REVIEW - Roland MFP1 Portable Digital Piano at Costco - Has many nice features, but also has deficiencies

MFP1

REVIEW - Roland MFP1 portable digital piano at Costco - Partially recommended - The Roland company has just come out with their lowest priced weighted 88-key digital piano ever called the MFP1 available at Costco. There are actually two versions of this piano available from Roland with one being called the Roland FP20 ($899US internet price without stand or bench) which is available on-line from piano & music dealers in the US and other countries, and the other model is called the MFP1 ($999 with bench, headphones, and Wifi adapter) which is the identical model but only available at Costco in the US (as far as I know). The interesting thing is that although the F20 is offered in two colors (either satin black or dark walnut), the new F20 seems to only be available in the satin black color in the US and the MFP1 at Costco seems to only be available in the dark walnut cabinet finish. Roland offers both these colors in the F20 version but the black is all I see available in the US at any internet or store dealer whereas in other countries both colors in the F20 may be available. Did you get all that?! It is a bit confusing but there is a reason for this confusion in the US market and it has to do with Costco.

Costco is a Roland digital piano dealer for a few of the lower priced Roland digital piano models in the US. But to give Costco an edge in the US market, it would seem that Roland provided Costco with the exclusive market for the simulated walnut color (with contemporary black top panel and music rack), gave it a new name MFP1, and included a matching furniture stand, bench, and a couple of other accessories, and this MFP1 is offered at a lower package price than any music dealer is offering for the identical F20 model in satin black. It's simply a strategic advantage that Costco has over anyone else in the US (that Roland has given them) with regard to a better advertised price, as long as you like the dark walnut color, which is actually fairly attractive. If you are as big and powerful as Costco is, it is no surprise they have an advantage over other US retail sites and stores. Of course you can easily return this piano if you don't like it (like just about anything else you can buy there) and get a full refund. That's another Costco advantage.

Roland F20 satin black

Now that you understand this, it's also important to understand that the new Roland MFP1 and F20 are identical in every way as far as construction, digital features, key action, internal speaker system, and all other characteristics go (except for cabinet color). If you check out the specifications of both models you will see this for yourself. I have done a very detailed review of the new Roland F20 and to learn more about this new MFP1 at Costco, please read my review of the F20 at the following link before you purchase this piano as there are some notable deficiencies (in my opinion) in this piano with regard to some important aspects of piano playing: Roland F20 review.

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.

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