mid-range grand OR top notch upright

[qwertman]

with the budget im settin myself im kinda facing some sort of dilemma--to get a mid-range grand or a real good upright.
i've tried yamaha's C3 and kawai's SK3. liked the yamaha better though the SK was actually better than i expected.
i've tried schimmel's 130 & 132. currently waitin for the dealer to get the steingraeber 130 in (can't wait ). i guess the steinway upright aren't worthy of the price they command. yet to try sauter & bose 130 too, but the bose's gonna strain my $.

wad do ya' all think? tried any of these pianos?

[pianistimo]

i tend to like the kawaii's - and the price range is good for what you get.  if i were you, and had the money for the bose - i'd put as much down as i could and make payments on the rest.  it's an investment, right? 

what i like about the bose is the variety of touches and sounds (like steinway) although i hear that many are somewhat on the easy side to play.  i'd ask specifically to have the touch a little stiffer.  seems that you have more control over the ppp and fff dynamics that way.  and, think of the bass sounds you could get.  wow.  you could make some cd's with that kind of sound.

just looked at the bose 130.  i want one, too!  actually, i want at least a 7 foot grand, but how much is the 130?   

[pianistimo]

there's some bose's on e-bay - but guess that's not so good since yu can't check out the piano for yourself (or can you?). 

[qwertman]

i live in Singapore. Bose 130 here's about Singaporean $50k. That's about US$31k--kinda exceeds my budget of about S$30K+ or US$19k+. up to US$25k might be fine too--the SK3 & steingraeber 130 are right about that alley.
thanks pianistimo...btw i like a firm touch too!

[pianistimo]

sounds like you'll get a good piano!  hope you enjoy your shopping!  don't go for a used piano if you practice a lot.  things can be 'souped up.'  get it new with warranty (unless you find a really great bargain at an estate sale - which CAN happen.  people sometimes buy pianos for furniture).  check the sounding board for cracks and make sure all your pins are tight.  bring along a piano tech?  consistent key depression is really crucial to me now, too.   some 'souped' pianos play easily on some spots and more pressure is needed on others.  that can really mess with your playing.

thankfully, my kawaii plays consistently and tunes consistently (though i need to get it regulated - but not for evenness).   

[wzkit]

Qwert, looks like you've got some company from Singapore here too! I just bought a Sauter Delta (6 foot) myself and have been very impressed with their uprights as well. Sauters in general combine a firm touch and a powerful tone when called for, trebling sparkle and deep bass, and I would strongly recommend you to try a few of them before making your decision. Not to mention an excellent dealer - one of the few I could genuinely connect with, and who provides top notch service. I cannot overstate the importance of this last point.

 That said, I think the other choices you have listed are all excellent pianos that I considered during my own search, but for various reasons decided to go for the Sauter in the end, and in the process doubling my original budget. I liked the SK-3 (though I was comparing the larger SK-5 with the Delta). Steingraeber 130 is a good upright too, powerful like the Sauters, and with a firm touch. Schimmel is a nice, sweet sounding piano, more affordable than the rest, but to me, at a lower level of quality compared to Steingraeber.

Good luck in your search and keep us posted!