Yamaha CP4: A good buy in 2023?

[confidence]

I'm not aware of any board with a better action, if the board is intended to be used mainly for piano, as you say. The CP4 also has a good range of sounds that are almost all high quality and usable, unlike some other boards that bulk up the number of their sounds with bad or ordinary ones. It's also well built, at a good sweet spot between solidity of engineering and weight, that inspires confidence and is practicable for gigging.

 

There are (slightly) better acoustic piano sounds available elsewhere now, and there are boards with more capabilities in various areas (splits, zones, ease of tweaking etc.)

 

But you're not really comparing apples with apples because any board like that to be bought new now, will cost at least twice the going price of a used CP4 (probably more). So yeah, if money is no object and you just want the very best board available, you'd choose something else (though what would depend on your specific requirements). But if money is any kind of object, a CP4 will probably get you 90% of the way there for 50% of the price.

[Per Ivar]

On 1/31/2023 at 6:24 PM, JazzPiano88 said:

Ah yes, I owned a P250 before donating it to church and upgrading to the CP300.    Love the CP300.

I´m considering to replace my lovely cp300 with a cp4. Does the cp4 have equal or better sounds, and will the cp4 cut thru the mix in the same good way? I love my cp300 but its wery heavy. I focus strongly on E-piano sounds.

[Bobadohshe]

On 4/9/2023 at 1:11 PM, Per Ivar said:

I´m considering to replace my lovely cp300 with a cp4. Does the cp4 have equal or better sounds, and will the cp4 cut thru the mix in the same good way? I love my cp300 but its wery heavy. I focus strongly on E-piano sounds.

 

Yes the sounds are equal or better. The sounds are indeed better. But people LOVE the built in speakers on the CP300 and if that is an essential experience for how you connect with the board, you might be dissapointed.

[Bobadohshe]

I am just seeing this thread for the first time.

 

I have 3 CP4s now. There is still nothing like this board that cuts it for me in my particular rig. It sounds just as good in the mix playing 'September' as it does during a jazz cocktail set or playing Mendelssohn during a wedding ceremony. Not only that but the compliment of extra sounds suits my top 40 needs very well. I use the EPs, the Wurlis, the DXs, the Polysynths, the harpsichords.

 

The sad part is 2 of my CP4s are in the shop right now for different reasons. One has velocity triggering issues from some of the keys, the other has a puzzling output volume issue. My tech said I should start stockpiling used CP4s if I'm serious about keeping them in my rig as they are only going to get more scarce. He also said the CP88 is a different kind of beast and not necessarily in a good way. While I covet the improved EPs in that board, the additional sound set has been reduced so I'd be out of luck on the various synths I use. And I'd really miss the 16 patch buttons in performance mode. Lastly all those silly toggle switches would probably shear right off after a couple months the way I use these boards all the time. It does seem like a less durable beast.

 

Despite all that I am pondering going for something like the Stage 4 in my heart of hearts, because you just can't go forever with these kinds of discontinued boards. Although I could buy 3 more CP4s for the price of one Stage 4.

[jazzpiano88]

On 4/9/2023 at 3:11 PM, Per Ivar said:

I´m considering to replace my lovely cp300 with a cp4. Does the cp4 have equal or better sounds, and will the cp4 cut thru the mix in the same good way? I love my cp300 but its wery heavy. I focus strongly on E-piano sounds.

 

I bought my CP4 with same intent you are thinking about.   Unfortunately, I didn't end up using the CP4 for gigs because (1) gigs were pretty sparse  (2) I couldn't give up the security blanket of my CP300 as a known reliable killer instrument.  Side by side in the home studio, the CP4 sounds slightly better to my ears in both AP and EPs.

The CP300 is beefier and feels more solid than the CP4. It also allows stackability with its larger flat top surface.  As you know, it's internal speakers are amazing for practicing at home.  

 

As both the CP4 and CP300 are discontinued, I would consider the P-515 as it's 23lb lighter than the CP300 and should have all of the advantages of your CP300.  The price also seems sweet at $1600

[biowizard]

I bought my CP-4 brand new back in about 2014, and it remains my favourite, go-to e-piano when I don't need the symphonic sonic mastery of my (older) S90-ES.
The CP-4 keyboard action is a dream, the built in soundset (while not a match for the aforementioned S90-ES in terms of variety and quantity) is superb. Relatively lightweight (polymer body rather than steel casing), the CP-4 is my perfect gigging instrument, as well as a very satisfying play-at-home keyboard, especially through decent headphones. 100% would still buy a brand new CP-4 if it still was in production, and for some reason I needed to get a new Stage Piano.

[Paul Woodward]

I loved my CP4 and felt no love for the CP88 which is it's direct replacement. If I didn't have a Grandstage I might be in the lookout for another.

[Kurzfan]

Just today I cleaned the sensors because I got highest velocity notes so now and then. Seems to be solved now so I can enjoy my CP4 for some years more.

The action, the weight, the CFX sample still don’t disappoint me after all these years