Help choosing a new 88 keys midi keyboard !

[Xonnorel]

Hello to everyone;
I'm about to buy a full lenght keyboard, to keep improving as a piano player who like to make some music aswell.
I would really like to hear some comments/comparison between those 3 models that happens to suit my budget:
1) Yamaha p115;
2) M-Audio hammer 88
3)Studiologic sl88 studio
i'm looking for something "sturdy" with as much piano feel as possible for my budget

Ty a lot for your attention!
Patrizio

 

[happyrat1]

What country are you in and how much is your budget?

Gary

 

[Xonnorel]

Hello Gary ! Ty for your reply!
I'm italian, and my budget is around 500 € but i can increase a little for something that's really worth it XD

 

[happyrat1]

Take a look at the Casio PX-360 and the Yamaha DGX-670.

Gary

 

[Xonnorel]

Oh man they seems pretty good, but unfortunally I can't spend so much ; (

 

[happyrat1]

Take a look at the used market on Criagslist and local classifieds for a used DGX-650 or DGX-640 or a PX-350.

Bargains can often be found in the used market as people upgrade or give up trying to learn all the time.

Gary

 

[Xonnorel]

That's a nice tip man, i will surely take a closer look to those opportunities ; )

 

[SeaGtGruff]

I've been thinking of possibly getting an M-Audio Hammer 88, myself.

M-Audio does not have a great reputation for their MIDI keyboards, although I've never had any trouble with my M-Audio Axiom 61-II (not to be confused with the cheaper Keystation models).

I've seen user reviews from people who absolutely love their new M-Audio Hammer 88. And based on some of the other brands and models mentioned in their reviews, these are people with experience with stage pianos and more highly-regarded brands of MIDI controllers.

The main things holding me back from ordering a Hammer 88 (besides the fact that an 88-note keyboard is in my case a luxury want rather than a burning need) is that it doesn't have aftertouch sensitivity and has hardly any controls-- although aftertouch isn't essential to me, and I already have a couple of other non-keyboard controllers with plenty of pads, buttons, sliders, and knobs.

 

[Xonnorel]

I don't need controls at all, so the hammer would be a good choice, but I would like to know if the keys are as good as the other keyboards that are in the 550 euro range.

Btw I can get the p115 for a good deal (490 euro), do you think it's a valid keyboard for this price?

 

[SeaGtGruff]

Well, I have no hands-on experience with any of the keyboards you're considering, so I'm in the same boat as you; I've even considered going for a P-xx model, such as the P-115 or P-45/71. I'm reluctant to pick anything for myself until I've had a chance to put my hands on one in a store for a while to see what I think about the feel and response.

 

[Xonnorel]

Try before buy would be optimal for sure, but where I live there are no big music shops unfortunately

 

[SeaGtGruff]

I hear you! There are a few stores in my area, but by "my area" I mean I have to drive close to an hour to get there, as they're in nearby larger cities, not the smaller city I live in. Watching a lot of online videos is fine as far as getting an idea of how particular keyboards sound-- although videos aren't the same as hearing them in person-- but they don't help at all for getting an idea of how the keyboards feel. If there are no stores reasonably close by where you can try out the keyboards in person, the best you can hope for is to pick a reliable online store that has a very good return policy coupled with very fast delivery, so that if you don't like the keyboard you bought they'll let you return it to try out a different one.

 

[Xonnorel]

That's a good plan;
btw i guess i'm going to organize a little trip to a music shop and try different keyboards here then

 

[Rayblewit]

That is a very good idea Patrizio. Take the trip.Be sure you get a hands on feel.
It will be a long term investment and one needs to be comfortable with it.
You know I live in the city and have lots of music stores to choose from but even so music stores are wide spread and can be an hour or more between suburbs. But you need to do it.
Good luck.
Ray

 

[Xonnorel]

Yea you are totally right, ty again to everyone for all the tips