Steinway Model B or D?

[momoji]

I am not sure which is more suitable for my house. Steinway Model D might not sound good in my house.
Do you have any suggestion. My house is not really big. But it can fit a Model D but it will take a lot of space.

[iansinclair]

In my humble (?) opinion a D is too much piano for almost any residential type of use.  Nice to have, but... just too much piano (not physically; acoustically).  The B is better, but you might also consider and try an A.  Some folks regard the A as being one of the best integrated (in terms of tone quality and evenness of power over the entire range) of any Steinway, and they have (or at least mine does!) ample power to be completely satisfying in my 450 square foot (roughly 50 square metres) music room.

[momoji]

I will give A a try when i perform on Thursday . But still I absolutely love the sound of the D. But like you say the acoustic might be different from the hall or the studio.

[49410enrique]

I will give A a try when i perform on Thursday . But still I absolutely love the sound of the D. But like you say the acoustic might be different from the hall or the studio.

if your budget allows and you have the room, you might try the model C, sits between the B and D, but not a NY offering, that one's only done by the german kids. i've never seen one, i'd love to try one out.  you could probably get away with voicing it down for a smaller venue but you'd still get the benefits of the longer strings in the low registers, etc. but generally i think a B is plenty, just wanted to throw that option out if you have your heart set on something bigger than the B

[momoji]

My room is not spacious at all. Will try Model C too. I am more with the sound than space in my room  .

[pytheamateur]

If you live in London UK, you can try a Steinway C at the 1901 Arts Club.  It's an instrument built in the 1980s and plays nicely.  I much prefer it than the B in Steinway Hall's practice room (perhaps the room there was too small?).

https://www.1901artsclub.com/

[iansinclair]

I've never played a C -- they don't seem to exist in any quantity on my side of the pond.  Sounds interesting.

That said, though, do try the A.  It is somewhat underappreciated because it is a "parlour" grand -- not quite as visually imposing! -- but the balance of string weight, length and tension across the entire scale is outstanding, and for a "normal" type of space, it is very well regarded (interesting history: it first came out around 1878 more or less -- mine is an 1898 -- but was discontinued in 1947.  It is now back in production because the later "better" models simply weren't better!  My own acoustic preference, provided the instrument is fitted to the space, is D, then A, then M, then others...)

[john90]

But still I absolutely love the sound of the D. But like you say the acoustic might be different from the hall or the studio.

I would buy the piano you love the sound of most. If I felt like that I would go for a D, and look  long and hard to get the right one, with a view to moving house if it didn't work out sound wise. I would definitely get the piano first though.

Once you get the right piano and bond with it a little, you should know if it is worth investing any more effort into. Will you have problems bonding with a nice D, might you have problems with a B? Additionally I don't like the feel of the keys on the latest M I saw (or the newer Yamahas for that matter, which seem to have copied the sharps!). I would want to see the piano first if I was buying new.

Second hand D's can be great value, as not many want to commit that much space. The touch and feel of the D, the tactile mass of it as it resonates, should be the same in any space. You might move house, or build an extension, knock some walls through to make an open plan space, put it on a large rug to stop the floor resonating, hang a decorative rug on the wall. Sound will depend on so many things, concrete or wooden floors, type of walls, curtains, ceiling height. All this without even touching the piano voicing.

[momoji]

My room is very dry of echo and reverb. My piano sounded horrible when i play Bach on it.

[quantum]

Personally, I would rather have a more overpowering piano than one that struggles to fill the demand of the space and performer.  You can do simple things like keeping the lid closed or furnishing a room to balance the sound. 

If you have the space and the finances, a longer piano will give you the resonance and depth in the bass register.  A typical residential living room has very little reverb to work with, take that into account when choosing your piano. 

My personal preferences are Model B, followed closely by Model A.  I don't care for Model M, and would rather put my money to another brand if I were considering something in that price range.  IMO, the larger Steinways offer more piano per dollar than the smaller ones.  I can't justify spending the amount of money a new or used M demands when you can get a 6' or 7' piano with the same money from many other manufacturers.  If I were to get a Steinway, it would be one of the larger pianos. 

[momoji]

I am currently in love with Model A but unfortunately unable to purchase since Steinway has increase the price in my country probably.

[pianolive]

Steinway (among others) always raise the prices every year no matter the economic situation. Inflation or deflation does not matter, the prices go up.

[michaeljames]

Hi.

I recently got rid of my beloved Steinways A and B and replaced them with a Steinway D and a Mason & Hamlin CC2.

The bigger, the better! If you have room, you'll be happiest with the D, IMHO.

Michael