Yamaha P-125 BK

The Yamaha P-125 is my first digital piano, which I bought mainly for using at home. In this regard, its overall build quality was not so important for me, although other people might prefer a more solid instrument with less plastic (which however would probably make it more expensive, heavier and not very portable). I wanted a standalone piano for composing, but also for using as a midi keyboard with my DAW when necessary and I am very satisfied with its quality and performance.

I’ve played acoustic piano before, so I wanted something with 88 weighted keys resembling the feel of a real piano as closely as possible at an affordable price. Indeed, the Graded Hammer Standard Keyboard of the P-125 did not disappoint at all – it is very expressive. I cannot compare with key actions from other brands in this price range since I have not tried them, but to me this keyboard is really impressive. The touch sensitive keys are very responsive and although felt a bit heavier at the beginning, I quickly got used to them.

In terms of sound, my favourite is of course the main grand piano, which I use mostly and which in my view sounds quite realistic through the great integrated speakers on this instrument (or my headphones). The additional sounds (electric pianos, organs, strings, bass, etc.) are also useful depending on your purposes.

The two-track recording option allows me to quickly sketch ideas, which I can develop later. I have not yet tried using the “Smart Pianist” app, which is intended to further expand options. By the way, I would have preferred to have Bluetooth as well for more versatile connections. But the connection to my laptop through USB was relatively easy and the drivers were automatically installed. So now using the piano also as a midi keyboard opens new possibilities through various VSTs.

Overall, a great and versatile instrument for the price, with a pleasant, rich and natural piano sound and an amazing keyboard.

My first stage piano was a Yamaha P105. It is a fine instrument, but there were a few things I didn't love. I felt the piano sound was just a little disappointing. I also didn't like that when I took the output from the 1/4" socket, the built-in speakers were muted (so I couldn't use them for monitoring). The built-in speakers were a little anaemic anyway. I was just about to trade up to a P115 when this came out.

The P125 addresses all of these shortcomings and much more. The piano sound is noticeable richer. It adds a whole lot of other sounds, most of which are themselves excellent. The keybed is the same as the P105 and the P115, but that's no bad thing - it feels great. The keys are perhaps a little heavier than other pianos I have played, but not uncomfortably so. The built-in speakers are clear and powerful enough for solo playing or playing with a small group. And although there are a minimal number of controls (buttons and LEDs), the way they are used to access features like transpose are well thought out. A discrete display showing the current settings would have been nice, but there isn't one.

It is not an instrument that is likely to stand up to too many hard knocks, I think: gigging musicians might want to look elsewhere unless they are prepared to treat it with a bit of care. It is mostly plastic. Mine had a fall which caused all of the keys on the lowest octave to become dislodged. Thankfully, nothing actually broke and I managed to reassemble it (there are more than 70 screws holding it all together !) but I think I was lucky...it could easily have been different.

Apart from my concerns about its ruggedness, it feels great and sounds great and I'm very happy with the upgrade from the P105.

When the UK went into lockdown, I dug out an old keyboard from storage hoping to start learning to play. Its limitations soon became apparent, so I decided to look for something economic, but which had more of a piano look, feel and sound. After a bit of research, I found that Thomann had exactly what I was looking for in the P-125; it was in stock, and was competitively priced in comparison to UK dealers. Delivery took only a few days, which was great considering it came over from Germany.

While there are competitive products from other manufacturers, as a beginner, I love my Yamaha. I think it sounds great, it’s not too bulky, and it has all the connectivity I need. I was particularly pleased that the usb connection is not just for data, but will also play an audio signal through the piano’s speakers - not something I had considered before buying it.

While I hope to continue to use my piano for some years to come, when I do finally decide to upgrade, I will definitely come back to see what Thomann has to offer.