HELP... trying to buy new/use baby grand but don't know how to determine quality

[ivorycanvas]

Greetings Piano Street,

   I am new to this forum, but glad to join as I have been looking for a new piano and need to hear tips from other knowledgeable players and technicians.  I've been looking around my area [NYC] for pianos and have come across some stores with some sales reps that have made me realize that I need to be pretty vigilant when it comes to determining real quality in a piano.  I'm trying to get a great piano for a relatively modest budget of $10k, and know that in the piano market there can be some amazing deals out there, or some not-so-amazing deals disguised as amazing deals.

There was one deal that I saw at a local store, for a Yamaha GC1K from 2006, priced at $7600.  This seems like an amazing deal but I don't know anything about determining quality.  The piano was in good condition but there's just something about yamaha that always makes me hesitate... I don't know why.  I feel that it's hard to really know what touch is right for me because my belief is that any piano can grow on a person over time, and I know that at any given time there can always be a better deal somewhere else.

Also I'm curious to know what kinds of retailers anyone considers good quality?  I will tell you that a place in my area called Beethoven Pianos tried to sell me a Hailun baby grand for $12,000, which also seemed like a good deal, but then I went next door to the Faust Harrison and they told me that the Hailun was a piece of junk.  And, I'm sorry if I sound like a complete novice, talking about "walking down piano row".  Please help me with any resource you know of!

Thanks

[quantum]

Hi and welcome to Pianostreet,

Can you tell more about the person that will be playing the piano.  Is this piano for you to play?  What is your current piano?  What qualities do you like about your current piano?  What qualities do you feel your current piano is lacking?