How to assess a piano?

[Ade1967]

I’m finally starting my piano hunt this Friday . I’ll be looking at new and old pianos, 6” grands, but will be starting with new pianos. The usual suspects are on the list, Estonia 190, Petrof, Yamaha C3, Boston (I know a lot of people hate these but I need to decide for myself ), Kawai, etc.

I’m starting to put together a routine to help me assess the pianos. For instance I think I’m going to start by just playing single notes on various points and listening to the tone and sustain. Then I think I’ll play chords, triads with the right hand and octaves with the left hand in various positions and varying gaps between the two hands in order to hear how the upper and lower registers sound together. After that I’m not sure yet. Obviously I’ll also be playing various pieces of music but that will be the last test. I guess some pianos may not even make it passed the first test (single notes). After all would there be any point in going further with a piano if you didn’t like the tone of single notes?

Do you think this is a good approach? How did/do you assess a piano, i.e. did/do you have a routine that you used or did you just play pieces?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Ade1967]

Oops, that should be 6' not 6"  

[Axtremus]

Well... if you really want to be thorough about it... in addition to what you wrote above...

Explore the full pitch and dynamic range, test going from pppp to sffz suddenly, and the other way round. Test for tonal changes as you slide the hammers with the una corda pedal.

If you improvise, do a "gut check" and improvise on the piano and see if that piano is right for you -- the piano should not impede your improv impulse if it's right for you; and hopefully you'll find the piano inspiring.

Try the same set of pieces from one piano to the next so you have a consistent basis for comparison.

After you survey the field (play as many different pianos as you can), narrow your choices down to a few candidates. Try to play each of the short-listed candidates more than once and on different days if possible (and play them in different order). You might even want to take down the serial numbers of the pianos because sometimes even pianos of the same make/model respond differently from one another.

For used piano, if you get to a point where you're seriously consider buying, get an independent piano tuner/technician to look it over for you (just like you'd get an independent mechanic to check a used car for you before you buy).

Good luck!