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View Full Version : Where can I get a nice used keyboard......



SOONER44EVER
8/17/2006, 05:35 PM
.............and how much should it cost? We're enrolling out daughter in piano lessons and I don't want to have buy a huge piano for her to practice on..........yet. I'm hoping I can find her a nice used keyboard with the same size keys as a piano has. Any ideas?

sanantoniosooner
8/17/2006, 05:40 PM
depends on quality.

You can get cheap crap for between 100 and 200. You gotta decide if you want a full 88 keys. Cost more. A decent synth with 88 keys will cost you 400-500 if you can find a good one at a bargain.

Check ebay.

King Crimson
8/17/2006, 05:40 PM
call up the music dept. at OU, and get a ref for someone who teaches piano....and get a rec as far as sound quality and accurate key response/tenison. and then look for one on ebay?

GottaHavePride
8/17/2006, 05:50 PM
call up the music dept. at OU, and get a ref for someone who teaches piano....and get a rec as far as sound quality and accurate key response/tenison. and then look for one on ebay?
they're gonna tell you to get a real piano for that. ;) Seriously, even the best keyboards, the weight and response of the keys just isn't the same as a real piano. A keyboard is ok to start on, but you won't develop the finger strength necessary to play a piano really well.

Depending on how much you're willing to spend, you should be able to get a brand-new keyboard (full size keys, 88 of them, integrated speakers so you don't have to buy cables and amp...) for about $1000. If you get one without integrated speakers you'll save a couple of hundred, but you'll have to buy an amp to go along with it. (Although this option will sound better.)


You migt also look and see if you can find a used upright piano in decent condition. I would think you could probably get one of those for about $1,000 as well. Just beware - if your house tends to fluctuate temperature and humidity wildly you'll need to have it tuned a lot.

SOONER44EVER
8/17/2006, 06:03 PM
I'm looking for a really cheap one to start with. If she ends up hating the lessons I don't want to be stuck with some high $ thing that is never used. I was thinking of maybe looking at pawn shops but I have no idea how to even test one.

GottaHavePride
8/17/2006, 06:05 PM
PEEM sent.

SOONER44EVER
8/17/2006, 06:07 PM
PEEM sent.
Thanks.

Okla-homey
8/17/2006, 06:46 PM
My brutha,

Colleges and schools are constantly selling off old pianos. Even private individuals do. Their re-sale value succs. Watch the classifieds. You can prolly pick-up an upright studio model for chicken feed (<$200.00). Hauling it home is the pain in the kiester.

olevetonahill
8/17/2006, 07:25 PM
My brutha,

Colleges and schools are constantly selling off old pianos. Even private individuals do. Their re-sale value succs. Watch the classifieds. You can prolly pick-up an upright studio model for chicken feed (<$200.00). Hauling it home is the pain in the kiester.
I have an old upright Ill give ya ;)

SOONER44EVER
8/17/2006, 08:13 PM
I have an old upright Ill give ya ;)
I assume you'll deliver it and set it up too? :D

olevetonahill
8/17/2006, 08:15 PM
I assume you'll deliver it and set it up too? :D
Now delivery is another thing :eek:

King Crimson
8/17/2006, 08:17 PM
oh my!

SOONER44EVER
8/17/2006, 08:17 PM
Now delivery is another thing :eek:
Heh!

GottaHavePride
8/17/2006, 09:14 PM
I assume you'll deliver it and set it up too? :D
Heh. for that you'd want a specialized piano moving company that will tune it whenever the piano gets where it's going. I think there's a really big company based in Edmond, or something, that has the contract to move all of Van Cliburn's pianos anytime he goes anywhere.

Norm In Norman
8/17/2006, 09:42 PM
There is a dude named Ross Traywick that moves and tunes pianos for cheap. He used to do/does the school of music pianos. I used to help him move pianos every once in a while. He might know where you can get a used upright too. Unless the price of those babies have went up, I would say you could get a good one for way less than 1000.

And way back when I was a music major we learned piano on big electric keyboards, although we practiced on real ones.

GottaHavePride
8/17/2006, 10:17 PM
Oh yeah, I didn't think about Ross. And I looked on the innerweb, it seems like used uprights tend to run in the $450-$700 range if they've been cared for fairly well. (Unless they're antiques or unusual models.)

For the record OU's class piano labs use Yamaha Clavinova electronic keyboards.

SOONER44EVER
8/18/2006, 12:38 AM
All I need right now is a keyboard. A piano is too expensive and too heavy! :D

StoopTroup
8/18/2006, 12:45 AM
We just bought a used piano for our Daughter.

Paid $600.00 and it's $175.00 to have it moved from the buyer's house to our's.

Anything over $700.00 + moving expenses...

I think you should get an expert's opinion.

Last I was at Sam's Club...

They had a brand new Yamaha Natural Keyboard for around $600.00.

It's very nice for a starter...you can do less expensive at around $300.00 - $400.00 for a Yamaha Portable Grand or similar type...

SOONER44EVER
8/21/2006, 12:44 AM
Today we saw this at Sam's:

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=162652

Its pretty cool. It looks to be about the same size keys as a piano and even has a microphone so you can sing along. I think its about $500.

olevetonahill
8/21/2006, 06:37 AM
Get you truck and your azz down here ;)
The one I said Ill give you is an old Player piano . needs lots of work but the price is right ! even have the little bench thingy that the seat flips up on and you can store the music there .
The player part has been gone a long time
Its been in the front of my shop for about 20 yrs . If some one doesnt want it , Im gonna take the wire out and keep that . Then that old heavy plate of iron Im gonna take to the scrape dealer