Wendl and Lung or reconditioned Yahmaha?

[220330]

Hi, I am new here, and have just registered because I need some help - and like what I have seen on this site!

Forgive me if this is old ground to many of you...

I am hoping to buy a piano for my young daughter who is "showing lots of promise", but I am so confused by conflicting advice, that I have done nothing! We have an 80-year-old London piano (a Humphrey) that has seen better days, so we need something newer and better.

I was very much in favour of an upright Wendl and Lung that I saw, until a different vendor told me that I would be better putting my money into a reconditioned Yamaha YUS. My piano tuner has told me to avoid reconditioned Ys at all costs, because they have no life left in them...

I feel that at every turn I get conflicting advice. What do YOU think?

Many thanks,

Margaret

[awesom_o]

I would focus on new pianos for your daughter. New pianos made in China have much more life in them today than pianos that were made in Japan 20-30 years ago, and should be available for the same price, if not slightly less.

Go to a few different stores, and have a look at their options in your budget range. There are various pianos of German design which are assembled in China using German-made components, and many of these pianos offer excellent value at a truly competitive price.

W&L, although good, are not my favourite.

Good luck! Keep in mind, prices on pianos are always negotiable!

[perfectlygrand]

Margaret~
Please, you are being steered in the wrong way.  First let me get out of the way that I'm a former Concert & Artist technician with Baldwin so I know a little about this.  Anyone that says a 20-30 year old piano (possibly Yamaha, or Kawai from Japan) have little life left obviously hasn't had their hands on 1000s of pianos.

So, here are my recommendations.  First, any piano younger than 20 years old is considered a young piano.  Two, all piano depreciate like cars - so if you can find a nearly new piano you'll be way ahead of the game - and because of this really young used pianos are in many ways preferable to new pianos. Three, don't look at pianos over 40 as they will be suspect for structural damage (unless you live in an area where there is very little humidity shift - ie. not the northeast of the US) Four, if you can afford a grand do it as their action (mechanism) is much faster, allows for greater sensitivity and control.  Five, DO NOT look at 1 or 2 pianos and pick one - try out has many as you can. Six - take a look at the Piano Book by Larry Fine and his site pianobuyer.com as he's got lots of great advice.  Seven, if you're piano tech can't or won't give you advice - get rid of him and call a registered tech (www.ptg.org).  Eight, remember that stores work off an "A" mark - meaning a 50 margin - so if a piano sticker price is $5000 the dealership paid $2,500.

If you have other questions, just reply here.

Charles
perfectlygrand.com

[220330]

Thank-you both very much for your replies.  I have been away so have not had a chance to reply before now....  They were both very helpful indeed.

If you were choosing a new or used "young" piano in the £4-5k range, what brands would you look for?

Thanks again,
Margaret

[iansinclair]

...don't look at pianos over 40 as they will be suspect for structural damage (unless you live in an area where there is very little humidity shift - ie. not the northeast of the US)...

Most of what Charles has to say I would tend to agree with.  Except the above quote.  Perhaps I have been extraordinarily fortunate -- that does happen, but not usually to me.  And I have three pianos which are a bit over that age: an 1898 Steinway A, a 1904 Steinway Vertegrande, and a 1924 Steinway M.  I live in the northeast of the US, and none of the three have been kept in anything like optimal conditions.  None of the three have structural damage -- indeed, except for veneer on the A's case, some of which has come unglued, and some finish problems on the M (it was stored in a barn for a while, and I regret to say that a mouse nest on the lid didn't help) they are, all three, in superb condition.  They are kept tuned (the A was restrung -- no other work -- about 10 years ago) and played regularly (the A about two hours a day).

Just sayin'...