Reddit mentions of Casio CDP-130 Digital Piano

> would like to test it with a cheaper option for now.

Only downside to that is if you mistake not liking what you bought for not liking the piano as an instrument.

> On Amazon and Guitar Center they mainly have good reviews.

Who writes the reviews? People who've played for a few hours and are having fun but might give up in a week, people who have played for a few years and are telling you how this was a great instrument for them to start out with, or someone who plays and teaches the piano, isn't that familiar with the allegro 2, but in their limited time with it thinks it's a good starter instrument etc...? Consider the source.

When you hit a key on the piano it makes a signal like 'note on key e4 velocity 85'. This is sent to a sound engine running inside the piano. In general lower end pianos have pretty mediocre sound engines. Assuming it has one, you can use a midi or midi over USB port to plug the piano into your computer to send that 'note on' signal to your computer and with the right software use your computer as the sound engine. A VST is that software. You would plug your headphones/speakers into your computer. By mediocre sound engine what I mean is that you won't notice any difference when you're still trying to figure out which key is a b flat. But if you really get into the piano you'll start to appreciate the difference within months.

>The main thing for me is the sound. I don't want something that is going to sound like garbage.

Even if you can't play anything, take your headphones to a store and listen to some demo tracks. You won't have to be able to hear the subtleties of 'better' sound engines for this. There's a lot of variety in how pianos can sound. You're just trying to pick out the kind of piano sound you like for now.

Good prices aren't always available, but a few to have as a bench mark among entry level models if you go shopping:

Casio PX160: $400, CDP130: $250. If you decide you want a bunch of sounds to toy around with every now and then: CDP230 for $350, px350 for $480, cgp700 for $680.

Yamah P45/71: $350, p115: $500

Roland FP30: $600 with stand and pedal bar for costco FP25 version without bluetooth

Korg B1: $360

Alesis Coda Pro: $300, $400 with stand and pedals.

Don't know prices off hand, but recently discontinued ES100 and new ES110 are good entry level options too.

Sticker price can be negotiable, sales are basically continuous, some are just better than others.

https://camelcamelcamel.com/Casio-CDP130-CDP-130-Digital-Piano/product/B00M4M9FF8?context=browse

Prices just around.

> "the past couple weeks I've been noticing that the keys seem to feel more and more artificial"

Allegro can be fine to start out on. But you'll outgrow it. If you notice that's happening and replace it then you'll be fine. If you don't you might stop enjoying your new hobby. The thing is, the same is true of the others you might consider buying, they'll just last a good deal longer.

You might be better off starting a bit upmarket from a Williams, but it depends on your situation. I know you've expressed reservations, but buying used can be a good option. You can sometimes find an older casio or yamaha that's equivalent in quality or better than the williams for less than $100. If you want to buy new but you're concerned about spending a lot of money and then not getting into the piano, one option would be to take your headphones to some stores, try out some entry level models and narrow down to a few you like the sound of, then buy one once you can get a great deal on it. That way if the hobby doesn't stick, or you decide to upgrade at some point, you can sell it for much less of a loss.

The Casio CDP-130 is definitely my $300 answer to anyone quoting $500 for a basic piano

Although I'd argue that for a beginner, a $200 semi-weighted is good enough to learn basic skills. Sure, if you can afford the extra $100 for a CDP-130, it will last you a lot longer, but the CDP-130 is absolutely "good enough" for even fairly capable players.

Advanced players may find the polyphony is eventually a limit, but for a beginner/intermediate level player, this piano should 100% be the first "Not compromised" model

If you can't afford the CDP-130, then yes, it's a case of pointing out that cheaper models are likely to be compromises

Just curious - is there an issue with the lowest priced digital pianos from Casio, Yamaha etc like this one?

https://www.amazon.com/Casio-CDP130-CDP-130-Digital-Piano/dp/B00M4M9FF8


They're well under 500 USD but I've heard ok things about them