Yamaha CLP430 Reviews

“My mother loves her new yamaha 430 digital piano”

All I want to say is:

1) My mother loves her new yamaha 430 digital piano. 2) Don’t always trust what others on the discussion board say. 3) thanks very much for the your most valuable advice and time.

Review by Chuck Churchill

“These are customer reviews from actual owners of this piano. The most recent review is at the top of this page “, Graham Howard, Piano Advisor

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: [email protected] Or call 020 8367 5107

“The clarity of the notes are very sweet and clear “

I love my CLP 430 piano, the clarity of the notes are very sweet and clear and the notes are nice to touch (a sort of pearl effect) I feel that my piano playing will improve 10 fold after a few months practice.

So far I cannot fault it and hope to spend many hours playing. Thank you for all your advice. I feel very lucky to have been able to purchase this model as I understand it they are difficult to obtain due to the earthquake in Japan.

Review by Jean Foster, Failsworth, England

“The key touch is quite good – Touch response is correct”

I mounted the piano yesterday and this is my initial review:

Model: Yamaha CLP-430 R Packaging: Very reliable. Aestetic: nice aspect, good color effect. Mounting: easy. However, 2 strong persons are required for moving the piano pieces upstairs! Touch: After an initial weird sensation (I was used to acustic piano), quite good in my humble opinion. Touch response is correct. Sound: Rather realistic. I find however that a little more volume and expression is missing when I press the touches strongly and/or when I press the pedal at the right (pedal de resonancia). Pedal at the left (sordina). I havent noticed any change when I pressed it. I will retry it again today. Maybe I need to have more volume to notice the difference.

Anyway I am afraid my opinion is not so valuable since this is the only digital piano I ever tried!

Review by Leandro Nieto

“I have paid for an expensive mistake!!”

I have just bought a Yamaha digital piano CLP430 for two weeks, but I have never been satisfied ever since I got the piano or I should say it’s a mix of sadness and anger!

The piano doesn’t sound good and to make it worst, it has an obvious & annoying ringing sound when I was playing with sustain pedal and listening through headphone. I regret so much, I have paid for an expensive mistake!! I just wished I have met a better one before I made the mistake! sigh…

Review by PW

“It will easily see me though to an advanced level”

Overall I am very happy with my Clavinova CLP430. The purchase was made through UK Pianos and was based on the detailed information given so freely by Graham Howard. I enjoy playing the instrument and it will easily see me though to an advanced level. The sound is better than I expected, but the touch, to me, is nothing like an acoustic piano across the whole keyboard and the keys have a “plastic y” feel that I don’t really like, but expect I will become accustomed to.

This is the first digital piano I have owned, so I do not have anything to compare it with, other than my much loved, old acoustic piano that I played for 7 years, albeit a long time ago.

For me, the Clavinova CLP430 was a practical choice, based on cost, ease of movement, ability to use headphones and no requirement for tuning. Also, I’m a night owl and with the headphones I can play into the night without disturbing anyone – a huge advantage over an acoustic piano.

The CLP430 a great instrument for the price, but I find putting expression into my playing, especially at the higher end of the keyboard, far more difficult than with an acoustic piano. I have only owned it for a few days, so maybe that is something that will come with more experience.

Review by Bren Holmes, North Walsham, United Kingdom

“Its tone is excellent”

I am delighted with the Yamaha. Its tone is excellent and I am particularly pleased with its jazz organ. It gives good control with a firmer touch.

Graham Howard’s advice was invaluable.

Review by Professor Michael Clark, Nottingham, UK

“Well worth the money”

I purchased a Yamaha Clavinova 430 a few weeks ago, and would like to write a short review.

Overall, the CLP430 is fantastic and well worth the money. It looks and feels like a true acoustic piano. Having 3 pedals is a huge benefit. I felt that the slight differences between the CLP430 and the 440 were not worth the extra money.

The CLP440 is advertised as having ivory feel keys, but the keys on the CLP430 feel fine and are a pleasure to play on. I would recommend investing in the CLP430 over the Arius YDP161. The GH3, the GRE and the much nicer looking cabinetry are worth the extra money. The hammer action is really great, for an intermediate player like me, it works perfectly.

One small problem I have with the CLP430 is that some of the higher notes have a slightly metallic sound to them. I think this is a problem with the speaker system though. When I plug in headphones to play so as not to disturb my roommates or neighbors, the metallic sound goes away. However, this small problem should not dissuade you from purchasing this piano. Even a half decent pair of headphones provides a wonderful playing experience with vibrant, rich sounding tones. Most of the time I play with headphones anyways, since I play late at night after school and work.

I was looking for a piano to fit my budget, without too many bells and whistles, that I could play at night, and that is movable since I am a student and move apartments relatively frequently. At first I was concerned that a digital piano would not be on par with an acoustic, but I am very pleasantly surprised with the CLP430 and highly recommend it to everyone looking for the same characteristics as I was.

Review by Stephen Lerner

“The CLP440 digital piano meets our needs perfectly”

Thanks to Graham Howard’s advice, we chose this CLP430 to initiate our daughter to piano, and also for our practice. This digital piano meets perfectly our needs and for a good quality price ratio.

Review by Xia Chen, Shanghai, China

“In the end, the decision was quite simple and straightforward”

Hi Graham, Just wanted to say thank you for your free e-book guide on choosing digital pianos. It was very helpful in explaining a lot of the confusing jargon.

For me, touch was the most important thing, teaching classical music, and preparing students for exams, I wanted a digital piano which felt and sounded like an acoustic piano. I was looking at the casio celviano and yamaha clp 430. You were spot on in your descriptions of the models I looked at….

The clp touch was significantly better than the celviano which was a bit too light for my liking, and the sound production as well (the celviano sounded a little ‘fake’ especially in the higher reigsters)… I would have gone for the 440 except that the dealer I went to didn’t have that model. The cvp models were interesting  but the extra bells and whistles couldn’t justify the enormous price difference.

In the end, the decision was quite simple and straightforward. Appreciate your ebook as it helped clarify terms, and also gave me a basis of comparison for the available choices. I think I got the CLP430 for a pretty good price under RM5000. (I think about 1200 euros)

Review by Li Wui, Malaysia

“It is generally good, but I think the instrument is too expensive”

I have mixed feelings when I buy this model. The first thing that raised my concerns is the color of the back plate, black! And I bought the instrument in a variety Rosewood! This is a big oversight, even disregard the customer, especially in this price class.

First impressions were not very nice practical, then already much better – as usual with new instruments.

However, after prolonged exercise, I noticed with astonishment that the keyboard has become like a little heavier and “can not keep up” very fast passages mileage or so-called “chords thrown.” I get tired after one hour exercise, but not because of physical fatigue, but due to the resistance of the keyboard, which can not adapt to the changing speed of exercise.

Now added a few sentences about the instrument. It is generally good, though not the quality knocks. The colors of classical piano happen inaccurate quality of some individual samples are not acceptable in this price class. For comparison, I have a Proteus 2000 module with the extension by William Coakley Perfect Piano `s and quality of these samples the piano is much better than what Yamaha offers in your piano.

I think the instrument is too expensive, though of course has its advantages – the general good by the following 5 modes Brilliance, keyboard quite good.

Review by Jan Unge, Konin, Poland

“I am very pleased with the quality and sound”

Dear Howard

Thank you for saving me a great deal of time and writing a very detailed review of so many digital pianos. I eventually bought a Yamaha clp 430 PE and I am very pleased with the quality and sound. I really wanted it for practice purposes and work in a school with a number of different pianos. All have a different action including the grand. I enjoy playing my yamaha more than any at work due to the quality of the samples. I do find the sound better through the headphones but it is still very good quality without.

Thanks again

Review by Simon Dixon

“The Yamaha CLP430 has heavier touch as compared to Kawai CN23”

We were still undecisive between CLP430 and CLP440. We finally decided to go for CLP430 due to its price. After going through the specs and your book, we decided that the additional features in CLP440 did not provide enough justification to spend the extra money.

My daughter tested the keys and commented that Yamaha CLP430 has heavier touch as compared to Kawai CN23. Anyway, she loves the new Yamaha CLP430 though she said the sound from acoustic pianos is way better than any digital pianos.

So far we are satisfied with the purchase.

Review by Lam, Malaysia

“I love the sound”

Dear Graham,

I finally got my new digital piano, yey! From the day I made the purchase on internet. It took about two weeks for them to get it home. I live in Spain (Barcelona) so maybe delivery times are longer than elsewhere.

After thoroughly reading “The Digital Piano Bible” I decided to buy a Yamaha CLP 430. I chose it because even though I wanted to buy the best possible model, I had a budget of 1600 Euros.

Yesterday, after assembling the piano (which is actually easier that I had imagined) I played it for a while and my general impression is that it is really like playing a real piano. I love the sound, the touch it has, the multiple options you get for recording, the sound options and the integrated metronome is also a good thing. I started playing the piano 22 years ago and I really don’t regret buying this piano. It’s a bit bigger that what I thought would be but I managed to make space for it at my flat.

Thank you for providing piano lovers like me your free advice, you’ve no idea of how helpful that is. I won’t hesitate on recommending people I know play the piano your web page.

Review by Diana Navarro, Barcelona, Spain

“For this price level I think we have bought the best quality of piano”

Hi Graham, I am a beginner for piano and I found your advices shared on ukpianos website were so much helpful. I am so far very happy with my purchase of Yamaha CLP430. When my children get older they will also learn to play piano. For this price level I think we have bought the best quality of piano. Thank you very much for your advice!

Review by David

“It is by far the most comprehensive one”

I am glad to inform you that I have recently bought the Yamaha CLP430 based on your digital piano buying guide. It is by far the most comprehensive one that I come across.

Good job, Graham.

Thank you.

Review by Chuang Siew Fang

“I absolutely love it”

Hello Graham I bought a Yamaha Clavinova CLP430 digital piano from you as a 60th birthday present to myself. I learned to play as a child, but had not touched a keyboard for 47 years. I always promised myself that I would take up the piano again when I retired and I’m so glad I did. I read your information and chose the piano based on your advice and my budget.

I absolutely love it and have made good progress. I started with your free online lessons, some beginners books, then began weekly lessons with a teacher. I have just taken the ABRSM Grade 5 Music Theory exam and I am now studying for Grade 6 piano solo, which I hope to take next year, and Grade 6 music theory.

So, you can see my progress has been quite rapid.

Review by Bren Holmes

“I am totally over the moon with my CLP430”

Hi Graham

Thank you for your help. I also need to thank you very, very much for your help and advice on choosing the right piano when I text you a few months ago. I purchased the clavinova 430 after weighing up all you advice and I must say I am totally over the moon with my CLP430 piano.

I bought it from my local music shop Music in Southbourne, Dorset.

I would have done it online through you but I feel very strongly that I should support local shops where possible especially music shops, as they are disappearing from the high streets very fast. We have lost 3 local shops within the last 18 months.

Thank you again for your help.

Review by Sue Parsons, Southbourne, Dorset

“It plays and feels like an acoustic piano”

We bought the Yamaha CLP 430 for our church. We liked it because it sounds good, plays and feels like an acoustic piano but doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that make it complicated to play for those who aren’t as familiar with digital pianos.

We have a small church so it was in a price range we could afford. And, with the extra voices we now have an organ as well!

Graham Howard’s ratings helped us in making our decision since there are so many options to choose.

Review by L. Garrett

>> For Yamaha CLP430 information, specifications and prices, click here