What brand for a grand?

[borealis]

Okay, I've been playing with a Roland digital piano for about seven years now, but it's time to plan for the future.  The church that hosts my students' piano recitals bought a new Yamaha baby grand (I think it's either a C1 or C2), and they've been kind enough to let me practice on it in preparation for the recitals I've held there.  It's much nicer than a Roland digital, believe me.

Anyway, my fiancee and I have been discussing plans for after we're married and get a new home.  We will be including a piano studio for me to teach there, and I want a 'real' piano for it.  I've had my sights set on a Yamaha C5, but after reading a few comments about that model I'm wondering if I might not be too narrow in my thinking.  So it's time to broaden the possibilities.  Money isn't an issue, at least not right now.  I will be using this piano for teaching and for personal use, not for concerts.  So a 12' grand really isn't helpful.

Any and all comments or suggestions are welcome; just don't recommend a 12' grand.

[richard black]

New or second-hand, or not bothered? And which country are you in? No point recommending makes that you simply won't find on sale.

From personal experience, German and American grands (good makes from those countries, anyway) are the best made. Older Yamahas are better than newer, certainly for smaller models, while the reverse is true for Kawai. Steinway are overpriced secondhand, British grand pianos are incredibly robust but were mostly made for the schools/church market (since the 1950s) and arguably prized robustness over tone quality. Age doesn't necessarily matter all that much: what matters is how good the piano was in the first place and, critically, how it's been kept and maintained.

[borealis]

I'm in Canada, specifically in Southwestern Ontario (an hour from Detroit).  I'd prefer a new piano, but I'll take a good used one as well.

[iumonito]

There are a million and one reasons to buy a piano made in USA.

For the size you are describing, a Charles Walter seems great.  If you have the space, it may be a good idea to look for a used Baldwin SF-10 (around 7 feet long), but I do not particularly like their smaller sizes.

If your budget is a little more generous, Mason & Hamlin makes an spectacular 5'8" (Model A).  For a thunderous intrument that will do everything you can dream of, Mason BB (right under 7 feet) is hard to beat for the money.

There are very good pianos around Lansing, MI.  You should be able to get something in Toronto, though, and support your local economy.

Stand in guard.
IU.

Made in China pianos are cheaper.  Brodmann is the only one I like.  You'll spend half the money but get less than half the piano that if you get a M&H.

[richard black]

Yes, as iumonito says, Chinese-made (and most Korean, and indeed some Japanese) pianos are cheaper, but beware: almost any of them can be made to sound decent in the showroom, but the real test is to find one that's had a few years of fairly hard use and try that. That's when you really find out what you are paying for!

[amelialw]

it really depends on the pianist...so we can't really advice you what to buy.
But we can give u a couple of suggestions

In Canada, there are plenty of Yamahas, Bostons, Steinways and Petrofs. Well at least those are the ones that I see the most often over there. I don't really like Yamahas for the reason that the piano becomes soundless and it gets older, or that tends to happen. Steinways are overpriced to me. Out of these 4 my favourite are Boston and Petrof, I like Kawai as well.

I have had an 12+ yr old Kawai 5'10" Grand (KG-2E)previously when i was still in Canada, I remember falling in love with the piano the 1st time i touched it(actually it was the 1st real grand that I owned). Now I have a Boston 5'10" Grand (178 is the model # if i'm not mistaken). My best friend in Canada had it and I remember that I did not like any Boston piano till i tried this particular model. After that I got sort of used to the piano because i went to my friend's home pretty often and when I moved back my dad bought me the same piano since it was on offer(it was still expensive though& I feel like such a spoiled kid) haha...

Petrof, i've not had as much experience with. I've played on a concert grand and I play sometimes on a 5'10" grand. But I do like the sound, not as much as my Boston or Kawai though

[arensky]

I have had an 12+ yr old Kawai 5'10" Grand (KG-2E)previously when i was still in Canada, I remember falling in love with the piano the 1st time i touched it(actually it was the 1st real grand that I owned). Now I have a Boston 5'10" Grand (178 is the model # if i'm not mistaken). My best friend in Canada had it and I remember that I did not like any Boston piano till i tried this particular model. After that I got sort of used to the piano because i went to my friend's home pretty often and when I moved back my dad bought me the same piano since it was on offer(it was still expensive though& I feel like such a spoiled kid) haha...

Petrof, i've not had as much experience with. I've played on a concert grand and I play sometimes on a 5'10" grand. But I do like the sound, not as much as my Boston or Kawai though

Just wondering if you are aware that Boston is made by Kawai for Steinway...  you are still playing a Kawai piano, only one designed by Steinway (I think).

I agree with you about Petrof, I don't care for the tone; I find them to be tinny sounding.


@ borealis; since you say price is not an issue and you are in a location where you undoubtedly have a wide variety of pianos to sample and choose from, start hitting the shops and classified sections of the newspapers; play as many different brands as you can, and take your time making your choice; you don't want to end up unhappy with your choice.

No one has mentioned any European pianos; You might enjoy a Sauter (if I was in your situation I'd be on a plane to their factory), Bechstein or Estonia; the last two seem to have many new models for sale around the USA, and presumably Canada. And I've played many fine Yamaha C5's, I wouldn't count them out.

Get out there and play 'em and then decide. Keep us posted on your progress. 

[pianisten1989]

I've heard many good things about Shigeru Kawai. Very good instrument for a rather low price...

[iumonito]

Because of the cheap price of the US dollar right now, it makes a lot of sense to buy a USA-made piano.  I love the Euro pianos (both of mine are), but I think at the very moment you get more piano for your money if you buy USA-made.

I had forgotten, but the other place where to look at very well priced pianos is Jim Laabs, in Wisconsin (also a sling-shot throw from Ontario).

...and by the way, Shigeru Kawai pianos, while excellent, are not less expensive than a Mason & Hamlin (which in my opinion is far better).  I agree about the Boston pianos being a Kawai designed by Steinway.  I find all Kawai models (new and old, although I favor the old; KG-5 and KG-6 are some of the best scales ever for their size and they are well-made) far superior to Boston, although of course if you find a Boston you love, there is no substitute for that.

Play pianos.  One will speak to you and you will forget about size, price, brand and design.

[richard black]

Just wondering if you are aware that Boston is made by Kawai for Steinway..

It's a Kawai with some design input from Steinway. Have a good look at one and you will soon see that there is much, much more Kawai than Steinway about it.

[amelialw]

It's a Kawai with some design input from Steinway. Have a good look at one and you will soon see that there is much, much more Kawai than Steinway about it.

yes...i am perfectly aware of this! but i do not put all these things into account when i choose an instrument that i love and fits me

[richard black]

Play pianos.  One will speak to you and you will forget about size, price, brand and design.

I really don't think that's very good advice. It's a long-term purchase and unless you, or someone advising you, knows a bit about what's inside the piano (inside that particular sample) you could end up buying something that will be a turkey long-term.

[aslanov]

I've heard many good things about Shigeru Kawai. Very good instrument for a rather low price...

I cannot praise the Shigeru Kawai enough. i went to merriam store in vaughan mills, but they have their bigger store somewhere in oakville, and i assume closer to ur area, not sure. they have even more brands there including fazioli, grotrian, bechstein, and i think steinway, and im not entirely sure about bosendorfer.