Upright vs Grand

[bnatural]

A friend asks me that, for $10,000, what kind of upright I would recommend to him.  I encourage him to get a grand.

Space is the main concern.

Hope to hear from you.  I truly feel that the touch is very different between upright and grand.

I also wonder how someone practices on upright and perform on grand. 

[jr11]

Space is a valid issue indeed. But there are 4'6" grands which fit nicely in a corner to take up minimal space. There is no advantage of string length over a 52" upright, but the gravity advantage of the grand action is a significant factor. A grand also has a psychological advantage, both from a player's perspective and an owner's perspective, ie: feels classy to play and looks great in your home. $10000usd will buy a decent 4'6" new grand AND a decent 47" new upright, for living room and bedroom!

[Michele Felice]

Sound might well be an important issue. Pianos are about music, after all.

Large vertical pianos, 48 to 52 in. in height, will have significantly longer strings in the bass than the smallest grands and so, very likely, a better sounding bass. Vertical pianos and grand pianos cannot be compared for string length by direct comparison of piano height (verticals) with length (grands). A significant portion of the overall length of a grand piano is used by the action. In a vertical piano, the action sits within the length of the strings.

 A $10k vertical may well have a much better scale design than a $10k grand. Grands are more complex and expensive pianos to build, so that a $10k vertical may be quite a nicely-designed and constructed instrument, but $10k grand may be quite a cheapie, with lots of corners cut in design and construction.

The best thing to do is to go out and play some $10k verticals and grands. You'll quickly discover what matters. If you want a grand-like action in an upright you can buy a Fandrich and Sons for less than $10k.

[bnatural]

But, what about the touch, action???

I feel that they are totally different at touch.

[Michele Felice]

Yes, the action and touch are different in a vertical and a grand. The action also varies considerably between an inexpensive grand which has had little regulation at the factory or at the dealer and a more expensive grand which has been adequately regulated. Your "friend" may find he or she does not like the feel of an inexpenisve grand. He or she can then decide whether a technician can improve the feel and performance of the action by regulating it. Perhaps your "friend" might put aside some funds for action regulation.

If your "friend" does not like the action and touch of any of the vertical pianos he or she tries, so be it. Vertical pianos do differ somewhat in action design and feel. Some players enjoy the touch of their vertical pianos and find it fully satisfactory. Does your "friend" feel the same way that you do?

Also, as I mentioned earlier, the Fandrich and Sons vertical pianos have a patented action that feels like a grand piano action and which is very satisfactory for many pianists who must otherwise have a grand piano.