Really liked the GC1 (5'3") and it was on sale for $14500. First of all, does this price seem reasonable or can I do better with another brand or dealer?
He then showed me a chart that tracked the value of previous Yamahas from years past, that showed the original price and the price they are worth today. If it's true, buying a grand piano would seem like a solid investment. Just wondering if you all agree that they do in fact appreciate over time.
Thanks both of you for the wonderful information. I should have known that half of the dealer's shpeel is a bunch of phony baloney. Now that I have found this forum, I will take my time and learn. Impulse buying is not what I want to do. I need to "see the world" before I settle on something like this. I live in central California and that piano at the fair was the first grand I ever tested. I play classical music and it is very limiting, playing on a synth, although it beats the hell out of my spinet. There is a new plug board coming out from Yamaha that is the talk of the town regarding acoustic piano voices. It's sampled from a concert grand CIIIS and I guess I'll just spend the $300 for now and see how it sounds. I have had the opportunity to play on a grand at a local hotel and it is just so much more rewarding than what I have at home. The "power" feeling is incredible. My living room is not extraordiarily large, so I don't believe anything over 6' would be feasible but one day,,,, one day.
<<Now, I hope you realize the GC1 doesnt have a full sostenuto pedal- only a bass sustain. I went with a C2, and got it for $18000 canadian, which is what? $12000 american? Make sure you arent getting ripped off, because those smooth talking salespeople will jump at every oppurtunity.>>donjuan:You mentioned that you got a C2 for CA$18,000. Which part of Canada are you from? I live here in Vancouver and Tom Lee recently quoted me CA$24,000 for a brand new one. When did you buy yours?Thanks in advance!GC
We paid about $7500 in 1990. Recently I was at a big piano dealer where I take my lessons. I went around noting the prices. I would guess a comparable new piano today would be about double that price. That is after 15 years.