What's the future looks like for this model/line?

[Disenchanted_11]

Hi all, I have my eyes on an AP470 as the only locally available Celviano model here in my country. I have the money to buy it, but it is not the right time for me yet, skill-wise. I'm a late bloomer, still learning to play on my CTX.

 

But with all of the chaos around I can't help to think, how's the development looking at Casio? What can we expect after 2 years time? Will they put AiX on APxxx? Improve the parameters to play with? Improve the action? Further eliminate the quirks that comes with the cheap price?

 

They're now fairly respected, getting compared with the top brands. I hope they continue the revolution and release further improved versions of these products and within the same price range. I hope this pandemic won't stop them. Cheers!

Edited November 11, 2021 by Disenchanted_11

[Jokeyman123]

Tough time for merchandisers,shippers here in the US if you are elsewhere not much better. Just saw a photo of roughly 500 huge shipping containers stuck in Port Houston-not a pretty picture. So new updates from Casio, anybody's guess, although the Japanese market seems pretty busy at least for old stock items,but often overpriced to here in the US. with so many musicians, pro and otherwise still out of work-and not needing anything new for the last year or more-must be a tough sell for any manufacturer to move new products, if they are seeing existing inventory stuck on docks and ships. A shame, but until these shipping problems somehow are solved, i am guessing Casio will not be too anxious to improve the high-end instruments as much. Look at the recent releases-the smaller CP pianos, staying with the CTX series. I've been hoping for an even modest update to the PX560, but I can understand if it doesn't happen, at least not this year. January NAMM, if it happens, its supposed to (I have a friend who is going to be there) will give us some indication as to what might be down the road for Casio. For now, the newest Celvianos land other consoles look to be pretty cutting edge compared to anything including the biggest ticket Kawai MP's and that line of escapement action pianos. Surely a limited market compared to say the CTX line, and it is all too easy for a manufacturer to over-reach and put themselves out of business. Think Ensoniq, Generalmusic, Siel, Sequential, Alesis (almost but survived for now) so many that could not compete or had lackluster marketing and other business plans in place. Even Kurzweil years back had to change ownership or disappear completely.

[Jokeyman123]

Summarizing this once-again overly long response to your post Disenchanted,

 

Casio knows how to survive it seems for the long haul. In it for the "long game" one could say. I've purchased some other pretty high-end musical instruments over the years-built to last but sadly the companies didn't, and neither did their development teams who need to scatter elsewhere to find work unfortunately-or fortunately (wink-wink) for Casio. I've emailed a few developers past trying to glean old info about codes, keyboard operating systems, internal hardware designs-hard to find these techno geniuses as they work independently or for other companies developing new products, time marches on. And for musicians like me who keep and have kept a variety of technological pieces up and running-when there is no more company, there is no more support. Even as semi-retired but still active, this is still (as you can read here many times) important to me at least.  Casio seems to know how to thrive even when the economic chips are down (no pun intended sorry couldn't help myself just realized how appropriate this cliche is).

[Disenchanted_11]

Thanks for your insights! That's a great take on this matter. I guess I am now more hopeful for better products when my time comes.

 

By the way, the AP470 is now gone and out of stock. But they have 2 new AP270 available. It is tempting to buy now just get on with it, but as it is, times are hard and I've got other things to prioritize. I guess I'll just have to do with watching how the market goes, until the time is right.

 

Thanks again!

[Jokeyman123]

As the market stabilizes (I'm hoping) and supply chains improve-prices seem unusually non-negotiable and this may change over time (I don't see too many sale or reduced price items lately) and most are going for strictly retail prices, with little or no "wiggle" room.  Waiting a bit might be wise, but it is hard to say-no one can predict the future. Will prices drop? Maybe but inflation is not our friend. Will more products come to market-I'm sure, but I think it will be a rather laboriously slow recovery with musical instruments overall.