The Casio Celviano AP-260 digital pianos has been refined for those who demand an authentic grand piano experience. The traditional design houses stereo grand piano sounds and redesigned keyboard action. Utilizing a tri-sensor spring-less 88 note scaled hammer action, every nuance and detail of your performance is captured. A 4 layer stereo grand piano sound delivers a natural, expressive and dynamic piano experience.
Can't think of anything else they manufacture …
This model is discontinued - it's a bargain they're dumping the older model for the AP270
Also, with the discount code, this piano about $50 cheaper than Costco.
Apparently Costco bought up the remainder of Casio's inventory and are selling them for $849.
I believe your information is from a US-based site (azpianoreviews) about US-based Costco and in USD prices. Which makes this a very good deal.
I have the 250 and love it, haven't played a 260 but if the action is anything like the 250's keys then it's great for the price :)
Yea got this mail
they also advertised this digital radio for $250 claiming half price…but suprise ebay price is $250 .. . -____-
a lyrical understanding of the word 'authentic' maybe required
Only $33 for Sydney Metro delivery! That seems way too low…
I got the 250 a few years back, it comes flat-packed.
It's a great entry level digital piano that comes with a piano bench. I wouldn't worry about it being a discontinued model. You do get 5 year warranty on them.
We have the AP250 and it has served my daughter well for 4 years. Will be looking to get an acoustic as my daughter is finding the limitations against the teachers acoustic piano.
Do her (and you) a favour and get either a full-sized Yamaha or Kawai. It doesn't have to be new, but other brands lose value faster because most people want one of those two. By full-sized I mean 48, 50, 52". One of these two will see her through most, if not all, levels.
Avoid anything below say, 115cm tall (and that height is AFTER subtracting the wheels) will have shorter bass strings, which means you'll be buying again in a few grades. A good secondhand $2000-$4000 full-sized Yamaha or Kawai would take her all the way, or so close to it that she would be playing/teaching herself for a living.
If you plan to go new, a U1 or U3 Yamaha (or model of similar height) is the first choice. I think the U2 deletes the sostenuto function on the middle pedal, so most people get the U1 or U3. The U3 is just taller than the U1.
Both brands make lots of other models though. If looking second hand, just aim for the same sort of 48" or > height and it's difficult to get a 'bad' Yamaha or Kawai model, with a couple of exceptions like the T121 I think it is, that again is Indonesia. e.g. The 'X' in Yamahas, like YUX models have an additional back brace for more stability (they stay in tune longer, less 'bending' or variation of sound during hard playing).
That same size-and-up rule applies to Kawai too. Kawai is either equal, or second to, Yamaha, but only hinging on personal preference - which type of sound and action she prefers.
If buying a Kawai new, don't get anything below a 3, 30, 300 (whatever they designate it as lately)… The "3s" and above (like 40, 400, 60, 600, 80, 800, etc.) are made in Japan. Whereas the '2', '200', and below (with both lower model number, and/or shorter height) are Indonesia, iirc - which are not 'awful', but they're not 'as preferred' - some having lower-quality or laminated soundboards for example. (I believe the actions are the same - made in Japan and shipped to Indonesia - but Indonesia does the final adjustment.)
If you're thinking about a grand for the 'full professional' action for her, avoid the smallest model size. At least get the second smallest size or larger. Because while the smallest grand will give her the grand-style action/experience 'opposite' to an upright (hammers raise and fall to strings, instead of forward and back), most people find a tall Yamaha or Kawai upright will 'out-audio' the smallest size in grands. i.e. Why waste that space getting the smallest grand, when one step up in size gives you the better action AND sound than an upright.)
There you go… Everything (important) I learned over a few years of researching, in as many paragraphs, which 40% or > of (secondhand anyway) piano salesmen have no clue about. ;-)
Kawai is either equal, or second to, Yamaha, but only hinging on personal preference - which type of sound and action she prefers.
Generally agree that it's a matter of personal preference but I would argue that Kawai makes the better pianos. The only reason Yamaha (which also owns Steinway) is more popular is due to their massive marketing and artist sponsorship budgets. There have even been documented cases of Yamaha / Steinway bullying artists into exclusively playing their instruments.
Kawai definitely have to keep their game up, due to being second in sales - which is a good thing. There's a lot to like. A few years ago I was going to get something like a US50 if I bought secondhand, or a K600 or K800 (I think it was) if new. One draw for me was the 'grand' music stand. But I think they removed it from one (or maybe both) of those models for some odd reason. I planned to use it to sit a laptop on. I haven't seen their new K600 and K800 in person, but their older models that have the squarish 'sound box' just back from the keys (like the US50) have a very powerful sound.
I was dead-set on buying a Kawai solely due to reading descriptions of the different sound character they each produce. But when I heard a few comparisons in person - Yamaha and Kawai standing right next to each other in the same room - I wasn't so convinced.
I've seen (somewhere online) a visual of the typical sound wave produced by both. The Yamaha sound wave was a very narrow peak with virtually no side-artifacts. The Kawai had some 'side bumps' (excuse the technical term) that the Yamaha didn't. What does that mean in our ears? Who knows. It hinted that the Kawai had a fuller sound, but as before, by description alone I thought I would prefer the (typical) Kawai sound, but in person, not so much.
The loose 'consensus' is Yamaha's most typically have a more 'bright', 'sharp', or 'bell-like' sound. But that said, I've also heard a large Yamaha & a Kawai grand standing next to each other, and the Kawai sounded very 'Yamaha-like'.
I would definitely look (listen) closely at Kawai when I buy again though.
Just PLEASE… anyone buying new, will you please buy a BROWN one? (I hate black pianos and there's so few second-hand brown ones, LOL.)
I went down to Ray's Music Exchange. They will match the price and throw in the black keys for free
Will he accept an IOU
Naturally, as usual
black keys?
Oh, oh oh I got a love that keeps me waiting….
May I know where is this store located ? Thanks
Can I play jingle bells on it?
Pretty hard to balance on top of an upright instead of a real grand.
Got this a year back. Great sound.
chair included?
Bench and score stand included. You get what's in the picture.
Will Chris Marshall beat this price?
Thanks, bought one. Delivery Friday.
How do I get the discount?
Just add the product to your cart and put the code in checkout
Has this promotion ended?
it will expire within an hour, so no
Why is that when I click on the link it says cannot order online?
Has anyone received theirs yet? I ordered one last week and apart from the order confirmation, I haven't received any follow up about delivery etc.
Same. I purchased online last Friday and only received confirmation that it's a special order and they are out of stock and will order from supplier and advise in due course. They have debited my bank account. (profanity) shit customer service JB HI FI.
Will go perfectly with my Casio watch and my Casio calculator.