Digital in like new shape.  
A digital would only be a good fit for someone who has already built up the muscle control from practicing on a real piano for many years.  Be aware; even the  most expensive digital with "weighted keys" will not be a suitable substitute for a real piano with a student. 
Here at A.M.O. Pianos we want parents and students to know the truth; and the simple truth is that a student can only develop full hand strength and muscle control from a real piano - this is because a real piano is made of wooden parts which control the hammer mechanism.  Wooden parts are actually very inconsistent (even after heavy calibration) and do not actually feel the same from key to key.  One of the issues with weighted digital pianos is the keys are way too light and even;  while your average piano is very un-even.  The touch on a real piano also continues to change over time and infact; slowly every day you play it. The touch and sound will even change slightly when the temperature and humidity shifts.  The touch also drastically changes from piano to piano;  whereas all digitals feel pretty much exactly the same, which could never be useful for a beginning student. It would simply be a large step backwards on your very first day and every day after.  Almost like trying to mow your yard with a pair of scissors. Technically it is possible, but just imagine if you were to use that same amount of determination on a good instrument? and start building up those import muscles right away? 
But possibly even more important is the sound and tone of real piano strings and Spruce soundboards. The sound of a real piano has never been captured even remotely well on a digital; and this is because it is impossible to sample the complex and ever-changing overtones and melting harmonics that you get with a real piano, with real strings.  A real piano never sounds exactly the same twice. Like plucking the strings on a guitar.  It will be different every time you play a note or chord, and it will resonate noticeably differently with each keystroke you hit. Digitals are lifeless boxes which will provide you the exact same sound and touch over, and over until it stops working one day.  Excellent for the studios or on stage performance,  but this is precisely what you would never want in an acoustic instrument when trying learn and figure it out.
Digitals simply can not reproduce the important  subtle emotions of a real piano touch or sound.  This is why a student should never begin thier journey with a fake piano simulation. Another issue is there are many piano teachers who learned on real pianos and simply do not really feel the difference, which is because of their deep muscle control they have built up over the years from playing lots of real pianos. It is easy to take for granted when it is something that gets built up so slowly overtime.  Teachers and piano players aren't purposely leading people astray,  it's just many of them are taking for granted the muscles they already have which makes them so versatile from piano to piano.  It is an easy mistake to make - but it will also easily be the difference between a student succeeding with thier ambitions - or - losing interest all together. 
We write this super long and possibly crazy sarcastic message because we see way too many brilliant students "losing" interest out there - and it is hardly ever the kids interest to blame.  It is almost always the digital or an old worn out piano which they are forced to use, which simply is not fair.  Kid wants a trumpet, they get a trumpet,  kid wants a flute they get a flute.  Kid wants a piano and they get....ta daa...they get a keyboard...😲
Ask yourself if having a headphone jack is a good enough reason to give a child or student  a short-lived phase? 😥 (and we realize parents are not purposely doing this - but it is the parents who just don't realize the huge and important differences of the two and are being bombarded by digital piano ads with smiling kids next to a digital.  So it's not the fault of the parents to blame. But there is a large disconnect in the education of what the actual success rate is between real pianos vs a digital photo copy.  The numbers are clear, and digitals will rob any raw potential you may naturally have. 
The quality and precision of your tool is the single most important factor when learning any skill - especially something as complex as a piano keyboard touch. Would you want to be ahead of the curve, or way behind it?
We wish you all much luck and fun out there with your musical journey no matter which instrument you love!!
Give us a call at A.M.O. Pianos and we'd be happy to assist with any of your piano questions. Have a great day, and have fun out there!
 
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