Graham Howard

“I think the sound it produces sounds too much like a digital piano”

I bought a Kawai CA111, digital piano a few months ago.

To be honest I am a little disappointed with the sound and this is a hard thing to admit as it is a lot of money I have spent on myself and this really depresses me in a non-heavy way !!

I think the sound it produces sounds too much like a digital piano, it seems very  bright and it just doesn’t seem to have that ‘softness’ you have on a real piano. It is almost as if the sound has little ‘heart’

It is nearly 16 years  since I bought my first casio digital piano and I just assumed technology being what it is, there would be an improvement.

At the end of the day, it is still very good and definitely well made.  Perhaps I am looking for the sound of a Steinway concert piano from my school days and this isn’t fair to the Kawai.

Review by Peter UK

 

>> For Kawai CA111 information, specifications and prices, click here

I purchased this product last month and so far I had a great experience playing the instrument. The touch of the piano is almost as real as playing the actual acoustic piano. The sound is also very similar to a real piano.The only down side of this instument was the weak response to the sustain pedal. But overall, this is a sound instrument to play especially considering the low price.

Appearance         6/10
Sound Quality      7/10
Value for Money  8/10
Total Score        7/10

“I bought this piano because it was cheap and being a beginner I did not want to spend a lot of money and then regret it if I decide to give up”

This is my review of the casio px-110…

I bought this piano because it was cheap and being a beginner I did not want to spend alot of money and then regret it if I decide to give up.  I bought it secondhand and it is practically brand new as the seller hardly used it.  I would recommend this piano for a beginner.

The PX110 has some features which I havent learnt to use yet but it also has weighted keys which were a must for me as I was learning on a digital piano with weighted keys and practising on a keyboard (with light plastic keys).  I feel weighted keys are a must.

It also has a few different vioce things so you can switch from grand piano to say pipe organ etc.  You can also record what your playing too.  It has 2 headphone sockets and comes with a sustain pedal.  Before I bought this piano i researched it and liked some of what i read.

The speakers are great and I find they sound really good. All in all I think the Casio PX110 was a good choice for me as I went to the music shop for almost a
month trying out the different pianos they had (I think they got sick of seeing me every week) the only thing I dont really like is the clack of the piano keys as they are pressed they sound funny but if you should come across on of these I wouldn’t let that bother you as it does sound beautiful when played and as you keep playing you get used to the click sound.

I believe this is the right choice for me.

Also, I belive the PX110 is now out of production as all the websites seem to say the piano is now unavailable of discontinued.

Review by Lizzy Augustine

 

>> For Casio PX110 information, specifications and prices, click here

“The PX-130 was very well packed, simple to assemble, and sounds great”

I am a complete beginner but did a fair bit of research beforehand and really liked the Kawai CN33; I had tried its keyboard and was told what kind of things to look for. Then Costco put a complete(keyboard, stand, 3 pedals, and seat) Casio PX-130 on sale for $449.00 and when I tried it I thought well, it will be quite a while before I outgrow it and by then the Kawai will be a lot cheaper, and to be quite honest I couldn’t really tell much difference in the feel or the sound, but I realize I am a neophyte.

The PX-130 was very well packed, simple to assemble, and sounds great. It has more than enough features for a beginner, the Midi interface works fine with Windows 7, and at the price represents extraordinary value. My advice is simply go to a store and try it out, and be be honest with yourself. Was there anything I didn’t like? Well it has minimal buttons and uses a function key and the keyboard itself to select most of the options, and I found the markings along the top of the keyboard a bit hard to read in low light, also the instruction manual was a tad brief but covered most everything.

After all, once you can make a good keyboard and have recorded the notes acoustically, the rest is just software, speakers, and Ikea type cabinetwork, so why should a digital piano cost a lot. I have to believe that the higher priced ones represent diminishing returns in terms of value, unless you value mystique or brand names.

Review by John Godwin, Ottawa, Canada

 

“These are customer reviews from actual owners of this piano.
The most recent review is at the top of this page “, Graham Howard, Piano Advisor

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

 

“I have bought the Casio PX130 and love it”

After studying Graham Howard’s piano guide, listening to YouTube clips, reading reviews and listening to all the soundfiles on the Privia website I have bought the Casio PX130 and love it.

The reason for choosing the PX130 over the CDP-100 is that it has acoustic resonance for not much more money, (a term I understood only because of your explanation) and as an intermediate player I’m unlikely to ‘outgrow’ it. Both models are stylishly simple without the clutter of features I have no need for but all the essential ones.

Review by Jadwiga Billewicz

 

“Casio PX-130 is a techno-miracle!”

If portability is of paramount importance to you, consider that with a weight less of 10 Kilos you can get a more than aceptable keyboard with 88 graded and weighted keys plus lots of sounds and useful features, wrapped in an attractive price.

This neat techno-miracle is the Casio´ s Privia PX-130.

Review by Antonio Fernandez, Madrid, Spain

 

“I am satisfied with it for now”

I just started taking lessons one year ago and bought a Casio PX130 due to space and money. I am satisfied with it for now. Eventually I would like to get a better digital than the px130. And will heed all the advice you gave such as touch sensitivity etc. This cheaper model really isn’t all that bad as I had looked up info on digitals and at least knew enough to look for weighted keys and the amount of polyphony it has. However, the stand it comes with (CR67) is not very nice. And I would like to eventually get one that is not made cheaply and looks nicer to have in my living room, not to mention, better speakers.

Review by Janet Toms, Bolton, UK

 

“Function buttons are cumbersome and annoying”

Hello Graham,

My name is Gerrit Van Vliet and I live in Canada. I bought a piano a few months ago but not from ukpianos but from London Drugs in Westbank (near Kelowna) hear in the Okanagan Valley.

Having said that, I bought a Casio Privia 130. I am very impressed with the sound and the price of $399 Canadian including bench and keyboard stand . It wanted a great piano and pipe organ sound and in my opinion the Privia 130 has both.

On the downside, I am not impressed with how difficult it is to read the words that indicate the different functions and sounds. White on grey based lettering does NOT cut it in my view.  It is also cumbersome and annoying that to change a sound you have to click the function key and a specified note on the keyboard. In that respect the keyboard leaves a lot to be desired especially for older eyes (I am 61). However I am learning to play by memory and keep myself confined to mostly the grand piano sound and pipe organ sound with the preset settings and those sound GREAT. If anyone is interested in a sample of the Privia 130 piano sound, feel free to listen to the link featuring mike Martin from Casio.

Other than the poor legibility of the display it has great piano and organ sounds and it feels and plays almost like a piano. Most of all the PRICE was right.

Review by Gerrit Van Vliet, Westbank, Okanagan Valley, Canada

 

>> For Casio PX130 information, specifications and prices, click here

“On the whole the Privia PX330 has very good piano sounds”

I needed an electric piano for various objectives. First for my son who is starting to study, and second for myself, I studied piano for five years playing up to Chopin mazurkas, after that also played some jazz and in a rock band for some years, although not as my main job. Have my own acoustic baby grand but it doesn’t fit in my current living room.

Given this background my main concern was finding a piano that had a good acoustic feel within my budget (1500 dollars placed in Costa Rica after tax), quality of piano sounds was not an issue so long as I could hook up the keyboard to my computer, but I did want it to have it’s own sounds so that my computer would not be bound to the instrument. Portability also was a issue so as to be able to carry it to gigs.

After a lot of looking around and testing I settled for a CASIO Privia 330 with full stand, stool, pedal bar and headphones, been “test driving” it for three days. My first impression was that the main piano sound is a little nbit thin on the mid to high register, but on the whole the Privia has very good piano sounds. The feel of the piano is very nice, and the piano-forte action keyboard is definitely much more sensitive than the lightweight keyboards that I have been playing lately, bottom line for me is that the mpiano is sufficiently good in response and sound as to remind me of playing the baby grand, a feeling that I longed to have since I left my instrument at my folks house.

My only concern with the feel is that is does not have graded action, and this reflects in a slightly unnatural feel on the right hand side in the high register, but I found that this does not hinder my playing or affect my enjoyment of the instrument.

Although this was not a priority, the piano has a good selection of acoustic and electric pianos, the rock piano has a very nice percussive sound, and the Organs are good also, but I’ve heard better honky tonk pianos on other instruments. I like specially the Jazz organ sound, but miss it’s lack of touch sensitivity that my synth has with this sound (I guess to make it more “organ” real). Orchestral string didn’t impress me that much, the brass are good though, and the bass guitar and world sounds are very nice.

Haven’t tested the presets for songs and playing along (don’t really care much about this feature), but did listen to the demo songs, and frankly, my small (and cheaper) Yamaha keyboard has much better demo songs. Casio should pay more attention to this feature since this is a selling point for some people.

The button display is not particularly friendly for live playing (unless I’m missing something) which is understandable, the memory bank is divided into 8 sections and you have to scroll with “<” and “>” buttons to get to the sound you want, there is no wheel or number pad for easy direct access. If you are mostly a piano player though, you won’t spend a lot of time changing sounds, and the main piano sounds do have quick access.

Visually the piano is very smart and elegant, and with its stand and pedal bar much more so that the more expensive Yamaha models, On the whole I’m
satisfied with the instrument and would recommend it fully to anyone looking for a piano like feel with a medium budget.

Review by: Jose Castro, Costa Rica

 

“These are customer reviews from actual owners of this piano.
The most recent review is at the top of this page “, Graham Howard, Piano Advisor

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

 

“The Casio PX330 is like playing with a toy”

To me, once defined a range of price, the potential buyer should identify the goal he tries to achive, and according to this, his market survey, and the experts opinion, to take a decision. A cinic probably would say that, in any case, he will be wrong but he will not notice it because he will not have means to compare his equipment with others.

I am one of those last ones. Weeks ago I had to make a present and finally I decided to buy a Casio Privia PX-330 (yes, I know!). In Spanish your verb
“to play” has two meanings: “jugar” (to play with a toy) and “tocar” (in this case, to play an instrument). Let us say that the PX-330 fulfil very well the first meaning.

Review by Antonio Fernandez, Spain

 

“Great portability – Only weighs 10KG”

If portability is of paramount importance to you, consider that with a weight less of 10 Kilos you can get a more than aceptable keyboard with 88 graded and weighted keys plus lots of sounds and useful features, wrapped in an atractive price.

This neat techno-miracle is the Casio Privia PX330.

Review by Carlo

 

“It’s not a toy, it’s a nice piece of kit”

I bought the Casio PX330 for two reasons: portability, good ratio between price/sound quality.
In my opinion, is very light (that is maybe why to someone it may seems a toy) but is not a toy, is a nice piece of kit. Great sound of piano and many other features for very cheap price compared to other famous brands.

I use for gigging and I play it with or without PA system, as solo or with band and so far as been a surprise to everyone that knows about musical instrument. In my past I had digital pianos from Yamaha (Clavinova), Roland HP, master keyboard by Elka with Yamaha sound module, and I have always suffered for the size and weight and practicality of these instruments. So, 11 kilos of technology and nice feel of the keyboard, compared to 19 Kilos and often more from brands like Roland Yamaha Korg Kurzweil.

I own an acoustic upright piano Kawai AT12, and I grow up in a home with a babygrand Kawai KG-2 and an upright Schmidt.

Review by Zino, Surrey, South London

 

“A piano should be able to cope with regular use, and this one didn’t”

I’d just like to say that the Casio Privia needs to be avoided : very nice piano on the face of it, good sound-quality at the start, but in my experience the action and the sound both very quickly deteriorate to an unacceptable level.

Perhaps because I’m a professional concert pianist I tend to hit pianos harder than most people ! but a piano should be able to cope with regular use, and this one didn’t. I wouldn’t recommend it.

Review by Ro

 

>> For Casio PX330 information, specifications and prices, click here

“I am very pleased with this piano”

Hi Graham, I recently purchased the above model from Gear4Music, the standard
of service was excellent. Really getting used to the “feel” now,but I am a little
disappointed with the metronome volume which seems to be rather weak.
Other than that I am very pleased with this piano.One little tip I will pass on to
other potential buyers is, if you already have a keyboard with rythym function,
do not be tempted to sell it as it will be an excellent alternative to the metronome
function on your digital piano.

Review by Martin Grimes

 

“These are customer reviews from actual owners of this piano.
The most recent review is at the top of this page “, Graham Howard, Piano Advisor

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

 

“There are no major dislikes of this purchase”

The main reason we bought the Casio PX730 is becasue of the size, the piano is for our daughter who has started University and she can put this in her room so she can play whenever she wants. Also she plays classical music and therefore needed three pedals.

We tried the Casio and the Yamaha P95 and our daughter could not find any difference in the touch quality, so therefore price was also an interesting factor. There are no major dislikes of this purchase.

Review by Derek Mace, Worcester, UK

 

“I found it very pleasing”

I ended up opting for the Casio privia px 730, which I bought from amazon uk, the seller was excellent,
I purchased before 2pm and the piano arrived the next day, also a free piano bench was included in the price.

The piano I’m very happy with, I was not looking specifically for something with heavy weighted keys and
some may find the feel of this piano a little light but for me its perfect. I chose this piano for the sound,
i had heard it before and found it very pleasing, and also because I have very little space.

The piano feels sturdy and it was easy to assemble taking only minutes really. I’m also enjoying the large
book of classical music scores that comes with the piano. On the whole I find the piano easy to use and a
delight to play, and my 6 year old son is liking it very much too.

Review by Adele Jackson

 

“My son liked the aesthetics”

Hi Graham,

Your piano buyer’s guide was incredibly useful. My son wants to pick up piano again after a few years break (we had a real fight to get him to actually take the Grade 1 exam) after feeling that he really wasn’t into guitar after all. Wanting to encourage his artistic side we said we would have a look. We looked at traditional acoustic pianos and decided that even a cheapish second hand one was false economy when you factored in the cost to move it and the cost of constant tuning.

So I thought we would have a look at digital pianos. Wow, what a nightmare. Luckily for us we found your book and it started to make sense. We ended up going to one of our local music shops and listened to the Casio PX-130 and Korg SP170 side by side. In touch and sound they seemed very similar. However, the sound of the Korg SP250 was soooo much richer, and so we also listened to the Casio PX-730. In the end my son felt the aesthetics of the Casio were better and made it feel more like a piano.

We ended up buying a second-hand Casio PX-730. We haven’t got it yet, but certainly hope it is the right choice. I do feel fairly confident that we haven’t wasted our money. We would never have made such an informed decision without the help of your book.

Review by Pete

 

“I have been very pleased with it generally”

I have owned my PX-730 for just over year now and have been very pleased with it generally. For the money it is
excellent value. I have also an old Casio CT-620 keyboard that has given excellent service. The only criticism I have with the PX-730 is why is the metronome function so feeble ? Does any other owner agree with me ?
Any feedback would be most welcome.

Review by Martin Grimes, shrewsbury, UK

 

6) “It is really wonderful!”

Hi Graham,

I finally got my Casio Privia PX730 digital piano. The seller had it on sale and it was simply an irresistible offer, so I decided to get it right away.

It is really wonderful! I know it is not the best digital piano, but for the price I paid I know there was nothing not even closer to it.

Review by Marcos Castro

 

>> For Casio PX730 information, specifications and prices, click here

“The Casio AP500 has sluggish keys”

I have a Casio Cleviano AP500. This is the problem!

As now I am taking lessons on piano, (having previously learnt the keyboard) its a whole different beast.

The Casio AP500 I currently own has sluggish keys that make a noise when returning to the original position, something you don’t want after only 18 months although the piano sound is quite realistic.

I will probably replace the digital piano for a traditional upright piano perhaps with a silent function.

Review by Tim

 

“These are customer reviews from actual owners of this piano.
The most recent review is at the top of this page “, Graham Howard, Piano Advisor

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

 

>> For Casio AP500 information, specifications and prices, click here

“The sound is not enough bright, and the key weight not enough heavy, but looks good in my home!”

Dislike about AP620

It takes quite long time from switching on till loaded. I can’t find the option to play all library song by song, every song has to be performed separately.

The sound is not enough bright, and the key weight not enough heavy.

Like about AP620

Looks good in my home!

The option for separate hand- for every composition from the library is very good.

Easy to use, except time from switching on untill piano is loaded.

Review by Anita

 

“These are customer reviews from actual owners of this piano.
The most recent review is at the top of this page “, Graham Howard, Piano Advisor

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

 

“The piano really looks very professional and adds a touch of elegance to the room”

Hi Graham

Here’s what I love about the Casio Celviano AP620BK: the sound and the key touch are so natural-it sounds and feels like a real piano.
In addition, it has many features that I will use.  The record feature is one of them.  It’s so great to hear what I have played.  I know where I have to practice or make changes.  I also like the demos that are included.  It gives me ideas on how to improvise when I play some of them.

The piano has a keyboard cover, adjustable bench and a brass piano light all included in the package which are accoutrements I really need.  Overall, the piano really looks very professional and adds a touch of elegance to the room.

The only complaint I have is a minor one.  There was not a separate book of assembly instructions.  (There was one for the bench). The assembly instructions for the piano are included in the middle of the User’s Guide.  I think if they are going to put assembly instructions in the User Guide, they should come at the beginning of the Guide.  You can’t play or use the different functions until you have assembled the piano.

Thanks again for your information on choosing and buying a digital piano.

Review by Jean Mitchell-Lanham, USA

 

>> For Casio AP620 information, specifications and prices, click here

“Casio CDP-200 just has the right features and quality”

The Casio CDP200 model is just right for my budget.
Since I’m only a beginner, and I’m not that fast “note” reader, casio has this display screen that’s really a big help.
CASIO has a whole lot of features than my other choice, the Yamaha DGX-640, but so as they say, Quality beats quantity. Well I’m not really after the ‘superior’ sound quality of yamaha, besides, I heard both sounds from youtube and there’s only a little difference. Yamaha just has more bass than Casio using their built in speakers. But in CASIO when plugged in an amplifier or headphones, the sound quality is great.
Yamaha although has good sound quality, it is a bit over priced and it’s out of stock here in the Philippines, and the distributors has to make an order to their supplier which will take about a month or so.

Overall, I have no regrets choosing CASIO CDP-200R over YAMAHA DGX-640. I am very satisfied about it, I am very happy about it’s quality and sound, especially when I discovered what the casio ‘can’ do in terms of it’s features. Casio’s keys have a very ‘piano-like’ feel and weight(I have a played to a baby grand and an upright piano in another store and compared it) and it has almost the same feel which, as a beginner, very happy and satisfied about it. Lastly, playing the piano is only one of my hobby. I’m not that professional/virtuoso “player” that requires almost all the qualities and sound of a Grand Piano to a Digital Piano.
Casio CDP-200 just has the right features and quality, a midrange digital piano that is perfect and suites well for a hobbyist and beginners, like me, really can appreciate.

Review by Christian, Philippines

 

“These are customer reviews from actual owners of this piano.
The most recent review is at the top of this page “, Graham Howard, Piano Advisor

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

“Money well spent, Whole family now want to learn to play piano!”

I would to thank you Graham Howard for your very helpful advice on which digital piano was suitable for us.
On your advice we purchased the BROADWAY EZ101. A very good choice. Superb quality sound a very nice piece
of furniture which blends in well and enhances room.

Well laid out keyboard and easy to follow instructions.
Whole family now want to learn to play piano! Money well spent. A very good purchase.

Again Graham thank you for your usesful help and advice

Review by John Auld, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

 

“These are customer reviews from actual owners of this piano.
The most recent review is at the top of this page “, Graham Howard, Piano Advisor

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

 

“Great offer and beautiful instrument”

We bought a Broadway EZ101 electric piano from UK pianos! It was a great offer and beautiful instrument! Friendly staff that advised us on all our questions…. We are very happy with our choice. Thank you!

Review by Nina Sapankevych

 

“A very good value product”

Hello Graham,

Firstly, you website gave me a source of information and advice that I felt was trustworthy, well researched and gave me confidence that you know your onions, so to speak.

Secondly on reviewing your comments on a vast range of pianos, I was confident in placing my order for the Broadway EZ101, with which we (mostly my daughter) are extremely pleased with. It’s enabled her to really discover her ‘gift’ and it’s absolutely delightful to hear her tinkling the ivories… the quality of the sound and the feel of the keys all add up to a very good value product in my mind. Reliability and aftercare service have yet to be tested (which is a good thing, I think).

I would certainly recommend you to anyone looking for help in choosing a piano.

Review by Nigel Small, Wotton Under Edge, Gloucestershire

 

>> For Broadway EZ101 information, specifications and prices, click here