Schimmel, Yamaha, or Kawai?

[ihatepop]

I might be getting a new piano soon, and I would like everyone's opinion on these three pianos. I currently own a Schimmel, and I've heard on the forum that Kawai is preety good too. Should I get a Yamaha or a Kawai, or should I stick with my Good ole' Schimmel?

(I have not confirmed that I will be getting a new piano, anyway )

So?

ihatepop

[benjaminb]

Not even a Million$ could swap my future schimmel 120 i for a yamaha or kawai :-)

for real, personally i think the schimmel is lots better

[kawaidon]

I might be getting a new piano soon, and I would like everyone's opinion on these three pianos. I currently own a Schimmel, and I've heard on the forum that Kawai is preety good too. Should I get a Yamaha or a Kawai, or should I stick with my Good ole' Schimmel?
(I have not confirmed that I will be getting a new piano, anyway )
So?
ihatepop

The telling will be in the playing.  Play a variety of pianos in the size and price range you want, and decide from there.  In a forum like this you will get every possible opinion - so go form your own and go with it!

Don Mannino RPT

[gfiore]

 Stick with the Schimmel.

[tosca1]

Larry Fine states that in Europe, Schimmel is regarded as the European Yamaha. As an earlier post suggested,  play and listen to as many pianos as you can and make an unbiased decision.
Good luck,
Robert.

[andresdo]

If you really need to buy a new piano. Rather go for Kawai than for Yamaha. Reason: Kawai can generally produce a softer sound than the Yamaha. I have a Kawai upright and my mother a Yamaha uprigt. I prefer the Kawai (has a bit more of a heavy touch also). Usually played exams on Yamaha grand. I hate them, while I love the steinway grand of my teacher. But go LISTEN to the SPECIFIC piano!

good luck

[sirpazhan]

I'd stay with the schimmel,, unless your looking into a  yamaha  'S' series,, 4 or 6.  maybe then ill go with the yam..

I played on an yam S6 with the Disklavier Pro once, ,, that was fun,,,

[kamike]

Why are you considering a new piano,  what are your criteria for a new instrument,  and why are your choices limited to Kawai or Yamaha?   There are many more excellent choices of pianos unless you are limited to one dealer.

[eurogrand]

Hi offer much better pianos like that from europe:
All restored like brand new
Bluthner, bechstein, steinweg, bosendorfer, I also have 1882 steinway C 85 keys, and few steinway uprights.
All my pianos are perfectly restored, they play and look like new, I offer them for less than 28.000$
Uprights are for 10.000$
Tomasz
pianoman@op.pl

[netzow]

My experience withe Kawai is a heavy touch and a soft, mellow sound. I  have only played one grand but that was how it was. A Yamaha will have a brighter louder sound. For this reason I have read that some people prefer a piano such as a Steinway for Classical Music and a Yamaha for Jazz. Just what I have heard and experienced hope you find a nice piano. Keep in mind the ever present fact that it isn't the brand it's the piano.

[kamike]

Man, here's your chance.  Get out and go to places that sell various new and used pianos, have a ball and play lots of pianos - cheap ones, big ones, expensive ones, little ones...you get the idea... and pick the one you like to play, in your price range.  Blindfolded if that's what it takes. 

I am constantly amazed with the obvious bias on this forum toward Kawai or Yamaha - a bias that is not clearly deserved, IMHO.

[soliloquy]

Well it depends on a lot of things.  Mostly though it depends on how much you're looking to spend.  A Kawai would definitely be the lowest quality of the three if you're getting a grand, but if you're getting an upright they might be the best.  A Yamaha Clavinova will be the best electronic keyboard you will find (try a CLP-130; you can grab a used one for under 1000 bucks usually).  If you're getting a BABY grand, the Schimmel will probably be richer than the Yamaha, but if you're getting a concert grand and are trying to decide between a C7 and a Schimmel 8'6", go with the Yamaha for sure.


Why discounting the Faziolis? 

[ahinton]

Well it depends on a lot of things.  Mostly though it depends on how much you're looking to spend.  A Kawai would definitely be the lowest quality of the three if you're getting a grand, but if you're getting an upright they might be the best.  A Yamaha Clavinova will be the best electronic keyboard you will find (try a CLP-130; you can grab a used one for under 1000 bucks usually).  If you're getting a BABY grand, the Schimmel will probably be richer than the Yamaha, but if you're getting a concert grand and are trying to decide between a C7 and a Schimmel 8'6", go with the Yamaha for sure.

Why discounting the Faziolis? 

This all sounds to be sensible advice on the instruments so far considered. Subject to budgetary considerations (as "soliloquy" mentions), it would indeed be remiss to overlook Faziolis - or even the Australian Stuarts (although I think that these can turn out to be pretty expensive). If a Falcone can be found, this, too, could be a good possibility (if my limited experience of them is anything to go by), although I believe that none were ever sold outside USA and they went to the wall several years ago after only a short production period on the premises also occupied (I think) by Mason & Hamlin in their second or third manifestation (what about one of those? - not that I've any idea what their modern instruments are like - I only have one that's about 75 years old and used to have another one older than that).

Personally, I'll stick to my Bösendorfer 290, thanks, except that, as it's such a pity that it exists only in my imagination, I'll more than gladly put up with my 1896 Steinway in the interim and hope that I can eventually manage to afford to have it fully and lovingly restored (it badly needs it, poor thing!)...

Best,

Alistair

[prongated]

Should I get a Yamaha or a Kawai, or should I stick with my Good ole' Schimmel?

...played on a walnut Schimmel recently...nice tone - very sweet and refined. I personally prefer the Kawai RX sound - darker with an undertoned character, but still a very cantabile instrument.

...in the end, I guess it's like choosing chocolate ^^

Subject to budgetary considerations (as "soliloquy" mentions), it would indeed be remiss to overlook Faziolis - or even the Australian Stuarts (although I think that these can turn out to be pretty expensive).

...I don't recommend Stuart & Sons. I have performed quite often on one at uni [and watch others play on it too], and we pretty much all complain it's muffled. Certain professional pianists believe it is impossible to get a good and big sound at the same time with Stuart & Sons in general. [...exception seems to apply to the first build, which is apparently the best they ever make]

Recordings on this particular piano at my uni never come out with any clarity/articulation. Tone quality is not in the same league as most, if not all, other concert grands. Sorry, but I think this is the worst [concert] grand I've ever known - maybe #1 in my avoid-at-all-cost list.