Yamaha B2 vs U1 vs Used Schimmel 130.

[fabro001]

Apologies in advance for the longwinded post.  My inlaws are graciously helping us buy a piano for my kids (Ages 6-4).  We went to a piano showroom and we were interested in the following:
1.  Yamaha B2
2.  Yamaha U1
3.  Schimmel 130. manufactured in 2000, used.

We are basing our decision on the following:
Quality for the price
Space (we live in a very small townhouse)
Potential for it to be an Heirloom piece
Cabinet Finish

The B2 seems to be a great introductory piano.  It comes in the cabinet finish we like (polished walnut), this particular floor model has been discounted to sell.  It is also the right size for the space.  But I am concerned about the quality and longevity. What is the quality of the Yamaha pianos that are manufactured in Indonesia?

I like the sound quality of the U1 very much; and I also like that is made in Japan.  I understand there are more QA steps when pianos are made in Japan as opposed to other Asian countries.  Is this "too much" of a piano for my young kids?  I don't plan on trading up in the future as I intend for the piano to be an heirloom piece.  

Schimmel.  Highest in price, but could be worth it given the quality.  It is still less than what it would cost if it were a new Schimmel; and relatively a bit more in cost than the U1 we are interested in.  Great heirloom piece.  But it is the largest piano by height, which makes me worry about it not being scaled appropriately with the rest of our furniture and living room size. And it is not exactly the finish I was hoping for (polished mahogany).

I don't play the piano, and am very new to this process.   Any thoughts or input is much appreciated.

[huaidongxi]

from my faraway viewpoint of your dilemma, it looks like one of the main issues would be, you do not play yourself.  are your kids already taking lessons ?  if their teacher has a good instrument (s)he might be a good resource to bring to look at the pianos.  or bring some other serious player of your acquaintance with you, which would not tell you how the pianos feel differently (depending how articulate your acquaintance is of course), but might reveal more about how they respond. response at the softest ppp level of volume is very important, and not always revealed by a piano salesperson demonstrating the instrument.

with the highest quality uprights, the 'tall footprint' that you expressed concern over is a positive factor because string length and thickness matter. you are the only one who can decide how much a difference the finish makes.  for most people who enjoy playing and studying piano, it often is one of the less important factors.  if the schimmel is only a bit more expensive than the taller yamaha, it probably represents a better buy for the $$.  you are probably not in western/central Europe, because yamahas usually go for lower prices there, facing stiff competition in the market with European made instruments.  that schimmel upright to a large degree is made for European buyers who want to approach a small grand's sound and response in an upright piano.  my guess, the pianos make a very different sound impression on you (yamahas to me have a different 'soundprint' than the european) ; maybe ask yourself, which would you prefer to hear for hundreds of hours over the years.

[visitor]

Uf the yammaha arw not made in Japan, i likely would pass and go w schimmel.  The used ibstruments generally provide much morw buying power vs new as Well.  That used its priced.higher than the new should say something about tis quality too.  They should make price it about 20% -35% above what it might sell for private seller to individual.

[huaidongxi]

technical trivia which may or may not interest the buyer :  there are a handful of piano makers that rely on Renner exclusively to make their actions and hammers.  the Schimmel factory in Braunschweig is the single biggest customer of Renner.  the other companies whose actions/hammers are completely Renner are Boesendorfer, Foerster, Steingraber, Fazioli, (hamburger) Steinway, W. Steinberg.  Renner also provides some of the components for the premium u.s. piano makers, Chas Walter, Mason & Hamlin, (NY) Steinway.  Renner itself is german owned and operated, everything fabricated in Deutschland, the rough cut for the woods done in a german sawmill.

the yamaha pianos assembled in Nippon do not necessarily have all their main parts made in Japan, it is unlikely that they do given the high quantities of production.