Digital Piano Recommendations

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/KeystationPro88-main.html

and a really nice piano sample library like native instruments' acoustik piano? less than a grand for the pair...

Here are the criteria:

1) I want it to have a nice, warm, realistic piano sound. I realize that there are different kinds of pianos so "realistic" can mean different things. Growing up we had an old Mason & Hamlin piano in the house, and I definitely prefer that kind of mellow, woody sound to a glassier, sharper, new Steinway kind of sound, although I don't know if anyone makes digital pianos to sound the way I'm talking about.

2) I want realistic feel/weighted keys.

3) Would prefer full 88-keys but would consider something smaller as a starter instrument

4) Would definitely buy used

5) I would prefer something that has some kind of internal speaker so that a separate amp isn't necessary for home practice

6) I'm not sure what price point I'm looking at yet, want to see more what I can get for different price levels

We have Casio CDP-100 bought on a friend's recommendation a several years ago which we are pretty happy with. Someone else we know got the current version which is the CDP-120 which runs about $350 I think. Fits your basic criteria: 88 weighted keys, no extra amp needed, sounds pretty good.

Go see for yourself at that Sam Ash on Queens Boulevard, knowing them they probably still have the old model.

Hmm, that's the second rec I've gotten for that series. They seem to come up occasionally on craigslist in the 300-400 range, which I could do.

See the 120 on Musician's friend for $350. Guy who recommended it to me was a sax player who had told his sister to buy it for his niece. And I believe my kids' first piano teacher told me that was the same one he had. In his apartment in LIC at least, I'm sure back in Switzerland he has something fancier.

I've also heard the Privia is good. I think that's a higher-level model. Don't know what the specific differences are.

Don't know from that one. Kid just came home and started playing ours and it sounded good.

we have a casio cdp 220r that our little kids use for piano practice. it has been quite durable, feels good, sounds acceptable, no amp required.

Just checked, our friends have a Privia.

Well?

Been trolling craigslist for privias. I also saw a few vids on youtube that convinced me they sound much better than yamahas. Maybe not better than Rolands but I don't know if Roland has a good model in the privia price range. I was considering pulling the trigger on a privia px-800 on craigslist but It's a heavy sucker and I'd have to either rent a van or get a delivery service, which adds a lot to the cost and is a hassle.

for privia money can't u buy a used piano?

How much you think piano costs?

You can get a better model privia for like 300-400. But the bottom line for me is that it has a volume knob -- I live in a co-op.

for like 300-400 used, I should say. Plus the cost of a piano isn't just the piano but the mover and the tuner.

I would never wish harm on my parents but I do hope it's me and not my feckless brother that one day inherits their old Mason & Hamlin.

Have you factored in the cost of lessons for K yet?

Also with the real piano there is the risk of buying something kind of junky if you don't know what you are doing, although I am sure you do know

I'm probably gonna hold off on lessons for a couple years - she's two. I just want her to be able to bang around on it a little and start to hear pitches and pitch releationships and the like. Confession: I also kind of want it for me.

Had a similar idea myself but it didn't quite work out that way.

care to elaborate?

Sure.