I recently purchased a Casio CTK-3000 as a beginner's keyboard, and I thought I would write a review since none were available when I was shopping. The CTK-3000 has touch-sensitive keys, which the 2100 does not. Even for a beginner, the difference in sound between a keyboard with touch-sensitive keys and one without them is huge, and this alone makes the 3000 worth the higher price. Even if you're a beginner, you won't regret choosing touch-sensitive keys if you can afford the slightly higher price. The 3000 weighs less than 10 pounds by itself, it runs on AA batteries if necessary, and it can sit firmly on a table if there's room or adapts to a stand. It has a pitch bend wheel, which is of no use to me but may be to others. The CTK-3000 has 400 tones, although some of them are very similar to others, and a number of piano tones that are all a little different. The stereo grand piano seems very realistic, but the notes do not sustain well in the higher ranges. Some of the other piano tones sustain better across the entire range of notes, but those tones are not in stereo, and you can hear that too. Still, I'm happy with the stereo grand piano tone. The sustain effect is only in the highest octave, and as a beginner I hardly ever use the highest and lowest octaves. I'm busy in the middle three octaves, and those notes all sound very realistic. The song bank has 100 songs and 20 exercise phrases, and while some of the song bank is cool to listen to, learning from it seems… read more difficult. The pieces that are intended for beginners are not interesting, and the pieces that are interesting are not going to be played by beginners. I've found a few of the exercise phrases useful, but that's just for drilling my fingers. I purchased the accessory pack with the keyboard. The power source is fine, a standard AC adaptor rated for this appliance. The stand is metal and is by far the heaviest part of the whole thing. It locks firmly at the desired height and has wide feet for stability, but the keyboard does not attach, it just sits on top. Even so, the top supports are plenty wide enough for the entire keyboard, and after over a month, tipping does not seem to be a problem. Tipping it over would take more than a casual bump. My cat has walked across the keyboard with no ill effects and only a little shaking, although I didn't appreciate the music he made when it was turned on. I'm not an audiophile, so the sound delivered by the headphones is good to me, but the connectors do not fit well. The headphones require a 1/4" adaptor, and the fit is not good somewhere, so I often have to jiggle the connectors to get both sides to work, but it's fine once the jiggling finds good contact points. Headphones that already have a 1/4" connector would probably solve that. After considering different models of both Yamaha and Casio keyboards, I'm satisfied that the Casio CTK-3000 is a good value in features for the price. Yamaha keyboards with comparable features are typically $30 or more higher. The 3000 has good sound for a beginner, and the touch-sensitive keys give the beginner an honest keyboard experience. I think it's a good place for a beginner to start, and it will tell me whether the keyboard is something I can do well enough to become enthusiastic about it. If and when I'm ready, I can always upgrade to a more expensive keyboard and be able to use the more advanced features. And if this keyboard just winds up in the closet or being given away after six months because I'm not satisfied with my ability to learn it, then I know I didn't spend more than I had to for a good enough keyboard to tell me that.

Manufacturer Support
Easy to reach, but the people who answer the phones are not particularly knowledgable about product features. I had an e-mail response from someone who knew the answer after about six days.

Musical Background:
Beginner Hobbyist

Musical Style:
Yes. read less