Is there a "cheap", though good piano?

[j-mann]

Hi,
I'm quite a good keyboard/digital piano (also classical piano pieces on the digital piano) player, but now I've started piano lessons. Mostly to improve my technique, but also because it's just really beautifull. At first I thought my digital piano was fine, and it woulden't be a problem to take the lessons on a "real" piano. But I was wrong, exactly the things I wanted to improve were very diffrent, like dynamics, and just the entire way of creating the sound you want.

Now I would really like to have a piano myself, but there are two problems;
-Unfortunatly I haven't got that much money. (I'm just 16 )
-I don't think a "beginners" piano would be good for me, I mean, I can play already, but I haven't got the real "piano feeling" yet ofcourse, and I think that's the thing which makes the diffrence between beginners and more advanced piano's. (please correct me if I'm wrong!)

Ofcourse the best solution would be a 2nd hand piano. But I really woulden't know what to look for, because if you search for a 2nd hand piano you just get bombardet with brand names which all don't make much sense to me.

So maybe someone knows a good brand, or even better, a good model of what to look for?  I don't know what I can spend yet, less than 1500 euro anyways, 1000 euro would already be much actually 

[iumonito]

Where you are is a big factor.  It used to be the case that in Europe used pianos were cheap, but not as cheap as E 1,500.  For that money, you can only get an old piano ready for rebuilding.  A good rebuiding job is much more than E 1,500.

Moving a piano from far away is also expensive, so if you are in Europe, getting a piano in USA with your strong Euros is not practical.  E 1,500 does not buy you anything good used in USA anyway.

If you are in Asia you may be in luck, as in Japan and Korea you can get a serviceable used piano almost for free.  They are subject to enormous abuse, as often the place for the piano is not very far from the place for the stove, and pianos don't age very well near oil smoke and heat.  But you may find one that was fortunate enough to be away from the kitchen for about the same price.

If you are in Europe, I would say save your money and keep playing digital until you have enough money for something like a Bohemia, Irmler (fabulous piano made in Poland, avoid the ones made in China), August Foerster (Lubau, surprisingly unexpensive and extraordinarily good), or Brodman (Made in China, but very good, basically a Steinway A scale but with a Viennese care for detail and good voicing).

Play a bunch.  You will learn something about yourself by figuring what are the pianos you like and which you think are hopelessly overpriced.

[Bob]

You get what you pay for.  It's like buying a car.  For acoustic pianos, if you get a new one, you have to break it in a little.  For that reason and the price, used pianos can be good.  For an electric one, I would get new.

[lostinidlewonder]

To find a good bargain takes a lot of time. If you have only 1-1.5k to spend then you will need a lot more time to find a good deal. I would look only for second hand, digital.The best way to know if the instrument is good is by playing it yourself, so there are no brands we can really just say off the top of our heads, unless you have no money restriction and was buying a new piano. If money is a restriction then I wouldn't suggest you get an acoustic because it costs extra to get it delivered, it also costs you every few months to get it tuned.

I am always looking for new pianos to buy, through the years of looking I have nabbed some really great deals, like just over 10k for a 7ft4" Kawai grand in top condition or digital touch sensitive Yamaha for $30. But these deals are not handed out every day, they are rare moments but you jump on them. If you have time then you simply look, newspapers or internet, don't rush yourself into the purchase and always play the instrument you want to buy, or get someone professionally to look at it if you can't physically test it yourself (which might not be your case with the little money you want to invest).

Don't be worried about brand names, simply go play the instrument, if you have good experience with playing you will be able to tell where the piano encourages or hinders your playing. You might even sit at a good brand name and it sounds shocking because of its condition, you might sit at a general brand name and it sounds great because it has been well looked after. As a random suggestion however, I have always found that the cheap models acoustic Yamaha or Kawai are quite acceptable instruments but you will have to look around to find them for a sub 1.5k price.

[j-mann]

Thank you for the fast reactions 

I think I wasen't entirely clear (sorry). I've got a digital piano myself already, and have always had keyboard lessons. Now I've started acoustic piano lessons, and want to find a decent, though as cheap as possible acoustic piano. (Since my digital one just isen't the same as a real piano)

@iumonito: I live in the Netherlands, Europe. Thank you for the brand names I'll definatly take a look at them.

@lostinidlewonder: I know digital is cheaper, I've actually already got one (sorry I wasn't clear on that point.) (Not selling it to get extra money though, I want it for gigs) I've looked on the internet, and there are quite some (I think nice) 2nd hand Kawai and yamaha pianos, some even within my price range! So thanks

p.s. it's not "with the little money you want to invest" :p , It's more than all the money I've got, so my budget depends a little on how much my parents will pay 

[richard black]

Buy something second hand, and if you don't know what to look for just take an experienced pianist or piano tuner with you when you go shopping for one. Even if you have to pay them for their time, it can save you from buying a turkey!

[iumonito]

 

https://www.pianoman.nl/index.html

[gc1patrick]

Hi there,

Why don't you rent (huurkoop) a piano? This way you can get a decent instrument and pay a month. Try www.clavis.nl  that is were I got mine.... (in 4,5 years it is mine :-)  )

Greetz,
Patrick

[pianisten1989]

well... There's probably used (I don't have any better word for it atm) pianos, which uses to be quite cheap.

[morningstar]

Bear in mind you can get decent pianos that might have a little scratch ir a chip in nit and then you can get it for a lot cheaper $1200 was taken off my beale because there was a litte chip in one of the corners and I fixed it up with a little varnish-you can't even tell there was a chip now.