Digital piano requirements?

[bisous]

I think I'd like to get a digital piano for Christmas for our family. I played for a few years and can still play a little. I loved just tinkering on the piano in my home, even though I haven't stuck with it very closely. My two youngest love, love, love music. I have a volunteer position at my church right now that teaches music to children and I just find myself yearning to be able to play along.

SO... What do I need in a digital piano? I am absolutely willing to look for used. I have a small budget so I can't get top of the line. I'd like to get one that will be close enough to an actual piano that they can play interchangeably. I've read weighted keys are important and headphones for practicing is a must. Anything else to be aware of? Any specific deals that are pretty good? I saw several options on Costco.com

Thank you!

[JBaxter]

Full keyboard and weighted keys.

[pinay]

Yes, weighted keys and as close to a full keyboard as possible. DD1 started piano lessons this year and we only have a keyboard- it's fine for now but she'll probably need an upgrade within another year or two if she continues with piano. We got ours through a trade on Craigslist several years ago and it's been great!

[bisous]

That seems straightforward! Thank you!

[maestramommy]

I have a Technics digital piano we bought right after we got married. We bought it at a wholesale piano store in L.A. We got the kind that looks more like a piano so it's not portable, but still very lightweight. It was supposed to simulate a grand piano so the keys are identical in size and are weighted. As a pianist it's not like playing a real piano, but it's close enough that practicing on it is fine. The biggest upside is that I can plug in headphones and practice as loud as I want when the kids are sleeping. I haven't looked at the ones at Costco, but you'll want to be sure it has pedals.

We tried all the brands but my favorite was Technics, which sampled its sound from Steinway. After that Yamaha. I got as few bells and whistles as possible.

[bisous]

I have a Technics digital piano we bought right after we got married. We bought it at a wholesale piano store in L.A. We got the kind that looks more like a piano so it's not portable, but still very lightweight. It was supposed to simulate a grand piano so the keys are identical in size and are weighted. As a pianist it's not like playing a real piano, but it's close enough that practicing on it is fine. The biggest upside is that I can plug in headphones and practice as loud as I want when the kids are sleeping. I haven't looked at the ones at Costco, but you'll want to be sure it has pedals.

We tried all the brands but my favorite was Technics, which sampled its sound from Steinway. After that Yamaha. I got as few bells and whistles as possible.

Thank you for answering this from a musicians standpoint. :)

This one is a Yamaha and has a pedal and weighted keys.

http://www.costco.com/Yamaha-P45BLBRH-88-Key-Digital-Piano-Bundle.product.100218546.html

I'm thinking about it. After scanning craigslist it doesn't seem like there are too many screaming deals at the lower end. Maybe I need to be patient?

[basil]

I'm looking at that Costco piano too! I really want to play again, but I may inherit a real piano sometime in the next few years so I don't want to buy one. My kids are too young to really play but love banging on keys at other peoples houses. I found this review of it. It seems like a reasonable solution for the piece. Let me know if you get it!

http://www.digitalpianoreviewsite.com/yamaha-p45/

[MelissaTC]

We bought the Casio version of that piano from Costco years ago for M.
He won a competition or two practicing on it so I think it's fine. Once he started advabxing, his teacher suggested we upgrade to an acoustic piano. But by then he had moved on to other instruments and he stopped taking piano lessons. But it served him well and every once in awhile he will get on it to play.

[echoesofspring]

I don't play a keyboard at home, but I have purchased a few weighted ones over the years for performances. I have been very happy with my Yamaha (P120, not sure what current equivalent would be), it's still going strong after 10+ years, and what computer can you say that about? Dusty barns, hot, hot afternoons, cold nights, piled in a car full of equipment - all sorts of unkind environments and it's taken them in stride. I upgraded 2 years ago to a Kawaii that is even nicer, but I wouldn't recommend it to for a beginning student as it's $$$. I played another musician Casio Previa a couple years ago at a wedding and was surprised by the sound and feel. In the past Casios were seen as not really being digital pianos, but I think they've really improved and are solid contenders for beginning students now. And pretty affordable.

I personally wouldn't buy a keyboard on CL, unless it was a screaming deal. You don't know what life it has led and in the end it's a computer, only harder to find someone to repair, kwim? On my very first keyboard the keys were connected to the motherboard with 88 dental size rubber bands, I kid you not. At least it was easy to repair when it feel off the moving cart and the bottom octave stopped working.

[Bryan mom]

As far as requirements, agree with PP, full keyboard, weighted keys, and pedals... You might want to consider console vs portable, if that is an important consideration.

Generally, the best value is Casio for new or used Casio, Kawaii, Yamaha, and Roland..

But, you might want to try them out before buying for feel, touch, and sound.

Here is forum of digital pianos...
http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/forums/6/1/Digital_Pianos_-_Synths_&a.html

There's also a sticky comparing digital pianos for under $1000.