Customer Reviews

Casio AP-45 Digital Piano (88 Keys with Weighted Action)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There was a time when no self respectable Middle Class American family would have a living void of some musical instrument, especially a piano - - whether or not it was actually played, tuned, or merely used to hold photographs. - - Today, that space has been claimed for the most part by what's know as the HOME ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, and understandably so, because perhaps 30 or 40 years ago the only reason people played the piano in the first place was to combat pre-cable TV, VCR and internet boredome and when the kids grew up and everyone found better things to do it would never get played anyway.

I say this because the fact that the piano has gone missing from most homes is a sad thing for those who like to play it... but interesting because now people who are likely to buy a piano may very well do so because they want one that actually suits their playing purposes (not merely matches with the furniture and proves how big a piano they can afford!) - - and luckily the digital keyboard manufacturers realize this. For this reason, not only do I believe that a digital piano with a nice sound, realistic feel and the option of wearing headphones when its played late at night IS actually a really great choice to make for a good home piano (especially if you don't have the space or money for a baby grand.) I was particularly impressed with the AP-45 because not only is its sound compatible with the home console I came up playing, it actually sounds and feels better than many of the home consoles I grew up playing as a kid. (*you have to rememeber that back in the days the smaller pianos often had a muffled sound and not as good touch as the better and more expensive store models - - and if you came from a family that skimped on tuning and maintenence you had to deal with other problems as well, including the dreaded broken/slipped dampers!)

As for the CASIO name - - I am amazed. When I was a kid, we used to go to stores like Korvets, K-Mars and Sears and CASIO was synonomous with department store JUNK electronics... A few months ago, I was trying out the floor models (at K's Denki in Tokyo where I now live) and was amazed that the Casios were blowing away all the other consoles (within their price range.) Though most sounded pretty much the same, the area that CASIO seems to have beaten them out on was overall feel and response.

For those of you seeking a digital piano that has the same basic features of a piano (not a home organ, electone or midi keyboard), a great feel, nice living room look and pretty good sound I would definitely conclude the AP-45 is definitely a great option... (And since I've been playing since I was 5 and I'm a pro musician and isntructor, I'd hope I'd know!)

P.S. If you are looking for something with more digital features and don't mind spending a bit more the AP-80 is a pretty delightful little treat !

Last Christmas (9 months ago) I received a Yamaha EZ-150 Keyboard from my parents. I wanted to see if I would really take an interest in piano or not. I did, and today I bought the Casio AP45 digital piano.

The sound on this thing is incredible. I assumed when I went shopping I would be buying a Yamaha. But the moment I heard this one I was sold. When you close your eyes, it's like you're playing a grand piano. You can sense it in the room. The harpsichord is very sharp. The organ is great as well. Fitting so many classical instruments into one 88 keyed instrument! How amazing?

It is housed in a beautifully finished brown wood. Easy to use interface. Keys are graded (heavier in the bass) so the feeling is exactly that of a grand piano. If you are looking for the best recreation of a grand piano $1,000 can buy, look no further.

Piano looks good, sounds terrific. But - big BUT - this piano has a painfully user-unfriendly interface, using the piano keys for settings. For example, one might expect a simple metronome setting +/- for faster slower, and a three digit display to show you the tempo. But no. First you press the metronome key. Then you press the Setting key. Then you count up Cs from the bottom of the keyboard - holding down C speeds up the metronome, holding down B slows it. And NO way to tell where the tempo is set. That same clumsy keyboard interface is used for many of the controls. I like the piano, but the control UI is just *badly* engineered.

I bought the Casi AP45 Digital Piano for my mother for her 80th birthday. She loves to play the piano but has not had one of her own for years. I couldn't afford the regular accoustic piano so I wanted to get her something that was as close as possible to the real thing. This one has been absolutely wonderful. She could not get over how much it sounded and felt just like a regular piano. But better than that, she has been trying all of the other sounds and is having a ball learning how to use them.

The piano was very easy to set up and looks beautiful in her small apt. She tells me everyday that she is in her 7th heaven.

I am not a piano player myself, so how useful is such a review to you? But I can use my ears, and I can look at the construction.

The construction is very solid, and the unit is heavy. A few years ago I swore an oath that I would never allow any particleboard items in the house anymore, but now I had to. The unit is really as good as it can be being constructed from particleboard. Both the piano and the stand are made out of very thick material and for the stand the particle board is covered with MDF underneath the veneer. The foot pedals are very solid as well, and it takes real pressure to put them down. Just like the real thing.

All screws and bolts needed for assembly were neatly packed in separate plastic bags, and a good assembly instruction is in the user manual. The packaging was perfect, including a plastic slide off cover on the pins of the power receptacle. It doesn't do anything, but it is good to see the manufacturer has an eye for details.

When I first heard the sound I was totally impressed. This thing sounds like a *real* piano. No booming , resonance or vibration or anything which doesn't belong in the sound. I can imagine that it sounds differently compared to an acoustical piano, but don't sound acoustical pianos different either?

For a non-player, the keys felt very natural to me. If you press a key, you *feel* the momentum of a mechanism being put into action. Until you realize there is no mechanism in place. The harder you hit the key, the louder the sound is.

Incredible. I have nothing to comment on the construction, it is Japanese perfection.

I ordered this from Amazon and received it in less than a week. The instructions for assembling are very clear and easy to follow. The weighted action is wonderful and is also adjustable. The sound is excellent and this is probably as close to a real piano as a digital piano is going to get (for this price anyway). Very pleased with the purchase.

By the way, the panels are somewhat textured and semi-mat finish, so this is not as good-looking of a piece of furniure as a real piano with the glossy finish. But the attractive dark brown color compensates for that.

I was looking for a dependable, relatively inexpensive alternative to a piano with a MIDI interface and the AP45 provides exactly what I was looking for. The weighted keys feel just like those on a stand-up piano, the sound is good, and it looks as much like a real piano as one could reasonably ask for. (While it's not the centerpiece of our living room like a baby grand would be, it is not at all an eyesore the way a Privia PX-110 on a standard stand would be. Overall, I'm happy with the appearance, especially when the cover is pulled over the keys.)

I should note that I don't use any of the advanced functionality. My family uses some of the preset sounds to mix it up, but for us the AP45 is basically a piano substitute that we can occasionally plug into our laptop. I've assigned a rating on 5 stars on the basis of my family's limited needs; it's perfect for us.

I have not played the piano in over 20 years and decided to get back into it recently (but no room for a full size piano). So my expectations were pretty low on the quality and feel a digital keyboard could offer. I took a chance after reading a few of the reviews on this item and I am super pleased I did! Not only do the keys feel like a real piano, I am pretty amazed with how good it sounds. It arrives in a few pieces, but it was pretty simple to put together and I was playing it within an hour(OK - trying to play...a 20 year gap leaves one's skills a bit rusty). I haven't yet employed all the bells and whistles, though other reviewers speak highly of them. But I can say that I am amazed with how great it sounds! And for the price, I am extremely pleased with my purchase.

I am not a musician, but enjoy playing piano. In our new home, we have a small space upstairs that would not be conducive to a full-size piano. This keyboard is lightweight, has great sound, keys are weighted to feel like a real piano. The headphone jack is a plus for a family of five. This will be a great starter for our family.

I bought this piano for my 11 yr-old daughter who is interested in piano. It is all our instructor required - 88 weighted keys and very fun. It looks great and fits nicely in our house, which did not have excessive room for a huge piano. When looking around, I couldn't find the value or look for a better price.