You’ll find more expensive ones lasting the longest due to their better electrical components, build, and keys.
You can still make a more affordable one last a while, though. Not only will we be answering how long they last, but we’ll also discuss how you can prolong their life, and why they’re superior to their acoustic counterparts.
How Long Do Digital Pianos and Keyboards Last?
Digital Pianos and keyboards can last up to 50 years. It all depends on the maintenance.
- Acoustic pianos (the cheap ones) would last around 30 years. Many say they stop being functional at the 35-year mark. This is without thorough maintenance – tuning excluded of course.
- Digital pianos that are on the higher-end of the price spectrum boast a life span of around 20-50 years.
- More affordable keyboards last around 10-15 years. Manufacturers widely offer 10-year warranties for them.
Their quality affects how long they’ll last. However, the conditions you expose them to is a considering factor as well. There is a multitude of things to avoid if you want them to last. We discussed them in-depth below.
How Do You Maintain A Digital Piano?
Here’s how you get them to last the longest:
Avoid Doorways
You have a grand-looking digital piano in your possession. It might add to the ambiance of a certain room. But consider where it’s placed, for example, behind a doorway. If this is the case, slamming your door into it is a real possibility. This not only could chip the instrument, but you might knock it over. Don’t forget that it’s an electrical device, so you’ll damage its parts.
If there isn’t a door to the room, knocking it over won’t be an issue. But if your piano is near the entrance to your house, dust would get in from outside, and clog its keys. Even worse, it could interfere with the circuits.
Avoid Bright Lights
Your piano would look good in a fabulously lit room. Be careful of how bright it is, though. Having it placed directly in sunlight would discolour its exterior. Sunlight can also harm it with heat, so exposing your piano to it for long periods would leave the plastic on it warped. Its keys would especially weaken, leaving you with a piano that wouldn’t last long.
Be aware of certain kinds of lights too. Don’t underestimate how hot halogen lights can get. You can use one of these piano lamps instead.
Avoid Windows
Windows not only expose your instrument to direct sunlight but dust too. As mentioned, they’d get stuck in its keys. They could even get inside, messing with its parts.
You might have forgotten to close your windows at least once. It could rain, and the inside of your piano could get wet. It’s an electrical instrument, so this is the worst thing you could do.
Avoid Food
We’ll say it again – it’s electrical. Many people forget this, treating it like its acoustic counterpart. You aren’t supposed to eat or drink near devices with circuits. What would happen if you spilled coffee on your laptop? It would stop working. This is true for your digital piano as well. Eating next to it is also a disaster waiting to happen. Crumbs would get lodged in its keys. You’d also attract ants.
Avoid Sticky Hands
Although a dirty keyboard can still be played, you should try to keep it clean at all times. Regularly washing your hands before playing would prevent the oils from your fingers from staining its keys. They could get so sticky that playing would be uncomfortable.
Avoid Unstable Power Sources
Just like you would with a computer, avoid dodgy power sources. You could experience power surges, frying the insides of your instrument up. In an instant, it could stop working.
Avoid Other Electrical Devices
This doesn’t mean that you should keep your piano away from all electrical devices. It’s just that you should not plug it next to major appliances. This could be microwaves, refrigerators, and air conditioners. They would create magnetic waves that would affect the sounds it produces. In more extreme cases, the waves could cause a fire to break-out.
Avoid Not Using A Dust-cover
If you’re serious about making your piano last long, think about investing in a dust cover. It does exactly what its name suggests. We talked about how much dust windows and doors bring in. A dust protector would prevent this. These covers prolong the life of the instruments by years.
You may have a pet at home. The cover would prevent a cat or dog from getting on it, and its fur getting in between the keys.
When purchasing a cover, be mindful of how big it is. It wouldn’t be able to cover it properly otherwise.
How Do You Clean A Digital Piano?
Cleaning your digital piano would keep it in its best condition. Not all cleaning agents can be used, though. If you look through the manual, you’ll find a list of brands that you should avoid, as they might be too harsh for the keys. That’s why there are mild agents specifically for pianos – you should check them out.
Let’s look at the safest way to clean your keyboard. You’ll need:
- Warm water
- Two-three drops of gentle soap
- Two soft white cloths
- A Q-tip
First, add the drops of soap to the water. Make sure that they’re mixed well, as you want a soapy solution. Also use a plain, white cloth. The chemicals or dyes from a coloured cloth would stain its keys. Get it damp. When wiping its keys, be sure to do this for their sides as well.
Use the second cloth to get rid of any moisture. You’re making sure that water does not get inside. To get rid of the liquid, you might have to use a Q-tip too. The cloth might not be able to reach certain spots.
In terms of its exterior, regularly brushing it down would help. This would prevent dust accumulation.
Why Should You Buy A Digital Piano?
They’re much cheaper than their acoustic counterparts. An affordable one would be around $200-700. Meanwhile, their alternatives could run you a bill of around $2000-20,000. Many people say that expensive pianos from brands like Steinway cost as much as mortgages. If you’re a beginner, investing in a cheap digital piano is better as you’re still testing the waters.
Having a digital piano means you don’t need a variety of instruments to accompany you. It can produce a range of sounds, such as guitar or violin. If you’re serious about creating music, this is the instrument for you. You can record and listen to what you’re making with headphones. Depending on the model you picked up, you could transfer your recordings to a computer. This feature is especially useful as you could create sheet music.
As it’s a device with so many sounds, you’ll be saving space. You won’t need to use your garage for an entire band. The pianos also tend to be smaller than acoustic ones.
The fact that you can plug your headphones in is appreciated if you live with others. You won’t be disturbing them. It helps you improve your skills too. You’ll get a better understanding of the sounds you’re making. A lot of digital pianos come with twin headphone jacks, and this lets you and your teacher listen to your playing. This would let him or her provide you with the best critiques.
One of the difficulties with learning to play the piano is timing. It requires a lot of muscle memory. This is where metronomes come in, as they develop your rhythm and timekeeping. Thankfully, many digital pianos have them built-in. You even get superior controls to adjust their beat.
Final Thoughts
You can to take good care of your pianos. You can even paint them if you want or fix them yourself.
Digital pianos have many perks compared to acoustic ones. To begin with, they’re more affordable. They come with a range of effects, helping you improve your music. They also don’t require tuning and take up less space. The fact that they’re one instrument but can act as a whole band is the cherry on top – you’ll be able to record and transfer whatever you make and let the world hear it.
Cheaper pianos can last a decade, while expensive ones can even last around 50 years. To get them to last, you’ll have to maintain them well. We discussed a few ways you can do this. One of the most important things to do is purchase a dust cover, as it does exactly what its name suggests.
Be mindful of the location you keep the instrument too. It may be a spot that attracts a lot of heat, which could warp the plastic. Its insides would get damaged as well.
Whatever you do, don’t eat or drink near it. You could spill something on the keys, ruining its electrical parts. Just like dust, crumbs could get between its keys. This would ruin how smoothly they work.
Think about cleaning it often. This would keep it looking its best. It would also help you play it better. You don’t want a sticky keyboard, do you? Just be mindful of the agents you use.