And so - the search for a Piano begins...!

quote:

Originally posted by andy c:
Guess which one sounded the nicest?

Probably the Yamaha.


Maybe you can get a Baldwin or a Hamburg Steinway on E-bay cheap.

Won't buy on e-bay - I want to play the one I buy...

If you need a hand to move it I've got just the men for the job:

quote:

Won't buy on e-bay - I want to play the one I buy...

Not mutually exclusive.

What do you mean?

You bid on the understanding of the piano being OK. If it's not a model you know there may be a problem. If you live reasonably close any seller worth the name should allow you a demo before bidding.
If you are selling something like a piano then I would not think these arrangements would be out of order.
If they are selling for a house clearence then probably not.
There is an internal message system within E-Bay and you can have short private chats with a seller.
I work on the theory of being honest and trying to answer all questions, it seems like a good way of doing business.
Good luck in your endeavours Andy.

I wholeheartedly agree with all you have put... but another factor in anything with a purchase like a new/2nd hand piano is after sales, incl tuning. Sure, any tuner could do, but IMV I'm not just being money driven, here.

have a good Xmas.

I absolutely agree.
Merry Xmas to you too.

Andy

I don't know what sort of price rage you are looking at. We have an english piano made in the late 60's by John Broadwood. It cost about £1,500 ten years ago and has a lovely tone and action. We got it from a dealer who then sent a tuner round about a month later once it had adjusted to our house. I hope you find the one that's right for you.

Nigel

HI Nigel,
£4k to £6k tops...

Its a hobby I'm not going to stop, so I want a nice upright to see me out!

quote:

Originally posted by andy c:
Guess which one sounded the nicest?

Kawai K5

quote:

Originally posted by andy c:
Guess which one was the most expensive?

The Sauter.

Just bought an upright piano myself, really only had a look at Yamaha and Kawai. Ended up buying Yamaha YM5. I actually liked it better than the U1 eventhough it was cheaper.

My advice is that you have GOT to try the Yamaha YUS5. It should be within your budget. What a beautiful instrument. Absolutely beautiful. The tone, the touch ... oh my, the touch ...

Can't afford it unfortunately

Morning Asp,

I'll try that one out, but unless it hits me between the eyes £5k is the tops - although the Sauter has already seen that off LOL.

PS can you clarify the model number of the Yam you purchased? Just googled it with a neg res...

quote:

Originally posted by andy c:
I'll try that one out, but unless it hits me between the eyes £5k is the tops - although the Sauter has already seen that off LOL.

It's closer to £4k here (Singapore).

quote:

Originally posted by andy c:
PS can you clarify the model number of the Yam you purchased? Just googled it with a neg res...

It's a Japanese model imported here in limited number.

Here 's the Google translated version of the product page.

"Affordable piano for fun" they say But I preferred it over the U1.

Nice!
I may end up biting the bullet and going German, but we'll see...

Andy,


How about something closer to home try a Kemble British pianos and up you neck of the woods you could even pop to the factory.



Dean..

Off to Lincoln Piano Centre today - they are kemble dealers - as well as stocking quite a bit of other stuff...

Well,



Met John – owner of Lincoln Piano centre – played:

Grotian Steinwegs – 2 diff ones

Pleyels

Yamaha U3 (2nd hand)

Boston - several

Zimmermann Z3 & Z1 (Bechstein manufactured)

Kemble (Mozart, Conservatoire)

Steinway grand (wow!)



Narrowed it down to the Conservatoire and either of the Zimmermann’s – going back on the 12th with Shelley (she stayed home today so I had plenty of time to faff round).



Returned to Clements and again tried the Sauter 114 custom and 116 Vega.

quote:

Originally posted by andy c:


Steinway grand (wow!)

So no thoughts of selling the wife and kids for the Steinway then. .



Dean...

Dean...

no kids that i know of, and I'd need to raise £54k!

quote:

Originally posted by andy c:
Dean...

no kids that i know of, and I'd need to raise £54k!

And people moan about the price of HiFi



Dean...

But could £54K's worth of hifi ever soound so splendid as £54K's worth of Steinway?

I suspect not! ATB from George

George,

the fact I have spent NO more money on the main rig since taking up the piano speaks for itself!

There is a little spending on a 2nd rig for the new kitchen/dining room after alterations (kef eggs, sub woofer, denon amp being fed from the 252), but all those alterations are then leading to the upright's arrival!

Dear Andy,

Those ivories will captivate you forever!

I was never any good at the keyboard, but I really admire anyone who can tickle the old jo'anna!

I used to own a piano, till earlier this year - a 1913 Chappel that had very good tone, if it was not very pretty! I once nearly bought a Bechstein upright, from before 1914, that had been in just one room since new, with the same familly! Perfect nick and played beautifully, and had that typical Bechstein clear, cool sound. Just my idea of what a piano should be ...

And most eccentrically, I almost bought a Braodwood from 1860, of the same style Beethoven had been presented with 35 years earlier. That would have been nice, but a maintenance nightmare!

Happy New year! George

Evening, George.

The Zimmermann's I tried yesterday are built at the same factory as the Bechsteins. Sauter are also german. The only other Piano I liked was a Kemble.

Spot the common denominator? No Japanese or far eastern piano's on the list.

Dear Andy,

Would you say the Zimmermann had that clear foccused Bechstein sound, which avoids hardness or over-brightness? I am fascinated, because I have a particualr liking for Bechsteins, though there is no denying that they are not for all seasons in the concert hall.

Would it be right to characterise the Japanese pianos as perhaps having a hard sound. I heard one as a concert grand once [from in the orchestra] and it definately was fierce, but perhaps they are not all like that?

I would guess that a real Steinway or Bechstein is a very expensive proposition even for a domestic sized piano!

I am enjoying this thread very much!

ATB from George