As a great alternative to acoustic pianos, digital pianos are now quiet popular among pianists. This explains why many people want to know about their costs and why is there so much talk on whether these pianos are expensive or not. Generally, you can expect a digital piano to cost anywhere from $500 to $5000. The prices depend on the quality of this instrument and where you buy a digital piano from.
Below, we’re explaining all on the costs of these instruments. So, stick around till the end!
Digital Piano Costs
Below, we are sharing the average costs of different categories of digital pianos that are available in the market today.
1- Beginner ($500-$1000)
A beginner digital piano can cost you around $1000 while an average one costs about $500. To be precise, these are often referred to as compact or 61 key pianos.
These pianos are mostly targeted towards beginners who are new with moving their hands on those black and white keys.
2- Intermediate ($1000-$2000)
Intermediate pianos are an upgraded version of entry level digital pianos. These can be characterized from their responsive keys, great sound quality and realistic key action.
Generally, an intermediate digital piano cost falls between $1,000 -$2,000 though it may vary depending on the brand you buy from. Some of these brands include Casio and Yamaha among others.
The sounds on these pianos are not as realistic as professional ones but you can still find an affordable piano to work with in this category . Honestly, these don’t pose much competition to traditional pianos. However, you can still go for these for your everyday piano lessons.
3- Professional ($2000+)
This is where things start getting serious because professional digital pianos offer far more advanced functions that intermediate models along with superior quality.
4- Console Models ($3000+)
Console pianos are often the high end upright piano models which come with premium sounds, especially in the sub $3000 range.
These are far advanced than professional models but mostly come in a compact size. This makes them the one of the best digital pianos. Some of these include built-in speakers which means you don’t have to connect it to an amplifier for playing music.
Factors Affecting Digital Piano Prices
There are many factors that affect the prices of these pianos. Some of the most common ones of these are as follows:
1- Piano’s Size
Depending on its size, your piano can either be very affordable or a very expensive one. For instance a mini piano can cost as low as $1000 while a full-sized grand piano may go well over the price range of $10,000.
2- Piano’s Level of Authenticity
Authenticity is another factor that determines how much your piano will cost you. If you’re up for random friendly practice sessions and make music for fun, then you’ll be able to find something cheap.
However, if you want something that is close to an acoustic piano then expect to pay more.
3- Brand of Piano
Another major factor that affects digital piano prices are different brands. A brand with a strong reputation will have higher prices. For example, Yamaha sells pianos at higher prices compared to Casio because they are considered as having better sound and build quality compared to Casio.
Thus, an average Yamaha electric piano costs around $1500 while an average Casio costs about $1400-$1500. However, this may not be true for all brands. A new, relatively unknown brand may actually sell pianos that are better than Yamaha or Casio at a cheaper price.
4- Extra Accessories
Digital pianos often come with some accessories such as headphones, pedals etc. The more expensive your instrument is, the better quality you can expect its included accessories to be. You can expect the following accessories coming along your piano:
- Bench
- Stand
- Headphones
- Pedals
- Dust covers
and more..
5- Number of Keys
The number of keys also affect the price of your electric piano. Most pianos with 88 keys are more expensive than ones with 76 or 61 keys. It is true that most songs require 88 keys but if you don’t play in public then having 88 keys is not necessary.
Also, some people may like to have 76 keys because it is the same number as an acoustic piano and therefore they feel more comfortable practicing on it when transitioning between playing an acoustic and electric piano.
6- Piano’s Material Quality
A cheap, plastic piano will be at a lower price compared to one that’s made of wood because it is lighter and less expensive to produce.
However, just like with headphones and other accessories, the material quality in which your electric piano is built determines how good its sound and keys will feel when you play them.
Why Are Digital Pianos Expensive Than Old School Pianos?
These pianos are expensive because they employ a lot of high end equipment and technology often not found in other instruments.
For example, most of these are also electric pianos and, hence, cost more than others. Some are grand pianos with weighted keys that are similar to what you would find in an acoustic piano. Usually, brands equip their digital pianos with the latest technology for making music like sound engine and touch sensitivity, making them the best pianos in all ways.
However, if you are very serious about authentic sound and want to stick to one piano for your musical journey, investing in high quality pianos is surely worth it.
Conclusion
The price of a piano is not always an indicator of it being the best. Sometimes, a low-end brand can offer you the best electric piano in great quality and affordable price. Further, you can contact someone who deals in used pianos to save your money.
However, if you are one of those professional musicians looking forward to producing quality music with prefect instruments, we suggest you don’t invest in a cheaper piano because it can ruin your work. Instead, look for a used piano that is still high-end.
Hoping you find the best piano for your music journey soon.