All About Choosing and Buying Pianos

[markfch]

jce:

Yamaha bought over Bosendorfer about three or four years ago I think.

Thanks jce, I see. And Samick still has ownership over Seiler rite?

[KKKS]

Yes, Samick still owns Seiler

[markfch]

Thanks KKKS. Sometimes sad to see all these venerable German piano makers struggling economically. My friend got a 2nd hand Ibach which already went under.


I suppose S&S and C. Bechstein are still able to hold their own due to their niche market. There’re still people willing to pay top dollars for top quality.

[KKKS]

Agree.


There are still a couple of niched German piano companies survive today : Steingraeber, Sauter, and I thought Schimmel has already parted with Yamaha.

[KKKS]

Markfch, accidentally I saw your earlier post and learned that you own a Sauter!! Wow, how do you like it so far?


It was one of the candidates that I shortlist for my DD. I like the tone but it is too expensive to have one!

[markfch]

KKKS:

Markfch, accidentally I saw your earlier post and learned that you own a Sauter!! Wow, how do you like it so far?


It was one of the candidates that I shortlist for my DD. I like the tone but it is too expensive to have one!

I bought the Sauter M1 cos I was sold on the 'Val di Fiemme' spruce soundboard which is the same material used to make Stradivaris violins.

Unfortunately, the dealer that I bought from only sells customised pianos so I had to wait for 7 mths from the time I paid the deposit till the time it arrived from Germany. If I had space, I would most likely have gone for the Shigeru SK3 instead, which will surely inspire my ds to play the piano even more fervently (since nothing motivates like a grand).

But the M1 is still very good, even to my unlearned ears. The touch is heavy but sharp, and the sound is either sharp (like Yamaha) nor mellow (like Kawai). It's just very unique to my ears. My piano dealer is also a qualified piano teacher and piano maker (he trained in Germany for many yrs as an apprentice). When he plays my piano during tuning sessions, the piano really sounds wonderful as he got the skills to bring out the sound.

Of course, ds is not good enough to bring out the power of the piano yet. When he's ready, I'll be able to enjoy listening to him playing my favourite classical songs nightly, and I think I can then die a happy man.

[KKKS]

I suppose you mean Sauter Master Class 130? It has its character, just like the Steigraeber 138 or Steinway K132!! Very unique!


Your DS should be very thankful to you to have a chance to own such a wonderful instrunment. He will be inspired to do well in his learning process!

Happy playing and enjoying the Piano!

[markfch]

Yah, I mean the Master Class 130. DS loves his music. Though he’s nowhere near talented (he’s actually quite slow in moving up the grades but for music, I’m quite happy to let him take his time), he evidently does enjoy playing the piano, doing it w/o prompting every night. That’s good enough for me. Thanks.

[windows]

markfch:

Yah, I mean the Master Class 130. DS loves his music. Though he's nowhere near talented (he's actually quite slow in moving up the grades but for music, I'm quite happy to let him take his time), he evidently does enjoy playing the piano, doing it w/o prompting every night. That's good enough for me. Thanks.

Just curious, what is considered slow in moving up the grades?
Find it a tiring process if the kid needs to take exam every yr, to attain one grade up on a yearly basis. Theory exam, practical exam n repeats of exam pieces for couple of mths. Does normal piano classes teach music composition?

[jce]

Kids don’t need to take exam every year, one grade at a time. The teacher can choose to let the child skip if he/she is ready to do so.


Normal piano classes won’t include composition though it can be incorporated in via improvisation. But this again is not a norm in classes. Higher grade (grade 5 and above) theory touches on composition.