Yamaha PSR-170

This keyboard is so much fun to use. I'm still in a very novice mode at playing piano. It's fun just to have it around to tickle the ivories, as they say. My children love the fact that it makes so many different sounds, and has a wonderufl array of songs.

We love the different features.

The sounds are so much fun, and definately make my kids laugh. I love the classic piano sound. Very crisp, and pleasant to the ears.

I was very surprised when I bought it. I found it lying on the floor of a church re-sale store, and it had a sale price of $2.00 on it (no joke). I figured even if it didn't work, my kids would have fun pretending. I was so happy when we brought it home and plugged it in. Surprise! It worked just as good as if I had bought it brand-new.

Since I bought it used, I have never had to deal with the customer support

As I stated, yes, I purchased it for $2.00. One of the best purchases I have ever made, and one that definately helps to reduce my children's cravings for watching cartoons. We have had it for roughly 1 year now, and I would be very disappointed if something happened to it.

If you mess around with it for a while, you start to get the hang of it. Otherwise, study the manuel since there are a lot of features.

DJ, drums, and various instruments are included in the effects. A metronome is built in and this helps during playing. The lessons section is a cool addition for those starting back up like myself. Otherwise, its a simple keyboard.

Quick reaction is on this thing. The instruments are about as real as you can get on anything electronic and are easy to use. All music styles can be utilized.

I've had this for a few years, but don't expect to step on stage anytime soon. It could step to the plate for a gig as far as I'm concerned.

n/a

If it were lost/stolen I'd be pretty mad, but I'd look for something similar. I took piano lessons as a kid for about four years. This led to trombone/band (Bundy) for about 6 years. I've recently took up guitar and bass (SX GG6 Custom Semi-Hollow; Douglas WVEB Violin Bass SN). This was an x-mas gift and I've enjoyed every minute of it.

There really are no major, complex features so it's very easy to use. Simply switch it on, pick your instrument, and play. You can't edit the sounds or record your riff.

There are 97 instruments, 100 built-in songs, 3+ drum kits / FX, and 100 bass-lines to work with. There is a mode where you can learn songs note-by-note. It is fairly usefull for beginners. The feature that gives you chords is in-complete and trashy, though. So you better know your chords. The MIDI feature works perfectly when in the 'Voice' mode. There are no dynamics, put it this way the metronome is considerd a feature. For the price though, this is a great buy.

Some instruments were very un-realistic. The basses lack picth and the strings sound cheesy. There is no reverb. If you buy a MIDI cable for about $30 and download FL Studio (free; but 250 MB) you can get MANY, MANY sounds. You can get everything from Lil' Jon's synth and Timbaland's drums to Bathoween's piano and Mossart's pizzicato. This however does take some advanced knowledge. Overall there isn't many great sounds; but hey it's cheaper then a piano.

I had it since 2003, right now it's 2007. I never would have thought it would last this long. Let's not forget I almost played it everyday.

Never had to call support lines.

It's a great keybored for beginners / children. As long as I have that MIDI cable and FL Studio it sounds like a pro's keybored.

Easiest to navigate out of all my keyboards, but thats the idea as a entry level keyboard. Just select anumber and play. For anyone who has played for a while the presets will sound a little corny, but if your just starting (and at this price) you can't complain.

You cant alter any sounds on it, no onboard effects, no expansion.
It does work well as a MIDI controller for laying down rough blueprints of songs, but not as good as proper MIDI controllers.
Not touch sensitive, no aftertouch, no on-board sequencer.

The sounds are very good for this price, but don't be doing gigs with it (please). Not expressive as not pressure sensitive keys.

Had this for ages (3 years bought from Argos) never broke even though it did fall down a flight of stairs and has been chucked about since I got my Juno D.
As I said not for gigging, beginer and practice only.

Never dealt with Yamaha.

Propably one the best beginer keyboards at this price.
If it was stolen I probably would't notice as I never use it.

It's pretty self explanatory. Just press the number or tone or style, and away you go. The piano sounds cool when played through an amplifier, although Touch Response would have been better. I never expected it with a low priced keyboard. The organs are really good realistic big sounding presets. I also like the Chorus sound, although the strings aren't very realistic and the drums sound cheap and electronic (like the PSR-75 I had years and years ago).

It is easy to play although the keys feel a little flimsy. The whole thing is light weight if not a little plasticy but I never expected anything more. I think it sounds better with the added use of an sustain pedal and is a handy MIDI controller, even without Touch Sensiive keys, as it can be used to control Soft Synths through sequencers. I've never used the onboard lessons as I can already play and bought this as a second keyboard to keep at my Dads when I visit. I have a Casio WK-1200 at home (although the keys keep falling off and have to be super-glued on every few months :o() The DJ sounds are cool if using a multi-tracker, as they can be used to 'spice up' your mix.

Some sounds are pretty crappy and the same as earlier keyboards such as the PSR-75. These include flutes, drums, brass and guitars. The harmony featre is useful when playing along with styles although I think that comes as standard with most Yamaha keyboards. I like the dual layered voices such as Piano Concerto, although the ones with echo and sustain added have no use at all.

I haven't had it that long but I think it will last a while. The keys don't feel as if they will fall off any time soon but I can't imagine it surviving a drop without smashing into smitherines! I wouldn't gig it becuase it doesn't have enough features or sound quality but I sometimes use it for rehersals if I'm connecting to an amp.

I've never had to use customer support but if it ever broke down it would be just as easy to buy a new one (hopefully you'll be able to get more for the price by then!)

I wouldn't replace it if it were stolen. I'd rather buy a higher end second hand one although it will do the job for now. As well as this I own a little Yamaha CS01 synth, two PSS mini Yamaha keyboards I had from when I was little (only ever used for synth features), a Casio WK-1200 as my main keyboard (although the keys dropping off means I'll have to replace soon) and a Casiontone thingy sitting in the loft (still works as far as I know and it was in the household when I was born 20 years ago!). I think it makes an ideal starter or second keyboard as I use it for to keep at my Dads. I have been playing since I was born virtually (self-taught) and it helps to have a keyboard like this in your house when you have moments of song writing inspiration. I think it is fine for the price.

Very easy to use. One switch turns the device on and off. Uses a numeric pad and plus/minus keys for selecting patches.

No expansion. Very low polyphony. NO sequencer. It does have a handy (or not) grand staff to show you what note(s) you're playing. There are several demo tracks that will be illustrated on screen while playing, which is useless, since the music is too fast to be read and learned note by note. Also, an interesting feature (read: bug) with the keyboard is that if you're pressing down on the pedal while turning on the machine, the pedal's polarity is inverted, which is a completely useless function.

Um...This keyboard can be purchased for US$100. And it sounds like it. There is are two presets (122 sounds) that are filled with horribly uninspired, cliche DJ sounds. Some of the sounds are also merely other patches, but with sustain locked on. This just exacerbates the ultra-small polyphony problem. You won't typically notice "note dropping" as you would in workstation keyboards, but when playing a lot of notes in one direction on the keyboard, such as a long run or a chord played in harp imitation, you'll notice that by the time you hit the last note of the segment, the other end of the register has mysteriously disappeared. Also, this keyboard is frequently used in schools for music classes. I like to point out that the piano was the first keyboard instrument to allow a musician to play different dynamic levels without flipping a switch. Here we are, hundreds of years later, with an instrument that ignores one of the most important facets of music: dynamic.

I have seen this keyboard used in a high school without any trouble, and you know how much respect public high school students have for other peoples property. (I'm generalizing about my demographic, but for the most part I feel this is an accurate statement.) Of course, you did only pay US$100. I doubt it would survive a drop. It's a cheap plastic body.

Never used it.

This keyboard is, as the price suggests, a pretty crappy instrument. It might be good for small children, or someone unsure of whether or not they want to play a keyboard instrument. I hold something of a grudge against this instrument, however, as it was the instrument used in my school's piano lab. Our school is notorious for underfunding our music program, despite the fact that we have the number #1 drumline in Michigan for 2004. The administration did not see it as cost effective to spend the extra $50 for each of 30 keyboards to make them touch sensitive. My first experiences playing piano were in this class, and I immediately fell in love with the baby grand I used from time to time for recital. This keyboard was crippling for someone attempting to play classical pieces that include notes which are outside of the range of this keyboard, along with emotional intent (which translates to dynamic). My recital piece for the class was the first three pages of Claude Debussy's Reverie. I had to put in all of my practice time after class on an acoustic piano due to how limited this instrument was.

I PLAY IT WITH CHILDREN IN SCHOOL.AND CHILDREN LOVE THIS INSTRUMENT.
SUPER FEATURE IS WEIGHT OF YAMAHA.VERY PRACTICAL TO EVERY DAY TRANSPORT.I PLAY MY MODULES ROLAND U-110.SC-88,KURZWEIL KMP-1,AND
KAWAI K1-M VIA MIDI CABLE AND MIDI PORT TO YAMAHA PSR170.

100 VERY THIN SOUNDS ,THINER THAN THIN SOUNDS OF KORG KARMA.
100 RHYTHM MUSIC STYLES WORSE THAN YAMAHA PSR 6,70,80.
100 DEMO MELODIES FUN AND SWEET.

sound very thin .its great as keyboard contoler.only useful sounds
are 098 human voices samples...but for the price you cant wish more
features.my mother pay 200 euro for this 5-octave YAMAHA BABY.
GREAT FEATURE IS BATTERY .YAMAHA NEED 6 BATTERY 1.5W .AND YOU CAN
PLAY IN THE PARK,AND IN THE FOREST.

Many of the features are not self explanitory, but still not extremly difficult to figure out. (Remember, if all else fails read the manual.) However, it's a lot of fun exploring the possibilities.

The PSR 170 will sound sixteen notes simultaniously, which is enough for my puposes. Nice selection of rhythms and accomaniment. Cool D.J. sounds. It is MIDI compatible, but I have not tested the MIDI capabilities. My only regret is that the PSR 170 has no capability of recording or saving songs in some internal memory, and the keys are not touch sensitive, so you have no dynamic control, but, hey, it only cost $99. I think Yamaha's next step up model includes touch sensitive keys and recording capability.

The piano sound is remarkably good for a low end keyboard. I find the organ sounds are also very good which is what I was after.( It IS a keyboard afterall!) Some of the voices are really lame, but still a very good value in a beginner keyboard.

Yamaha is a respectable company. I don't anticipate any problems, or expect any major hassels if I do.

Haven't had any direct contact with the folks at Yamaha so I can't really comment on the customer support, however, Yamaha is no fly-by-night operation. They have a solid reputation to maintain.

I'm an amatuer guitar player, songwriter, who was just looking for some ways to "fatten up" my sound on solo recordings with my multi-track. IF I were a genuine keyboardist I'm sure I'd want something more, but for $99 I got very good, piano and organ sounds and some decent rhythm acompaniments. I always like to keep the dollar value in mind. It would be ridiculous to compare the PSR 170 to A Roland V-Synth or even Yamaha's own PSR 2000. I read too many reviews on this Harmony Central website from guys who bought a decent Washburn D-100 guitar and write moaning, complaining reviews cause it doen't play or sound like a Taylor 810. Get real! I'm rating this keyboard a 10 overall, not because it is a 10 in the big scheme of things, but because it is an excellent value at $99

I'd say an 8 for ease - but it helped that I got a Video from Mars that shows how to use the features. The manual is only so-so. It's a beginner keyboard (and priced that way) and I'd say for a teen or beginner, it is easy enough to encourage them to learn on their own.

I find the features easy and useful. Easy enough to change Voices or Styles, and extra features. Of course some of the instruments sound very poor (as other keyboards) but keep in mind this was VERY inexpensive and only a beginner keyboard. And the DJ and Drums voices make up for it- lots of rhythm styles and a metronome too. Also, the option to split the keyboard or have the Sustain added makes up for some unusable sounds. When I play a keyboard, I always try the rock organ/pipe organ sounds. When I found the Harm-on organ sound, I was satisfied. It's not very loud but I played through an amp when I needed more volume for a video I made with a guitarist (playing the Star Spangled Banner for broadcast at school). I intend to use the built-in lessons, but have mainly used the built-in songs to learn to play (following the notes on the display, or looking up in the book and playing along with the song). Again, the video sold at Mars helps.

Lots of styles and voices - plus the DJ and Drums, Sustained and Split Keyboard options are amazing for the price. Not very loud but can be played though an amp as noted above. Could be used with a band.

Don't expect any problems from Yamaha.

No contact yet.

Fantastic value - as a beginner or learning tool or for fun. I'm a guitar player that knows the keyboard (much easier than guitar) and enough theory to play chords in 3 inversions, play bass-lines, work out melodies, or copy songs that it plays or are in the book. I bought it to use the rhythms and metronome in a guitar club, and was intrigued by the DJ sounds. It works for all of the above- more than satisfied - and is LOADS of fun to boot. I honestly think, for a teen, it would be better than paying for lessons. Show them how to use the lessons and the songs and they could teach themselves. For a guitarist that wants to add keyboard parts, learn theory, make fun sounds, for learning keyboard on your own, for a teen or adult that just wants to learn but doesn't have time for lessons, could even add some sounds to a band (through an amp) - you can't beat it for twice the price. I'd buy another even at full price, I'm tempted to get another one anyway, but don't have room for it.

I just got this keyboard, and have to say that I am very happy with it. It is extreamly easy to use, just plug it in (if you have the power adapter, which I strongly reccomend, and start playing!!

I haven't yet started to use any or all of the features, but for a beginer like myself, so far I am more then pleased.

Some of the instrments that it tries to emulate are not so good, but I stress that it is ONLY some instruments. The sounds that you want this keyboard to make, IT MAKES and then some!!

Totaly dependable.

Haven't needed any so far....let's hope it stays that way.

Like I said, I am just a beginer, so maybe my opinion is not worth much, but I really like this keyboard.