Help me buy a piano!

[NoTwoAlike]

I learnt as a child, but gave up when I moved to secondary, so haven’t touched a piano for years (decades).

DS is 7 and keen to learn, and I would like to take it up again too.

However no idea what piano to get! Should I try to find a second hand one, or buy an electrical one? We have space, so that isn’t too much of an issue. DS shows signs of being musical so I’d like something decent, but not outrageously expensive. Very grateful for advice. Thank you!

If you have the space, get an acoustic piano rather than an electric one.

I would recommend investing in a second-hand piano of a great brand that is produced in Europe, rather than a new piano manufactured in Asia. The former sound generally sound much better and often cost less than the latter.

When you go piano shopping, take your teacher with you.

Look into the possibility of renting with an option to buy - i.e. pay monthly "rent" for a year or so and then revisit the decision to return the piano for a better one or continue paying with a view to owning it in 5 years or so. This way, the decision is not final and you can't upgrade as you and your DS progress through the years, until you settle on a piano you really love.

FWIW I had not touched a piano in decades when DC wanted to play, so we got a piano through the rent-to-buy plan above. Then I started playing again, entered the local Conservatoire for the harpsichord (early keyboard instrument) 6 years ago, and never looked back. Music is a huge part of my life now and the pleasure it brings us immense

Thank you so much - that is really helpful! I will do some more research. I am so pleased to hear that music has become a big part of your life, I would love that to happen for us!

I have an electric piano and I think it's the dogs bollocks. It's neater than an acoustic piano, has weighted keys, a metronome and the ability to record myself.

It's never out of tune and I love it. I appreciate that an acoustic is likely to give a 'better' sound but I'm not good enough to hear the difference 🤣🤣

I’m in the acoustic is better camp but make sure your neighbours aren’t going get awkward about it. Ours hate it even though we never play from 8pm-9am

If you get an electric piano with weighted keys it feels exactly like playing a normal piano. I love the ability to record 'one hand' and then practice playing the other half alongside it, or one part of a duet and then play the other.

The best bit is the headphones socket, which meant that the kids or I could practice in relative peace (you hear the keys moving but not the music) for others in the open plan downstairs. That alone was worth it when the kids were little. They also loved the sound effects on the percussion setting.

It can transpose too. And it has saved us money by not needing to pay for it to be tuned.

Real pianos over electric for me any day. I can definitely hear and feel the difference.

I played the piano and violin from 8 to 23. Picked up the guitar at 30. ADORE playing and play for hours. In five years, think where you'll be with your playing?! Good luck!!

We're looking at this at the moment. Considering a kawai 200.
It is expensive though.

"If you get an electric piano with weighted keys it feels exactly like playing a normal piano"

It doesn't. Sorry.

If you have the budget for a top end piano and play to a high standard, I will agree.

What I meant was as a beginner and compared to piano sized organs which some people buy thinking they are the same.

I would start with a keyboard. Your son might not take to it (just being realistic) and you can get a really good sound out of a reasonable keyboard with weighted keys and proper pedal, as well as adjustable volume, portability and all the other advantages mentioned by pp.

I am like you and re-starting lessons as an adult. In 3 years I'm back to the level I was at as a teen plus 1 grade. It is a very important part of my life now but I still don't feel ready to commit the space and money to have a full size piano. Maybe when I get to grade VI.

Real pianos are definitely better, as long as you have the space, and aren't going to have problems with the neighbours. Second hand can be fine (good to check with an expert though) and tuning costs very little in the great scheme of things.

In my situation I need an electric, and there are some very good ones around. I need a new one now, but I'm not going to spend my hard-earned until I can actually get in to somewhere to test them out.

If you go for an electric, take a good set of headphones to test them. It gives a much better idea of the sound quality.

we got an entry-level Casio electric piano for DD with weighted keys. There is no way we would get a real piano into the house, and the electric one means she can practise with headphones.

Her piano teacher (who also plays professionally) lives in a London flat & also has a top-end electric piano.

I think go for electric for a few years and then if you & DD are still keen, you can upgrade to a real piano.

I did Grade 8 on an acoustic piano and treated myself to a £2000 Clavinova about 5 years ago.

I will fight anyone who says it doesn't sound as good as a real piano. It is MUCH better than the crappy acoustic my parents could afford when I was growing up. (Maybe not quite as good as the Steinway my teacher had ).

It never needs tuning and the volume control was good when we lived in a terraced house.

You can also transpose at the touch of a button and choose how soft/firm you want the touch to be. It has 3 pedals and everything you'd expect from an upright.

Unless you're a concert pianist, I would say a decent electric piano will see you very well.

I still have my 1988 Zimmermann. It's been tuned for the first time since then this month and is in beautiful sound. It's a lovely instrument and will only be replaced when I can afford to get my Bosendorfer grand restored.
So I'd naturally recommend a second hand Zimmer if you can find one

Absolutely recommend an electric piano. Mine is going strong after 20 years and I love the fact that it doesn’t need tuning and has lots of extra features like metronome and recording facility. They are expensive new, but perhaps possible to find one second hand.

It depends on the piano. The top end Roland and Yamaha digitals can be just as good as acoustic pianos unless you are comparing them to a Bechstein or Steinway.

What’s your budget, don’t get a free to a good home as you’ll end up,with something just fit for bonfire night.

Where in the country are you? If SW Mickleborough in Bristol usually have a wide variety to try, go for what you like the sound of. A pp mentioned rent to buy, Micklebotrough do sometimes have ex rentals as well where people have decided not to pay the final payment, you can then get a very decent piano for a discount.

size of your house and disposition of your neighbours is relevant. We are in a small semi and have a decent Yahmaha digital. I love that the DC can practise late into the evenings or early mornings with headphones or the volume adjusted, without disturbing the neighbours or the rest of the house.

One of my DC plays a really loud instrument on which it's very hard for beginners to have dynamic control, and I often wish that one came with a volume button as well.

We are in a terrace, no space downstairs, so when my 8 year asked to start playing piano, we chose an electric one - we got a Roland FP30. It was a great decision - it’s really neat, easy to have in his bedroom (and he loves playing it to himself in there), and it’s been very very helpful to be able to record one hand so he can practice the other, with it slowed down or speeded up. Also being able to put headphones on to not disturb neighbours if it’s an unsocial time (or just turn the volume down a bit).

We tried out quite a few in a music shop, and this one had a much nicer tone and feel than some others. I grew up with a (v old) real piano, and I would love to have a real one, but I think being able to have it in his room has hugely encouraged him to play and practice and just enjoy playing privately to himself - more so than our old piano in the dining room with people coming and going all the time did. Now if we had a music room, that might be another matter!

I would say electric pianos are definitely good enough for beginners; I know plenty of musicians who make lots of use of them; they are very very convenient and sound great. Definitely get to a shop and try some if you can - it really helped us to decide what to do.

Ha, we are just going through this just now! I used to get piano lessons and practised on a Roland EP3 at home - digital piano. However, I am looking at second hand upright pianos at the moment, going to view one this weekend. I did see one on Gumtree, but decided against this for a number of reasons.

I have four DC, and eldest plays flute with the second born about to start flute lessons shortly...I feel an upright would be a good investment.

I have a Yamaha P45 electric piano, its a reasonable price and good quality, would highly recommend.

Electric pianos are fine for learning and practising. But they just don't have the same musicality as acoustics. It's the difference between listening to a recording of a singer and listening to them sing live.

Don't get a brand new acoustic piano. I bought mine from markgoodwinpianos.co.uk - they were excellent, and they have lots of information on their website about choosing a second hand piano. Before that I had a Yamaha Clavinova.