As title!

I’m not musical so know nothing about them, but my daughter has indicated she may like one for Christmas.

Thanks

Just bumping this!

Depends: If she’s been learning on a piano, then a cheapy keyboard will be v. disappointing to play. But if her experience has been a cheapy keyboard then OK.

You may be able to pick up a fairly decent one second hand but anything new will be in the realms of toy rather than instrument (IMO – I don’t think I’m being a piano snob, but it is possible! My digital piano was £750 and is ‘entry level’)

If you have the space and the ability to transport, then acoustic upright pianos are very often virtually given away. This may actually be your best option to get something playable for £100.

Sorry to sound negative, but you know when that chap in the office says “I’m going to buy a bike, NOT A CHEAP ONE!……I’ve got about £150 so spend!”? Well, that.

^^

what he said.

But it might also be worth considering a MIDI controller keyboard (like this http://www.gear4music.com/Keyboards-and-Pianos/Acorn-Instruments-MasterKey-61-Key-USB-MIDI-Keyboard/IS8) that you could plug into (say) an iPad or computer with Garageband, which has some reasonable piano sounds and synths and stuff.

the money saved on built-in speakers and an internal sound engine might get you some slightly better keys etc…

Thanks – I’ll be honest it will probably end up stuck under the bed after a few weeks. She’s played a little at school and expressed an interest in it, but spending £750 isn’t an option!

It’s really just a tester to see if she has any real interest and take it from there.

You just can’t tell if it will be a hit until she gets it. What I would definitely say is that buying a keyboard version of a BSO will result in it being shunted under the bed in a few days……

If she has expressed an interest then I would be nurturing that as much as possible. A second hand decent digital piano from eBay will keep its value pretty well if it does turn into a cobweb collection and you decide to move it on.

As per my previous comment re:acoustic pianos, see following examples of a large selection……
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lindner-upright-piano-/281854659406?hash=item419fd8cb4e:g:~BsAAOSweuxWQ5~r
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Piano-/121813964646?hash=item1c5cad9766:g:KqsAAOSwYHxWPFHF

At that price, +1 for a controller you can link to ipad or computer.
Garageband is an easy way in. I have it on my phone to mess about with and even on a crappy iphone speaker, the quality of some of the instrument sounds is really rather good compared to a large plasticky keyboard from toys-r-us. Midi controller gets you a better ‘feeling’ keyboard for the money and the flexibility of whatever program/app you use.

I’ve been looking at these. My daughter I’d four, so I reckon a kso from eBay will be fine for £20

Muffin, I went through what sounds like a similar situation and ended up here…….

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-casio-ctk-240-keyboard

So, if you want a tangible keyboard just for starters, to see if she’s keen, buy mine and get her something else for £50!

Win/Win.

Midi controller def the way go.

Check out the minilab from Arturia very reasonable, great sounds.

If you want a better feeling controller the korg microkeys are nice. (I use the teeny one).

I got this last year after recommendation by a musician friend.

Samson Carbon 49

it was about £80 for a keyboard, stand and package.

needs an ipad of computer plugged in to produce the sound.

its pretty good, but if your child is learning piano then a longer keyboard may be better (like this version Samson Carbon 61 – as long as you have the space

My lad started keyboard club at school & had one for his Birthday last year. It’s an entry level Yamaha model, was recommended by the local music shop. Was about £110.
I’m sure £750 one would be very nice but for something they may not even get in to, it’s good enough. Can run off about 200 AA batteries, so they can lug it around school without rembering the power cord,

If you are near Bristol I have an old casio keyboard that you can have for £20. Midi compatible.

Would have to go in the loft to find the model number!

About 4yr my son came to me and asked if he could do keyboard lessons. We asked the school what keyboard they recommended for their lessons and bought one for a deal of about £100.

It got about 1mths use and then put in the loft. 4yrs later my daughter came to me and asked if she could have a keyboard for the lessons at school. We dug the old keyboard out of the loft and set it up. Its had a bit more use of a couple of months, but not really much more.

I would say get the one that the school uses. It makes it so much easier for the kids to understand settings etc. Some of these things take a degree to understand.

At least when my daughter is finished with ours we can happily put it in the loft and forget about it. If I had paid £750 I would be gutted