How good is a Fazioli?

[henrah]

Funking brilliant if you fork up £240 to a guy called Ben!!!


Anyone else here played a nice Faz? Boy oh boy I'd love to get my hands on a 308

[andyd]

I've played a few Fazioli albeit briefly.   New 212 & 183, and used 228(for hire), 212 & 183.

The first thing I'd say is the action/touch on all of these was lightish, but very very nice; according to Fine it's Renner, but each top maker does it's own thing to whatever Renner they buy in and it's noticable.  Made me feel I could play faster. 

Timbre of the instruments, I liked the bass and tenor a lot (which seemed almost reserved but profound at the same time), but the higher treble is a bit shrill, and the top octave like icicles breaking, reminded me a little of Bechstein D280's but intensely so.

As for the cabinets, the finish is excellent.  The inside of the new 212 was birds-eye-maple wood (Stuart & Sons would have put it somewhere on the outside).

The used models had mellowed, but that top octave or so still did not appeal to me, and honestly, I wouldn't have bought any of them. 

Regards

Andy

[ted]

I played the new Fazioli 212 of an acquaintance recently and responded exactly as you did, andyd. To start with I found it difficult to control as the touch was so light it ran away with me completely. I also found the upper treble sounded as you described.

To a certain extent these things are what you get used to, and my own piano has a very heavy touch. As you say, the Fazioli is a really beautiful instrument physically. At approximately seven times the value of my reconditioned Weinbach, there's no way I would consider such an exchange worthwhile. Indeed, put it this way, if both pianos came free, I doubt I would choose it over mine.

But then again, I have played little else except my piano for thirty-five years. Habits die hard. I suppose the acid test will be how many years of thrashing the Fazioli can take, and nobody can really answer that in advance.

[henrah]

Well I think the Fazioli is a very delicate piano. Just put my friend on it with constant sustain pedal and it'd sound horrible after, many twanging notes and it loses its touch.

But when you get a technician (methinks) to go over it completely, and prick the hammers and everything, it sounds simply beautiful! I can play so quietly so confidently, because before I used to miss-hit notes from trying to play too quietly. Now I can!! It makes playing Chopin a dream

The lightness of the keys is probably why it's taken me so long to develop strength in my fingers. I know that they don't have any muscles, and so no technical strength; but you should know what I mean. I have always been playing softly and sloppy, and while that may work for Chopin and other Romantic stuff, I can never get a crisp sound for Bach and Mozart etc. I'm just starting to get the quick-fire action of my fingers going now, and it makes playing scales a lot better.


I absolutely adore the sound of a good Fazioli though! We have a 228, but I'd love to play a 308 just to hear what the bass sounds like!

[Axtremus]

henrah,

Fazioli's F-228 is my favorite model.
Good to see a Fazioli owner here (besides DinosaurTale).

If you have time, why not give this a shot and let me know if you spot any Fazioli in there: https://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/topic/1/14385.html

[andyd]

Ax,
I guess number 12. 
I like the sound best of all the recordings, and am very interested to hear what piano it is and the size.  Usually a big difference in timbre between 6-7 footers and 9 footers. 


Regards

Andy

[Axtremus]

Would you like to guess the size too?

[andyd]

Whatever it is, it's bigger than my piano .

The treble in number 7 reminded me a bit of a Faz, but the bass/tenor say it's probably a Nordiska which I've never seen. 
Couldn't indentify a Bosendorfer anywhere.

Regards

Andy

[Axtremus]

Whatever it is, it's bigger than my piano .

You might have mentioned this before, but I do not remember... how big is your piano? (Actually, I don't even remember what piano you have.    )

[andyd]

Oh you know, pretty average really,
Height: 132.5cm  4'4"
Width:  151.0cm  59.4 "
Depth:  62.5cm    24.6"

Indentify the piano

Actually let me give you a further clue, it begins with B and is one of these
Bechstein, Bluthner, Bohemia, Bosendorfer.
Seriously Ax, the last quiz of 12 was/is quite fun, partially because of the sheer difficulty, partially as it became a logic puzzle to help or hinder the ear.


Now back on thread, anyone else care to comment on Fazioli pianos?  Viewed from below they have to be in the top two best looking pianos.


Andy

[Axtremus]

Now back on thread, anyone else care to comment on Fazioli pianos? 

For henrah, these are my Fazioli comments posted before:

Link 1
Link 2

I think Fazioli still kicks ass in general, but its hard to find new things to say about Fazioli... it's not the kind of company that "introduces 99 improvements in the last five years", you know.

[henrah]

Those are great links Axtremus!

Cheers,
Henrah

[dinosaurtales]

I have a 212.  I love it dearly - but I do ocassionally fantasize about upgrading to the 228 one day!

[hiline]

I have a 212.  I love it dearly - but I do ocassionally fantasize about upgrading to the 228 one day!

Is that so big a change? 

[dinosaurtales]

Actually, it might be.  They'll "feel" very much the same, and my technician seems to think the 212 has the superior "scale", but I noticed a HUMONGOUS depth of tone difference with the leap to the 228, much more so than any other size change. 

[Axtremus]

... but I noticed a HUMONGOUS depth of tone difference with the leap to the 228, ... 

I'll second that!

[d.shosty]

I played a fazioli on the radio a month ago.  I enjoyed it a lot - it had a lot of power but still had a very warm sound.  I felt like the less I worked against it, the more power I could get, otherwise it could get a little overwhelming.

The coolest thing though:  when releasing the pedal very slowly, there was absolutely no buzz while the dampers muted the strings.  i don't know how they did it, but it was pretty amazing.

[andyd]

So the recorded Faz on PW was a small 5'2" 

Andy

[hiline]

So the recorded Faz on PW was a small 5'2" 

Which I think can amaze a lot of people, including me.