Should I repair or replace my 17-year-old Yamaha CLP-170 Clavinova? I LOVE it, but it's really showing its age. I'd be happy to buy a replacement but I'm worried about the quality of a new one.
In 2003 I bought a Yamaha CLP-170 Clavinova. It has been a delight to own - I think they did a great job with the weighted keys, it has a small footprint, no tuning needed, and it's possible to practice with headphones. But it's showing its age. The speaker is blown-ish (thanks, kids), but more importantly, the keys have been cracking and crumbling at the back, and the resulting sticky keys are intolerable. I have replaced a couple of broken keys, but it is a HUGE pain, and it seems like every time I replace one, two more break. I wonder if the keys are just at the end of their useful life. While I would love a new instrument with a better speaker and no sticky keys, I'm concerned that new things are often poorly manufactured these days.
Specific questions:
-Can/should I try to repair the one I have?
-Does anyone know what the quality is like on the new Yamahas?
-Can you recommend a specific model replacement, Yamaha or not?
I want something upright-shaped and high quality, the closer to "piano feel" the better. Weight and cost are less of a consideration (I don't plan to move it often, and if I can get another 17 years out of this one I'll pay whatever). I don't care too much about bells & whistles, however I do use the record/replay function often for one-person duets. |
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