Which beginner keyboard?

dchwhite · October 2017

My children play - intermittently - on an inherited Yamaha PSS 680 keyboard. It mostly works, but it would be nice to get something which had all its keys and so on. Any recommendations, or pointers regarding starter keyboards would be very gratefully received (budget is, as usual, 'not much'). I have seen that you can get starter kits including a stand and stool, which do seem an improvement on the current method of balancing the keyboard on top of enough guitar cases to get it to about the right height, but if these tend to the cheap and nasty, please do say.

Thanks in advance

Funkfingers · October 2017

Are you after a wide selection of general purpose sounds or a more specialised instrument?

goldtop · October 2017

Dan, if you want to pop down to Waterbeach, I can give you a free stand. Proper double-braced type that's now surplus as I've got a bigger Jaspers set-up. No stool, but it's adjustable height to suit whatever you rustle up.

As for a keyboard, I'm guessing you want built-in speakers for simplicity? Which tends to lead back to similar Yamaha keyboards. Unless there's something specific that you want to improve over the one you have now?

dchwhite · October 2017

Barry, that's really kind of you - thank you

I will send you a PM and sort out a time. I don't think we're looking for anything specific in the keyboard, other than not having any keys missing! As such I will see what Yamaha have available atm.

Funkf - I guess a more general purpose instrument rather than something specialised. If the children play with a new one more, we can always look at higher-end kit in time.

Funkfingers · October 2017

dchwhite said:
I guess a more general purpose instrument rather than something specialised. If the children play with a new one more, we can always look at higher-end kit in time.

Understood.

I was half hoping that the Yamaha PSS-680 might be reinvigorated by the attentions of these guys. https://www.circuitbenders.co.uk

olafgarten · October 2017

I'd recommend a Table style stand rather than the X Shape ones, they are a lot more solid, I bought a Stagg one for £30.

I think it's this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stagg-MXS-A1-Adjustable-Mixer-Keyboard/dp/B000OR2DMM/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1508972935&sr=1-1&keywords=table+keyboard+stand

munckee · November 2017

Am looking to buy my 12 year old daughter a keyboard for christmas, she is already doing lessons at school, from my research it suggests one with touch sensitive keys is the minimum level of something "decent" although that is from people selling stuff! The one I am looking at is Yamaha PSR ES363 at c£170.

Nomad · November 2017

munckee said:

Am looking to buy my 12 year old daughter a keyboard for christmas, she is already doing lessons at school, from my research it suggests one with touch sensitive keys is the minimum level of something "decent" although that is from people selling stuff! The one I am looking at is Yamaha PSR ES363 at c£170.

What instrument is she learning on? If it's piano, and the intention is for her to practice that at home, then you need to consider getting something with proper weighted keys (ie, a digital piano of some sort). The keys on the do-everything keyboards have a completely different feel and don't work for playing piano.

prowla · November 2017

Well, I've got a couple of keyboards which have been superseded...

A Yamaha YPR-9:

and a Casiotone CT-640:

Note that both of these keybpards have MIDI connections, so if you do want to get into that, then they're ready.

They can be battery powered or you can get an external power supply (I think 12V).

I was thinking either for £35 (collected), but you might be able to pick one up cheaper or even snag one of freegle/freecycle if you are lucky!

dchwhite · November 2017

Funkfingers said:

dchwhite said:
I guess a more general purpose instrument rather than something specialised. If the children play with a new one more, we can always look at higher-end kit in time.

Understood.

I was half hoping that the Yamaha PSS-680 might be reinvigorated by the attentions of these guys. https://www.circuitbenders.co.uk

I would much rather repair if possible, but suspect the postal charges there and back would be expensive. Thanks for the suggestion though.

dchwhite · November 2017

@prowla I'm not sure if your post was aimed my way or not, but I think I'm a bit far away unfortunately - I'm up in Cambridgeshire.

Someone local has offered me a Roland E 15. If anyone had any opinions, I'm all ears

prowla · November 2017

dchwhite said:

@prowla I'm not sure if your post was aimed my way or not, but I think I'm a bit far away unfortunately - I'm up in Cambridgeshire.

Someone local has offered me a Roland E 15. If anyone had any opinions, I'm all ears

It was vaguely, if you happened to be heading this way at all (and my boy is at uni up there), but also for illustration of the kind of things available.

munckee · November 2017

Nomad said:

munckee said:

Am looking to buy my 12 year old daughter a keyboard for christmas, she is already doing lessons at school, from my research it suggests one with touch sensitive keys is the minimum level of something "decent" although that is from people selling stuff! The one I am looking at is Yamaha PSR ES363 at c£170.

What instrument is she learning on? If it's piano, and the intention is for her to practice that at home, then you need to consider getting something with proper weighted keys (ie, a digital piano of some sort). The keys on the do-everything keyboards have a completely different feel and don't work for playing piano.

Hi, she is learning on piano. We have a full size electric piano she can use at her grandparents but need something for her to use when she wants to practive or do whatever the keyboard equivalent of noodling is. Limited budget and not sure how serious she is yet just want something not too big with proper keys and feels as much like a piano as possible.

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Which beginner keyboard?

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