Best used digital piano

[smallzoo]

Hi

I'm sure its a personal choice but I sold my keyboards about 5 years ago purely because it was had some many buttons, choices etc I got fed up. I really miss though the piano sound

I am ideally looking for a used digital piano with 80 weighted keys...all for little money !

Any recommendations of what to look for ..

It will be mainly for home recording not performing
cheers
Peter
Cheshire (UK)

[Sam Spoons]

Of the older e-pianos I like the sound of the Yamaha Clavinovas but any of the big names like Yamaha, Korg and Roland will be decent*. If you are happy to go and try before you buy you can rule out any you don't like the sound of. As regards price a 15-20 year old Clavinova will cost you pennies on the pound.

Note I am recommending home pianos not gig ready 'pro' stage pianos as they seem to sell much cheaper and are likely to have spent their lives sitting in the corner of a living room rather than being loaded in and out of Mercedes Sprinters. The action on most of these is a decent weighted piano action and they will usually have midi though older ones may not have USB connection to the computer.

A quick search on ebay will probably find something near you for under a couple of hundred quid.

Another option if you use a computer and DAW is to go for a 'master keyboard' and used VSTi piano sounds https://www.thomann.co.uk/m_audio_keystation_88_mk3.htm

* Technics, Kawai and even Casio build/built them.

[BJG145]

even Casio

It sticks in the throat, but last I heard Casio were really good.

[forumuser931182]

You’ll have to be mindful of the potential for keys not working. The commonly used carbon contacts in keybeds give up after awhile. Definitely need to check that as spares on older keyboards become hard to find.

[smallzoo]

Of the older e-pianos I like the sound of the Yamaha Clavinovas but any of the big names like Yamaha, Korg and Roland will be decent*. If you are happy to go and try before you buy you can rule out any you don't like the sound of. As regards price a 15-20 year old Clavinova will cost you pennies on the pound.

Note I am recommending home pianos not gig ready 'pro' stage pianos as they seem to sell much cheaper and are likely to have spent their lives sitting in the corner of a living room rather than being loaded in and out of Mercedes Sprinters. The action on most of these is a decent weighted piano action and they will usually have midi though older ones may not have USB connection to the computer.

A quick search on ebay will probably find something near you for under a couple of hundred quid.

Another option if you use a computer and DAW is to go for a 'master keyboard' and used VSTi piano sounds https://www.thomann.co.uk/m_audio_keystation_88_mk3.htm

* Technics, Kawai and even Casio build/built them.

Can I simply use an old macbook air with DAW software ( I presume there are many different ones ) ?

[Wonks]

There are normally stand-alone versions of sample players, or modelled instruments (like Pianoteq), so you often don't even need a DAW. Just a computer an audio interface, a MIDI keyboard and some speakers.

[smallzoo]

Never heard of those... I've got a lot to learn

[BJG145]

It will be mainly for home recording not performing

modelled instruments (like Pianoteq)

Pianoteq is very good, and likely to run on more modest hardware IIRC. (It'll even run on RPi.)

Personally I'd probably choose a keyboard more for feel than sounds, because there are plenty of great choices for recording.

[Sam Spoons]

Do you use a DAW?

You say you found your previous synths/keyboards too complicated so what do/did you use them for? More info on what your aims are would help us to give useful advice.

[smallzoo]

I am an enthusiastic amateur. I can pick up a guitar and I'm happy. Played lots of private gigs but I decided to buy a synth to expand my repertoire, unfortunately the manual was 100 pages long and I got fed up with just wanting to play a piano and make up some songs so I sold it

I find I can write songs quite easily on a piano even though I cant read/write music but I dont want something that feels awful to play and that I cant get real sounds out of

The M-audio looks good

[Sam Spoons]

The m-audio is a 'master keyboard', it has no sounds of it's own so would work if you use a DAW (though you haven't said if you do). If you want to just plug into an amp/speakers and play you'll need some kind of digital piano or 'stage' keyboard. As I said above the cheapest way into this for home use is an oldish 'digital piano' similar to those I linked to.

But if you tell us more about how you plan to 'record' your playing and compositions we'll be better able to help.

[Nazard]

I dont want something that feels awful to play and that I cant get real sounds out of

A digital piano is easy to use because you turn it on, play, stop playing, turn it off: no messing about with computers/software, etc.. Most also have MIDI if you want to play with sampled piano, etc. and have audio out to record with. Yamaha pianos/keyboards have good actions in my experience.

Here is an example from a hospice charity shop which may be the sort of thing you're looking for:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/387974213001 ... R77mia2mZQ

[garrettendi]

On the topic of piano samplers, Boz Master Keys Lite is what I use. Pianoteq is the best, but Master Keys Lite is about £9/$10 per piano if you wait for a sale, in fact I think the 1921 Lite is free at the moment, so would be a great way to get playing before you shell out for Pianoteq. It uses a mixture of samples and modelling and so is only 50mb per piano.

EDIT: But if you can afford it, Pianoteq really is the best and is still quite affordable. If I could justify it, I'd use it myself.

[smallzoo]

So whats your view on a digital piano such as the yamaha clavinova vs I guess whatever midi keyboard you have ?

[smallzoo]

I dont want something that feels awful to play and that I cant get real sounds out of

A digital piano is easy to use because you turn it on, play, stop playing, turn it off: no messing about with computers/software, etc.. Most also have MIDI if you want to play with sampled piano, etc. and have audio out to record with. Yamaha pianos/keyboards have good actions in my experience.

Here is an example from a hospice charity shop which may be the sort of thing you're looking for:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/387974213001 ... R77mia2mZQ

If that wasnt so far away it looks good.. I'll have a look around in cheshire

[smallzoo]

If I do go for a stand alone piano whats the view on these which are <20 miles from me

Casio CDP-S110BK
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/375784779921

Gear4music sup-4 electric piano
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/365328591020

Korg D1 Digital Stage Piano
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/356538291030

Yamaha P105 Digital Piano
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/335801806664

Roland Digital Piano F-90
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/335701696243

[Drew Stephenson]

They'll probably all do the job, it'll come down to which one you most likely the feel of. If you can, find somewhere to try something from the same manufacturer & range to see how you find the keybed.

[garrettendi]

I used to have a Casio a few years ago that I sold (I ended up going the MIDI/VST route) and can heartily recommend them as a brand but Drew gives good advice as the feel is a personal thing.

[smallzoo]

Interesting.. just seen the same keyboard for nearly £100 less on amazon compared to the ebay listing... unless I am missing something

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Casio-CDP-S110 ... 1HSH2?th=1

[Wonks]

Interesting.. just seen the same keyboard for nearly £100 less on amazon compared to the ebay listing... unless I am missing something

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Casio-CDP-S110 ... 1HSH2?th=1

Same one. The eBay one comes with a stand and if the seller bought it nearer the non-discounted Amazon price, then they probably want to get as much of that back as it can. But a lot of eBayers don't check current prices and then ask unrealistic prices.

[Sam Spoons]

I would go for the Yamaha as it has USB, the Roland and Korg don't. Given the prices I probably wouldn't bother with the Casio or G4M myself.

The advantage of a digital piano over a master keyboard/VSTi setup or stage piano is that it has speakers so, as Nazard says, you just turn it on and play. Recording is no more difficult using USB (where it has it, if it only has DIN midi you'll need at least a midi or an audio interface) into any computer and they usually have a rudimentary sequence recorder built in.

[Wonks]

Of course the more piano-like the unit, the better the piano sound will be as there's room for bigger speakers.

You pay your money and take your choice.

[6120]

Can I recommend Kawai as an excellent used home piano? I’ve got a twenty year old Kawai and it still plays very well and even though the piano sounds are not up to modern resolution they’re very good.

[OneWorld]

Can I recommend Kawai as an excellent used home piano? I’ve got a twenty year old Kawai and it still plays very well and even though the piano sounds are not up to modern resolution they’re very good.

I got a Kawai after researching long and hard, and it was claimed Kawai had the most realistic ‘action’ I really liked it at first but soon went off it, the action took too much pressure.

I am not saying avoid Kawai, but my point is, before you buy, spend time playing the intended purchase. In the Kawais favour, it looks nice, the sound is good and as in common with many modern instruments, can record, has MIDI and USB.

I think it is that I miss my old acoustic piano more than I hold dear the Kawai.

[Sam Spoons]

Hi

I'm sure its a personal choice but I sold my keyboards about 5 years ago purely because it was had some many buttons, choices etc I got fed up. I really miss though the piano sound

I am ideally looking for a used digital piano with 80 weighted keys...all for little money !

Any recommendations of what to look for ..

It will be mainly for home recording not performing
cheers
Peter
Cheshire (UK)

This popped up on FB marketplace, it's in Northwich. Silly cheap so due diligence required...

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... D%7D%22%7D