Customer Reviews

Yamaha P80 88-Key Graded Hammer Effect Digital Piano

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

 

 

When I needed something portable for silent practice of classical techniques and repertoire my choice was the Yamaha P80. It is the best compromise. The sound is near enough to a real piano, the action is close enough that skills transfer, it is easily portable, and the built in speakers mean that it is usable just as it is, as a self contained unit, with no extras. Compared to the offerings from other makers it was the long sustain of the Yamaha sound that made it stand out for me. Looking at the other features: 64 note polyphony makes the pedal usable even for things like long glissandos - in fact it is better than Yamaha's own Silent System Grand pianos which offer only 32. Then factor in the price and I could not see the point of paying more for any of the pianos "higher up" Yamaha's range which sounded at best marginally better, and felt exactly the same to play. The other extras - other instruments, built in metronome and recorder, MIDI output are just icing, though for some they will be key features.

However, the advertiser's claims that the sound and feel are identical to an acoustic piano are way over the top. The sound is always recognisably electronic, and becomes more so as you hear more of it during hours of practice. It is especially so when you play staccato, sforzando, or with pedal. And the action is quite unique, better than an organ or early electric piano, but still unlike an acoustic piano. Despite the weighted keys there is no sensation of a "bite-point" at which the hammers are launched, and there is always an unnatural, slightly springy feel to the return of the notes. So it is not quite what Yamaha claim, but it is is still a useful practice instrument for the traditional pianist and emulates enough of a real piano that what you learn on the P80 you can play on an acoustic.

I chose the P80 as a "silent practice" tool but if you are not a traditional pianist, and are buying this as an instrument in its own right, perhaps for gigging with a rock or jazz band, or for schmoozing at wedding receptions, then I don't think you'll be disappointed either.

Great digital keyboard for beginners or teachers. Weighted keys add a realistic feel and provide finger strengthening. Full sized, with 88 keys, from low A to high C. Control Panel allows adjustment of volume, metronome, demos, record & playback, voice/variation, effects and reverb. Keyboard can connected directly to MAC or IBM/PC compatible computers via the MIDI IN/OUT connectors and a MIDI interface...

great practice instrument esp if you live in an apartment or need off-hour practicing. Outstanding simulation of a weighted keyboard. A little heavy to be a true portable (probably around 40 lbs, maybe double that with a rolling hardcover case), but a terrific instrument for practice and most uses. IMHO as good as, or better, than many of the Roland or Korg units which are priced much higher. (I am not a Yamaha employee when I say this.)

I've had my P80 for over ten years now -- on occasion I will go to our local "Guitar Center" and try the new keyboards. I'll stick with my old P80 -- feels and sounds very close to an acoustic. In fact, after playing an acoustic here and there, I prefer my P80.

It has a variety of piano sounds, a couple organs and other piano-like sounds... plenty for me. I have been playing the piano since 1951 and worked as a jazz musician for nine years (1955-1964) -- have played on some really bad pianos. But, this one is consistent... sounds good all the time. Plus I like the transposing option ... so I can play Body and Soul in C and have it come out in D-flat (it's beyond me why Johnny Green wrote that in D-flat... guess he wanted to give the piano player a work-out).

If you're mainly interested in a good piano "sound" then this keyboard will work for you. A little heavy for gigs, but it's worth hauling it around ... great sound.

This keyboard is simply amazing! I purchased it for use to practice but I have used it in many other venues. I often have used the pipe organ feature; In my opinion...there has not been another keyboard that could touch the sound of this pipe organ sample. Others seem to whispy and thin. This keyboard also offers a variety of deep rich tones and sounds; and the feel of the instument is great! I am going to purchase another one, so that if anything ever happens to my old one I will have this keyboard to continue with!

I highly recomend that you buy this keyboard--especially for the listed price!

I have had the Yamaha P-80 for more than 10 years. It's good for gigs, which I only occasionally have. Other than that, it's in the case, and I practice on a grand piano. No problems adjusting to the Yamaha during gigs...the touch is good, though not exactly like a true acoustic piano. Paired with the Roland K-100, 12-inch speaker, it works fine with jazz trio as well as Big Band. There is plenty of sound. The sustanuto pedal moves around too much, it's light, so it needs to be taped to the floor, or put on a non-skid pad. The piano is heavy to carry, so I use a dolly, and it has a really nice padded case. I like it being heavy, so it doesn't bounce around when playing on stage. It holds its own. No complaints. Don't need lots of style buttons...just piano for the road! - Ann M

I used my P80 for several years, but ended up replacing it with a Roland RD-700SX. In its favor, the piano sound was great, and I used it successfully on one of my albums. Unfortunately, the initial positive impression of the keyboard weighting wore off when I realized that the action was much heavier and slower than both grand and upright acoustic pianos by Yamaha; so much so, that it caused actual pain in the fingers. However, the deciding factor was that it spent so much time in the repair shop, as the keys kept breaking... they would go down, but not come back up by themselves. I may be a vigorous player, but this happened under more or less exclusively studio use, with no gigging abuse.