I'm looking to add a portable piano keyboard for church. My two local dealers have the Yamaha P120 and the other the Casio Previa 300. The Yamaha is a little more expensive, but the price is not necessarily the determiner. What are your feelings about these two keyboards?

Cassp, just happened to stop by a GC store this afternoon to look at the 310 Previa. I own a PX400r, but I have heard that they improved the piano on the x10 series, so I wanted to give one a try. I can tell you I was impressed with the piano on the 310, it is much better than the 400. I also found the action of the keyboard has been improved, it feels more like an acoustic paino. I can't tell you much about the p120, I haven't played it. If I were going to buy a Casio I would get the 310, not the 300.




[This message has been edited by Stephenm52 (edited 11-03-2005).]

I've played the P120, and the Privia 300. Soundwise I think the Yamaha has the edge on this one. The Privia has a nice keybed, fairly decent speakers, and is lightweight. However, I wasn't impressed with the piano tone in that model. I felt my WK-3500 had a better piano sample. Also the piano sample in both the Privia 100/300 sounds to me like a (single) layerd sample. I felt it lacked dynamics.

They changed all this with the new 110 and 310. They're supposed to have much better quality piano samples and from what I've heard from other users is that they sound really good.

Squeak

Hey Squeak,
Have you purchased the Casio WK3700? If not have you demoed it?
Star

Starkeeper,
I'll be buying one either before or just right after the Thanksgiving holiday here in the US I've got to pay off that last medical bill for my oral surgury. I haven't demoed it, but I'm quite comfortable buying this model sight unseen. Are you still playing the 550? I'll still keep my WK3500 too. I'm still up in the air about the Alesis Fusion Synth. There have been so man and I mean MANY complaints about OS bugs. They've released a few updates for the unit, but I'm not sure it fixed all the bugs, and also what really threw me off is on the Fusion Synth Forum, there have been postings stating the Fusion can only handle (one) insert effect. If that's true what a total bummer there. All that synthpower under the hood, and they balled out on the insert effects.

Squeak

I have both the Casio 310, 300 Yamaha P120 and the new P140 in my store.
Yes, the Casio 310 is a major improvement over the 300 for the exact same price ($599.00). The new Yamaha P140 is also miles above the Yamaha P120 in terms of piano realism and features and both are the same price ($1195.00). The Yamaha is 64 voice polyphony and the Casio is 32 note polyphony. If this is not a huge difference and price is, select the Casio. If sound quality and piano realism is most important, the new Yamaha P140.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566

Thanks all, especially you, George. I wanted to send you a separate email, but felt it unfair to ask you to give me an opinion knowing I'd be buying from a local dealer.

The two models are in stock at the stores and i know I can make a killer deal at either place, but now you have me thinking about the newer models. Thanks again for everyone's help.

Cass

cassp,

I also own a P120, and I think it is a step above in that price-range. I really appreciate the piano sample and the portability. I also bought a P90 for our local church.

If you don't need on board speakers and you are not particularly keen on the cosmetics (the P120 wood finishing), and wish to gain even higher portability, then I suggest you also consider the P90, which is the P120 with no wood finish and no speakers, You should be able to get a good price for this model.

My dealer has a P90 also, but this time around I want the built-in speakers. We recently needed to bring our Technics console down from the choir loft - a heck of a lot lighter than our previous Kurzweil Mk5 - and it occurred to me that we should be able to afford $1000 or so for something a little more portable. The P120 seems like a good choice, although I'd like to see if I can get the P140 for the same price.

Hi Squeak,
I still have the PSR550 and A Roland EM20, the EM20 is also hooked up to my computer running OMB software and GS soundfonts. I will try to demo the new Casio 3700 and the Korg PA50 next week, if available. If they all sound good I will have lots of dilemas: Should I buy a Casio 3700, a Korg PA50, continue with softsynths, or wait for the PSR3100.
Its a shame about the Fusion.
Starkeeper