All About Choosing and Buying Pianos

[pianobabe]

Hi, I am torn between these three choices. Which should I choose? Our budget is about 20k for an upright. I am quite keen on Schimmel but my child prefers K8. YUS5 is cheaper and easier to produce a nice tone it seems, but I thought technically it will not be good since it is easier to play. I need it to do up to diploma in 4 years time. Not going for grand piano because we may need to move to another place. Greatly appreciate any input.

[LovingBrahms]

Personal Opinion!


I have yet to hear and try out on a Schimmel. But somehow the kawai K8 did not really appeal to me and yamaha imho, i feel that they have kind of tone down their pianos and it sounds very muffled??

Have you considered other brands where you and your child could reach an agreement?

One last thing to note is, for dip exam since they are on a grand piano, you have to be careful about the music stand as I've some student who had difficulty adjusting to reading the scores when the scores was placed on the grand. The K8 I remembered is different from the grand. :?

[pianobabe]

Hi, thanks for the input. My boy tried k8 again yesterday and told me the tone is muffled somehow. I think yus5 sounds clearer than k8. We tried petrof but I still prefer to play on schimmel. Maybe we will try petrof again. Any other pianos to recommend?

[LovingBrahms]

I think I sound a little contradictory here, but there is no brand that I could recommend as I feel each brand has that one model that will stand out and definitely, personal preference plays a huge part.


It took me 2 years to find my current piano and it was 39 years old when I bought it.

On a side note, during that 2 years of scouting, I happened to have the chance of performing on a Steinway where it has one of the nicest touch and sound that I ever experienced to date. So when choosing the piano, I kept these conditions in my mind and search for one which was similar and within my budget.

I assume that you already have a piano with you, so why not take the opportunity to play on more pianos before deciding if you do have some time on hand Plus with your budget of 20k, there are really quite a lot of good pianos that you can choose from!

And always go back to the shop to play for your 3rd or 4th time. Many choices went kaput as I didn't like it after my 3rd or 4th round of trying.

Think I'm just a very difficult customer :siam:

[pianobabe]

Thank you so much....we will just have to be hardworking to scout around

[kellytang]

Hi all! Selling my 1st hand (2005) yamaha exam model (121cm) piano at $4k. Interested can msg or call me at 97906907, tks!


Kelly

[jce]

All the top piano makers are good in their own right, at standards like this, it is the player that matters. You need a good player to bring out the best in the instrument.


Have you tried Bosendorfer? I think the uprights are available here.

I have the U5, it’s been with me for almost 13 years now. Started off quite bright but now it has mellowed, almost to the verge of being muffled at times…

Try brand new pianos and then see whether you can find the same model but secondhand, that way you can more or less anticipate what it’ll sound like after x number of years

[KKKS]

I am not sure there is a Schimmel 121? Perhaps it is C120. They used to have C124 but now is C126. I almost bought a Schimmel some years back because the piano we tested had a clear bell sound.

[LovingBrahms]

jce:

All the top piano makers are good in their own right, at standards like this, it is the player that matters. You need a good player to bring out the best in the instrument.


Have you tried Bosendorfer? I think the uprights are available here.

I have the U5, it's been with me for almost 13 years now. Started off quite bright but now it has mellowed, almost to the verge of being muffled at times...

Try brand new pianos and then see whether you can find the same model but secondhand, that way you can more or less anticipate what it'll sound like after x number of years

Is there an upright Bosendorfer within 20k?? :?

[pcslim]

Hi, i just bought a 2nd hand yamaha. dealer threw in a freebie - a slow-fall device (i think looks like a V-shape hydraulic device) that can be pasted on the wooden part (extreme end of the piano keyboard) by rather stong double-sided tape. dealer assures me that it can be removed without disfiguring the wood surface. I’m a bit apprehensive about it. anyone has this pasted next to their piano keyboard?