Are you drowning in the sea of digital pianos?…
Feeling overwhelmed with choice?

“The most important thing you need from a digital piano is a realistic key touch. A good piano tone and minimum of 4 dynamic levels are also important. But other things such as dimensions, weight, colour, ‘bells and whistles’, etc. shouldn’t factor so much in your purchase decision “, Graham Howard, Piano Adviser — Get my FREE digital pianos buyer guide here

Need piano advice? – email grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk or call 020 8367 5107.

 

Latest Digital Piano Video Review
(Broadway BW1 – Rated number 1 digital piano under £1,000 in the Piano Bible)

 

Best Sellers

 

Read the article: Which digital piano to buy

 

DIGITAL PIANOS FOR SALE

> Brand new digital pianos for sale (listed further down the page)
> Massive range of second hand digital pianos for sale here
> Rent-to-Own a digital piano, see available pianos here
> Check out the Piano Market for pre-owned digital pianos sold by private sellers

Come and view a large range of pianos in our North London or Northamptonshire stores

              

 

Top Digital Piano Suppliers

Yamaha
The most popular ranges are YDP and CLP. The YDP Arius pianos offers nice sounding, budget models; the CLP Clavinova range offers some of the finest digital pianos around; and the CVP Clavinovas offer additional instrumental voices, rhythms and advanced functions. There’s also the P series stage pianos and AvantGrand hybrid pianos. You can’t go far wrong with a Yamaha. Digital pianos that do what they say on the tin: reliable, well-built and a good resale value. Stocked by most piano retailers. View all Yamaha

Roland
I like the Roland sound. And the touch feels easy and responsive. The range of HP digital pianos are the most popular. The HP series digital pianos: HP702 and HP704 offer a variety of sounds and functions similar to those you’d find on a Yamaha CLP. Roland’s top models are the LX705 and LX708… these are more like the traditional upright acoustic piano shape. Roland is worth considering and comparing against Yamaha and Kurzweil equivalents, but the prices are a little higher. Verdict: Very nice pianos with the latest technology, excellent build quality, reliable, and a good brand name. View all Roland

Gewa
The Gewa company in Germany has launched their latest range of impressive digital pianos. I was invited over to their factory in Nurenberg to test out and give advice on a new range they’d been developing for about 5 years now. Their previous models were average, so I wasn’t really expecting much… but I have to say that I was blown away by their new pianos! The sound quality is phenomenal… it’s so realistic. Gewa has a collaboration with Steinway, they were given permission to sample a Steinway concert grand in a Hamburg studio. This is the tone quality that sings through in all Gewa digital pianos. An unfair advantage over the Japanese brands if you’d ask me. These pianos are priced similar to a mid range Clavinova or Roland HP series. So if you’re looking for a piano that’s suitable for learning on right up to grade 8 level, then I recommend you go and try one out. You’ll love it! The pianos recommended for all grades are: UP355, UP395, and UP405. View all Gewa

Kurzweil
Way back in 1982, the American, Ray Kurzweil (with the help and guidance of Stevie Wonder) was the first to realistically sample and transfer the sound of an acoustic grand piano into a piano keyboard. Now Kurzweil has a vast range of digital pianos, grand and stage pianos, keyboards and synths. With Kurzweil it’s all about the sound… All Kurzweil digital pianos have a natural piano tone full of warmth and resonance. If you want an authentic sounding digital piano, Kurzweil are really hard to beat. Check out the popular MPS10 portable piano, also the MP120 home piano. Going up the range you have the CUP320, which has an all natural wood key action. You have to try this… it feels so realistic. But the very best in the range are the digital upright CUP2A and CGP220W digital baby grand. View all Kurzweil

 

Rent-to-Buy from £35 per month (Call 020 8367 5107 for info).
Rental goes towards cost, read more

 

Broadway
Broadway pianos have a small, but good value range of models. You can choose from their starter piano (EZ-102), or their most popular range (BW1) for all levels and abilities. The Broadway BW1 is UK Piano’s number one selling piano. The BW1 is rated top out of all pianos under £1000 (see the Howard Score). There’s also two baby grand pianos: BG2 and MK11. The MK11 is a self-playing digital baby grand piano and is the only one available that has moving keys when in self-play mode (very popular in hotels, restaurants, bars and even for home use to impress the guests). If you’re on a tight budget but want a piano that’s good to learn and progress through the grades, then the Broadway range is a great choice. View all Broadway

Casio
If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the Yamaha or Roland, but at the same time having a reasonable piano sound then Casio could be an option for you. You get to choose from two ranges: The Privia PX, and Celviano AP. The Privia models are modern/cool looking space savers, but their downside is a weak, bright tone, a light/springy touch and very noisy keys. The AP range is better, but still lacks a decent touch. Casio have made some small improvements over the past few years but they really need to focus more on quality. View all Casio

Kawai
Because Kawai also manufacture acoustic pianos they have good piano knowledge, which enables them to build digital pianos. Kawai digital pianos have a pleasant sound (although a little on the electronic side – not as pure as Yamaha and Roland), and a medium-weight, soft touch at the bottom of the key stroke. Their top end digital pianos from the CA range are good (they’re worth comparing against the equivalent Yamaha CLP models). Kawai also have a big range of styles to choose from. View all Kawai

Korg
Some of the best synthesizers around, but Korg only have a small selection of budget range digital pianos which have always struggled to make in impression in the market. View all Korg

Hadley
This ever popular brand offers an excellent range of affordable digital pianos that are suitable for anyone learning to play. All their digital pianos have the correct key resistance to emulate the feel of a real piano, which is essential for children learning. What’s more, the lower cost is attractive for parents on a budget. Check out the Hadley D10, which is a full cabinet-style digital piano with 3 built-in pedals, a great sound, and costs less than £700. Superb value! There’s a portable model in the range (S1) if you don’t have much space (costs under £500). View all Hadley

Classenti
There are 6 models in all: 5 digital pianos and 1 baby grand. The starter piano (CDP1) is designed for someone that wants a realistic piano sound and touch without too many bells and whistles. CDP1 was replaced by the new H1 model. The next piano (CDP2) has a deeper, more resonant piano sound. CDP2 replaced by the new H2. The top model (UD1) looks, sounds and feels very close to playing on a traditional, acoustic piano – it’s called a digital upright piano. With Classenti you get a quality sound and a realistic, heavy-weighted touch. Unlike most other digital pianos, you don’t get hundreds of gimmicks and flashing lights… Good value for money. View all Classenti

 

Read the article: Which digital piano to buy

All New Digital Pianos For Sale (all makes)

 

More Digital Piano Brands
Aura, Alesis, Andante, Axus, Baldwin, Behringer, Bentley, Berkeley, Bluthner, Chase, Classic Cantabile, Cool, Cranes, Delson, Dexibell, Digiano, Diginova, Donner, Dynatone, Eagletone, Ensoniq, Farfisa, Fujiyama, Galileo, Gear4Music, Hammond, Hemingway, H.Star, Kaino, Ketron, Kingston, Kobrat, M-Audio, Mantova, Medeli, Melodic, Minster, Orla, Pianonova, Rikter, Ringway, Robertson, Samick, Studiologic, Sulinda, Suzuki, Technics, Thomann, Valdesta, Williams, Winchester, Worlde, Wyman.

 

Advantages of digital pianos over upright pianos

• Saves space
• Lots of instrument sounds and functions
• Cheaper price than upright pianos
• Headphone connections and volume level control
• Easier to move around (much lighter in weight)
• No tuning required (about £200 saving per year)
• No maintenance needed
• Recording capabilities
• Computer connection (learn to play online, or write your own music)

 

If you want an instrument that sounds like a real piano, doesn’t take up as much space or requires any maintenance, then digital pianos are for you. Digital pianos are 100% electronic and usually have a number of instrument sounds and functions. The most popular makes in the UK are: Yamaha, Roland, Casio, Broadway, Kurzweil and Kawai.

 

See all keyboards, stage pianos and portable pianos

 

Useful Reading:
Digital Pianos – Which Brand Should I Buy
7 Things You MUST Know Before You Buy A Digital Piano
Digital Piano Ratings – see how all digital pianos rate out of 100
Piano Questions and Answers

 

Ask Graham Howard a question! — Send an email to: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk

 

 

 

Questions and Answers

 

“In need of a really good digital piano”

I have been playing my piano since I was 13 (I’m 55 now) but hardly played for about the last 10 years. I have taken up playing again in the past year and am thoroughly enjoying it. I badly play about grade 6/7.

I need a new piano as my present one is an old, small, out of tune Bentley. I looked on your website and came across digital pianos, which I assumed were like children’s keyboards that you couldn’t play with any expression in your music. Once I read your guide I realised I was wrong.

The reason I think a digital piano might be better for me than an acoustic one is because of being able to play with headphones sometimes. I wear 2 modern hearing aids and so wonder if I could Bluetooth to them. I am not profoundly deaf, it’s more a moderate loss. I also want to be able to do a basic recording so that I can give a copy to my parents. I never compose music. We live in a bungalow with insulated floors and the insulation is being squashed with the weight of an acoustic so I like the fact that they weigh less. Finally, I love it that they never need tuning!

I only play classical. I would love a grand piano but have neither the space nor the budget. It’s important that it feels and sounds close to playing a real piano but my budget only goes up to about £3000. I also like the idea of your rent to own scheme so I could try it out for a while. Do you do a trade in for my old piano. It upsets me to think it would just be smashed up and thrown away down the tip.

Please could you advise me? I would really appreciate it.

Reply/ Hi Richard

There are many reasons to buy a digital piano
over an acoustic piano, of which most of the
main ones you have already noted.

If you would like something that plays as close
to an acoustic piano as possible, then I advise
looking at the Gewa range.

These pianos are made in Germany and sampled
from a Steinway concert grand in Hamburg.
You can hear clearly the Steinway sound across
the whole range of notes; the rounded bass, the
warm, resonant central octaves and the clean,
pure treble notes all with a long sustain.
These pianos are lovely to play.

I recommend for you either the UP405 or UP395.
These both have wooden keys and enough touch
sensitivity levels to play any piece of music no
matter the complexity.
Many digital pianos around a similar price point
as the Gewas don’t offer enough dynamic levels,
which affects your playing as you try to get more
expression out of your music.
You’ll not find this with the UP405 and UP395, as
playing the quietest pianissimo to the loudest
fortissimo is achieved with little effort.

You can see these pianos here:

Gewa UP405
Gewa UP395

You mentioned about Bluetooth headphones.
These pianos do have Bluetooth, but this is only
to connect up wirelessly to apps. You would still
need to plug headphones into the piano in order
to use them.

Rent to Own is available on either of these pianos.

It is possible we can offer you a trade-in.
Can you please email some photos of your piano?

Many thanks

Graham Howard

—

“Please advise which is the best affordable digital piano”

Dear Graham Howard,
Gave been given your details by the City Lit where l am taking an introductory course to the piano. Unfortunately l don’t own a piano not even a keyboard so finding it difficult keeping up with the course. Please can you advise me? Ideally I’d like a digital piano at an affordable price but won’t rule out buying second hand if new proves too costly.
At the City Lit l use a digital Yamaha piano; and like both its sound and size. I live in north London if you can recommend where to can see different options. The City Lit has suggested Denmark street (Roland Shop) and Wardour Street for Yamaha pianos.
Look forward to hearing from you.

Reply/ Hi Pauline

Hi Pauline

I don’t advise buying a piano yet.
It’s best to wait at least 6 months to see how you
get on before committing to a purchase.

What I recommend for you is the Rent to Own
programme where you can rent a digital piano
and buy it later.
The first 6 months rental payments count
towards the price.

You can see the pianos available on this scheme here

Alternatively, we sell and rent second hand pianos.
You can see the list here

In particular, the Kurzweil MP120 is a really
nice piano to learn and progress on.
It has a full, warm tone and responsive key touch.
It emulates an acoustic piano really well.

Yours pianistically

Graham Howard

—

“Please recommend a realistic piano for kids to learn on”

I was looking for some advice on pianos.
I used the play and have lessons as a child and stopped in my teens.
My children have recently found my old Casio keyboard in the loft and started to play around on it.
I’ve also had a play on it and find I quite enjoy having a play a few hours a week (albeit very rusty) and not liking the unweighted unrealistic non full size keyboard.

What digital would you recommend for us that’s a realistic to a piano as possible that would stand kids playing but also give me enough to “hobby” play?

Many thanks, Nicola

Reply/ Dear Nicola

The piano I recommend for you and for your
children is the Broadway BW1.

The Broadway BW1 has a nice, full tone. And the
key touch is fully-weighted. It also feels smooth
and responsive under the fingers, like a real
acoustic piano.

Also, the cabinet is really compact in depth
(from front to back), so it takes up less space
than other digital pianos.

What’s more, it’s a good piano to learn and progress
on. Finger strength and technique will develop in the
correct way. And you’ll find it easy to transfer to an
upright or grand piano later.

This is my first choice out of all pianos between
£800 and £1000. And it’s our best-selling piano.

You can see the Broadway here

If you can stretch your budget up another £100,
then take a look at the Gewa DP300G for comparison.

The DP300G has an ever-so-slightly firmer key touch.
The sound quality is just as good as the Broadway:
natural, warm, and resonant.

You can see the Gewa here

Let me know if you have any questions or
would like to place an order.

Yours pianistically

Graham Howard

—

“Which digital piano do you I advise I buy?”

Hi Graham,

I am looking to purchase a digital piano. I got up to grade VI when I was a kid but haven’t played a piano for over 25 years. I learnt on my Mother’s baby grand and we used to play a lot of Scott Joplin back then. Anyway, I’d like to start playing again, just for fun and mainly boogie-woogie and blues.

I have a budget of circa £900-1,200. I want a white piano, one of the better brands, and after reading your advice online, fully weighted/hammer keys (if that is the correct terminology). I’d like that ‘banging it out on the piano’ feel/sound, and I want it to put out some oomph (in terms of volume and sound).

I’ve looked at the Kurzweil MP120 but it’s possibly a bit over budget, the Yamaha CLP625 Clavinova, Gewa DP300G and Gewa DP340G, but, to be honest, I’m clueless as to what best suits my needs. I know the ones I like the look of (Gewa) but that’s about it!

Any advice gratefully received.

Kind regards, Rebecca

Reply/ Hi Rebecca

The Kurzweil MP120 is a good choice.
It has a warm, sonorous tone and responsive
key action. It is a nice piano to play and is
suitable for up to grade 8 level.

I realise it’s above your intended budget, so
one of the Gewa digital pianos would be
a really good alternative…

I love the tone quality of the Gewas.
Every model is sampled on a Steinway concert
grand piano. You can hear the warm, rounded
tone throughout its range.

The DP300G is the first model in the range and
is suitable for anyone learning to play, because
the keys are fully-weighted and react in the
same way as a real piano.

The advantage of the next model up in the range
(DP340G) is the improved sound quality. It has
an extra speaker outlet that projects the sound.
This not only improves the clarity of tone, but
more importantly projects the sound better, so you
don’t have to try as hard to play louder when required.
For example music that is Forte or Fortissimo.

All in all, the DP340G is easier to play and more
enjoyable as you progress to a higher level.

Another difference between DP300 and DP340
is the cabinet. The DP340G is a more modern,
open style. Because of this open design, it can
give the illusion of taking up less space.

If you can stretch up to the Gewa UP365 then
this offers even more volume output.
It has an extra dynamic level over the DP300
and DP340. So you can put more expression
into your music, and playing louder is very easy.
The UP365 has a graded hammer action.
This makes each key slightly more weighted
to replicate the exact feel of a real piano.

Let me know if you would like to reserve
one of these pianos.

Yours pianistically

Graham Howard