Looking to buy (beginner)

AcidVenus

Hi, I owned a digital piano a couple of years ago.

I ended up selling because my guitar always took priority but I'm ready to learn again. I'm hoping someone here can recommend one or two for me.

The piano I had before, I loved it. I only wished it had more sounds for the odd occasion I wanted to switch up what I was playing.

I had a casio cdp-100(I think). So ideally something similar to this, 88 weighted keys, headphone jack, sustain pedal but with the addition of plenty of sounds as well as the realistic pianos.

Budget ideally under £500.

Thanks in advance.

Del Vento

One of the best regarded ones is the Yamaha P-515 but that's way over your budget.

Something even less expensive than you ask are discussed here: https://pianoclack.com/forum/d/116-best-digital-piano-or-controller-under-500-portable but they may be unsatisfactory.

More suitable could be the ones discussed here: https://pianoclack.com/forum/d/133-best-digital-piano-or-controller-under-1000-portable

When I was in the marked for similar instrument my favorite was the Kawai ES-110. I did not like the similarly priced Yamaha P-forgot-what-number-it-was, and I considered the Casio Privia acceptable (however they were better back then, I've heard that now they cheaped out). I really hated the more expensive ES-8 which was supposed to be better than the ES-110. I say this just to stress how true is what I write below.

The most important advice is that, once you make your mind, go and try it in person, comparing the top 2-3 contenders. Most people will have different needs/tastes than the "average" forum recommendation in persons, and some, such as https://pianoclack.com/forum/u/eddiepiano end up with returning practically every instrument they buy searching for another one, at a great time and cost overhead. Better trying in person on the first place, even if it means buying from a local store which might be marginally more expensive than online.

AcidVenus

Del Vento Thank you for the info. I will check them links shortly. I would probably go check in store as you advise but I think it's important to narrow it down first and make sure I have a few in mind that tick all my boxes.

It would be so easy in a store shopping blind and forgetting a little detail that the one I choose doesn't have.

Drew-r

AcidVenus but I think it's important to narrow it down first and make sure I have a few in mind that tick all my boxes.

One piece if advice is to try to be precise in limiting your boxes to be ticked. In other words, for somebody shopping in the £500 range, it may be better to work (widen) up rather than (narrow) down. For better or worse, ES110 fits your price range. People shopping in this range often say “ i do not need all the bells and whistles, i only want X, Y & Z “ , but whether or not you want any particular bells or whistles, modern DPs, even in the 500 and under range, come with bells and whistles ….. it remains a revolving door mystery of sorts if any brand or model ever comes with all of them 😉 Example: do you require your new DP to support audio over USB? If yes, wipe all Kawai models off your list if candidates. If, however, you can accept running audio over an external USB setup, you might keep Kawai on your list.

At a minimum, Yamaha and Roland also have one ore more models in this range, and you might as well add some of the Casio models too. These (brands & models) competing in the 500-and-under range will be pretty easy to find just by searching on ES110 and competitors.

Good luck!

AcidVenus

Drew-r I understand what you're saying about being more open to wider options. My Casio was around £300 new, and I really liked it. I'm just trying to remember everything I wish it had 😂

It's the reason why I don't want to just rush out and buy one, I plan on sticking to it this time and want one that will satisfy me for a while rather than needing an upgrade in less than a year or 2.

Drew-r

AcidVenus

With a 500 pound budget, you are probably headed for a slab / portable DP ( not a console cabinet) with built-in speakers such that the slab can either be mounted on an optional wooden stand or placed on a generic metal stand. There are several that will meet your desire to have more voices & sounds/rhythms to play with compared to what the cdp100 has. In the newer Casio lineup, there are several under $1000, to include cdp-s350 and psx1100. Plus or minus the aforementioned Kawai es110, Yamahas has the p125 & dgx670, and Roland the fp30x.

If you are intent on a deliberate search that will yield the DP that will withstand your test of time, now may be an especially good good time for this approach. You will need to get out there and sit at a variety of DPs, trying out whatever models you can find locally, for comparison and for building your own base of knowledge.

AcidVenus

Drew-r I've just been looking at the models you suggested.

The Casio S350 looks the same as the 100 I had but with more tones. But I liked the idea of Bluetooth connectivity for one of the others..

Then, the "new release" S360 popped up as a suggestion in the ads. Looks the same as the S350 but with Bluetooth and only £30 more!

I'm still gonna consider others but the S360 looks amazing for the money. If the key feel and piano sound is like the s100 but has all these extras I'll be very happy I think.

MHirsch

https://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_dp_95_b.htm

CyberGene

I'd be very cautious about no-name brands such as Thomann. AFAIK those are Medeli-made pianos.

MHirsch

Well it’s below 500

MBiG

I know two buyers of Thoman pianos. Both beginners. Both are so far satisfied with their instruments. I think it's the same as always. You get what you pay for. The best advice I can give is a truism. Test it extensively and have a more advanced pianist accompany you. A second opinion is always very good.

Drew-r

There may not be many here who previously knew a Thomann DP95 existed, and therefore not many who can offer OP any in-depth advice. Be this as it may, it’s now on the board for OP to consider. It got there from a respected member on the record as owning a very fine make & model of GP; which speaks for itself, as does being seconded by another member who knows some owners.

If OP ends up happy whichever way they decide, great! Who knows? …. along the way, another worthy make & model might make it in to our memory banks / knowledge base for potential future reference.

Drew-r

AcidVenus

S360 has plenty sounds to play with, built-in songs & learning features, decent recording facility, plus modern features, some of which are designed to work with USB and wireless connectivity. If you buy the basic slab model, you should have room within your budget to add some nice-to-have accessories. For instance, the basic slab includes one of those foots switch-style pedals. You may want to replace that with the optional heavy-duty single pedal, or instead you might opt for Casio’s wood stand which includes a triple pedal assembly. Just in case you might ever think about attaching external monitors, be aware that the 360 does not have dual line outs.

AcidVenus

Drew-r Thanks for the added info. The dual line out probably won't be an issue anytime soon. My current living situation means the only thing I'll be plugging in is my studio headphones I use in my guitar amp.

The 360 is also 128 polyphony vs the 64 of the 350. Unsure how important that is at my skill level but for the price difference its another reason to go for it.