The most important features to look for in a digital piano are 88 keys, touch sensitivity, “weighted” keys, and a quality piano sound.  A full size keyboard is 88 keys; often consumers will try to save money and/or space by getting a keyboard with 76, 61, or some other number instead.  While there is a significant price difference between 61 keys and 88 keys, a 61 key keyboard is simply not suitable for serious music study beyond the primary level, and is not ideal even then.  A 76+/- key instrument will theoretically be suitable for elementary and early intermediate students, but an upgrade will still be necessary at some point.  As for the space difference, 88 keys will be slightly over 4 feet wide; 61 keys will be not less than 3 feet in width.  Unless you plan on storing the keyboard under a couch or on a shelf in a closet, the space question is more one of visual aesthetics than one of physical logistics.  Touch sensitivity, which means that the keyboard is sensitive to the force with which the keys are struck (as on an acoustic instrument), should be standard on all good instruments, regardless of size.  Check to be sure, though!  Weighted keys are actually not weighted, but spring loaded so that they feel “heavy” as on a real piano.  Weighted keys are important to the development of finger-working muscles and a technique of controlled attack that will work on all instruments.  Other common electronic keyboard features such as disk drives, large sound banks, recording capability and the like are fun but unnecessary! 

Acoustic pianos: An electronic keyboard is, at best, a poor substitute for a real piano.  The range of expression possible on a decent acoustic instrument is infinitely greater than even the best digital keyboard; with the wide range of pianos and price ranges, often a decent upright (or “vertical”) piano can be purchased for not much more than a decent 88 key digital keyboard.  There are many high-end keyboards that are priced higher than upright pianos; there are many low-end pianos that are priced lower than many keyboards.  Don’t decide not to buy a piano because it’s not affordable without carefully comparing digital and acoustic instruments in your price range.  A worn, if serviceable, used upright is far preferable to a shiny new digital keyboard.

The main types of upright pianos available are Spinets, Consoles, Studios, and Professionals; these terms refer to the length of the strings, and hence the height of the piano.  Spinets are the smallest, and professional uprights are the largest.  As a general rule, the bigger (taller) the piano is, the better the sound.  It is also typically the case that a bigger upright will be better made than a smaller spinet and will have a more reliable action (taller uprights usually require fewer moving parts).  A good grand piano over 5’4” is a major improvement over an upright, and the cost of a decent grand is also much more than that of a comparable upright.  If you have the space and the money for a grand piano, by all means, rest assured that a good grand will last 100 years, will not loose value to the same extent that ordinary consumer products do, and will be far superior in touch, reliability, and tone quality than most uprights.  On the other hand, if space or budget constraints send you looking for smaller grands (anything under 5 feet; and even 5 feet is a bit on the small side), consider a professional/studio upright.  Tiny grands are best used as furniture!

All manufacturers are not created equal, and if you’re in a position to invest in a good piano, you’ll be spending at least $1200, perhaps much more.  A good resource, with tons of information on brands, reliability, etc, is The Piano Book, by Larry Fine.  It’s kind of like a used car reference text, but for pianos.  Most people would not just go to a used car dealer without doing some research on what brands are likely to meet their needs and last a good long time, and buying a piano is no different.

Retail gimmicks: If you’re buying anything with 88 keys, go to a piano dealer (such as Jordan Kitts).  Skip the mass retailers (Circuit City, Cosco).

Most manufacturers distribute their instruments exclusively through a single retailer in a given geographic area.  This means that prices are much higher than they might otherwise be.  If it seems like you’ve found a great bargain on any instrument by a reputable manufacturer, go home and do some research before you buy!  Check prices with out-of-town dealers or on the internet.  Most dealers list prices that are rather high, with the expectation that they will be bargained down somewhat.  Be aware that the potential for negotiation varies not only from dealer to dealer, but from brand to brand.  (For example, you’re not likely to see much price flexibility with a new Steinway; however, the same dealer may be willing to bargain significantly with other brands in their inventory.)  As with buying a car, read the classifieds and look up prices online to get an idea of what you should be paying, and then go to a dealer expecting to pay that price.  If the dealer won’t negotiate and their prices are not close to what you’re expecting, find another dealer!

Don’t be tempted by an offer of 100% trade-up value.  If you are buying a quality acoustic piano, (as you should be!), it is highly unlikely that you will ever attempt to use trade-up credits; even if you do use them, they will not save you a significant amount of money, as any discount will be made from the list price, and not the final negotiated price.  Of course, it’s nice to be able to apply your purchase price to an upgraded instrument at a later date, just not nice enough in and of itself to patronize a particular retailer!

Many dealers offer rent-to-own programs.  Renting-to-own a piano is like renting anything else: you will end up paying more than buying outright, but you’ll have the flexibility of backing out should your needs change.  If you’re considering rent-to-own, keep in mind that the vast majority of renters end up buying anyway (at the end of their leases).

The pianos offered at “University” piano sales have been played hard every day, eight or more hours a day, all year long.  Go and look, but be wary.  The same goes for classified ads in the paper: a good way to get a feel for the market, but risky!  It is usually unwise to buy from a private individual without having a trusted tuner or friend with some keyboard skills test out the piano first.

Buy used:  The used market is far more competitive than the new market; consider good-condition used instruments whenever possible, especially with acoustic pianos.  Always try to negotiate the price of a used instrument whether the seller is a retailer, “university,” or individual.  Good luck!