Yamaha NP-32B 76-Key Lightweight Portable Keyboard (Open Box)

** Note: This is a review for the NP-32 76-key Piaggero. I am an experienced pianist. ** There comes a point in a musician's life where he /she realizes that no single keyboard instrument can do all that's asked of it. All piano-like keyboard instruments (not thinking harpsichords or celestas here) have their inherent strengths and weaknesses. For example, a Steinway concert grand is expensive, isn't portable at all and goes out of tune if played regularly. But if you don't need portability, have the cash and it's in tune ... nothing can compare to it (except, perhaps, an in-tune Bosendorfer). I realize this is a rather long-winded introduction for a relatively cheap electric keyboard, but I think it's important because many of the low-star reviews are comparing the Piaggero to pianos that don't have to travel (such as the Steinway). No wonder people are giving it bad reviews! Instead, let's judge the Piaggero for what it is: a very portable, ultra-light, bare-bones performance electric piano (with synth action) that's extremely easy to travel with. This is the reason I purchased it -- i already have a high-end, hammer-action electric piano, thank you very much (Kawai CE220), but i can hardly schlep it to gigs! Based on what it's positioning itself to be -- THERE IS NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT ON THE MARKET. Here's why i think it's the best budget portable performance piano out there: - It's VERY INEXPENSIVE FOR WHAT IT IS. I got mine for USD 250. - It's LIGHT. You can carry it under your arm with ease. - It's PORTABLE. Because it features very few flashing lights, bells and whistles, the form factor has been kept very small for a 76-key keyboard, so it's just over 1 metre in length, which gives it a small turning circle (so to speak) - It's BATTERY-POWERED with 6 AA batteries, so you aren't enslaved to a wall outlet power supply (though you can buy one separately, if you so choose) - It has BUILT-IN SPEAKERS, so you don't even need to bring an amp (though it's best suited to small venues with light accompaniment - it's perfect for accompanying a singer, not so much a brass-band!) In fact- with the sole exception of a foot pedal, i have no reason to accessorize the Piaggero with anything else to bring it to a gig. You can plop it on a tabletop (so no need for a stand) and away you go, The only thing which comes close in comparison to the Piaggero is the Roland GO piano, which doesn't have all the features mentioned in the list above. Of course it isn't perfect, and here are some of the flaws (none great enough to knock off a star): - The position of the extra keys compared to the 61 key version are a bit awkward-- it would be nice to have a full C to C extra octave, but instead the additional key range extends to a bottom E in the left hand and a top G in the right hand. - The speaker could be louder. It does limit the performance to accompanying singers and light instruments. If you want to accompany a rock band you'd need a proper speaker. - There's no obvious "Transpose" button - you have to plough through the manual to figure out you have to press and hold the "Metronome" button and one of the keys to transpose up and down octaves. You'd be forgiven for thinking, at first glance, that this keyboard doesn't support transposition. Some other quick features -- USB Midi, and some standard voices (2 acoustic pianos, 2 electric pianos, yada yada...)... but let's be honest you aren't buying thing as a MIDI controller (i recommend a Novation Launchkey for that), or its wonderful electric piano sounds (they're ... ok) - you're buying it because it's highly portable for doing workhorse gigs. In conclusion... wonderful for what it is. Don't expect to be able to play Rachmaninoff on it, or expect anything other than a synth action-- but if you want something you can very easily gig with, say to play a couple of tunes out of the Real Book, then the Piaggero is an ideal lightweight gigging companion.