Yamaha P200

so easy an idiot could use it.

i mainly play the piano sounds and they are perfect

pretty good for christian music

takes a licking and keeps on ticking

i would buy another right now if i had to

I've never used all the editing stuff. For gigs I used mostly Piano 2, Organ 1, Vibes, and a split with Acoustic bass and Piano.

The manual helped me figure out how to control the split and transpose features. I've never really dug into much more than that.

The keyboard action is awesome. I've been out of the country for a year, so I had this stored in my parent's house. They had my Kimball piano tuned for me when I got back, so I played that for a while. When I got my P-200 out, I was so excited. I love the feel of the keys and rich deepness of sound. I really feel like I'm playing a grand piano.

I like the pitch and modulation controllers on the left. They were fun to use, especially for some songs when I used to play gigs.

I've never used the expansion capabilities. The pressure sensitive keys were pretty much the biggest selling point when bought this.

I've always been a bit picky, even critical when it comes to playing a keyboard-- I'm a piano player and controlling sound with pressure and even the peddles is important to me. So this board is awesome. I agree with other comments I read about how it is worthy to be called a piano.

It definitely reacts to my playing, and I feel like it even makes me sound better!
I've played jazz, folk, rock, classical, disco, country, and I've never been disappointed with the sound or the ease of use. It is very simple to change settings quickly while switching styles within a set at a gig.

Like I said, I love the richness of the sound-- especially in the Piano 2 and Vibes voices. I also really appreciate the slight adjustments you can make with the modulation and the reverb controllers.

I have never had another choice as far as a gig backup keyboard, but I'd say I would not worry about that. It never crossed my mind. I have never had any problems with this keyboard, except that I need someone to help me lift it out of my carrying-case onto my stand. It is heavy, but that's never been a major issue for me. I have a nice case, a small dolly, and good friends.

Question: I remember the salesman telling me this board could go out of tune if not played regularly. Is that true? If so, how quick could it happen? And what would it take to re-tune it again?

I have never dealt with the company, other than reading their website. The website was pretty useful for my concerns. From reading people's comments about it though, it seems the company has always come through for them.

I bought this from a local piano store. They were great help.

If it were lost or stolen I certainly hope I could afford to replace it. The only problem is that it's been discontinued, so I'd hope I'd like the newer version.

I've been playing for twenty years. I own a Roland KC-300 piano amp which I bought to use for gigs since my first gigs had no sound system to plug into. I love that amp too. It's very versatile.

I wish it could record and playback so I could play with myself-- perhaps that's possible with add-ins, but I haven't looked into it.

When I was shopping, I had a really hard time finding enough options to really feel like I got to compare. However, I spoke with some local musicians who all loved it.

It certainly helps and enhances my music-making.

Can anyone help me with my dilemma:
Since I don't play gigs much anymore, mostly since I've been living most of the time out of the country, but not yet somewhere I could take my piano, so I've started thinking about whether I should give my P-200 a new, more appreciative home.
I don't want to get rid of it. I'm just worried about whether it would lose it's tune or otherwise depreciate in it's usefulness.
I have a Kimball piano in my parents' house waiting for me to have a permanent home to take it. I don't foresee being able to take it soon and don't want my parents to have to move it again. So we talked about getting rid of the Kimball.
Our thought is that the P-200 really feels and sounds so great that I could handle keeping it instead of the upright acoustic piano (I can't believe I really believe that)!
I'm just worried about what will happen to the P-200 while it sits mostly unused for a year at a time. It has sat most of the past two years and is fine, but what about the future?

Does anyone have any insight-- I would really appreciate it (I've included my email address). I believe in loving instruments and taking care of them!

This piano is extremely easy to use. You just push the buttons and get the sounds. I think it is great having the speakers.... that is one of the things missing in some of Yamaha's recent keyboards. Therse speakers never distort no matter how hard you push them.

The greatest and often most overlooked feature of the P 200 is the drawbar organ function. Hammond organ patches on most other digital pianos ARE NOT programmable. With the P200 you can set and store patches and even add percussion, which sounds very realistic and Hammond like. The leslie simulator is also very musical sounding. This is one of THE FEW keyboards with acoustic and electric pianos that is capable of getting a decent organ sound!

I think the Pianos are great on this and have been recognised as such. I really like the vibes and the acoustic bass splits are also very nice. But as I said before if you program alittle bit this one is also capable of great organ sounds.

I haven't had any problems with reliability in over 10 years. I don't bang on the keys so there are no problems.

I never needed support....

This is one of the classic digital instruments of all time. Because of te combination of pianos, electric pianos , vibes and Hammond organ sounds it would be difficult to replace this.

They don't make them like this anymore. The speakers are there, the sounds are there and it seems bullet proof. You have to spend quite a bit of money to get anything remotely like it today. I would imagine being able to find a good used one would prove to be quite a bargain.

I bought this piano in 2000, because I move a lot and shipping a baby grant every 3 or four years becomes too expensive.

This piano has a great feel and excellent touch sensitive keys, which make it play like a real piano. This was the main reason I bought this instrument. It features are well described in the extensive manual. Also my young daughters start playing the piano on this instrument and they quickly found out how to change the sound and settings.

Wonderfull action

I like to play fast as well as slow loud and soft and this instruments caters for these different playing styles.
I am still impressed by the variability in softness and loudness this instrument can produce.

However, my main problem is that after a few years all keys start producing a very audible clunk when the key is released and returns to its position. The touch sensitivity remained though. I added some felt to the existing felt ribbon and this reduced the noise significantly but it does not last for very long.

I am now thinking replacing the old felt strip, but I am not sure if this will solve the problem. Unfortunatley there is no Yamaha dealer in the country I am presently living.

If anybody can give me any advise please contact me via my email below

First thing you should know, I use this piece for practice and live-gigging, 95% as a naked piano, and 5% as an organ. The P-200 is very easy to use. You have 12 voices w/12 corresponding buttons with the name of the voice above. Push one, it's red LED lights up above it, and that's the sound you get. You have a single button for reverb that cycles through 3 reverb depths (with the 4th being no reverb), and the reverb is applied to whatever voice is selected. Same thing for chorus. The P-200 also remembers the last reverb/chorus settings applied to each voice between power on and off. The default piano voice is just absolutely wonderfully huge and nuancey. It's sound rings familiar and true when playing copy-cat licks from the recorded acoustic piano music you know and love. I use the main piano voice naked with no effects. The organ is nice and wet and reedy and gets those "squeaks" when the keys are worked rapidly. You can adjust the tremolo speed on the organ sound from zero (none) to eight (several cycles per second). The organ sound is acceptable to me when providing atmosphere behind the loudish, country, rockish, psych band I'm playing out with. I regret that I have no idea what "editing patches" is...I'm a piano player, and an old-school lover of the New Orleans cats: Longhair, Booker, Toussaint, Rebennac; I have no use for anything but a grand piano sound. The manual was very helpful in figuring out how to set the tremolo speed for the organ, but I think that's the only time I've referred to it.

I give this category a 10, not because of the versatility or tons of features it boasts, but because it has just exactly what I need and not a bunch of mumbo jumbo that as a simple piano player, I never use. As stated before here many times, the polyphony is 64, but actually 32 when playing the piano sounds because the two default piano sounds are stereo samples. I do use a sustain pedal, which feels and sounds excellent, but have noticed the very rare "clipping" sound when really working the sustain and the keys hard (maybe a handful of times in the three years I've owned the thing, and only with headphones on). It has not been an issue, just something I've noticed a few times. However, it "could" be problematic if it was happening in a complex passage that you were recording in the studio, but hey, this is a stage piano and I assume you'd want an acoustic in the studio. I don't think this piece is expandable. It does have MIDI in and out although I've never dealt with this feature. It has nice 1/4 inch left and right outputs to go mono (Left only) to an amplifier, or to go stereo (Left and Right) to a PA or a pair of amplifiers/speakers. I regret that I don't know about the P-200's sequencing capabilities.

The action is wonderful. To me, all acoustic pianos feel different, and take a little getting used to, and the P-200's keyboard feels like just another piano keyboard to me. It really responds to sensitive, soft playing, and quick, forceful, staccato jabs as well. I have no complaints about the feel of the action. HOWEVER, see below for keyboard issue. I think the piano sound is just as wonderful when playing Chopin as when playing a James Booker boogie. Again, I don't use any of the effects, just the sustain pedal and the naked default piano sound, and it's wonderful to my ear. Of course when playing live, it depends greatly on the sound amplification system you're using...

The P-200 is a work horse. It has never let me down...however, several of the keys (I'm not looking at the thing right now), maybe five of the keys in the most hardest hit zones (I play a lot of hard-boogie left hand lines), have begun to "sag". I've read about the key "sticking" problem, but that's not how I'd describe what's happened to my keys. The affected keys sit just a bit lower than the rest, and instead of snapping firmly back to position after release, they return back into position just a bit more slowly and jiggle for just a moment. It does not affect the sound or sensitivity to my ears, but feels a little lamer, and I bet they'll get worse. It started with just one key about 2.5 years ago, and now it's about 5 keys. I bought this piece used from a single owner and it was mint when I got it. I have played this thing every day for 3 years, and carried it to many gigs, moved it to New York City in the back of a car from Atlanta over crappy roads, hand-carted it over Manhattan streets, and up and down a two-story walk-up practice-space many times. Oh, did I mention this thing is HEAVY? I can move it about fifty feet on level ground from a dead lift out of the case, but that's a real effort. I'm an average sized dude. To go up stairs definitely requires two, and it's still a real effort. I'm pleased with it's stability, and notwithstanding any speculative future keyboard worsenings, it's reliability.

I have not dealt with Yamaha at all, however, when looking into information about getting a second keyboard (I want to leave the P-200 at home for practice and get a lighter, maybe the CP-33, piano for gigging) I found their website and all the hundreds of models to be very confusing. A simple product history/generational chronology would be helpful. I haven't tried calling anyone from their customer service department.

This model is discontinued, but I would definitely buy it, or it's logical generational successor, again and again. This thing is absolutely perfect for what I do (simply play piano, and I need something more portable than an acoustic until I'm a huge star and have my own teamsters). I love it's simplicity, it's piano sound, it's feel, and even it's understated, sturdy look. I hate it's weight. It's heavy. But not as bad as a damned acoustic piano. Bottom line, this piano, and music in general, has saved my life. I've spent many lonely, frustrated, feverish, exhuberant nights at this thing writing music in the wee hours. I've also had many hours of commeraderie and joy playing and watching other wonderful musicians play, perched behind this piece of work.

This is by far the best Stage Piano on the planet. If you don't like this Stage Piano, you have no taste as far as playing the piano goes. All the buttons on board do the job with the mear push of a button. Want to change a voice, just push and play.

This Stage piano again is the best thing i've ever played. It has alot of fetures that do what you want done and then some.

The sounds are to die for. I only use the piano 1 and i will never use another keyboard sound again. Or any other keyboard for that matter.

I would never in a million years need a backup for this piano. Never gliched on me, and the speakers could fill a gym.

Never had to call because this keyboard is THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD!!!

If this was lost or stolen, i would buy another, and one more if that one was taken. I would not know what to do if i ever lost this thing. I live and sleep by it to make sure it stayhs ok.

You'd have to be from another planet if you can't use this w/o the manual.

64 poly. Action heavy but what a normal grand feels like.

can you give 11 for piano? not for synth players. it will eat them alive. good effects. all you need. other sounds on it acceptable to don't even think about parking here.

see other articles. if i used this on a gig without a backup i'd be fine. I would just bend my knees before lifting this thing or your back won't go 'back' into the 'up' position.

For the Piano 1 sound and action. better action than the 01w pro x and mkb-1000 by roland (heavy action but good) the only thing to compare the action to is the rd-1000. that is still the best for all even though it weighs as much as my 82 VW Rabbit. wish it had (here come the tomatoes) a 2 track sequencer for my kids to fool around on.that's right i said kids! some instruments should also be family friendly and some are. but you asked me what i feel it should have.

Pretty easy to use. The manual seems comprehensive although I havnt really checked it out. voices are straight forward. built like a rock...

64 note polyphony...etc all the good stuff

sound is amazing. velocity sensitivity good.

stick keys...thats all I can say. I only have one E key sticking but it's really really bothering me. I've contacted the Yamaha support. Hopefully they can be of help. Meanwhile if anyone has effective tips/advice on solving stick keys it would mean sOOOO much to me if you drop me an email (zaishi@gmail.com)

Hopefully good...

a better alternative would be P250 if you have the $$. other than that, its an amazing keyboard had they not F@#$^#d up with the sticking keys...

Anyone could play this keyboard....anyone with a strong back.

It's a beauty other than *gulp* sticking keys.

Awesome piano sounds for sure

Good but sticking keys started happening to me too.

Haven't used them yet but sounds like I will be when I order new keys for this beast.

I have written a couple reviews on this thing previously. I am still very happy with it and I use it at every gig. I must go on record in front of my fellow musicians: I must openly appologize to earlier comments about sticking keys and having drinks in close proximity. You know, it is funny until it happens to you. I definately don't have any drinks near mine but now keys are starting to stick (Murphy has visited).

I guess I am buying keys now. I heard one post talk about a complete keybed exchange...can anyone add to that? Maybe that is a better option if they fixed the problem. The last time I worked on keys and a keybed (on my Hammond XK-2) I "had to" go buy the XK-3 because I really messed the XK-2 up (anyone want to buy a used XK-2 needing slight keybed love?).

If anyone can comment about the keybed replacement versus just getting a key here and a key there please email me.

This stage piano is very usable in a live setting, even in very dim light, because there are just a few buttons which do very obvious things.

It has AWESOME acoustic piano, an organ that will do in a pinch, a usable electric piano, and one string patch that is useful layered underneath the piano or EP. Very easy to combine 2 sounds ... easy to split 2 sounds though sometimes it's a bit tricky getting the right one on top/bottom.

Keyboard action is very piano-like. You DO need to call Yamaha Service Department, talk to the Shop Manager, and ask for the keys/keybed replacement, which they sent me without any hassle at all. Otherwise, you'll eventually probably have some keys stick, with or without prior warning, so do this sooner rather than later. Those who reported here that they have never had any problems may have bought the keyboard with the retooled keybed unit already in it.

MIDI implementation is enough to use.

Since this meant to be a stage piano, it does the dozen things it does, simply and extremely well.

It weighs a whole lot. You will need either a bag with wheels or an ATA case with wheels, or something similar.

Wonderful piano. Excellent church instrument. Piano will cut through a rock band when you want it to. You can vary the sounds somewhat using the 3 band EQ; since it's meant to be a piano, that's what it does, maybe the best stage piano ever.

I have used just this keyboard every week for 2 years without any mishaps at all other than the sticking keys ... in a pinch, you can super-glue a key back together, and then trade it with a key near the top or bottom of the keyboard. Do call in for the keys replacement program. It's a complete replacement for the keys and the keybed. It's easy to install yourself ... remove some screws, remove a ribbon connector, trade out the keybed (it's one self-contained unit) and then put it back together ... maybe a half hour job with a Phillips screwdriver being the only required tool.

There's a problem that others have reported on already ... it can switch from one patch to another while in use. I keep thinking I must have struck a preset button, but I don't think so really.

Customer support involves finding the right person to talk to, and then it's terrific.

At this point if I were looking for another stage piano I'd find a P200 used, for sure. It's very expressive and you'll find yourself sounding better because of it.