All About Choosing and Buying Pianos

[moomoo138]

Thanks jce…


Noted that YUS5 is a good piano, but the price is abit steep for us, especially when I’m uncertain if my DS would continue after G8. He told us he wish to quit after he obtain his G8 which make us think twice about investing that much money, otherwise we would have already go ahead with the baby grand that only costs $11K (during the promotion now).

I’ve spoken to PianoMaster who advices us to get a brand new piano as 2nd hand piano may subject us to a higher maintenance due to wear and tear.

Hope to ride on the current promotion, but guess we shouldn’t rush… would welcome comment, pros and cons, about U1… Tks in advance…

[reddiechan]

moomoo138:

Thanks jce...


Noted that YUS5 is a good piano, but the price is abit steep for us, especially when I'm uncertain if my DS would continue after G8. He told us he wish to quit after he obtain his G8 which make us think twice about investing that much money, otherwise we would have already go ahead with the baby grand that only costs $11K (during the promotion now).

I've spoken to PianoMaster who advices us to get a brand new piano as 2nd hand piano may subject us to a higher maintenance due to wear and tear.

Hope to ride on the current promotion, but guess we shouldn't rush... would welcome comment, pros and cons, about U1... Tks in advance...

Just a note about that GB1K (I suppose that's the once you're considering). This model is not made in Japan and so the quality is somewhat doubted on international standards. You're better off getting a U1, which is placed on the high end of the quality scale. Likewise, U1J is also made in Indonesia, so there is also some differential in quality. You can hear and feel the difference if you play them one after another, side by side. Use a repertoire that spans across the keyboard. U1 is undoubtedly good, but once you get to the base sounds, I feel the price doesn't justify for that kind of tone, whereas YUS5 is able to give the lower tones more colour...and once the centre panel is opened, the resonance is magical...then, again, you're right, the price is steep. *sigh*

Some G8 pieces explores the more extreme ends of the keyboard, so while U1 sounds great for most parts, the sound is a little challenged when you get to the bass portion. Try a U1, then a U3/YUS5 to hear the difference.

I was once considering Kohler & Campbell (available at Chiu Piano, Thomson Plaza, run by old Mr & Mrs Chiu, and their successor, Mr Ernest Chiu), the 132cm version, which is at the same price range as U1, but it is able to bring out the bass tones. You may like to pay them a visit. This model is an American model, but made by Samick, a Korean company. Samick pianos have that crisp Yamaha feel but at a fraction of the price.

Of course, if a grand is what you like, just throw the experts' (I mean Larry Fine, author of the Piano Book) advice out of the window and go with your heart. Likewise, if the person who's going to play the piano doesn't really mind that much about sound quality, the U1 is a superb instrument to own for some 30-40 years. Once you get it home, you will like it more and more (this is what a very talented pianist told me).

[jce]

Baby Grands - no point. The YUS5 is basically an upright grand, having the height of an baby grand but in the form of an upright, if I’m not mistaken. Grands must be at least 6 ft otherwise not a big diff.

[reddiechan]

jce:

Baby Grands - no point. The YUS5 is basically an upright grand, having the height of an baby grand but in the form of an upright, if I'm not mistaken. Grands must be at least 6 ft otherwise not a big diff.

You're quite right about 'true grands' being those more than 6 ft.

Although people in the industry often call those uprights that are more than 130cm 'upright grand', the real difference lie in the mechanism by which the hammers strike the strings. Uprights are, after all, an improvisation of grands due to lack of space in modern homes. The mechanism is somewhat less straightforward when compared with a grand - the hammers in the latter group strike the strings following the natural laws of gravity (i.e. 'fall into place'), thereby affording grands a faster action that better upright makers try to emulate. By that technology, I believe the Kawai legacy (the founder, who, incidentally, is said to have learnt his skills at Yamaha) has further innovated with its ultra-light carbon structure which helps to make the hammer action more responsive. However, that's just knowing what goes underneath the hood. Honestly I couldn't tell the difference in key action when I tried on a Kawai - I could only tell the difference in tone - the Kawai series is unmistakeably mellow. The other thing was because there wasn't a Kawai and Yamaha piano placed side-by-side for comparison. A professional pianist could possibly be able to tell the subtle difference.

Of course, grands do sound so much better and louder because of the sheer length of their strings, and the fact that few people play them with the sound board closed, like what we usually do with an upright.

I understand that at Diploma level, the action of the keys and the ability of the instrument to manifest several different degrees of loudness is important. That seemed to be the main reason for diploma students to buy grands, besides, of course, the aesthetic one.

Then again, if the student wishes to quit right after attaining G8, it could be indicative of a lack of passion in this area. If I may ask, why the decision to buy a new piano at this stage then?

[moomoo138]

Tks reddiechan & jce, for your advice.


Planned to upgrade our Yamaha piano ever since our piano tuner told us many years back that it can only support till G4. But since we know nothing much about choosing a piano and uncertain if our DS is keen in learning then, so we left the plan dangling till now... after 'several' complaints from DS recently about the sound produced by his current piano that we decided to act on it.

Honestly, many thanks, picked up so much knowledge abt pianos and way to select... really appreciate it!! Currently, I'm comparing between Yamaha U1 ($8,800) and Petrof P118 ($7,800) due to their pricing. Please share your opinion, if any, concerning these 2 pianos, i.e., which is a better buy? Tks!!!

[moomoo138]

Both the sale person in PianoMaster and DS’s music teacher told us that, putting other criteria (e.g., $$) aside, liking the sound, touch & feel of the piano is the utmost importance when deciding which piano to buy. So most likely will bring DS to PianoMaster to have a try-out.


How’s PianoMaster by the way? Reliable? Tks!

[iRabbit]

jce:

Baby Grands - no point. The YUS5 is basically an upright grand, having the height of an baby grand but in the form of an upright, if I'm not mistaken. Grands must be at least 6 ft otherwise not a big diff.

Personally i find any grand shorter than 6ft is funny in shape. Just my perception, though I read at one piano forum previously that the action of an upright will never beat a grand - even baby grands - as a grand uses gravity for the keys to fall back and that's supposed to be the best for control.

Of course the other 'advantage' a baby grand has is that - this is another of my untested theory - nothing inspires a learner more than playing a grand piano. I'm quite sure ds will be fascinated watching all the hammerheads bouncing about in the piano if he gets a grand to practise on.

[summer247]

Hi, letting go of a 2 year old black wilhem tell piano(125cm-exam model) @ 50% off. original price at 5900. will be selling at 3k.

condition is very good, with heater on 24/hr(only need tuning). cover, piano wax and around 4-5 piano books for beginners can be included for free(written in pencil, can be rubbed off). anybody interested can pm me.

[reddiechan]

moomoo138:

Both the sale person in PianoMaster and DS's music teacher told us that, putting other criteria (e.g., $$) aside, liking the sound, touch & feel of the piano is the utmost importance when deciding which piano to buy. So most likely will bring DS to PianoMaster to have a try-out.


How's PianoMaster by the way? Reliable? Tks!

So have you finally decided? Curious :?

[moomoo138]

Nope… went down to PianoMaster the other day… Tried Petrof P118, seems ok. But after trying P125 and P135, DS has a change of heart cos they really sounded so different and so much better. Even DH felt the same way. But of course, even with discount provided, the price tags are still way above our budget for these 2 models. Anyway, all 3 models are temporarily out of stock. ETA for new shipment is around CNY period, which gives us abit of time to shop around and reconsider our choices.


Like the way DH put it, probably ‘Lady Luck’ may help us decide which model to get by visiting us on either Sat or Sun lor… hahaha…

BTW, many thanks for your advices and help… : )