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| Roland CG-1 |
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| Roland GP607 |
Just so you know, the better, mainstream Roland GP607 mini-grand sells at discount price in piano stores at around $6300, so although the GP607 more money than the price on the CG-1, the GP607 has some features and functions not offered in the CG-1, as I mentioned earlier. Also when you work with a Roland piano store then you get access to product specialists who can help you learn and understand functions & features on the GP607 which is a good thing and that can have extra value because there is no one at Costco who can do that for you.
![Roland CG-1 & GP607 photo]( "Roland CG-1 digital mini-grand piano")
So why would someone want to buy a Roland CG1 mini-digital grand? Well, for starters, it looks attractive in its 3' deep polished ebony cabinet with a dark simulated mahogany color interior and 1-position lid. The speaker system is fairly nice but I have heard the speaker system in person and it is a bit weak in terms of bass response. The piano internal speaker system has less than 70 watts of total power going through 2 speakers, whereas the upgraded GP607 has 5 speakers including a built-in sub-woofer in an enclosed acoustically sealed speaker box for much better overall sound projection and quality. But in terms of a big, bold, rich sound this CG-1 does not come close to a real baby grand piano and other home digital pianos. But that's OK because I think most people will be fine for what this piano does. The 36" deep cabinet is somewhat small but that also allows it to fit into smaller spaces too. If you need a larger, deeper cabinet then mini digital grands from other companies like the Samick and Yamaha piano company have cabinets that measure 48" deep and Roland has a top of the line digital grand piano that is 5' deep (60") but that one sells for approx $11,000 discount price.
![Roland CG-1 & GP607 photo]( "Roland CG-1 digital mini-grand piano")
So what makes the Roland CG-1 different than its more popular counterpart, the Roland GP607 which is available at regular piano stores that carry Roland digital pianos? First of all, the CG1 has 40% fewer instrument sounds on-board which makes the GP607 more versatile in what it offers in the way of non-piano instrument sounds. Since there are 307 tones in the GP607 then there is about 40% less than that in the CG1. There are 716 internal songs in the GP607 to listen to and play along with so you can learn to play different music by listening to the songs and also seeing some of them in digital sheet music form in your iPad or Android tablet in the GP607. But in the CG-1 there is about 80% fewer learning songs than that and there is no access to the more well known piano curriculum that the GP607 has such as Czerny and many more. The CG-1 has less digital memory slots to save your settings and the accessories that come with the CG-1 are cheaper quality and there are less of them. Both pianos have a small LCD user display interface and there are many other digital features on both models for recording and playback, sound editing, and other things.
![Roland CG-1 & GP607 photo]( "Roland CG-1 digital mini-grand piano")
However, as far as the piano playing experience goes on the CG1, there is no difference between it and the regular Roland GP607 other than the internal speaker system which can definitely have an impact on the sound. It's the same key action, same piano sound chip, and same pedaling...so that is a good thing. Roland uses a proprietary piano sound chip, key action, and pedaling system and they are all good. Roland's key action is a somewhat firm as compared to most real acoustic grand piano (and other digital pianos) that I have played so there is a big difference there, but it is still overall enjoyable to play as far as key action goes. The piano ![Roland CG-1 & GP607 photo]( "Roland CG-1 digital mini-grand piano")
sound is different than any other digital piano brand because Roland is exclusively using only physical modeling technology rather than "sampled recording" so there is a noticeable difference in the realism of the piano sound.
sound is different than any other digital piano brand because Roland is exclusively using only physical modeling technology rather than "sampled recording" so there is a noticeable difference in the realism of the piano sound. Piano sound in a digital piano is not only dependent on the internal speaker system, but it's also very dependent on the quality of the original piano sound in the sound chip. Since Roland does not actually sample record a real acoustic piano anymore, they have chosen to use a technology called Physical Modeling. Physical Modeling creates a sound from "nothing" In other words, the sound or sounds are done entirely with mathematical algorithms in the virtual world. As you probably know with movie visual effects, CGI (aka: computer generated imagery) is now used to create scenes and effects in movies that could never be done in the past otherwise. Some of these effects and imagery are incredibly realistic such as what we see today in SciFi movies or Disney animated movies like Monster's Inc, etc, so they can be pretty awesome.
In music and reproducing instrument sounds, Physical Modeling can sometimes sound artificial because the technology is not starting off with the real thing, namely an actual acoustic grand piano. I have played these Roland (and other) digital pianos that use only physical modeling technology and the result can sometimes sound good, but also sometimes sounds noticeably artificial depending on what how you are playing the piano, what notes you are using and how they are all resonating together, and also how you are using your sustain pedal with various notes sustaining together.
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| Yamaha CLP765GP |
Overall the physical modeling technology is pretty good but in my opinion it would be much better if it was a combination of Physical modeling and sampled recording combined together as can be found in the Yamaha digital grand pianos such as the newer CLP-765 which sells on-line at just $5899 internet discount price with free shipping...and we can help you get it for even less money including free shipping and no sales tax, brand new. The Roland CG-1 at $5499 at Costco does not include sales tax so the Yamaha price would be a much better deal plus it offers a noticeably better piano playing experience in our opinion. Also, the Yamaha digital grand is about 9" deeper than the Roland so that increase in cabinet depth makes the piano look more realistic. But it is the piano sound quality and realism in the newer Yamaha that really outshines the Roland in our opinion.
![Extra discount]( "Roland CG1 digital piano review")
There is a special unadvertised instant rebate that we can get you for the new Yamaha digital baby grand which drops the price down well below the Roland CG-1 or the mainstream GP607. If you want more info on this opportunity you should contact us right away.
Personally I like the piano sound in a digital piano to be either sampled (but the sampling has to be high quality) and not what is in some of the cheap mini or micro grands, or have a combination of both sampling and physical modeling which a few of them do now. Having a combination of both sound technologies is the best way to achieve the most authenticity in a digital piano but that generally costs more money to do. But that's just my opinion as far as the piano sound experience goes in digital pianos and you may enjoy the Roland piano sound technology and what it does for you. So when you combine the look of the CG-1 cabinet along with the piano sound, key action movement, and pedaling along with a number of fun and useful features, the Roland CG-1 at Costco can be a good purchase, especially if you like the look of the smaller mini-grand piano cabinet.
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| Roland CG-1 |
I will say that the lower priced Artesia mini grand pianos that you may have seen advertised at Costco come nowhere close to this model or any other others mentioned here in any way shape, or form as far as the authenticity of the piano playing experience you would get from it or those other cheaper pianos. The Roland and Yamaha blows away the Artesia and the other much lower quality brands such as Williams & Suzuki. I like to call pianos with a nice looking cabinet but with a sub-par piano playing experience a "PSO" otherwise know as a Piano Shaped Object...something I do not recommend.
![Roland CG-1 & GP607 photo]( "Roland CG-1 digital mini-grand piano")
At the end of the day, if you want the look of a mini digital grand piano but you want it to be higher quality and stay under $8000, then there are really only 6 good choices out there right now as far as I am concerned and I have played all of them. Given that I am a long time piano teacher and pro musician, I have a lot of experience with these things. You can choose either the Samick SG500 mini digital grand, at $5299, the Roland CG-1 mini digital grand (the subject of this review) at $5499, the Roland ![Roland CG-1 & GP607 photo]()
GP607 mini digital grand at $6300, the new Kawai DG30 micro digital grand at $5499, or the Yamaha CLP-765GP mini digital grand at $5899. Yamaha also makes a 4' deep mini digital grand called the CLP-795GP which recently came out for 2021 and it looks beautiful and plays even more like a real grand piano than the others. However, that one sells for a higher price of $7999 internet discount price in polished ebony. If you intend for this purchase to be a long term investment, then I recommend you do it right the first time.
GP607 mini digital grand at $6300, the new Kawai DG30 micro digital grand at $5499, or the Yamaha CLP-765GP mini digital grand at $5899. Yamaha also makes a 4' deep mini digital grand called the CLP-795GP which recently came out for 2021 and it looks beautiful and plays even more like a real grand piano than the others. However, that one sells for a higher price of $7999 internet discount price in polished ebony. If you intend for this purchase to be a long term investment, then I recommend you do it right the first time. Right now during Covid those pianos are even more difficult to get because there is a surge in demand for these pianos and production of them their factories has been problematic with the overseas factories having been shut down because of Covid restrictions and the workers there still not back at full production...so there is a shortage of pianos and it looks like this shortage will not end anytime soon. Plus there are not severe shipping issues hanging up the big container ships from coming into the local California docks. If you want one of these pianos then get your order in right away to reserve one.
![Roland CG-1 & GP607]( "Roland CG-1 digital mini-grand piano")
Whatever digital piano you decide to invest in, I suggest you do your homework, especially in this higher price range and then contact me before you do anything because I can help you with purchasing any of these models (with the exception of the Costco versions) for less money in the US than ad or internet discount price along with being able to get free shipping, no tax, and delivery, but only while supplies are available at the manufacturer US warehouses. I will also give you helpful free unbiased and experienced advice so you can make a good piano purchase decision.
If you want more info on new digital pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.
If you want more info on new digital pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.