Options for around $600

[sickman]

I'd like to get an acoustic piano or decent keyboard for around 600. Is this possible? I play guitar fairly decently and just want to get the piano to fool around with. I'm not expecting to get anywhere near as proficient on the piano, but certaintly what I know on guitar will help.

 

If I can get something that has some sort of hammond b3 sound, that would be cool too. But, I'd like something that feels like a real piano.

 

What are my options?

[Guest Anonymous]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/MAudio-ProKeys-88-Stage-PianoMIDI-Controller?sku=703630

[Synthoid]

Nothing like a double post.

[sickman]

Nothing like a worthless {censored} who has no advice to offer.

[SaltyDogg]

Don't know about the build quality but Casio has something called, I believe, a Privia? For around 500-600...Check out their products online. It does have weighted keys.

[manoeuver]

I see free pianos on craigslist about weekly.

[GigMan]

sickman - the MAudio model and the Casio Privias are your best bets in your 600 dollar price range.

 

BTW - I love your avatar, a very nice pair indeed...

[Quiet Earth]

Go down to the guitar center (or equivilent) and head straight into the digital piano room. Just go in there and mess around with the digital pianos on display and get a feel for how well they play and how good they sound to you. Take note of the prices and model numbers. Go home and think about it for a few days and then go back and do it again.

 

You will get a pretty good idea all by yourself of what you get at each price level even though you're not going to spend the big bucks the first time out. For the most part you get what you pay for and you will be inspired one way or another to figure that out all by yourself. I think at 600 bucks the yamaha P70 looks good, but I would want to go into the store and put my hands on it first. You might want to spend more or you might be surprised at what you can get for less.

 

Go to the store and report back with a few that you like. You'll get better feedback that way. That's your best bet. (Hey, that's a great homework assignment for you. See you when you get back )

[Cruel_Hoax]

I'm assuming you mean "acoustic piano sounds", not an actual acoustic piano. (I'm not trying to be a prick; if you meant a real piano with strings, etc., your best bet is proably craigslist, as mentioned above.)

 

The Casio Privia pianos are quite good for the price. You may be suspicious of the Casio name (and rightly so, as most of their post-80s product has been toyish) but the Privias are actually pretty good. Decent piano action (weighted keys, in other words) and usable sounds. They could be considered the Schector of the home piano world - not a '59 Les Paul, but not a Korean Squire either. Decent bang-for-the buck.

 

Now, these are home pianos, which differ (in some sense) from the generic term "synthesizer". In general, they have built-in speakers, furniture-style "pemanent" stands either included or available, and relatively few sounds selectable from the front panel, as well as limited ability to "tweak" a sound. This may or may not make a difference to you. (If you want to gig with it, you may find the built-in speakers and furniture-style stand unnecessary. If you want it to take the place of the "home piano" like we used to have in the living room for the whole famly to play and enjoy, it might do a good job for you.)

 

You could also find a used Yamaha P series (p80, p90, p120, etc.) for around this price. Decent key action and decent sounds.

 

If you see the term "General MIDI" silkscreened on the front, that means that the instrument has a couple hundred "standard" sounds built in to it. You may not be able to access these from the front panel, but if you are using it along with a computer as a composer's tool, this might be a plus for you.

 

Hope this helps.

 

-Hoax