Although electronic keyboards are getting cheaper day by day, I am sure you would still be interested in opportunities to buy them more cheaper. If you are a beginner, you may not be sure whether you want to pay so much for a new model, so you can try some of the methods mentioned below to buy a cheap keyboard.
Even if you are not a beginner and if you have a particular model in mind, you can still hope to find it cheaper if it is exceeding your budget.
Pianos generally tend to be more expensive than electronic keyboards because of its structure. At times you may not be sure whether you want to pay so much for a new model or you may have a particular model in mind but it may be exceeding your budget. Even then, there are a lot of opportunities to buy a cheap piano. You can hope to find decent bargains if you look at some of the ways mentioned below.
Here are some of the ways to get yourself a cheap piano / keyboard.
Visit Exhibitions/Conventions
Do not ever miss an opportunity to visit any music exhibition or convention. Good place to look for discount keyboard instruments!
This is the place where you can try hour hands on a wide range of instruments, play the most expensive instruments and get amazed by their sounds and styles.
You can talk to a lot of product specialists and attend their demo sessions. You will get most of the products at a good discount as they will be keen to do a good volume of business.
The atmosphere at such events is very energetic and besides useful information, you will also get a lot of inspiration.
Approach Churches/Schools
Check out in your local schools and church to find out if someone wants to dispose of their old and used pianos. You might land up a bargain here.
More than a digital piano, you are likely to find an old acoustic piano, which might not be in the best of shapes. So you may have to restore the piano back to a good condition, which can be expensive. So just weigh the pros and cons. Digital pianos, on the other hand, usually do not deteriorate that much because in most likelihood you will find one that is only a few years old.
Go In For Part Exchange
If you already own a keyboard, you can exchange that for a new one when you buy a better instrument. This way you can get the new instrument for a decent price.
For the old keyboard, you may get around 30-40% of your original cost depending on the model and its condition. This is because the styles, sounds and other features may not be as good in comparison to the ones available now.
It is advisable to visit as many shops as you can since some of them may offer a better deal than the others for your old instrument.
Get A Used One
Some of you may not like buying used things but for some cases it does make a good option.
If you are a beginner and if you want a keyboard that has 5 octaves, lot of features, good sound and if you do not want to spend the amount for a new model then you should consider buying a used model.
Of course, a used one will not have the polished look that a new one has but it should definitely sound as good as a new one.
Later, when you can play much better and if you have the budget, you can think of buying an upper range model.
A used acoustic piano may not be much cheaper but you can definitely get a used Digital Piano for a good price. Some of you may not like buying used things but if you do not have the budget for a new model, you should consider buying a used one. Of course, a used one will not have the polished look that a new one has but it should definitely sound as good as a new one.
Look For Lesser Octaves
Of course, 61 keys would be ideal to have and since all the 5 octave keyboards look attractive and sound good, you will naturally gravitate towards some of those models.
But if you are a sort of person who is a bit impatient, who starts on an activity and then leaves it midway to try out something else, then you should consider buying a three or four octave keyboard.
You can then spend around 6-8 months learning and if you make sufficient progress you can always gift yourself a 5 octave keyboard as a reward for your hard work.
If you do not mind spending above 150 USD, look for a 5 octave keyboard!
Buy Online – The Blow Out Section
Although your local shop might be offering very good prices, you should always check the prices online for discount pianos & keyboards.
A lot of these portals have arrangement to deliver the keyboards & Pianos directly to your doorstep, bypassing a lot of people who would normally add their profits. So you can expect to find cheap keyboards & pianos online.
You can also visit the Blow-Out Section, available on most of the online stores. It is a great resource for musicians looking to find the gear they want at blowout level pricing.
A blowout section contains all their blowout items – items that are refurbished, open box, or with minor blemishes.
But then they also come at blowout prices! Expect to get a decent discount on such items! You can easily save big dollars on some of the products.
Some of you may have reservations about buying such items, which I can definitely understand.
As a beginner, I wanted all my music-gear to be brand new without any spots / blemishes, however minor they might be. Over the years though, I have become cost conscious and always look out for opportunities to get the maximum value for my money.
As far as the sound, keys, LCD and the buttons are working fine, I am willing to consider the instrument for buying.
Maybe some of you would share that thought.
You also may want to know that instruments in the Blow Out section have limited inventory and some of them really do get picked up fast.
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KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
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