Need a piano/keyboard and am clueless...

[feetheart]

DS(9) has started piano lessons at school after trying out a lesson and loving it. Initially we borrowed a keyboard from Saturday Morning Music School and a friend promised us her clavinova. Took keyboard back at end of term and now friend's DD wants to learn so we don't have anything.

We know NOTHING about keyboards so are clueless beyond the fact that we need weighted keys if we get a keyboard (no idea about pianos AT ALL!) so all comments, suggestions, hints and tips will be very welcome.

We can't buy new so will be looking at Cash Converters, local ads, ebay, etc with a possible budget of £200 at a push.
Please, wise, musical MNetters help us get this right :)

Hello! I would not buy a keyboard if it is piano lessons he is having. You need a weighted keys digital piano at least for it.

You could look on gumtree for second hand ones and you also have the option to do a "rent to buy" from a music shop where you rent the instrument for a period of time and if you decide to buy the rent is considered payment towards the instrument, you only pay the difference. That is what we did with dd's first digital piano.

There is also a programme called Take it away where you can buy any instrument up to the value of £5000 and pay monthly instalments without any interest for a given period.

We did a sraight forward rental when DS was learning. It was very affordable and the shop gave us a really lovely newish piano. We did not buy it in the end as we moved abroad.

Yes, as Fleurdelise says indirectly: Keyboards do NOT have weighted keys; it is Digital PIANOS that have weighted keys, and this, to a large extent, is what makes them more expensive.

Although the black and white keys do LOOK identical, the playing techniques between Keyboards and Pianos, and what the instrument can and cannot do, are totally different, although there make be a degree of overlap between the most expensive instruments.

If you go on MN 'Search' facility, and put in my name plus piano, keyboards, music etc you will find I have replied on this many times before.

I will have a look at what is available for £200 and come back sometime and see how you are getting on.

You also need to consider touch sensitivity - this is where forte/piano/etc comes from (f, ff, p, mf - this sort of things). Apparently the higher this parameter is the better, and some keyboards don't have it at all!

Brilliant replies, thank you. I knew I could rely on MN to educate me :)
I will have a look through previous threads Ferguson and thank you for your offer of having a look at what is around.

In all seriousness Op, roughly where are you in the country? We have a piano going begging!! We are about to start building work and need to get rid of it. Feel free to PM me if interested (-we are roughly eastwards)

Be careful of getting a piano on eBay or similar. Often you can get an upright acoustic piano for well within your budget but you will then find that it needs hundreds or thousands of pounds worth of work to sort it out properly.

You could also have a look on the pre-loved website. But yes, with an acoustic even though you will probably find one within your budget I wouldn't bother unless you know the person you are buying from. A good acoustic is much more expensive so if you get one that cheap you may end up with sticky keys and tunning required every couple of weeks.

I think a digital is the best option for your your budget.

You need to see/play whatever you choose first and second a digital one for your budget. Check all of the keys to make sure that they play, that the pedals work and the touch sensitivity is working. Look out for 88 keys and graded hammer action.

Having had a quick look on gumtree there are lots of digital pianos that are around your budget.
Makes to watch out for:
Yamaha: clavinova but they are the best IMO but they also do a P series
Kawai
Roland

I have a digital piano with weighted 88 keys (Casio Privia).
I sell it for 230£ (negotiable), pedal, cable, music stand and case are all included.
I bought it in 2003 and performed many concerts but still works well enough.

It has some scratches, the dynamic control of three keys and transpose are not working properly. However I believe it is still enough a good deal for a beginner up to a grade 5. Has a good sound.

I can bring it myself to your place.

Hi OP -

Where have you got to in your search for a Piano/Keyboard?

Let me know sometime, as I have been looking around at various models that could possibly suit DS.