Re: Charles Walter painos

[wynnbear]

Sorry, not the grand, but I can tell you the Walter console is a beautiful-sounding instrument, much bigger sounding than its 43" size.  I bought one in August and have been very satisfied.  It sounded stronger and had a better bass than 5'8" and under grands at the same dealership.   The tenor range is esp. beautiful and mellow.

Piano sound is a matter of taste, so make sure you play the instrument before you buy.  I can tell you that you can count on Walter quality and workmanship.  Mine is beautifully made, and I've never heard anyone say anything negative about the instrument.  

Many piano technicians have bought Walter for their own pianos.  You probably won't need it, but Walter is also known for its strong warranty support (12 years).

[Axtremus]

I am still hoping some of you good people have had some experience with a Walter Grand.

My experience with a few Charles R. Walter grand pianos to date are not that positive. Their dynamic range was quite narrow, their keys felt shallow and too light to the touch than I know how to control, and one piano's sustain pedal quit working in the middle of my "test-drive." Nonetheless, I have read many knowledgeable people rate a Walter grand very highly (including Larry Fine as you have noted) -- hence this logical deduction: the Walter grands I played was not prepared properly to expose their full potential, a corollary of which is that the Walter grand needs extensive skilled preparation by a good piano technician to play and sound good. If you must buy a Walter, then I guess the trick is to find a properly prepared one from a good dealer willing to invest in such prep work, or be willing to pay for such prep work yourself after your purchase.

There aren't many American piano makers left, I can only think of Steinway, Baldwin (Gibson), Mason and Hamlin, and Charles R. Walter. The Walter is the only one still run by the founding family as far as I know, and their pianos are the most economical among the four American makes for new pianos. Best bet is to try one yourself and see if you like it, if you have not played any Walter grand before.

Good luck!