Yamaha P80

Unless you're dense, you're all good. Turn on and play. Good, clear
manual. Editing is cake.

64 note polyphony, action is GREAT! Heavy, in fact heavier than many
acoustics I've played, but GREAT! I'm a guitar guy as well, the effect
didn't impress me that much- but have great effect processors. Can't
expand. I think of this as a performance giant, not studio machine.
Midi in and out. Would be a great controller for any module. It
is a piano, not a synth or sequencer (though it does have 2 tracks)
so I'll give it a 9 'cuz I haven't seen an acoustic do the stuff
it does

Piano sounds, 10. Everything else, between 6-9. You can get great
piano sounds out of it in every style. This board is expressive-if
know how to play, this board will become your mate. Velocity and after
touch are great.

This thing is rock solid, and small too! Less than 40 lbs. However,
do not leave guitar picks lying around it. My dumb ass got one stuck
underneath the keys and had to get it fixed. That's not the companies
fault though, that's just me being stupid. I called customer support
they were able to quickly give me the names of companies in my area
who could fix it.

When I had my pick trouble and the key jammed, I called them and they
helped me very quickly. Keep it up!

If I was looking for a piano, this would be the one I would buy again
and again. I'm more of a studio guy though, so I need something
with a few more sounds, like a full blown synth. However this could
become a controller for a module. Compared to other products this
board is BETTER! Don't even look at anything else if it is just a
piano you want. Nothing sounds, feels, or even looks cooler.
Rock on.

The P-80 is incredibly easy to use. I really didn't consult the manual and I was able to master the keyboard within days. There are a couple more advanced features that were not obvious, and I did need the manual for, but the manual did a great job of explaining these features to me.

The polyphony is 64 notes, and it's usually adequate, as I layer only piano and strings on channels 1 and 2 in the sequencer. The keyboard action is the CLOSEST to an acoustic piano that any digital keyboard that I have tested has ever come to. The fact that it's heavier in the bottom register than it is in the top really adds a nice touch. Its 4 Reverb presets are very distinct and can all be tweaked on a scale of 0 - 20, as with the Chorus presets. This board doesn't accept expansions, and frankly, doesn't need any! One of the ONLY two drawbacks to this board is the fact that it lacks pitch and modulation benders. If it did, it would be the ultimate controller for my Roland JV-1010, or for any other rack module for that matter. The other drawback is that it doesn't transmit sequencer data via MIDI, so i cannot take advantadge of the sequencer on the P-80 for the lack of one on the JV-1010. One feature i found interesting is the Scale feature. It lets you tune the keys to many scales, from the traditional Equal Temparament scale, Pythagorean Scale, and Mean Major/Minor etc. This allows you to play music of the corresponding period.

The Acoustic Pianos are really great. The four of them sound like what they're supposed to, probably the best sounds on any keyboard. the Electric pianos are nice as well, probably because i'm a gospel pianist, so I utilize those alot as well as the acoustic for when I shift to classical mode. The Harpsichord is also quite realisitc, I use it when I play Bach and Mozart. The Organs are also very nice, as is the Acoustic Bass. Its reaction to velocity is incredible, there are no velocity gaps, you always get the same reaction from the same amount of force.

It's incredibly reliable, it went through many bad rides before I bought the gig bag, and it never got damaged. I only had a minor problem after every major move, which was that the weights would come out of place under the keys, causing some of the keys to be stuck, however all it took was a simple shake and back into place they went. Oddly enough, I had my first major problem with it a couple months after I got my gig bag. I hit it on a wall by accident carrying it in a close corridor. One of the fuses blew, and it was a simple fix BY CERTIFIED YAMAHA TECHNICIANS. DON'T try and open this keyboard yourself. It's weights will be all over the place.

Never had to call.

I would buy it again most definitely. I've been playing since the age of 4, and i'm 15 years old now. I also own a Roland JV-1010. I love this keyboard because it's the closest I can get to an acoustic piano. I compared it with many other digital keyboards, mainly the Roland RD-150, and the Yamaha P200. I didn't like the RD-150 as much as the P-80, and i preferred the P-80's size to the P-200s. I REALLY REALLY wish it had a pitch bender and modulation wheel. And I wish the sequencer transmitted midi data. It helps me make my hip hop instrumentals, which you can sample at http://www.mp3.com/enigmabeats .

If you're just going to play piano, you will have no problem firing it up and hammering away. If you want to take full advantage of the more advanced features, you'll probably have to check out the manual, which is pretty well written.

The keyboard action is incredibly realistic. I owned an acoustic piano for years and was shocked that Yamaha made this possible. I played a friend's Roland (that cost more than twice as much) and was not impressed. I love the P-80's heavier touch when playing the lower keys.

Like the overwhelming majority of reviewers I believe that the keyboard action and piano sound are very impressive and hi-fi, especially if you play classical music using Grand Piano with excellent headphones such as the Sennheiser HD-580. The P-80 is very expressive and sensitive to such playing.

I also bought an Altec Lansing 2100 satellite/subwoofer system to use without headphones but unless you hook up the P-80 to an amp/receiver coupled with a good pair of speakers such as Magnepan's, the sound will not match that of the headphones. At least the Altec Lansing's have an extremely small footprint and easily fit on top of the P-80.

The P-80, like most Yamaha products, exude quality. I expect my kids to be playing the P-80 (once I have them). I also bought the Yamaha YKA7000 stand, which is very sturdy. I was very happy when Guitar Center threw in the Yamaha gig bag for free, although I would only use it the next time I move.

I have not dealt with C/S.

I would buy the P-80 again because it has incredible bang for the buck and is very compact. If price and space were no object, I would've purchased the P-200 (assuming I didn't also buy a Yamaha 100th anniversary grand). Before buying my P-80, I considered the Kawai MP9000 because it too has great piano action but cost several hundred dollars more.

I've played piano for 15 years and took a sabbatical the last 5 years after I selling my old upright. The P-80 has allowed me to renew my passion for music, and I'm really enjoying re-learning all the songs I use to play from memory.

The the Accoustic piano's are great !! I disagree with people who say the P120 has a better accoustic sampele... it's OK, but way too bright and metalic. I will agree however that the p120 has a better Rhodes.

The EP's are not so good on this piano. I only use EP2 - with Varition and layer it with the grandpiano sometimes. I give it a 9 because of the EP's

64 Poly, The keyboard is really nice. You really have to warm your fingers up to it, especially it you don't play a weight piano much. It's pretty heavy, but very controllable.

The grand piano is very expressive. I tend to turn the brightness down to the middle though. The effects on board and not that useful.

my previous yamaha lasted 7 years, and I was still going well when I sold it.. so I don't have too many worries. It's like the Honda of Pianos

Yamaha is very nice to deal with.

Couldn't agree less with the previous review. Do not get the P120. It is not the same keyboard, not nearly the realism as the P80. The EP sounds are only slightly better on the 120. Neither are very good at all. Don't count on them for Rhodes or Wurli simulations (the Wurli on the P120 is pathetic, as are the other sounds other than piano). Get a module for that. If you need the best piano sound, get a P80. I agree, it can sound boxy through an amp if not EQ'd properly. In the studio, through good speakers and headphones, it is unbeatable. They also took the Jazz and Rock pianos off of the 120. The Rock piano is a joke, but the Jazz is a very usable bright piano. Sounds like a C7 recorded. Plus, the cases on the 120. Well, you'll have to see them. I think they're hideous. The onboard speakers on the 120 are bad and add weight. Get a P80!!!

It couldn't be easier to operate. Simple large buttons make it obvious what you have to do. Simply straight forward manual, very specific on what you need to know.

THe problem with some players is that they try to find in the Yamaha P80 what it's not meant to provide. Bare in mind that this is an "ELECTRONIC PIANO". It's NOT a MIDI Controler, it's NOT a Synthersizer, NEITHER it's Sequencer. If you are looking for an instrument that gives you more flexibility and options, buy a workstaion.
The polyphony is fine. I've been playing Jazz and Bossa for 17 years, and in my presentation the P80 has not let me down yet.
The 2-track sequencer is OK for a few notepad quick enlightening ideas you might have at one of those inspiration periods, and have to record your compositions before you they escape.
Now, this is the Best Action keybord you will find for this price. Playing the P80 feels like playing a BabyGrand. The touch is almost as perfect as the real acoustic, and can be compared to the U$10,000 digital pianos on the market. After all, Yamaha's been making acoustic for many years now.
The keyboard on the Kurzweil SP88x is a joke, not to mention the Roland RD150 which is very spongy and fake. Roland's F90 has a good touch, but none of these will get as close to the real thing as the P80.

Yamaha always has the best Stereo Sounds. The Kurzweil SP88x is very realistic too, and believe it or not the Technics SX P-50 did very well in recording the sounds. The Kawai MP9000 can't be beaten, however it costs over U$3000.
The other onboard sounds are OK, and can be used in church. If you think about recording, use the Piano sounds only.
The Effects are very good as well. If you use a good set of headfones, you won't feel the diference of responce between the P80 and an Acoustic Grand.
Yamaha did a real good job in combining the 2 things that really matter in a piano: the touch, and the sounds. The rest come as bonus.

I gig a few times a month, and play in the studio too. Be sure to but a good case, and a strong stand.
THe light weight makes it easy to carry around by yourself. You might want to get a case with wheels.

Never needed them, and hope not to.

You wont find another portable ELECTRONIC PIANO on the market for this price. Don't be fooled by those products that garantee a low price. It's like buying a LADA (russian car) instead of an Yamaha. When you buy these other brands, it makes you happy twice: When you buy it, and when you finally get rid of it. Shop around and see what is best for you.

Very easy to use and carry.

Good heavy weighted action, so heavy you could get wrist problems. Enough polyphony...effects are mediocre...no expansion capablilities...

The main sounds (Piano and EP) are inferior to the new upgraded P-120. I spend a lot of time comparing all the digital pianos, piano modules and expansion boards available from all companies. The P-80 Piano sounds distant, dismal, dark, and like it's in the next room almost (it's much more "present" on the P 120) The P-80 "Piano" is not fun to play, they sampled more of the attack portion than the sustain portion of the sound envelope. So it's hard to play a legato phrase and make your notes sound connected. They come out more like marcato (detached, accented slightly). The Electric Pianos are awful, tiny, shrill and too bright (not enough mid range for body and warmth). The new P 120 has a pretty darn good Fender Rhodes patch (set touch to hard to avoid sample toggling). My friend, a master jazz pianist, also has a P 80 also and only uses it as a controller for his piano module and synth module. He jokes about the covering the Internal Sound controls with a pane of glass, a little hammer and a sign the reads "Break Glass Only In Case Of Emergency".

Very solid construction, it should last a long time.

Good, leave a message , they get back to you.

Good heavy weighted action, light slim body. Poor sounds.

As all the other comments in here have shown, there?s not much to using this axe ? truly plug and play, although the first article here mentions there is no power switch ? that ain?t true; there?s a not-so-easy-to-feel-for press switch located on the port side, where all its other orifices are located. This side location for all line outs (L+R/R phono, and RCA L/R), MIDI, sustain, and headphones) is very convenient and easy to get to. Every patch has its own dedicated button ? doesn?t get much easier than that. I assume the external powerpack was used to save weight, but since you have to haul it around with you anyway, the point seems moot.

64 note polyphony is superb and more than enough for glisses and smarmy rolls. Two-track sequencer is ostensibly a note pad for inspiration, but its memory is volatile (as far as I know, although I?ve not delved into the manual much as yet). There?s no provision for track looping either. On-board effects are included, and adequate for the limited number of patches that come with the P80. These are pre-set with each patch, so if you don?t like reverb with the Grand Piano patch, you have to turn it off every time you select it. MIDI is limited but only if you are trying to use it as a fully capable controller, which the P80 most definitely isn?t. These limitations are described in very good detail in other reviews here. For simple MIDI stuff, however, it?s adequate. When I?m performing I use my old Roland Juno 106 as a controller for the Jazz organ patch, and it?s perfect.

I?m not a music-student or a full-time professional musician, and only play gigs a couple dozen times a year. I?d been renting the P80 off and on for about five months ? my Ensoniq ESQ-1 had been getting very long in the tooth, and gaining dead-keys at a rate of about one every two months. Finally, I entered my last gig with two dead keys, and walked out a few hours later with four. It was time to put the old girl to pasture, so I went ahead and bought the P80. For me at least, the decision was easy: I?d already played or rented just about every electric piano out there, and the P80 was the lightest, best playing, and the best sounding of them all. The action is wonderful, but requires some good chops to play well. I?ve always had an aggressive playing style, which I suppose had a lot to do with my ESQ-1?s continually dying keys. Fortunately, the P80?s heavy action loves to be played hard. This being said, it?s also sensitive enough in weight and touch to be an extremely expressive instrument, and I can lose myself for hours just playing whatever comes to the fingers. To me, that?s the highest compliment you can give any instrument. The patches I use mostly are the pianos, EP2 and the Jazz organ, which is a passable B3 patch. The ?variable? button provides a more-than-adequate ramp up/ramp down Leslie effect, although its positioning is difficult to activate. A few more Hammond patches would have been a nice addition from a performance standpoint.

So far so good - I really have no backup other than the P80, but it appears to be bullet-proof enough for the road. I also had the Yamaha soft-sided gig bag thrown in when I bought it. I have no idea what it costs retail but it's very light, well-padded and designed specifically for the P80's slim proportions. This is a must-have item if you plan on hauling this board around a lot.

I've not had to worry about this yet, but my dealer sold me the board with a full 12-month warranty even though it had already been in his rental fleet for over four months. If anything, he?s certainly confident it?ll hold-up.

Overall, the P80 seems to be a great value. As long as you are looking for exactly what it offers, there?s nothing on the market that even comes close to doing what the P80 can for the money. It?s a bit of an oddity from a marketing standpoint, though: Yamaha is up-front about it being a no-frills training board, but its construction, portability, and sound quality make it an ideal gigging piano for the road-warrior as well. That?s what I bought it for, and so far I have no regrets. It?s been great on stage, and great at home for those rare and fully enjoyable moments of raw inspiration. The P80 is what it is: an amazing sounding lightweight 88-key electric piano with an phenomenal keyboard attached to it. Once I?m able to afford my VK-9, I?ll want for nothing!

Very simple unit to operate. Very functional, and laid out in a manner that allows quick and easy usage. About as straightforward as they come.

Everyone seems to agree, hands down a champ in imitating the the real deal as far as the keyboard. I've read mushy and muddy comments. No, this is neither. If you are player, this is a strong instrument. It repeats very quickly when needed (try a rapid-fire two fingered, one note hammer-on. It will respond well. Weight and feel of keyboard are very accurate. Effects are just usable for gigs, nothing too special here. No expansion capabilities. Wish list: pitch and mod wheels, after touch, regular AC cord (no wart), 4 or 5 band EQ instead of just a brilliance control.

Grand and Jazz piano - 2nd to none. Period. Sorry if you've read other opinions. There just isn't anything that captures the authenticity as well. Rhodes, usable in mid-range only. Same with FM EP. Harpsi, good, but no pluck on the upstroke. Church organs work. Jazz organ is so-so. Bass is OK, usable at a gig. No hiss, no weird noise artifacts. Turn off reverb and listen to notes ring out. Sounds very good. The only strange thing is D above high C doesn't ring out long at all before it goes to the loop. Odd. Wish List: ditch Rock Piano, pipe and church organs, and replace with Vibes, Clav, and warm analog pad, and replace jazz organ with a little better B3 and Leslie Sim. Kudos to them for adding the Leslie with fast/slow, though. 10 because of the stereo Grand piano.

Dependable. Strong box. Get the soft bag made for it. It is a very nice value.

Yamaha is like all the others, hit them on a good day and ask about a current product, and they're your friend. Bad day, or defunct product, another side comes out.

Not to brag in any way, but just so you know what my opinion is based on, I've played piano for 34 years. Piano performance major in college. I've played Steinways, Baldwins, Bostons, Bosendorfers, Yamahas, Kawais, you name it. Good, bad, and unbelievable. Live and in the studio. I've played jazz, rock, country, blues, pop, R&B live and in the studio professionally for 20 years. You would know many of the names I've worked with. I've owned the following piano substitutes: Yamaha CP-70B, KX88,TX1p and P50m, Helpinstill portable upright (the one built in a flight case), Roland RD-300 and 600, MKS-20, and P-330, Korg T1, SG-1D and SGproX, Kurzweil PC88 and Micro Piano, Alesis Nano Piano (joke), Studiologic SL880, and others I've probably forgotton. If I haven't owned it, I've most likely used it somewhere or checked it out extensively. All this just to say, I have yet to play an instrument that so fully replaces the piano. It has a sound and a flow that approximates the whole piano experience better that any I've seen. It is a great tool.

Is there anything easier than pressing the onn/off button
and start playing ?

Very simple for me cause I only use the P80 for piano playing,
especially the Grand Piano, Classical and Jazz.
If my S30 not at hand I might use the Epiano2.
Amazing action, I cannot stop playing. Touch sensitivity 4 possibilities, always use medium and soft. This instrument is truly inspiring.

10 for the piano sounds of course, truly amazing.
With good amp & speakers sounds much better than any upright of this price category.
Effects: reverb ok - do not use others.
Have S30 which I use as sound module for ep/wurli/clav/strings/bass.
Since I own these two keyboards, I haven't touched my guitars since then.

This istrument hasn't let me down upto now.
One good advise: use a solid stand.

Haven't dealth with them yet.

I would definitely buy it again.
Before buying I compared to Roland RD-150, but the P80 was much better: the weight is less, and though Roland has nice piano sounds on higher priced products, they deceived on the RD150. Power supply adaptor is poor/cheap (with short power cord !), this could be drastically improved. Still it is an amazing board;