Your Dream Piano

[liszmaninopin]

Well, if you had unlimited money to spend, and plenty of space, which piano would you get?  I would get a Steinway Model "D."

[schnabels_grandson]

I would have several pianos.  A steinway D of course, A Mason Hamlin CC 9'4" monster grand (GRRR) and maybe a Bosendorfer 9 ft.  Maybe a nice collection of smaller grands too, like Steinway M and Mason Hamlin BB.

[liszmaninopin]

The Bosendorfer is a nice piano, but I related in my "differences in pianos" post that I did a rehearsal of sorts the other day.  The treble on that particular piano was weaker than I would have liked, it was a Bosendorfer.

[schnabels_grandson]

Was it old?  I hear they get weak after 25 years or so.  

[liszmaninopin]

I don't know, it very well could have been, though.

[allchopin]

A piano that spawns more pianos...

[dinosaurtales]

It's not necessarily old.  The new Bosendorfers are weak in the treble, too.

[liszmaninopin]

Whether it was old or not, that was my only real problem with that piano, but it was a substantial problem.  The base thundered on it, I found it difficult to get a good piano or pianissimo-and it was hard to balance the treble with the base, no matter how hard I slammed my fingers down on the keys, I could only barely get above maybe a mezzo-forte.  And this was with Rachmaninoff, who needs ff!

[eddie92099]

A Fazioli F308, the one with the ornate wooden case and gold trim,
Ed

[liszmaninopin]

Have you ever played on one?  I just looked at Fazioli's website, but have no real experience with any of their pianos.  They look nice, though!

[eddie92099]

I have played the black-cased one,
Ed

[liszmaninopin]

How does it compare in touch, sound, etc. with a Steinway D? (that's the nicest piano I've ever played, I didn't like the Bosendorfer)

[eddie92099]

I have played many Steinway Ds. Some have had a fairly light action whereas others have been rather tough (all Hamburg built I presume). The Fazioli is actually much more similar to the Bosendorfer Imperial (a piano which I don't particularly like) but it is much more passionate and does not suffer from the Imperial's problem of unequal strength over the keyboard. There is nothing quite like playing a Fazioli though - looking out over a 10 foot long case at the three sticks which have to support the lid,
Ed

[liszmaninopin]

As far as I know, all the Steinways I've played on have been New York.  It is good that they don't have that unequal strength problem of the Bosendorfer, I'm still finding it hard to get over how that messed up my performance (not terribly, but a base that wouldn't fall quiet and a treble that wouldn't play forte got really tiresome after about 1 minute of playing)

I with there were some good piano dealers in my area, I might look into some of these other brands.

[G.Fiore]

:)I have a new  Baldwin SF-10,which is a wonderful piano.If I had room,I'd definitely get the Baldwin SD-10 concert grand.I have alot of experience with them,and they compare with the best.

[Chitch]

I'll probably get roasted for this but I"m not a huge steinway fan. I personally like Kawai's

[liszmaninopin]

We're not that uncivilized, are we?

[dinosaurtales]

Have you ever played on one?  I just looked at Fazioli's website, but have no real experience with any of their pianos.  They look nice, though!

Got one.  Love it.  It's a 212 (7 ft)

[liszmaninopin]

What I wouldn't give for any one of these pianos we've mentioned so far!

[schnabels_grandson]

Amen.  I almost feel like making acquisition of a wide selection of pianos the main goal of my life (and being able to play them extremely well).

[Axtremus]

I'll probably get roasted for this but I"m not a huge steinway fan. I personally like Kawai's

There are some Kawai's that I like too, especially the Shigerus! One Kawai I like enough to own -- and, a bit like Etienne, I like it more than all the sub-9-foot Steinways I have played.

With unlimited funds, the ideal is to own one of each model and to hire a team of good technicians to care for them -- different pianos for different music/mood/settings etc. But if you say unlimited funds but restricting it to picking ONE piano, from everything I have played, I'd pick the Fazioli F-228 as my all-around all-star piano.  

[steinwaymodeld]

Thank god someone mentioned Fazioli

Played the smaller model when i was in Hong Kong(the F178)

the biggest model F308 is the piano have 4 pedals(only model in the world) in order to create more sound and layers of music

It's very nice piano, I played Steinway Model D(new york) and Bosendorfer M290(the biggest model too, with 9 extra keys in the base) and practiced on them a lot. but Fazioli is something different

If Steinway is King, Bosendorfer is Queen, Fazioli has to be the Bishop or the Emperor of the whole kingdom.

My votes goes to F308 of Fazioli(in spite of my login name)

by the way

easiest way to distinguish hamburg and new york steinway

Hamburg: Painted in shiny paint, reflects like a mirror
NY:  Painted in dull paint, more subtle apperance

there are difference between them.

[eddie92099]

Played the smaller model when i was in Hong Kong(the F178)

Parson's Music, in Times Square?

easiest way to distinguish hamburg and new york steinway

Hamburg: Painted in shiny paint, reflects like a mirror
NY:  Painted in dull paint, more subtle apperance

there are difference between them.

Aah, in that case I have played a New York Steinway. There is one in the Recital Hall of the Royal College of Music (and it's fantastic!),
Ed

[Axtremus]

Hamburg: Painted in shiny paint, reflects like a mirror
NY:  Painted in dull paint, more subtle apperance

I have a different take on distinguishing NY and Hamburg Steinways.

Both NY and Hamburg factories produce Steinway D's with both "shiny" and "dull" finishes. Though the Hamburg factory produces more "shiny" ones and the NY more "dull" ones.  In Europe, you see more Hamburg models than NY models, and the US, the other way round.

Without looking inside the piano, the shape of the wooden side-panel near the keyboard is most telling. If that side-panel is straight-angled, it's NY; if round, it's Hamburg. See illustration below.



(Steinway experts out there feel free to correct me if the above is wrong.)

[Plaz]

Dream piano:  Bosendorfer Imperial Grand with the bench covered in a rare leather made from the skins of Maksim, Clayderman, and Wood.

[dinosaurtales]

UNLIMITED funds, you say?  In that case, I might have a small collection for my conservatory - I might upgrade my Fazioli to the 228, I'd get a Stuart & Sons for the novelty, a Bluthner model 1 for dark Beethoven, and a Grotrian 7'4" for sheer sport.  If Steingraeber ever makes a 7'6" I'd get one of those, too.

[rachfan]

I'm with G. Fiore.  I would upgrade my Baldwin L to the SF10.  And if money were no object and I had the room for it, then I'd select a 9' SD10.  These pianos offer the robust American sound featuring the overtones, and which are superb in playing music such as that of Rachmaninoff.  Yet the Baldwin can be absolutely subtle and sublime in playing the music of Debussy, Ravel and Faure too.  It's a very hard to surpass these pianos.  

[dinosaurtales]

RachFan!  Where the hell have you been!??  It's been the Smartalec Olympics here since you left!  Welcome back!  

Oh, and I'd probalby add a Baldwin to my collection, too!

Just to round it out.

[rachfan]

Hi Dino,

Thanks for the welcome!  Actually I've been around, but just haven't posted for quite awhile.  I'll try to pop in more frequently.  And you're still having fun with the Fazioli?

 

[dinosaurtales]

Love the Faz.  i am even getting so I can play the thing!

[steinwaymodeld]

Dino

is your Fazioli 178?

[Maui_Bandeira]

That one, not for the quality of the sound, but... you know sound doesn't matter in that case AHUHUAHUUH

[dinosaurtales]

That one, not for the quality of the sound, but... you know sound doesn't matter in that case AHUHUAHUUH

*Case* I get it. Ha!

[dinosaurtales]

Dino

is your Fazioli 178?

212.  The 228 is my fav, but it was just too much $

[Axtremus]

Maui_Bandeira,

Have you heard or played the CR-40A? How does it perform/sound? (I've seen a CR-40A many years ago, but never play it.) Thanks.

[chopiabin]

What about antique pianos? Mine is a 1908 Steinway with real ivory keys and a wonderful tone and action. We bought it from an old lady who wanted to get rid of it so we got a great deal.

[Bosendorfer_214]

I was at the NAMM Show last month and had the opportunity to play the Fazioli 9ft.  (they didn't have a 308 there)

I played it for about 30 minutes, maybe more.  However, I was not impressed. Don't get me wrong, it was a great piano.  It just didn't do anything for me. I didn't feel connected to it as I do with my piano and other Bosendorfers.  Maybe I am just used to Bosendorfers. (My teacher, a Bosendorfer Artist, has 2 new ones , a 7ft and a 9'3.)

I was actually quite dissapointed. I had been hearing about Fazioli for a coupple of years and when I finally got the chance to play one, it was uninspiring.  

I was however very impressed with the Bechstein 280.  Incredible piano. But in the long run, I will always feel connected with my piano.

Nick

[Steinwayman]

I just heard Garrick Ohlsson play Brahms 2nd with the Royal Philharmonic (in San Francisco) the other evening, using a Fazioli 308 instead of the usual Steinway D.  I keenly anticipated hearing this instrument at last in a real concert.  Alas, I must say I was somewhat disappointed with the power and projection of sound, particularly in the treble, which sounded thin. While this instrument may be wonderful to play in a smaller room, it did not seem to have the power for a larger hall.  And I wasn't seated far from the stage.  Moreover, I didn't find the tone especially beautiful.  (The thing sure is impressive to look at, though.)

Maybe the fault was Ohlsson's, but I have heard him many times before and never found his playing to be the least bit weak or poorly projected.

Anyone else heard or played the Fazioli 308 in a concert hall?

[Axtremus]

I played [a 9' Fazioli] for about 30 minutes, maybe more.  However, I was not impressed. Don't get me wrong, it was a great piano.  It just didn't do anything for me. I didn't feel connected to it ...

You are not alone. Just to pass along an anecdote, a dozen piano enthusiasts and I once visited a high-end dealership together. Pretty much everyone got to play a 9' Fazioli F-278 there plus other assorted fine pianos. In the group, every one thought the F-278 was "good" but no one felt the F-278 was "special." Some thought the F-278 "lack soul." There was a very old rebuilt Hamburg Steinway D right next to the F-278 and, among the group, a few thought the D was "special" and made connection with it. A few others thought the F-212 in another room was "much better" than the F-278. I myself like the F-228 much better than the F-278 and the F-212 (no F-228 at the dealership mentioned, I played F-228's elsewhere).

Question: At NAMM, did you try out the Chinese's 9' grand pianos? What do you think about them?

[eddie92099]

Anyone else heard or played the Fazioli 308 in a concert hall?

I heard Demidenko play Prokofiev's Second Concerto in the Royal Festival Hall on an F-308 which worked rather well (despite the fact that he couldn't really play the piece),
Ed

[dinosaurtales]

I just heard Garrick Ohlsson play Brahms 2nd with the Royal Philharmonic (in San Francisco) the other evening, using a Fazioli 308 instead of the usual Steinway D.  I keenly anticipated hearing this instrument at last in a real concert.  Alas, I must say I was somewhat disappointed with the power and projection of sound, particularly in the treble, which sounded thin. While this instrument may be wonderful to play in a smaller room, it did not seem to have the power for a larger hall.  And I wasn't seated far from the stage.  Moreover, I didn't find the tone especially beautiful.  (The thing sure is impressive to look at, though.)

The treble - THIN - on a Fazioli???  That piano was prepped that way.  Every Faz I played absolutely sang OUT in the treble, far more than any other piano I played.  That's one of their strongest characteristics.  The artist may have requested taht the piano be voiced like others he's used to so he didn't have to adjust too much, is my guess.  Faziolis are not inherently thin anywhere.

[chopiabin]

About distinguishing between NY Steinways and Hamburg Steinways - does the side panel thing go fro older pianos as well? I would like to know where mine was made, but I am wondering of mine is too old for the test.

Also, mine has painted on it London, New York, and Hamburg under the Steinway and Sons logo. Is there a factory in London?

[eddie92099]

Is there a factory in London?

Yes, but they don't make Steinway pianos there ,
Ed

[dinosaurtales]

Actually that's very interesting about the London label. I didn't know they ever made them there -

[eddie92099]

Actually that's very interesting about the London label. I didn't know they ever made them there -

They don't!
Ed

[L.K.]

My dream pianos:

https://www.fazioli.com/marcopolo.html

https://www.steinway.com/steinway/artcase_collection/olympia.shtml

[allthumbs]

Greetings

My dream piano would be a Seinway Model D , followed by the "Satin" Model B

https://www.steinway.com/steinway/artcase_collection/satin.shtml

But these are out of my price range. I could go for a Schimmel CC 213 T

https://www.schimmel-piano.de/e/fluegel/213-T-SCH.html

Cheers