Which Piano Should I get?

[xmrbrightside89]

Hello guys,

I need a suggestion before I make an important purchase! I need to get a piano but I really don't know what to buy!

I moved to the UK an year ago and since then, I never had the chance to play the piano, now I'm thinking on getting one because I really really have the urge to play again!
I have a couple of problems tho, I don't know if I should get a digital or an upright!

as I said I moved here and am currently renting an apartment, I have to admit I don't have much space and the walls are quite thin so I can hear pretty much what my neighbors do.

therefore I'd think that the digital would be the best idea, it's versatile, can use with headphones on, it's easy to transport etc... but the honest truth, I used to have one and I'm not really keen on 'em. the pedal is scandalous, the touch is avarage and the sound is too fake for me.

At home I have a grand piano so u can understand that jumping from a grand to a digital..well it's quite huge backward jump!

I don't know, what do you guys suggest? is there any good digital? or any suggested upright? thanks!

ps: the thing that keeps me from buying an upright, is that I don't know for how long I'm gonna stay in this apartment (i live with my partner), if we gonna move, etc.. i'll have it as a problem! My grand is at home at my parent's.. so it's safe! (it's an owned house)

[john90]

You need an upright! I once tried a really compact modern upright that was superb, small and relatively light. Great action, really nice tone. I wish I had paid more attention to the make now.

[xmrbrightside89]

thanks! how relatively compact would it be compared to the U1? any suggestion on how to make the room sound-proof? I don't wanna the neighbors to come and chase after my ass!

even tho the guys that live upstairs truly deserve a full-night piano concertos.. u_u

[tb230]

It's difficult to make a room sound-proof, so I would consider I silent piano if I were you. You seem to already know the U1, and Yamaha makes a silent version of that piano (I have one). I practice a lot in the silent mode with headphones and like the fact that I am still playing the same piano with the same 'touch' when I choose to play in acoustic mode. And I always have a perfectly tuned piano in the house...as I said, may be worthwhile looking into if you are surrounded by neighbours.

[keys60]

There are SO many. Get out there and try them all. Pick the one you like best. I like mid 80's Baldwin Hamiltons amongst others.

[floydcramerfan]

I have a Yamaha DGX 500, which is more of a keyboard than a piano.  They don't make that model anymore, but they just changed the number and made some minor changes.  I prefer an upright any day of the week, but it worked for me when I was in college because I had a private room since I was a music student.  Now I have an upright grand that was made in 1905 and I mostly play it, but something like a keyboard would be good for an apartment where you have to be quiet.

[john90]

I would consider I silent piano if I were you. You seem to already know the U1, and Yamaha makes a silent version of that piano (I have one).

I didn't know much about these! It seems they use a real acoustic piano with a stop rail to catch the hammer after release.

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=18249.0

Early Yamaha ones used switch sensors, but later ones use optics apparently.

Gabor and Korg market retro fit silent kits, and Yamaha now have a factory option for grands that places optical sensors for hammer speed, and sensors (hopefully optical) for the keys, the latter measure key depth, key speed, hold down, etc.

Another interesting, brilliantly simple idea (thanks google) that I have not tried is to squash a foam mattress behind the piano to absorb sound, then open the top for more volume if needed, instead of soundproofing the room, just sound proof the piano, work on the sound before it gets out. That in conjunction with a felt damper strip should get rid of the worst noise issues. Gabor do an optics only Midi kit for keyboards which shouldn't affect feel (unlike re-regulating the action which might make it feel heavier), in case the sound ever gets too low.

Someone near me is selling a 1997 MP-70 Yamaha upright with factory silent and Midi out. They want 1500 pounds. It got me tempted.

[floydcramerfan]

Thanks for the idea about the mattress behind the piano.  We may be moving out of state in a few weeks and we'll probably be living in an apartment.  I'm not sure if the piano will fit in there or not.  I may be stuck with only my keyboard.