Piano Keyboards

[QueHuong]

Any musicians in here?

I'm going to buy my sister a piano keyboard as a gift; she plays the piano and would like something that sounds and feels as close to one for around $500-$600. So I'm looking for one with 88 weighted keys. Beyond that, I don't know any more about what's good to have in a keyboard.

She's not performing live with it, just something to practice at college when she's not near a piano.

Here are the prospects so far:

new Casio PX110 - $500 Amazon; $560 Best Buy
new Yahama P70 - $600 Daddy's Junky Music
used Yahama P80 - $500 Daddy's Junky Music
used Yahama P150 - $525 Daddy's Junky Music

Which of the above would you recommend? And what features should I be looking for when the priorities are realistic sound and feel of a piano? Thanks.

 

[ProviaFan]

Of those options, I'd pick one of the Yamaha keyboards. In checking out the used ones, be sure to try every key at multiple velocities to ensure that there are no keys that are either dead or always stuck on full volume. I'd stay away from Casio because I've never seen anything good from them, but my (limited) experience is on acoustic pianos and higher-end Kurzweil keyboards, so perhaps I'm spoiled. The Yamaha P70 would probably work fine for what she needs, as long as she doesn't need much in the way of synth-like sounds or advanced splitting/layering capabilities (stage pianos tend to be very limited in those areas, though fortunately the piano sound is usually very good).

 

[QueHuong]

I just picked up the P150 for $525. Used, decent condition, but reverb button doesn't work.