Are you happy with your piano?

[classicarts]

 :)I was just wondering how many people are truly happy with their pianos.  I'll be getting my first grand in couple of days, and I would presume it will take few days to few weeks to get the general feel for it, knowing how I play.  I will let you guys know on this thread.  However, people that already owns a piano, post your opinions here and let us know why you love, like, dislike, and hate your piano more than anything else on this planet.  Sometimes, I do feel experience with a piano is a love and hate relationship.  So, describe to me in a letter grade A  through  F, with description and the make and year of your piano.  Some say it's not the piano that matters the most, but it's how you play it.

[frichmondj]

I have been playing the same Steinway O model grand since I started.   While I love it, I have been told by others that they hated the heavy touch and thought that it sounded a bit too bright.  I haven't ever played an instrument that I like better, but then one does get accustom to what they own.  I'm sure it would be that way with most better instruments.  I feel the same way about my selmer mark 6 alto sax as well, though it isn't the instrument I started with.....................good luck with your purchase.

[paris]

i've had it for 2 years, yamaha V124 upright. it's ok piano, but i'd be more satisfied if it had heavier touch.

i'm trying to imagine how would concert steinway fit into my room...maybe i could squeeze it somehow...if i moved bed out of room, i could sleep under piano..

[brahmsian]

I've just got a Yamaha Clavinova. It gets the job done I suppose, but I really need to get myself a grand. Digital pianos just aren't the same.

[iumonito]

I am quite vocal about how much I love my Irmler.  I'm working on some Schubert these days and really enjoying the sound and the responsiveness.  A truly lovely instrument.

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,7340.0.html

[dinosaurtales]

excstatic.  Mine's a Fazioli 212. It's the only piano I played that had no "issues".  it's had its first voicing and it is breaking in beautifully! 

[ada]

:)I'll be getting my first grand in couple of days

Bloody hell! how does anyone afford a grand? And where do you find space to put it?
I've got a humble casio digital cos it's all I can afford and accomodate in a small inner city terrace that I share with five other people. But it does the job for me. Nonetheless I'm always hanging out to go to my lesson because I get to play a real piano When I was working in Munich a few years ago (ok, more than a few) I had access to a Yamaha baby grand in a gorgeous high-ceilinged music room overlooking a lake. I was in heaven.

[classicarts]

 :)I got my grand piano today, folks. It's okay.    Nothing special.

[Axtremus]

:)I got my grand piano today, folks. It's okay.

Some how that reminded me of Monty Python's Lumberjack Song...

I have a C3 grand and it's OK,
I sleep all night and I play all day.

I play my scales, and do arpegios,
I go to the lavatory,
On Wednesdays I go to lessons, and hope I don't screw up too much!

[alzado]

Classicarts--

Glad you got your piano, but you don't seem to be sending up flares out of enthusiasm.

What about it has cooled you off?   Perhaps you need to live with the piano for a few weeks. 

I love mine.  It is hardly worthy of note with Steinway owners writing in here.  But it is a nice piano, and I like the way it sounds.  It is problem free.

It is a "Howard by Baldwin."  These were made in the early 1990's by Samick on contract with Baldwin, and many of the parts in it are Baldwin parts.

It could be thought of as Baldwin's "second line" at that time.  It is a 5'8".  I bought it new in 1990.

Hope you start to really enjoy your piano ! !

[c18cont]

I love my "lesser" grand.....I could afford it...,

But I have ALWAYS loved whatever piano I had, as it allowed me to move into another world for a period...A world of wonder and thrill, and humble respect for that which has gone before...and hopefully will last for all mankind.

My life was lived in professional music, therefore music WAS my life....The instrument I own and express it with is less important than the expressing....

John Cont

[mamma2my3sons]

I really like my ebony high polished 2004 5'9" Kohler & Campbell. Of course its not close to  a Schimmel or similarly tierred but there are many new grands that don't sound nearly as good, nor play as well as my K & C!

I bought what I liked & could afford & don't owe a dime on it. 

[andrewrance]

I can sympathise with classicarts - sounds like you weren't sure about your purchase before you went through with it.   I did the same - bought the most expensive grand I could afford, which was just a humble Yamaha GC1, and agonised over whether I had made a bad decision.   But for the money it was a good buy.   Remember that purchasing a low end grand has its positive and negative points and you have to reach a compromise where the positives outweigh the negatives.   In the case of the GC1:

I Love:  the fact that its a grand - a REAL piano.  The sound - uprights (any upright) don't cut the mustard in terms of volume of sound.   The treble - really nice and clear.  The pose factor.....and its a nice piece of furniture.

I dislike:  the compromised bass.   The slightly muffled lower mid-range.   The heavy action.   The slippery plastic keys.

I am getting to like it more as I play it more.  I suppose time will tell.

[kghayesh]

I just got a Yamaha U3 about three months ago. And it ROCKS !!! It has a so professional touch and responds so easily and exactly does what i want to the music. A true pro instrument. Actually, i am afraid it will eventualy turn me into a spoiled guy who needs a special piano to play right !!!

Before it, i had a 19th century German piano called Carl Ecke. It looked good and was a nice piece of furniture, but for professional playing, it can't help you much, although it kept its tuning for a long period of time.

[thalberg]

I just bought a Steinway B and I hate it.  I'm returning it as soon as possible and getting something else.  Totally not worth the money.

[dolcejen]

My piano is absolutely terrible. It's an ancient old thing, upright, (a very low end brand...probably no one would recognize it) with chipped ivory keys (almost every key has a piece out of it and some are missing their covers all together). It has several hammers that are either near breaking or have broken and have been weakly fixed. The felt is almost nonexistent or extremely battered. The wood has been painted over poorly and the paint is chipping terribly. The whole thing is a wreak. But thankfully it has pretty nice action and sounds decent. I really need another one but don't have the money to get one. At least I have a piano, right?   

[classicarts]

To reply my own question, I just have return my Yamaha C3 for a C5, and I love it! The difference is huge in every aspect.  I love the tone and the smooth action.  People have complained about the brightness of these Yamaha's, but I really recommend to check these "C" models out, especially the C5's and up.  The earlier models the better.  They have really refined their pianos.