Yamaha4'11"baby grand or 52" Boston P132

[pprelude]

Hi, I wish someone could give me valuable advice since buying a piano is a long term investment.  Should I go for baby grand or 52" performance edition upright?  I heard the bass strings will be dead after years for yamaha babygrand, is that true?   Or should I go for a used but bigger baby grand?

[lostinidlewonder]

Baby grands are generally a waste of money, but they look very nice. For the same price you can get a top quality upright and have a better instrument that sounds better and plays better. Personally I find that baby grands are too small to take advantage of horizontal string, you really don't have strings much longer than an upright when it comes to baby grands and the sound board is hardly any bigger. So you get no real difference just an increase in price and less bang for your buck in terms of quality instrument.

[birba]

I'll second that.

[quantum]

The advantage that baby grand would give is the repetition lever in the action.  A large upright will sound fuller, have a greater tonal palette, and be more musically responsive. 

If you are on a budget consider a used grand.  There are many used instruments in excellent condition to be found.  If considering a baby grand at least look for something 5'6 or larger.  Pianos approaching 6' will greatly open up the tonal possibilities.