Upright pianos have been in the shadows of the Grands for a long time but it is the time to take another look. The pianos date back to 1805 and they are known for the less floor space and less money you need to spend. The chief advantage of upright pianos is their affordability and they are used at home, casual commercial venues as well as schools.
Now, we will dive in the best cheap upright piano on the market and some considerations you may need to fit your personal requirements.
7 Best Cheap Upright Pianos On the Market
Tips For Choosing A Budget Upright Piano
Before buying an upright piano, it is good to look for:
1. Sound Quality
Before buying a piano, it is good you try to play it so as to determine whether you like its sound. There are people who would prefer a brighter tone while others will prefer a mellower tone.
A good piano sound ought to be round and full. You can also acquire a professional opinion from your experienced music teacher or from a registered piano technician.
Listen to the consistency of your piano’s sound. Play all the notes of your piano with the same strength, to check for any unexpected deviations in the loudness. Listen for the notes that are sounding unexpectedly mellower or brighter than the rest.
2. Keys
Ensure that the piano keys have a smooth surface and are also free of cracks and damages. When you are playing your piano, the keys should have enough resistance.
When you are striking the keys, there should be sufficient cushioning so as to reduce the shock that is transmitted to the fingers.
3. The Brand
Some brands have consistently manufactured reliable acoustic pianos and they have a great reputation hence considered safer choices. It is important that you do your homework well to come up with the best upright piano brands where you can buy your pianos.
4. Where You Will Place Your Upright Piano
You should get the exact dimensions of your upright piano and the designated space to place it. Upright pianos occupy the least space. Acoustic pianos are also vulnerable to moisture as well as temperature fluctuations hence should not be placed near a spot with direct sunlight or a radiator.
5. Length of the Warranty
Big-ticket items such as acoustic pianos should have a warranty. Brand new pianos will have a warranty for at least 5 years. You should be careful when buying your piano from a private retailer.
Piano brands such as Steinway and Yamaha do not give warranty coverage for keyboards that are sold by unauthorized private retailers.
Top 7 Best Cheap Upright Piano Reviews
1. Best Overall -Suzuki 88 Key Acoustic Upright Piano
Brilliant features
- Endless music possibilities
- It has advanced technology
- Bluetooth and USB compatibility
- Affordable price for its value
- 55 built-in preset songs
- 3 track music sequencer
- Full-color LCD screen
Watch out for
- Poor user manual
The level of technology that is equipped in this compact and beautiful wood grain is unbelievable. As teaching equipment in your classroom, it cannot compare with its price category.
When used as an entertainment center in your home, you will create, listen, compose, and store. Overall. CTP-88 has advanced performance features that are not found on any digital piano that is within its price range.
Suzuki 88-key features Bluetooth compatibility hence you can access lessons and demonstrations as well as music from your browser or any other way that you will choose.
With the numerous features that cannot compare with its price, this acoustic piano will be a great addition to your home.
2. Runner Up -Yamaha Arius YDP-144 Digital Piano
Brilliant features
- 88 hammer-action keys with 3 sensor configuration
- The powerful tone of the CFX concert grand piano
- An award-winning piano
- Suitable for all types of users
- Online lessons for beginners
- Elegant design and quality construction
- Comes with everything you need
Watch out for
- Not too many fancy functions
Immerse yourself in the kind of sounds that you create, whether as you strive your perfection or purely for fun with the Yamaha Arius piano. This digital piano is a finely crafted instrument that has been made possible by the craftsmanship of over a century and the advanced Yamaha technology as well as expertise.
The YDP-144 is an affordable digital keyboard that is perfect for students and hobbyists who are looking for an attractive instrument to play at home.
It is designed to elegantly match your home decor representing the traditional design of an acoustic piano. Moreover, it delivers the technology and also the convenience of the stat-of-the-art digital piano. You have the freedom to choose from the two finish options to match your music-making space.
3. Best for Small Spaces -Roland RP-102 Compact Digital Piano
Brilliant features
- Authentic piano tone and key touch
- Bluetooth connectivity for wirelessly connecting to external devices
- Compact design for space-saving
- Roland Piano Partner 2 for navigation and educational features
Watch out for
- None found
Roland’s Industry is a leading piano technology with great style and instruments that are meant for smaller living spaces. This supernatural piano delivers a rich authentic tone that compares to the real acoustic grand.
The Roland RP-102R Upright Piano boasts an elegant look that is perfect for your modern living space and the great choices of white or a contemporary black finish enables you to match the instrument with your decor.
With the superior construction and innovative technology that exceeds other instruments within its budget by far, it will last you long enough for musical growth as well as piano enjoyment. With its built-in rhythm function, you have the ability to play as well as practice music.
4. Best Versatile -Yamaha DGX660 Cheap Upright Piano
Brilliant features
- Pure CF sound engine for quality sound
- More affordable price on the list and great value
- Versatile for music writing
- Variety of acoustic and pianos settings
- Built-in USB audio recorder
Watch out for
- May has too many bells and whistles for beginners
The DGX-660 digital piano offers aspiring pianists a fun way to improve their learning experience. Pianists of all abilities will enjoy the feeling of playing with a band and sounding like a pro.
The DGX-660 will provide you with a dedicated virtual space that enables you to choose from varieties of pianos as well as acoustic settings hence developing your personalized practice and a performance environment.
You simply select your desired piano and then choose your acoustic space from your living room to a club stage. This machine has a score display that puts the music notation of MIDI songs to your screen hence assisting you in playing your favorite hits by following the bouncing ball. Yamaha’s digital piano is an impressive machine that will make you get in love with music.
5. Best for Beginners -Casio PX-770 Digital Upright Piano
Brilliant features
- 88 fully-weighted quality keys
- A powerful stereo amplification system
- Best budget upright piano for beginners
- 10 recordings of familiar orchestral pieces
- Very affordable price
- Easy to connect through Windows devices without the need for additional drivers
Watch out for
- Limited connectivity
Casio PX-770 piano boasts an elegant and compact cabinet that will blend with any rooms hence satisfying your fancies. With authentic piano sounds as well as impressive features, you are guaranteed a natural feel and inspired brilliant performances.
The PX-770 comes with a builtin library consisting of 10 classical pieces that provide you the ability to play and record live symphony orchestra. From the classical themes to the beautiful elementary pieces, you will be thrilled by the sense of occasion that accompanies a soloist when in an orchestra.
Another great thing that makes this piano outstanding is the Duet mode splits that allow the teacher and the student to work on the same instrument simultaneously.
6. Best Sounding -Yamaha P125 Budget Upright Piano
Brilliant features
- Great for beginners and intermediate players
- Can be put on the tables and worktops for optimal sound
- 2-way speaker system
- Portable upright piano
Watch out for
- No three-pedal unit
The Yamaha P-125 piano is a great product with a good reputation due to over 100 years of acoustic piano craftsmanship. It boasts state-of-the-art technology as well as great expertise hence your preferred piano brand.
The P-125 effectively reproduces the tone of the great Yamaha CFIIIS concert grand piano and offers incredible energy and expressiveness.
The brand cares for its customers with the smart pianist app that enables you to control many functions in this machine using your smartphone or tablet.
7. Best Quality -Roland RP501R Budget Upright Digital Piano
Brilliant features
- Ideal for beginners
- High-resolution touch sensing
- Space-saving cabinet
- 3 months of free online piano lessons
- Quality sounds
Watch out for
- Takes some time to boot up
Roland Upright piano boasts a digital technology and an attractive design for the family home. The digital piano will provide a wealth of practice features that are ideal for developing beginner pianists.
While other entry-level keyboards are quickly outgrown, this product reassures discerning players with an energetic keyboard feel as well as authentic responsive sounds.
Another amazing thing is that Roland has collaborated with Skoove to give their customers a free three months online piano classes and has unlimited access to numerous songs.
With Bluetooth connectivity, you have access to a world of exciting apps including Roland’s Piano partner 2 that encourages daily piano learning. The app also makes practicing fun hence no frustrations.
On top of that, it has a twin piano mode that is ideal for classes since it enables the teacher and the student to play side by side and in the same octave ranges.
How Much Should I Pay For An Upright Piano?
This question stands to reason since a professional accomplished pianist will need a more demanding and also discerning piano hence a larger budget than for a beginner. With most things, you will get what you pay for.
It is good to know that the price of an instrument will be greatly affected by the time of branding as well as the materials used and also the current market. The size of the piano will also determine its cost.
Pianos that are big will be more difficult to produce since they require many parts and materials compared to their smaller counterparts. This makes them more pricey.
What Kind of Upright Piano is for Beginners?
A beginning piano student will need a good instrument. As the guardian, you want to make sure that your beginner student gets a good experience when learning to play, but at the same time, you do not want to buy a baby grand.
There are 3 basic categories of piano instruments that are available. The largest and pricey and also the best for developing your piano experiences.
Digital pianos are also good, smaller, and less expensive to develop yet they do a great job of imitating the feel and sounds of the acoustic instrument.
The other category is the electronic keyboard and it is the least expensive option. It might not have the right touch to develop the hand strength if you are a beginner.
There are a number of advantages of having an electronic or upright digital piano over the acoustic piano including the ability to plug in headphones. This allows you to practice without disturbing anyone.
Digital and electronic keyboards can also be connected to a computer using a midi cable and can be used with all kinds of music production software. They are also portable and they will never need to be tuned.
However, you cannot compare the digital and electronic keyboard with an acoustic piano. If you have space in your room and a good budget, then this is the best option. It adds much to your home and gives a clear statement of commitment to ensuring music is part of your family’s life. If as a beginner, you have access to a quality acoustic piano, then you will have the opportunity to develop great musicianship as the days pass.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this article has provided you with adequate information on the best upright pianos for beginners and all other users as well as a buying guide for the same. With this information, you will be in a position to make the right decision about the best piano to purchase.