Where to Buy the Korg LP380: Review and Opinion

Although Korg is a brand that sounds more in synthesizers and keyboards for music production, the Japanese brand always produces high quality instruments and the Korg LP380 is no exception. It costs around €733/$1150/£689.

Piano lovers will be pleased with a keyboard under €1,000 (~1200$) that features 88 weighted keys and pressure sensitivity, as well as a keyboard setup and customization mode. The Korg LP380 is a very interesting option for those who are looking for a digital piano.

Features

The LP380 is an ideal alternative for pianists, the focus is entirely oriented to simulate an acoustic piano. The specifications of this model are presented below:

88-balanced, pressure-sensitive keyboard with Real Weighted Hammer Action 3 technology.
Touch customization with 3 modes (Configuration and customization of pressure sensitivity)120-note polyphony.
30 Voices ( 5 of Acoustic Piano , Electric Grand, 6 of Electric Piano , Harpsichord, Vibraphone, Marimba, Acoustic Guitar, 3 of Jazz Organ and others)
Effects (Reverb, Brillance and Chorus) – 3 Levels in each effect.
Metronome
30 demo songs
Line Input and Output
Midi Input and Output
2 Headphone Ports
Input for pedal (Triple footswitch, damper, soft, sostenuto and half pedal)
2 Speakers 22w
Electricity consumption 15w
Weight 37kg (including stand)
Dimensions: 1.35 m x 35.1cm x 77.2cm.

I’m sure you’ll be interested in…

Sound

The sound of the LP380 is of great quality, despite having only 120 notes of polyphony, it is capable of producing a clean and clear sound, in addition the integrated speakers have sufficient power to practice at home and even present on stage.Below is the official video of the Korg LP380:

In Korg’s official video we can see “La Campanella” by Franz Liszt, a high level piece, where you can notice the clarity of the sound and the sensitivity of the keyboard.For those who are interested in something more than just piano this is the next demonstration of the Korg LP380:

The Korg LP380 has great quality and sound power in all voices, making it an interesting alternative for any pianist.

Connectivity

The connectivity of the Korg LP380 is good, it features all the basics and has almost everything necessary for a pianist.

It is very probable that some people miss the USB port or the bluetooth connectivity, however, with the MIDI input and output you can record perfectly well, in addition the LP380 has several options for pedals, considering from the triple footswitch (which usually comes included) to a half pedal.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Korg LP 380

The advantages of this model are:

Price
Sound
88 keys
Personalization

The disadvantages of this model are:

Connectivity
Polyphony
Voices

The Korg LP 380 is a great quality digital piano, however, it is not for everyone, the connectivity, polyphony and the number of voices available are 3 limitations to consider, especially if you intend to use the keyboard on a stage. Despite the disadvantages, the LP 380 is a model with very good power and sound quality and features a keyboard with 88 weighted keys and pressure sensitivity that has various customization options.

Korg LP 380 Vs Yamaha YDP 143 (new Yamaha YDP 144)

Korg and Yamaha designed digital pianos with a similar approach, both the Korg LP380 which costs around costs around €733/$1150/£689 and the Yamaha YDP 143 (new model reviewed at this linked review) are ideal for piano students and pianists who require a good quality choice, which costs €777/$1200/£715. The similarities and differences between the two models are shown below:

Both the Korg and Yamaha have an 88-key keyboard with weighted keys and pressure sensitivity, however, Yamaha does not specify whether the YDP 143 has real weight on the keys, while the LP 380 has a technology called Real Weighted Hammer Action 3, focused on imitating the sensitivity of a piano through weight and response to pressure.
The Yamaha YDP 143 has 4 pressure levels on the keyboard (Hard, Medium, Soft and Fixed), while the Korg LP 380 has a customization of 3 levels,
The sound polyphony of the Yamaha YDP 143 is 192 notes, while the Korg has 120 notes.
The Korg has 30 piano sounds while the Yamaha has 10.
Yamaha incorporates reverb effect of 4 types and Korg has reverb, brillance and Chorus with 3 types (levels).
Both models have connectivity for triple footswitch, however, Korg has an alternative to place a half footswitch.
Korg features MIDI input and output, in-line input and output, and input for 2 headphones, while
Yamaha features input for 2 headphones and a USB to host port.
Korg speakers are more powerful with 25w each, while Yamaha incorporates 6w speakers.
The Yamaha YPD 143 includes a book with 50 songs.

Both models have great quality, however, if you are in search of sound power, effects, variety of voices and quality in the keys the Korg LP 380 is the best alternative, if you are looking for a keyboard with more polyphony and USB connectivity the Yamaha YDP 143 is an excellent choice.

Korg LP 380 Vs Roland FP30

The Roland FP30 which costs around €625/$730/£566, is very similar to the Korg LP380 which costs around costs around €733/$1150/£689, but with a slightly different focus. The similarities and differences between the two models are presented below:

Both models have an 88-key keyboard with sensitivity to pressure and weighted keys, however, Korg adds real weight to the keys by simulating an acoustic piano.
The polyphony is practically identical, Roland has 128 notes, while Korg offers 120 notes.
Korg incorporates 30 voices, while roland has 33 voices.
Both models have effects and 4 configuration levels
The Roland’s connectivity is more complete with USB and Bluetooth, plus 2 headphone input ports and the output port.
Roland offers the App Piano Partner 2 available for Android and iOS, through the app you can synchronize a mobile or a Tablet using bluetooth and follow scores without having to change pages, record and other functions.
Both models have option for triple footswitch.
Korg has more sound power, as its speakers are 25w each, while Roland includes 11w speakers.
The Korg’s weight is 37kg with base, while Roland’s FP30 weighs 23kg with base.

The comparison between both models is complicated, both options are of high quality. The Roland FP30 offers great connectivity features, however, it does not have great sound power, nor keys with real weight, although it can be a great option for those seeking synchronization with the mobile. The Korg LP 380 is an option for those who are looking for a keyboard that simulates a piano through the weight of the keys and focuses on sound quality and power. Of course Roland Fp 30 is a good choice for its price. Around 500€ (~650$)

Korg LP 380 Vs Yamaha P115

The Yamaha P115 (and the new model Yamaha P25, the only difference is that it comes with 14 new piano songs) is a very popular choice among piano students, as it has adequate features to begin learning this instrument. Below are the similarities and differences between Yamaha P115 and Korg LP 380:

Both models feature an 88-key keyboard with weighted keys and pressure sensitivity, however, Yamaha does not specify whether the P115 has real weight on the keys, while the LP 380 has a technology called Real Weighted Hammer Action 3, focused on imitating the sensitivity of a piano through weight and pressure response.
The Yamaha P115 features 4 pressure levels on the keyboard (Hard, Medium, Soft and Fixed), while the Korg LP 380 has a customization of 3 levels,
The Yamaha polyphony is bigger, with 192 notes, while the LP 380 has 120.
Korg incorporates 30 voices, Yamaha P125 has 24 piano songs.
The P115 features a reverb effect of 4 types and Korg has reverb, brillance and Chorus with 3 types (levels).
The sound power of the Korg LP 380 is better, as it features 2 speakers of 25w each, while the Yamaha P115 features 7w speakers each.
The Korg’s connectivity is better, since it has in-line input and output, MIDI, 2 headphone inputs and the pedal port, while the P115 has USB to host, 2 headphone inputs and pedal input but does not have MIDI available.
Both models have an option for triple pedal and half pedal.
Yamaha P125 cost around 500€ (~650$)

The Korg LP 380 is a more complete option than the Yamaha P115, among the characteristics to emphasize is the quality in the keys, because the real weight that Korg offers perfectly simulates a piano, allowing to interpret any piece properly, on the other hand the sound power of the LP380 is much superior, so if you are looking for a piano to study and play in presentations the Korg LP 380 is better alternative.

Korg LP 380 Vs Korg C1 air

Korg offers 2 models with practically identical features, both the LP380 and the Korg C1 Air are two options focused on imitating a piano, and it costs around €844/$1500/£777. The similarities and differences between the two models are shown below:

Both models share the same keyboard technology with 88 weighted (actual weight) keys and pressure sensitivity.
The polyphony of both models is 120 notes.
The temperament of the LP380 is of 9 types, while that of the C1 air is of 3 types.
Both models feature 30 voices and options for tuning and customizing the keyboard.
The connectivity of both models is practically identical, the only difference is that the C1 air has bluetooth.
The sound power of both models is identical.

The differences between the LP 380 and the Korg C1 air are really minimal, the main difference is the temperament where the LP 380 is a winner and the bluetooth connectivity where the C1 air is a better alternative, however, in quality, sound power and keyboard functionality both models are identical.

Conclusion

Before choosing a keyboard model, make sure you know your needs, this way you will be able to find an option that adapts to your budget and has the functions that you really need.For those looking for a digital piano of less than 1000€ capable of simulating the sensation of using an acoustic piano, the Korg LP 380 is an excellent choice, as the technology on the keyboard of this model is capable of reproducing the experience of playing an acoustic piano, it also has 2 very powerful loudspeakers, ideal for those who also intend to play in public.

If you are looking for a more advanced alternative you should check out the Roland FP 90, a keyboard with higher sound quality and better features, however, if you are looking for a different option you can check our guide to the best digital pianos and keyboards in terms of quality and price.