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**Lev** · 08-03-2004, 08:31 PM

Re: Piano buying advice??

I've had a Baldwin for about 10-11 years, good tone and still as good as new. Yamaha's are also really good. I don't really know much about them though to be honest, I just play heh.

**skarhead** · 08-03-2004, 08:31 PM

Re: Piano buying advice??

By pianos you guys in the States mean that big black flat thing or the vertical one ? [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

i'll ask my mother tommorrow ( she's Piano college / was doing it proffesional )Basically afaik ( afaiheard from her ) the Top are Steinway ( i own one [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] ) and Boesendorfers , she told me once that there were some decent / good pianos from a japanese manufacturer - i don't know if it was a yamaha or sth else :o.

I'll let you know tommorow

**Lev** · 08-03-2004, 08:32 PM

Re: Piano buying advice??

Steinway are definitely the best, but they're very high in price...

**Jim Shine** · 08-03-2004, 09:17 PM

Re: Piano buying advice??

My advice is to look for freebie or cheapies in the local classifieds and wait until you find a good deal. The average upright takes a major hit in value (even high end loses a bit of value, just not as dramatically) the second you buy it. Even if you need to have a second hand one serviced, it will still be far cheaper than buying new.

**the_drip** · 08-03-2004, 09:49 PM

Re: Piano buying advice??

we have a baldwin. It works great. Yamaha or KAwaii make a decent piano too.

**metallicarocks** · 08-03-2004, 11:33 PM

Re: Piano buying advice??

We have a Young Chang, and it kind of fell apart after a few years. Then again, we also had six kids in the house, that can't be good. The tone on this thing is actually very nice, and it plays quite smoothly too. Our school has a Yamaha upright and it sounds really good. I might warn you though, the cartoons do not exagerate in the least, in fact they don't come close to the real weight. These things are HEAVY motherfuckers. It took four guys to move ours, and uprights are even worse. You can get a caster system for them if you need to move it around alot to avoid wear and tear.

My Grandma has a very old Baldwin. It sounds terrible, but it works still. I hate the tone of it, it sounds almost like a banjo! The newer ones sound much better though. If they build them structure-wise like they used to, they'll stand for a long time. That house had seven kids in it.

Yes, horny parents.

**mudkicker** · 08-03-2004, 11:44 PM

Re: Piano buying advice??

Check out local auctions also. I bought an old piano for $25 bucks. It was from the 1890s it had beautiful wood work on the front of it. Never did learn who the manufacturer was. It sounded great and the key were very soft, they didn't require a ton of pressure o play them.
Sadly we let it go with the other house when we sold it. It was a bear to move.

**Emthrax** · 08-04-2004, 11:59 AM

Re: Piano buying advice??

Okay... I asked the Sarge (my husband who's a classical pianist) and this is what he says (his opinion)-

All upright pianos are the same (design flaw). He says they sound like you're playing a box. No pun intended.

Baby grands- Yamaha is your best bet.

Digital- Rolands

He says the best thing to do (which is the same for buying guitars) is just to go play them and pick the one that you like the feel and sound of. He also mentions (because he's being a dork) that if you don't get a digital it doesn't come with a volume knob. That's as loud as it gets. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Also- try to go to the specific dealer or someone who is licensed to sell that particular brand. The "House of Piano" places where they have several different types you may not get all the info or support you need.
Good luck, hope this helps.

Em

Der- just re-read your post. You're getting an upright- K says that all the uprights basically sound the same. Guess I'm not much help. [img]/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img] We have a digital Roland though that is AWESOME and it doesn't take up much space. Maybe check those out if you're interested.

**Newc** · 08-04-2004, 04:55 PM

Re: Piano buying advice??

I heard one of those digital Rolands - [img]/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]
Talk about tone modelling [img]/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]
Damn thing nailed a real piano just with the speakers that are built into it. It's an upright-style, not a "Casio" style.

Newc

**skarhead** · 08-04-2004, 05:20 PM

Re: Piano buying advice??

i asked my Mom today , she said that the best tone/price relationship in the not steinway/boesendoerfer league would be a yamaha, she also told me that she played a Kawai that was better a better player ( i think it's something similar with action/feel on guitars ;p ) than almost each Steinway / Boesendoerfer she tried , but normally afaik they're behind yamaha's.

So basically it would be the best to take somebody who plays good ( some teacher maybe ? dunno ) and let him help you decide .

**beaner** · 08-04-2004, 05:34 PM

Re: Piano buying advice??

Thanks everyone. I don't play piano, so wouldn't know about the feel. They mostly sound the same to me, but I'm only looking at uprights, so maybe the box comment is true! I'll try to find a piano player to take with me.

**Sephiroth** · 08-04-2004, 06:27 PM

Re: Piano buying advice??

My best advice: make sure it has 88 keys to get the most notes. Many have 64 or 72 keys, especially keyboards/synths.

For old-fashioned wood ones, play each individually, because like a Gibson guitar, even many among the same model will have a slightly different feel and sound. Also, keep in mind that it won't sound the same way at home the same way it sounds in the store.

**jeff300** · 08-04-2004, 07:57 PM

Re: Piano buying advice??

First of all, check here for pricing info:
http://www.bluebookofpianos.com/check.htm

Next, as far as newer models, all the Asian makes are pretty good. Consistent quality and timbre. Brands like Hyundai, Kawai, Samick, Suzuki, Young Chang are all good. Yamaha is a little better since they've been in the game for 200 years. Personally I like the feel of the higher end Young Chang and Kawai models.

As for American brands, all new stuff is crap. Some older stuff from Boston, Kohler & Campbell, Story & Clark is really good.

Best bet is to go try.

Why anybody would buy a real piano instead of a digital opne in this day and age is beyond me, but to each his own. As someone who has played piano for about 20 years, I can say that a GOOD digital piano is better than a real piano in every way. The only good reason to buy a Steinway is to stroke your ego.

If you decide to go digital, the best digital pianos are from Technics Canada, bar none. Yes, ask specifically for the Canadian models.

**skarhead** · 08-04-2004, 09:09 PM

Re: Piano buying advice??

[ QUOTE ]
Why anybody would buy a real piano instead of a digital opne in this day and age is beyond me, but to each his own. As someone who has played piano for about 20 years, I can say that a GOOD digital piano is better than a real piano in every way.

[/ QUOTE ]

afaik Most of the digi pianos back in the day definitely and probably today had some problems with expression opposed to the normal ones ( i mean dynamics - volume differences between soft/hard hits etc)

[ QUOTE ]
The only good reason to buy a Steinway is to stroke your ego.

[/ QUOTE ]

and why do guitar player pay several THOUSANDS of dollars to get bogners/vht/diezels/engls/mesas and guitars that cost sometimes at least the same as such amps instead of Line6 amp and a variax ? ( okay some do [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]) same stuff ,

no offense btw ;-)

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