I would go with something synthesizer based because with a Rhodes or a Wurly you only have that one sound available. The EP 30, as it has aged and started to vanish from the landscape (They ARE from 1974, after all!) is likely to be overpriced because they are called "legacy" (I hate that word. They are OLD, not legacy.) Newer Roland pianos will treat you better as sound reproduction technology has improved so much in the 50 years since the RD 30 came out. And you won't have to pay "legacy" prices.
A lot depends on your application. Do you want a "piano" piano as if you had an upright in your living room or do you want the bells and whistles of a workstation, hundreds of sounds that come in a synth that also does piano well, etc... I have an old Kurzweil KP2500x (that weighs 72 pounds and is too big and heavy for anything but a platform stand) that sounds great, yet I also have a Nord Electro4 that not only has solid pianos but the best Hammond sounds short of lugging a 600 pound Hammond around. And the Roland FA-06 I just bought used for $800 at the Sweetwater campus in Fort Wayne is also great. The Roland though is a workstation with a lot of sequencer power, an assignable 16 button pad where you can create a "song set" of any 16 sounds of the hundreds of them and call them up on the fly from the keypad (I use that a lot), an SD card slot that you can bring songs into the board, load them into RAM and play them while you play along live...
Application should really be your first consideration. If you want that classic unique Rhodes sound, buy the Rhodes. The same for the unique Wurly sound. Workstation vs just a sound source. Remember that with a complex keyboard will come a large learning curve. If you just want to play piano with piano feel, Roland's velocity sensitivity is very lifelike. As I like to say, horses for courses.
Just remember that old doesn't mean good OR bad. I still have 2 Ensoniq keyboards (EQS-1 and EPS 16+ sampler) from the 80s that are great and I will likely keep them until I die. I don't even really play anymore. Yet I have 8 keyboards and 6 modular synths. I really kind of just buy them because I can. LOL!
Casio digital pianos are well respected at the lower cost end.
Yamaha and Kawai both make their own keybeds and both make their own quality acoustic pianos ... the skills transfer.
I believe Roland, Nord and Korg all buy in someone else's keybeds (mostly Fatar, I think, though Nord's grans uses a Kawai).
Just about every recent piano has a USB-MIDI interface. All weighted keyboards are heavy-ish ... if you're planning on moving it ofen, check the weight.
The usual advice is to try before you buy, but sometimes that's easier said then done.
FWIW, I use a Kawai MP6 stage piano, now superceded by the MP7 and MP7SE. I usually use the built-in sounds, but sometimes PianoTeq.
My brother chose Roland from which he preferred the sound. I prefer the Kawai's keys. YMMV.
Thoughts on how you plan to use it will help people narrow things down.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
I've got a Casio Privia PX-S3000 (as well as a Roland RD-1000 and a Yamaha C5 Grand, but that's another story)
The PX-S3000 (might be PX-S3100 now) is very portable and has a full 88 key weighted action. It has 700 tones available (I generally only use Grand Piano, but there are Electric Pianos, Vibes, and many more).
It's noted to be the "Slimmest hammer-action digital piano in the world". Very portable, very good, and quite affordable considering what you get.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
Just a note that this is reviving a thread that was five years old. I’m assuming Notes bought a keyboard long ago. If there is interest in this topic, it might be appropriate to start a new thread, along the lines of What Keyboard Would You Buy Now.
In my case as a winds player, I’ll never be able to tell a difference, but I would hope that Gary Curran would see the thread and weigh in.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
This was revived by a newer user who may have thought this was the best way to ask the question. There's nothing "wrong" with this, but a fresh thread may have been a better option.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean