recommend keyboard for my 78 year old gmom

[jdolby]

gmom played upright piano most of her life. She moved to assisted living and I want to get her a portable 88 keyboard.

I am familiar with Yamaha and Roland workstations but not much else.

 

Probably a digital piano but I will look at everything in the $800 - $1500 price point.

 

Requirements:

simple to navigate (Not a lot of buttons, menu, etc.) she is 78

88 graded hammer keys (must be as piano like action as possible)

Good piano voices

Additional voices (organ, strings, etc)

headphones

 

 

Would consider:

play along track ability

records

basically any higher end features that are simple/simple to navigate.

 

any advice would be greatly appreciated

thank you

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bill5]

Frankly given your requirements you can easily spend under $800 and get something that I'd bet is likely more than enough. In fact, I suggest it is likely preferable to do so, as the higher up you go, the more buttons and features you get and it will overwhelm her, or at least not be really used. Unless you spend close to your upper limit perhaps, and that is likely overkill.

 

The Yamaha 45 and Casio 150 are two such examples. Both have fully weighted keys (PS I really suggest you have her take a look/try whatever you're considering, unless you're intent on surprising her. How the keys feel is very subjective). They both have a relatively small # of voices but I'm guessing more than enough for your grandmother, who if she's like most grandmothers I've known is not interested in a lot of diff sounds or voices...almost entirely piano and perhaps organ.

[AnotherScott]

Kawai ES100 would be my choice for a simple "turn it on and play" piano... I think it provides a more satisfying out-of-the0box experience overall than the GHS Yamahas or the PX150/350. If you want more features while maintaining ease of use, a Yamaha P255 with the iPad app might be a nice possibility, I haven't had the chance to play one yet.