Starter Piano?

[Mr wiggl3s]

I haven't been playing bass as much as i should. I'm thinking about finally buying a piano and learning myself it. Anyone have any suggestions on a good, cheap beginner piano? My budget is really, really, really low. I'm thinking of buying used.

Any info will help though. Thanks.

[Boira]

Do you want to go acoustic or are you thinking on a digital piano first?
My situation is just opposite from yours, piano is my first instrument and have recently taken bass.

If you want to go digital, the Yamaha Clavinova series are ok. They allow silent practice via headphones. Of course, it's not a 'real' piano, but they have hammered action weighted keys which gives you a pretty accurated feel. They're also easy to connect to a PC. Even after buying my acoustic, I still keep the digital for late night practice or for those times when I must repeat the same bar again and again and again and don't want the neighbours to hate me [more than they already do ].

If you want an acoustic, take a technician to inspect the piano before you buy it (2nd hand). Cracked pins, rusty strings, old hammers... can lead to a very expensive repair job.

[Mr wiggl3s]

Electric, i don't have room for an acoustic anyway. There was a best buy near me that has a yamaha ypt220 for $120. http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YPT-220.../dp/B002F920XO The action felt pretty good, anyone have any other suggestions?

[hall1k]

I regularly see digital keyboards on kijiji.ca (Canada's craigslist) for $60 or less. Sometimes even as low as $25.

[dullsilver_mike]

Look for hardcore hammer action long before you worry about a decent sound. That's the only advice from this piano novice, I found practicing on various alleged "piano" action electrics vs. the real deal to be a horrible handicap as I tried to pick up piano as a new instrument. I'm currently searching for an electric piano and I know that feel is 10x more important than sound to me as a learning player.

[MalcolmAmos]

For $300 US you can get a "good enough" keyboard to get you started. I have a Yamaha E-403 I paid $299 for and it has done everything I've asked of it.

If you just want to work out some melody, "see" some theory in a straight line or use it as a drum machine one of the under $100 jobs will let you do that. IMO everyone needs a keyboard. The feel and sound (the keys make when pressed) improves with the amout you pay. Purchase the best you can afford.

[Boira]

I'm with Dullsilver Mike. One of the [many] differences between keyboards and digital pianos are the keys. The sound is irrelevant because you can always get samplers of real pianos and use them via PC.
Digital pianos have 'heavy' keys, hammered action that try to imitate the real feel of an acoustic piano. You really have to 'press' the keys to get any sound. Keyboards' keys are toy-like. Light. If you start with a keyboard, making the switch to a real piano will be difficult, you'll have a hard time adjusting your fingers to the new heavy wooden keys.
Get the best you can afford.