Keyboard - CVP3xx vs CVP207?

[pwcrowther]

I've had a CVP207 for a couple of years and am delighted with it, but I see that the latest series is supposed to have a better keyboard. My question is why is it better? Would I, an average pianist, notice the difference? After my old upright acoustic piano, the Clavinova keyboard felt really good, so I'm interested to know how it could be even better.

[Chuck Olson]

Hi,

My local Yamaha dealer said the GH3 keyboard is the same as the GH, except it has 6 weight steps instead of 4. He may have been trying to sell me the old CVP stock he had on the floor with the remark, and I haven't seen it in print, so take it subject to revision.

I also asked about the small keyboard display demo key assemblies they have hanging around so that you can see the action - - if it has the weight changes that are typical on full size keyboards, and he said it does. And standing there pressing the keys, I couldn't tell a difference from one end to the other. That may be just me, as I'm no pianist (despite 67 years since my first piano lesson). But I can't say I can sense even the 4 changes in my new CVP209, so that may be pretty much the full story there.

[dbjorck]

Hi!

There is definitely a difference between the 208 that I had before and the 309 I have now. To me the 309 feels much more natural, and I've played everything from dinky honky-tonk pianos stuck in wet garages to concert Steinways. The 309 closes in on the feel of the Steinway as I feel it, although with the more dampened feel that e.g. Yamaha has. In fact it is almost identical to my grand piano which is an English one from 1898.

That said, my teachers did tell me when I studied in the conservatory that I did have very good touch. As an average pianist I don't think you would sense the difference. And even if you did, it would be difficult to use it to good effect before becoming an advanced player, so I would say it's not worth the money for you at this time.

Brgds

Danny

[pwcrowther]

Danny - thanks for the reply. It sounds like I shouldn't be jealous of your 309, but just of your skills as a pianist! Are you a professional? By the way - how many Clavinovas do you buy in a year?

Best regards,

[dbjorck]

Hi!

Thanks for the kind words. I'm not a professional now, as there are so many excellent pianists out there, I realised I couldn't make a living of it. Instead I became a programmer. (If you on the off-chance would want to hear anyway, I have a small snippet on my homepage http://www.sitecenter.dk/dbjorck/music/; it is played on the grand I mentioned. The sound quality isn't very good though)

LOL, I've calculated that I've bought 0.125 Clavinovas per year over the past 24 years!

Brgds

Danny