Kurzweil SP88

[Steve Nathan]

On a session. Dude asks is this worth $250?

Looks ok. In a nice case.

Opinions?

[timwat]

IIRC, it's essentially a Kurzweil micro piano with an 88-key semi-weighted keyboard, 30 lbs.

 

There's a version with fully-weighted keys (SP88x), but the 76 and 88 were unweighted. Only receives on 1 MIDI channel, but I think it can send on two different channels. Ribbons instead of wheels.

 

Is it worth $250? Only if someone wants a full 88 key in semi-weighted, and limited sounds, controls and limited MIDI are acceptable, and micro piano-era internal sounds.

 

Personally, I think a brand new Casio PX160 ($499) or a Casio PX-S1000 ($599) is way better value.

[Bif_]

 

That's a fair price, if it plays ok.

[Steve Nathan]

He"s buying it for his kid.

[Bif_]

If I'm buying for a kid, I go in as cheap as possible until I know the kid wants to go further.

 

 

[Gretel]

I would recommend against it. It has only one velocity layer, no resonance modelling at all and if I recall correctly fairly short samples where you somehow notice the looping. Because of this the piano sound is pretty boring and uninspiring. This is not a question of your level of playing: if I play a single chord on my FP50 with pressed sustain pedal it already sounds gorgeous. If I do the same on e.g. a Micropiano it simply sounds dead.

If I wanted to get a kid into playing the piano I would make sure the sound is better. Buy used and if need be then sell again and your loss will be limited.

[Coker]

If you are intending the child to play 'piano' then I would buy a fully weighted keyboard instead. Spend a few extra $ and get one of the newer Casio PX pianos, which have a fairly realistic key action, speakers, and decent piano sounds.

[churchkeybob]

SP88 still holds a soft spot in my heart because is was my first digital piano. I played APs my whole life and only started playing digital about ten years ago. I can say the SP got me started and after one year I was ready to move on. I now play a PC3a8 which is light years ahead of the old SP, however the SP88 was inspiring enough to get me going. ~BOB

[AnotherScott]

II think it can be easy to get jaded about this stuff. I saw a band over the summer where the guy's piano board was the SP76 (basically the same), he liked it and it did the job. (He paired it with a Novation SL MkII 61 controller running the Mainstage organ.)

 

As for its suitability for the guy buying it for his kid, people seem to be making assumptions in their responses to that idea. We don't know... Is this kid 5 or 15? Does he already play some piano or is he first becoming interested in learning? Not that it affects whether it's worth $250, but it may be relevant to some of the other comments people have made.

 

As for whether it's worth $250, I'd say it's probably toward the high end of a reasonable price range. If he were looking to sell it a year from now, I'd guess $150 to $250 would be where he'd be. But the other side of whether it's worth $250 is, what else could he get for $250? If he wants to buy locally, the options could be limited. If he's willing to buy over eBay/Reverb, he may find more choices. At $250, one could probably find an older Privia which might be more desirable.

[Moonglow]

Another question is whether it would be used for playing in a band or alone/small setting, the latter where a keyboard with internal speakers would be convenient.

[MoodyBluesKeys]

I had the SP88X (weighted version) for my first digital piano (not first electronic board, that was a Prophet 600), actually purchased for grand-daughter's piano practice. Board was OK, I wound up giving it to our pastor's wife for something at home for practice, and she is still using it. $250 seems a bit much IMO for tech that old. But it does depend on what else is available for a similar price.

I replaced it with a PC2X, then a PC3X (both of which I still have).

[ShadowMan]

I used an SP76 in my rig for years. Now I use it at a practice space - controlling either an Ipad or modules.

Always thought it had a decent feel ... and in its time, some adequate sounds. With a good case that"s not such a bad price.