If you’re still deciding between slab vs. console, budget ranges, or what accessories you’ll need, read this first: Digital Piano Buyer’s Guide. Quick verdict The Yamaha P-145 is the newer “entry P-series” platform. Compared to the P-45B, Yamaha mainly updated the key action, piano sound, speaker system, and connectivity. You may see P-145BT (Bluetooth). The … Read more
If you’re choosing between the Roland FP-10 and the Yamaha P-45 (P45B), you’re looking at two of the best-selling, best-supported entry-level 88-key weighted digital pianos on the market. I’m an authorized Yamaha and Roland technician, and I repair both regularly. In my experience, both companies provide excellent support for these instruments—warranties are straightforward, and parts … Read more
Clients regularly ask me what digital piano they should buy. Buying a “budget” digital piano is one of those decisions that feels simple, but there are many pitfalls. I’m a piano technician and an authorized service center for Yamaha, Roland, and Casio, and so I see the aftermath of these purchases all the time—good and … Read more
I regularly have customers ask me for headphone recommendations, and I’ve settled on a few favorites. I prefer open or semi-open headphones, and prioritize lightweight, soft-touch comfort. A good set of headphones provides clear, high-fidelity sound and is comfortable to wear for hours. I’ve used quite a few headphones for keyboards and keyboard repair, and … Read more
If you’re sitting on a cherished VHS collection—whether it’s home movies, rare recordings, or out-of-print media—it’s absolutely worth digitizing it while you still can. What got me involved in this? I’ve established a bit of a reputation as the “legacy media guy” with my customers, thanks to all of these floppy disk transfers. So they’ll … Read more
So you’ve decided to back up your Yamaha Disklavier floppy disks. And now you need a floppy disk drive that can read them! So what’s the best USB floppy disk drive for our purpose, and especially for reading those earlier, pesky 720 KB double-density (DD) variants used by early Disklaviers? This article explores various options, including … Read more
Customers regularly ask me which is the best humidifier for their piano and music room. Pianos are creatures of humidity: Wood is hygroscopic, meaning it naturally absorbs and releases moisture from the air depending on the humidity level. Controlling that relative humidity in and around your piano is the one of the most important aspects … Read more
Electronic keyboard instruments—especially Yamaha Disklaviers, Clavinovas, stage pianos, and organs—represent significant financial investments. Some of these instruments cost well over $50,000. I’ve had a few customers ask me about the best surge protector for their Disklavier or other instrument. My predecessor in keyboard repair here in Maine, Nick Orso, was so enthusiastic about Tripp Lite … Read more
When it comes to digital piano repairs, especially on Yamaha’s P series models, one thing’s for sure: There are a lot of screws! To open the plastic shell of a Yamaha P series digital keyboard, there are no fewer than sixty screws. Some of Yamaha’s DGP series keyboard have even more. This means just opening … Read more
Pianos have wood and metal inside of them, and both react to relative humidity in different ways. Wood is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs and releases moisture from the surrounding air. This causes the wood to expand in humid air and shrink in dry air. Metal can rust and corrode if the humidity gets too high, … Read more