9' Grands at Home

[pianist7]

Do you know anyone with a 9-foot grand at home?

[gyzzzmo]

I dont know exactly the size of the Steinway i got, but its about the size of a concert grand. I was able to buy it cheap since it had some water/smoke damage (former owner had a fire in his house). I had it repaired and now it sounds perfect again

I have a house with high ceilings and i removed a wall so i have good accoustics for it. I had to get an architect though to calculate the floor strength and had to remove a window so a crane could get my (somewhat heavy) beauty in. Its a scary sight though, seeing the piano hanging that high in the air :S

The funny thing though is that i probably play more often on my digital piano since its on the living room, and the grand on the upper floor. If i'm working on the finishing touches though, i always practise it on the grand.

[dana_minmin]

gyzzzmo you're very very lucky own a 9' Steinway at home!!!

[gyzzzmo]

gyzzzmo you're very very lucky own a 9' Steinway at home!!!

Yup. Its an oldie, but an excellent sound. It doesnt make that much sense having one that large at home, but i couldnt resist the offer

[rick langmaack]

I have 2 customers (i am a piano technician) who have 9' Steinway Concert Grands at their house. Both have large homes, so the pianos fit quite nicely. The acoustics in each house are pretty good.  It's nice to see this type of thing, and fun to tune a concert grand in a home (especially when it's quiet).
rick :

[quantum]

I know someone who was able to grab up both a Steinway and and a Baldwin concert grand for really cheap because of damage.  They have both been restored.  The original intention was for them to become home instruments, but I believe they are being put to good use for concerts now.

I've seen an article of some lucky person who has a Bosendorfer Imperial in his living room.  I think piano is one of his hobbies.

[richard black]

A friend of mine had a Yamaha CF concert grand at home. He bought it not least because it was incredibly cheap - less than he would have expected to pay for a reasonably decent 200cm-class instrument. He didn't have a big room, either, so it was pretty loud. Thing is, it's a bit of a buyer's market for old big pianos - they're hard to sell 'cos frankly who wants one?

[wishful thinker]

I have a fully restored Bluthner Concert grand in my house, and its superb. It isn't in a huge room (about 18ft x 18), but is not as over-powering as the previous Yamaha C3 could be.  That said, the tonal range is amazing, I couldn't go back to anything else.

I have another restored concert grand that is for sale, if anyone is interested 

[thalberg]

My piano teacher had a brand new 9-foot steinway in her house, and next to it, a Steinway model A.

Her house was not huge but the piano fit just fine and sounded wonderful.  I think all these people who say 9-feet is too much for a house are crazy.  I would love to have 9-feet, even if it were in a studio apartment.

[horowitzian]

My piano teacher had a brand new 9-foot steinway in her house, and next to it, a Steinway model A.

Her house was not huge but the piano fit just fine and sounded wonderful.  I think all these people who say 9-feet is too much for a house are crazy.  I would love to have 9-feet, even if it was in a studio apartment.

I agree. I am perfectly happy with my B, but the 9' sound is unmatched.

The real difference maker is voicing of the instrument. A voicing that's appropriate for the concert hall is not appropriate for the home. A concert grand in the home should be voiced much more softly than one ready to take on Carnegie Hall.

[johnnyb]

We have a Bosendorfer Imperial which is 9' 6". It is in a music room 20' x 14' with a chapel ceiling. This room opens to another room 14' x 12'. With a Bosendorfer there is not the same concern over too much volume as with many other makes (notably Steinway), since Bosendorfers are not nearly so strident. It doesn't seem too big. John

[biscuitroxy12]

9' grands are actually not that long. At the conservatory I attended, they had 9'7 Grands (3 on stage) and it was not that bad.

[gaest]

We have a Bosendorfer Imperial which is 9' 6". It is in a music room 20' x 14' with a chapel ceiling. This room opens to another room 14' x 12'. With a Bosendorfer there is not the same concern over too much volume as with many other makes (notably Steinway), since Bosendorfers are not nearly so strident. It doesn't seem too big. John

Jealousy ensues.

[steinwaymichigan]

9' pianos are very rare in homes. Not only you need a big room, but it needs to be laid out so your conditioning or the heating do not damage the piano. It needs to be away from sunlight. In 30 years I have only seen a handful of 9' pianos. Then the question is, "What if you move"?
Many people are forced to sell their piano at the deep discount when moving because it is to big. That is something to remember when you buy a piano.

[ignaz]

Hello, I have a Baldwin 9 foot concert, a Steinway Model B (7 foot) and a Steinway Model A (6 foot) in my house. I am not rich just always looking for bargains and be ready to buy when they pop up.
As someone else posted The 9 footers need to be thought out before you buy one, because one day you or your family will want to sell the piano and the market is very small for that size piano.  I only purchased the baldwin because it was very very inexpensive.  They are hard to sell because most people who are looking for a piano say, "I just want a baby grand".  Thats Ok with me its their piano but for the money used 9 footers can be bargains. The extra expense the factories put in to them in materials and prep is required because this is the flagship model and at some point may be on an important stage or hall.  The key is to buy used, have it checked out by a tech and be ready to buy, just do not expect to be able to retire on the resell of the piano. 

[chomikchomik]

First I thought you were asking if someone has 9 grands at home and I was like       

[noambenhamou]

What a misconception. Larger piano is louder.
Not a fact at all. I can have an upright with super hard hammers that can be way too loud.

I had a new 7' bechstien super loud
I then had a new Steinway B pretty loud
I have a 9' new steinway at my apartment and it's by far the best.

The 9 foot gives much more control. It can be played much softer than the B. And the Bechstein could NEVER be played as soft as any steinway.

A hard hammer upright which is very loud is like an on/off switch. Very little control over volume.

But yes, if I really dig into the keys - the 9 foot steinway can break mirrors. But it still doesn't sound "loud". It sounds "full of volume" if words can describe it. The quality of sound is so nice, it doesn't "seem" loud.

Take a power drill at 85 Decibals, will sound very loud and hurt your ears. A bechstein at 95 Decibels will sound loud and hurt your ears, a 9 foot steinway played hard at 105 Decibels will just sound AWSOME!!!

Sorry for the bias. I really love the way steinways sound.

I would take a 40 year old D compared to a brand new B. Any day. My technician says "You can't go wrong with a D".

[956angler]

I recently purchased a Baldwin SD-10 for my home.

It is a full concert grand (9 feet long).  The instrument is housed in a 3rd living room we rarely used until now.  The space is pretty good size to house the instrument and has high ceilings. The overall space configuration in our home is of the open living type setting with few walls and tall ceilings and lots of windows. The furniture in the 3rd living room was moved around to allow us to sit and watch my daughters practice which give me great joy.  The instrument, if not played softly, produces such tone that it literally rattles or vibrates the leather in the couches in the family room opposite to the room where its located even though there is a nook in between the rooms and a distance of at least 90 ft.

We have a substantially energetic entertainment center in our family room, but the minute the piano is played, the TV and Amplifier are quickly drowned out by the sound coming from the piano.  Its hard to describe.  The piano sound does not seem loud, but the lows vibrate through the couches and into your back and behind.  The entertainment amp sounds loud in the family room, but it doesn't vibrate couches in other rooms of the house like the Baldwin does.  The piano literally fills the entire home with sound.  Even in bedrooms with doors closed.  It seems to make the entire house resonate.  That is pretty interesting because our Music Amp in the family room struggles to be heard in master bedroom.

I am thinking of moving the piano to our game room.  I think it will complement my antique six legged pool table and create a piano bar theme but my wife already likes the way it gives use and life to our previously unused living area.  She specially loves how she can sit and hear the girls play and read a book or snuggle with the dog on front of the fire place.

So, i been told, that if I want a piano in the game room, I have to go buy another one for it.  Any suggestions folks??

[quantum]

What you have experienced in sound between your piano and amp is an acoustical phenomenon that many experience with the dichotomy of an acoustic instrument vs a digital or electronic instrument.  More power, more speakers, more amps, and louder volume do not necessarily equate to the immersion of sound and awe of experience when one hears an acoustic instrument in person.  I have heard audio engineers explain it as thus: speakers push sound through space, acoustic instruments resonate sound within the space.  You do not need a large instrument in order to fill a space.  Have you ever experienced a solo flute in a concert hall?  It is unfortunate that many proprietors of music spaces do not yet understand this phenomenon: they would be willing to spend large sums of money to gain a beefy sound system for a keyboard, yet still find the results less than satisfactory.  

I've played an SD-10, and have experienced exactly what you describe.  It is an awesome instrument.  

It sounds like you already have found a good place for your piano.  Consider the acoustics of your game room, and if the piano will receive any benefit from moving it there.  Would you prefer to listen to the piano in such room.  Is it the best place for your girls to practice in a non-distractive environment?  

If you have the cash, just get another piano for your game room.  I've rarely seen concert grands used in a piano bar scenario - think about it, they are huge.  If you can find yourself something around 6' it may look more realistic as a piano bar piano.  You might even be able to find one that was previously modified to be used in a piano bar.  One piano for parties and the other for a fine listening experience.  Would be pretty nice to have two pianos in the same house.  Plus you said you had girls (plural), both pianos could be used at the same time for practicing: meaning less fighting for piano time.  

[pytheamateur]

If you live in London UK and want to experience what a model D sounds like in a small space, go to that famous piano shop on Edgware Road.  The practice room is quite small.  I'm no piano technician but they probably have done something with the voicing to take account of the small space.

[49410enrique]

If you live in London UK and want to experience what a model D sounds like in a small space, go to that famous piano shop on Edgware Road.  The practice room is quite small.  I'm no piano technician but they probably have done something with the voicing to take account of the small space.

yeah voicing it and such can help, and if you can make it work, yes technically you have the ability (especially on the low register) to get better resonance and tonal product and color in the low strings and have a bigger sound board so you can get a better quality sound, i won't argue a 9 footer will work on many levels better than say a 5'8 std grand, but at least for me, i have yet to really feel a discernable difference to make me demand a full concert grand over a semi concert grand (i.e. a steinway b vs steinway d, i reserve judgement on the german only offering of a model C which i have never seen or heard, that indeed maybe the best for a hall and/or room scenario).

[johnlewisgrant]

The Steinway B is a sort of 7 ft "reference" instrument (well.... just a little under 7), but what I've been hearing hear jives with all the B's I've ever played.   They're just not quite there in every department: sustain, tonal variety, touch, bass "growl" or just plain bass "power." 

I bought the Hailun 218 (7ft 2in) happily in preference to the Bs it happened to be placed beside.  Perhaps I ought to have been looking at Ds, because I was happy to pay the price as long as the enjoyment/quality was there.  The 218 has been an absolute pleasure in every conceivable way.  Redefines the market, in my view.  Who needs the extra 2 feet at home?  (Well... unless there's a tonal basis for it... but they ARE conceived with the concert hall in mind... or am I mistaken?!)

JG

[pytheamateur]

The Steinway B is a sort of 7 ft "reference" instrument (well.... just a little under 7), but what I've been hearing hear jives with all the B's I've ever played.   They're just not quite there in every department: sustain, tonal variety, touch, bass "growl" or just plain bass "power." 

I bought the Hailun 218 (7ft 2in) happily in preference to the Bs it happened to be placed beside.  Perhaps I ought to have been looking at Ds, because I was happy to pay the price as long as the enjoyment/quality was there.  The 218 has been an absolute pleasure in every conceivable way.  Redefines the market, in my view.  Who needs the extra 2 feet at home?  (Well... unless there's a tonal basis for it... but they ARE conceived with the concert hall in mind... or am I mistaken?!)

JG

Are they New York or Hamburg Steinways?

[ahinton]

Jealousy ensues.

I'm not jealous by nature - but I could easily develop that emotion under the circumstances cited here!

Best,

Alistair

[gvans]

Great thread. I'm selling my Steinway M, which needs a rebuild, and found (please don't laugh) an untouched 3 yr. old Norkdiska nine-footer for sale for...well, not much. I never took Chinese pianos seriously, but I will tell you, this darn thing plays nearly as well or as well as the three 9 footer's I've played in concert (Steinway/Bosendorfer/Baldwin). And, once I talked my wife into the idea of having a battleship in the living room, I found a nine-foot Baldwin up the freeway, 1993-ish, very very reasonable. Bottom line, after reading this thread, I may buy one, once I get a carpenter to reinforce the stairs it must come up.

The Nordiska has a Renner action, Able hammers, and is gorgeous. Couldn't stop playing it. No breaks as you move up and down the register; dynamic-wise, pp to ff, it does exactly what you ask it. A round, full tone. Amazing. Not terribly loud, probably not voiced to project in an auditorium. Somebody back there at the Dongbei factory worked hard on this instrument.

Probably difficult for my heirs to sell, but when I leave this house, I'm leaving feet first...

[49410enrique]

Great thread. I'm selling my Steinway M, which needs a rebuild, and found (please don't laugh) an untouched 3 yr. old Norkdiska nine-footer for sale for...well, not much. I never took Chinese pianos seriously, but I will tell you, this darn thing plays nearly as well or as well as the three 9 footer's I've played in concert (Steinway/Bosendorfer/Baldwin). And, once I talked my wife into the idea of having a battleship in the living room, I found a nine-foot Baldwin up the freeway, 1993-ish, very very reasonable. Bottom line, after reading this thread, I may buy one, once I get a carpenter to reinforce the stairs it must come up.

The Nordiska has a Renner action, Able hammers, and is gorgeous. Couldn't stop playing it. No breaks as you move up and down the register; dynamic-wise, pp to ff, it does exactly what you ask it. A round, full tone. Amazing. Not terribly loud, probably not voiced to project in an auditorium. Somebody back there at the Dongbei factory worked hard on this instrument.

Probably difficult for my heirs to sell, but when I leave this house, I'm leaving feet first...

that nordiska concert grand is a different beast altogether from the others they made, i very much like that piano and have considered upgrading to that one or their 7 footer in the past , perhaps later if i can find one, yes the action and many aspects about it makes it a pretty damn good piano for the money, piano snobs be dammed, good is good ,

[pytheamateur]

I thought Nordiska is a Scandinavian brand.

https://www.nordiskadental.se/

Do they have a website?

[49410enrique]

I thought Nordiska is a Scandinavian brand.

https://www.nordiskadental.se/

Do they have a website?

used to be, then the name was bought and grands were designed and mfg'd in china in dongbei, at their time they were the top end chinese instrumetns, thought not without their faults they  were (and still are) pretty good little inexpensive instruments, company that used to handle distrubution rights in the us along with petrof at the time went out of business and i think they stopped making them several years ago (quite to my dismay, they again had a lovely sound and i had plans on upgrading to their 7 footer but i may try to find a used one in a few years when i can save up for one).  i actually own one of their smaller grands (was given to me as a suprise gift out of the blue by family members after they heard my remarks on how uncharacterstically lovely the sound was), it's small, chinese, but marvelous and as a personal practice instrument and for what my family which very lovingly sacrificed to buy it could afford i could not be happier.

[pytheamateur]

used to be, then the name was bought and grands were designed and mfg'd in china in dongbei, at their time they were the top end chinese instrumetns, thought not without their faults they  were (and still are) pretty good little inexpensive instruments, company that used to handle distrubution rights in the us along with petrof at the time went out of business and i think they stopped making them several years ago (quite to my dismay, they again had a lovely sound and i had plans on upgrading to their 7 footer but i may try to find a used one in a few years when i can save up for one).  i actually own one of their smaller grands (was given to me as a suprise gift out of the blue by family members after they heard my remarks on how uncharacterstically lovely the sound was), it's small, chinese, but marvelous and as a personal practice instrument and for what my family which very lovingly sacrificed to buy it could afford i could not be happier.

Thanks for the information.  How do you think they compare with Yamaha, both in terms of price and quality?

[49410enrique]

Thanks for the information.  How do you think they compare with Yamaha, both in terms of price and quality?

hmm it's really a question i think (and please i'm no 'expert' or 'guru' just a guy with a pretty decent ear and lots of experience playing many different models all over the price range) of where in the yamaha line up you are looking, and where in the nordiska line we are looking. Yamahas are produced in at least four different plants, Hamamatsu, Japan
Thomaston, Georgia
South Haven, Michigan
Jakarta, Indonesia ,
perhaps more for other markets?, Price wise   you'll pay more overall for the yamaha stamp. I think the best of the lot will come from Hamamatsu.  They are really in different markets both price, quality, etc. Yamaha being higher up the pecking order (though if I were going japanese i really like the kawai rx black series over standard yamaha, i have not played the rebadged kemble grands which are yamahs c2s with different inards and more voicing and such to get a less 'asian/bright' sound out of them, my gut tells me i would probably like those A LOT)

To the best of my knowledge you'll only find used or 'new old stock' Nordiskas and quality all over the place depending when it came out of Dongbei, the  later ones tended to be much better overall.  Again the 7 footer

 and 9 footer are different stories alltogether, these were (and are if you can find one) incredible instruments for the money and I think you'll get more piano for your money this route but you have to do your homework assuming you can find some.  

Still if your budget is tight and you're looking an indonesian yamaha, I really think even a standard nordiska grand should be considered again since they tend to really have a lovely full tone and, although less important, they were quite pretty with the bosendorfer copperish plate colors, again this is mainly on the dollar savings point since we're in not in the 'new' market, i think chinese new the hailun kids have that down pretty tight.  

i would have a very competent tech on board, even mine had its share of asian demons we had to exorcise bit by bit and occassionally i still have a small issue or two but for the money and why i use it (primary practice not a living room show piece or performance and recording instrument). it's fine.

to further complicate matter is the fact that dongbei which made the nordiska grands is now where the chinese baldwins are coming out of and i have not had a personal chance to play on these (I usually wait till i have a significant solo work or two down before going in so I can really put the instrument to the test rather than just plinkering around). i think if you're considering chinese the chinese baldwin is probably pretty good considering the plant it is coming from, the financial backing from gibson and the fact that overall quality was always on up and up over there and many of the same builders are probably still there (unless they were stolen away by the hailun gang)

[johnlewisgrant]

Are they New York or Hamburg Steinways?

Hamburg?

Only in my dreams.

JG

[iansinclair]

It's very much worth keeping in mind that with Steinways (I don't have much experience with others), at least, it isn't just the length that is important.  As has been noted above, the voicing can make a tremendous difference.  Another difference, though, which I haven't seen mentioned, is the exact layout of the strings (both in terms of where it breaks from 3 strings to 2 to 1 and in terms of the weight of the string -- but even more in terms of how, if at all, the bass strings overlap the higher strings).  In this regard it seems to my ear, at least, that the A and D are more similar than the B.  Not saying that the A could have the power to fill a space that the D could, but that the quality of the tone is very similar.