) and I’m thoroughly enjoying it so far…

ToneControl · November 2022

ToneControl said:

Another option
Have a look at the top of the range Kawai upright-format digital pianos (and Roland)
Often the previous model is on sale on ebay around £1000
These are wonderful pro-quality instruments with a real vibrating soundboard, driven by a transducer

I bought a Kawai Concert Artist CA95 Rosewood Digital Piano for £827 4 years ago, delivery from the shop in Scotland to Cheshire was less than £100

bear in mind it weighs nearly 100kg

paulmapp8306 · November 2022

The Rolands are OK. The Yamahas (at the same Price Point) are OK.

The Casio Privias are fantastic value - and the latest ones are just beautifull - however there not int eh same pricve catagory.

In general Kawais have the best keybeds - and I would tend to aim there - however, as with the casios the lower ranges arnt as good, and the Yam and Rolands may be a better option at that lower range.

Im a Roland fan (not so keen ont he Yamaho sounds), and Ive looked at replacing my RD with both a Kawai and the new Casio.... Still considering both.

goldtop · November 2022

I ended up with a run-out Kawai ES-8. Now updated t ES-920 with Bluetooth, I think. There will be a CN/CA-equivalent, I'm sure.

Spent a lot of time listening to this guy's channel - he's super-picky about action (I'm not):

And this one:

Those are both US channels. Bonners is also good for UK.

Teetonetal · November 2022

@goldtop how do you like the es8? There is a 2nd hand one near me with stand and pedals...

Could you repost the links please? They don't seem to work.

goldtop · November 2022

I like the ES-8 a lot. Caveat: I am a self-taught piano amateur, and I have no desire to play complex jazz or classical pieces. So I use it more like a pop singer-songwriter than a piano virtuoso. YMMV.

The tFB software doesn't parse links to YT channels, and thinks the link is to a video that it then can't show. Here are links to one videos of each. Just click through to the channel listing.

Merriam Music doing Kawai key actions:

Piano Forever comparing the ES-110 and ES-8:

(They both have a ton of comparative review videos, too.)

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Digital piano recommendations.

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