Suzette Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I am needing prices for a new keyboard/electric piano ... can anyone give me an idea of places to go to please, other than the local music shop. Or is the local music shop the best place to go? It is to be used for shows and also singing classes in a drama school (based in SW London). I've not had to buy such an item before so not sure if there are "trade" places to go to or the local shop. I will be talking to the music teachers before I buy, but I need to do some initial legwork on prices before that discussion takes place. I know it will need to be 8 octaves, weighted keys and with a decent piano sound, but any extras on top of that will depend upon price. If anyone wants to suggest a decent machine to look out for that is fine, but I'm quite happy to do the work myself - just need to know who to phone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Far from expert on this (being a technician not a musician) but.... If you just want a place that can give you budgetary prices etc., both the Thomann and Digital Village websites have lots of keyboards. http://www.thomann.dehttp://www.dv247.com/icat/homeofferslist As for recommendations, my keyboard mad mate from the pub is currently mad about the latest version of the Korg Triton which he wants to add to the 6-odd OTHER keyboards he already owns. After a few pints he thinks he's Rick Wakeman. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterT Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 As you're an education establishment you should be able to get an educational discount. I've used Starland's education department a couple of times and they've always been very helpful. I'd recommend the Yamaha range of digital pianos, they're very solid and well built, but they ain't cheap and they're not too light either. Have a look at their website Here and give them a ring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryson Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I just bought three Electric Pianos for our studios. In the end, we did indeed go to the local music shop and negotiated hard for a startlingly good discount. I preferred the Rolands to the Yamahas, but it kind of depends on the sound you want. Roland sample Steinways and Bechstiens, and so have the warmer "european" sound. Yamaha have a more precise but colder sound to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Is Turnkey/Soho Sound House still in existence? They tend to have end-of-line kit (ie been discontinued, and they buy all the remaining stock) which is basically last year's model, but at very substantial discounts, I've had many a bargain there over the years. Since you mention SW London it's almost "local" :) Almost opposite Foyles bookshop... hmmm... sudden reminiscing about something from the UK that I feel deprived of... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 turnkeys still going - charing cross rd. Mind you, I wouldn't buy anything from them after the service I've had. I'd second thomann, or the lcoal music shops. One thing - look under the keyboard, as in just above your knees. Avoid any that have a hardboard panel here. At my old college, we went through loads of Roland, yamahas and Technics - and if this panel is hardboard, they're meant to be put in one position and left. Moving the things about wrecks them - the frames are often chipboard held together with little right angle brackets that you get on cheap kitchen units - wiggle them in and out of a car a few times and they fall apart. A true stage piano or synth meant to be moved, as in the Tritons, will last longer. Always listen to them - all those makes have at least one or two that sound dreadful. Often they have too many gadgets. Sometimes the extra sounds are total pants. Roland sometimes have issue with the sustain pedals - not just switches, but circuit boards inside - too much samping cracks the board, or breaks the cable - expensive to fix. Some only have a headphone jack, and no proper amp sockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_Beech Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I'll agree with Bob.Thomann have a vast range, Digital village also stock a fair bit and the good bit about DV is you can go to one of their stores and have a look and play.This is something I highly recommend. You really can't just chose one you like the look of and the bloke in the local says is good cos he knows somones aunt's dog that plays one. Its whats right for you and the other people playing it. This is where your local music shop comes in. You can sit for half an hour and have a play around, using its in built speakers or ask them for a pair of headphones. You then have the choice, you can ask them for a good deal on that unit, try and get them down a bit urther, see if they can match an online price. You could have the display model for a discount. or you could say thankyou I'll be in touch, and get one cheaper from digital village. Although to a small local music shop this is a little bit harsh. I use a Technics SXP50 which is a little dated now. Not many features, but a good sound and it wasn't overly expensive. I particularly like the feel of it so I may just buy some form of module to update it when I need to. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Try and get a hands on demo - preferably for the person who will be playing it regularly. I suppose that means either your local music shop, or maybe one of the larger ones in the city centre. A friend of mine, who is a professional piano teacher and accompanist, was asked to select an electronic piano for her church. She went to a major music shop in Glasgow, and the salesman steered her towards one particular model. He sat down and banged out a few chords. Sounded really impressive. But that was just about all he could play! He was astounded when she picked up something at random from the "difficult music" shelf, sat down, and played it.... Eventually she selected a completely different instrument, which sounded better when she played it, but didn;t sound anywhere near as good when he played his "power chords". So make sure the person testing it is the pianist! Pauls point about robustness is very relevant. If it's just going to sit on one place, then it's no big deal. But if it needs to be moved regularly, check out the construction, and also the weight. Some of the cheaper units can be rather heavy - I've got a basic Roland unit - sounds fine, but weighs a ton.... I must admit, it's always tempting, once you've selected a unit, to phone around and find the cheapest internet source. I always feel really guilty when I do it, but if the price difference is substantial, and the local shop won't compete, I tend to live with that guilt.... But I'd always give the local guy the first chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 turnkeys still going - charing cross rd. Mind you, I wouldn't buy anything from them after the service I've had.I will admit to having one bad service experience with them, but have a couple good experiences, so for somewhere that is price driven they do all right, in my humble opinion. They're about typical of music shops as a breed. I spent a lot of money at Hessey's music shop back in the day, as did the Beatles before me, and they (Hessey's, not the Beatles) were both fairly expensive and in my and several of my mates experience had (trying to be polite) difficulty in accepting the concept of repairs not being paid for even within the warranty period. I believe they (Hessey's and the Beatles) are now gone. So as ever, ones mileage does indeed vary. I like Thomann though, they deliver stuff to NZ :) I hate to think what'll happen if I ever have a warranty claim though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I hate going into a shop where it is so crowded, nobody wants to help you, where the phones shout out all the time "john, john, john, john" etc. They pay as much attention to you spending £600 as £6! All the kit on display is dirty and the big security bloke on the door is intimidating. I don't even go in any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I hate going into a shop where it is so crowded, nobody wants to help you, where the phones shout out all the time "john, john, john, john" etc. They pay as much attention to you spending £600 as £6! All the kit on display is dirty and the big security bloke on the door is intimidating.Wow. I'd forgotten all that. Isn't it funny how selective memory works :) The door had some magnetic lock on it well, I seem to recall, so they'd only let you in once they'd looked you over. Yeah, it was a sh*thole. Pure and simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 [Wow. I'd forgotten all that. Isn't it funny how selective memory works :) The door had some magnetic lock on it well, I seem to recall, so they'd only let you in once they'd looked you over. Yeah, it was a sh*thole. Pure and simple. Was in there (Turnkey that is) just before Christmas....some things don't change. Just up the road from me in Milton Keynes is a glitzy place called "Sound Control". So far they've been useful and reasonably helpful...and they at least try to match prices with other suppliers. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Pearce Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 I've bought some stuff from there (sound control), though it was drums not sound. Good service, and they had a lot of sound kit in stock, and some nice lights on a truss in their ceiling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_s Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Chappells in New Bond Street do sometimes offer really good bargains - they have a spring sale, which might be over by now, but worth a try perhaps. I've a feeling you may get better after sales service from them than from turnkey, though I've no personal experience to back this up. Another place to try is Rose Morris on Denmark Street, just round the corner from Turnkey. I have bought stuff from there, and found them very helpful. I'd say Turnkey was fine if you know exactly what you want and why you want it, but other places would be better for the less knowledgeable (like myself, when it comes to keyboards....) there's also a big musical instruments dept in the basement of Virgin Records on Tottenham Court Road, with lots of keyboard set-ups, but I'm not sure how competetively priced they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzette Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 Thanks for all the advice. I won't be deciding on exactly which piano is bought - I will leave that to the Head of Music who can go and play them all to his heart's content in a shop! I will check out hardboard bases and make sure it is something substantial. I'll let you know how I get on - thank you one and all :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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