Kawai Piano Prices: Yamaha P140 88-Key Digital Piano (Black) Review

I recently did an exhaustive review of the digital piano world as I am trying to teach my children to play the piano.Accoustic pianos are not a choice due to the size, weight, cost, and tuning requirements.I love the idea of a piano that is always in tune (and can move if we move), but I wanted to be sure I was teaching my kids in a way that they could easily play a grand piano if presented with one.The biggest concern is muscle memory, and making sure their fingers are used to the feel of a real key.

Roland makes some of the top-of-the-line pianos, but they also come with a high cost.I am sure the sound might be a bit better, but I could not justify the expense.I tried out some of the higher-end Yamaha pianos, and while I was impressed, still was shocked at the cost.The P85 was the lowest cost Yamaha piano I tried that seemed it could be good for teaching.It sounded nice, feature the weighted keys with "graded hammer standard" (GHS), and was reasonably portable.However, I felt the P85 keys were a little hard to push with a little too much return.I had a higher-end Yamaha nearby (non-portable) and found the keys much better.The store also had a grand piano, and the higher-end Yamaha was much closer than the P85.

With a little research, I discovered that the high-end Yamaha pianos (the ones that cost $2k and up) use "graded hammer effect" (GHE), a step up from GHS.The P-140 was the least expensive piano to support GHE.It also has 64 note polyphony, 14 voices with 3 tonal varieties, and support for a sustain pedal (you only need 1 pedal for most playing).

What are the downsides to the P-140?Some other digital pianos have far more voices, more recording capability, and louder speakers.I think the built-in speakers on the P-140 are rather pathetic.But they are good enough for practice.

When I bought the P-140, the P-155 was being introduced.It has essentially replaced the P-140.Better speakers, 128 note polyphony, and more features, but essentially the same piano.I found a seller who was looking to liquidate his P-140's for a good price (with a free stand as well), and I decided the P-155 was not worth the extra cost.If my kids really start playing seriously, I may invest in a Roland, but for now, the P-140 makes sure they don't learn bad habits.My number one criteria was realistic action, and the least expensive way to get into the higher end GHE is the P-140.

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Product Description:
The Ideal Fusion of Rich, Expressive Sound and Exceptional Style As the newest member of Yamaha's P series line, the P-140 delivers incredible sound performance at an incredibly sound price. Featuring Yamaha's highly acclaimed Graded Hammer Effect keyboard as well as realistic piano and instrumental voices, the P-140 offers both the authentic feel of an acoustic piano and the advanced features of today's digitals. Whether you are an accomplished or aspiring musician, the P-140 has the simple operation and superior style you need to showcase your abilities.

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