All About Choosing and Buying Pianos
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rex21:
If that's the case and if your parents are well-heeled, then why not?
hahaha.. actually i'm thinking of asking them to pay upfront for me, then i pay back every month la.. i'm already working but not to the extent where i can plonk 20k out straight! lol.
Better to pay more for something you really like than regret in the long run.rex21:
Technically speaking, you didn't say anything wrong mah. You said upwards of 10K, and 20K+ is indeed upwards of 10K.that day i told them i want to buy a piano, my mum just said ok, buy lor. then i said but a good one should be upwards of 10k.. hahaha.. seems like my budget has doubled now!!
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rex21:
You can try the Bechstein A1 and C-Bechstein-124 at Cristofori Funan. You may also want to look at Grotrian at the PianoMaster at Paya Lebah.
hahaha.. btw where can i try bechstein?Intermezzo:
i like the Schimmel C130 alot too ~ it was a tough decision between it and the bechstein a1.
for the bass which you found lacking, it might be due to the showroom condition..? unless you plan to place your piano in a very large room / hall, i would say the C130 is very powerful oredi.. jmho..
hmm.. the showroom was actually very small. they closed the door too so i could hear everything clearly. my piano will actually be under a stairway too so sound is amplified too. sigh.
the Schimmel C130 price would be abt S$28k.
while the Haessler K124 with promotional price only abt S$22k.
Schimmel sounds really sweet and soothing. I had a blast playing it. haha.
on the other hand, Haessler had a very grand sound. very powerful. the bass keys were great. the piano sounded like it was singing too. -
KKKS:
You can try the Bechstein A1 and C-Bechstein-124 at Cristofori Funan. You may also want to look at Grotrian at the PianoMaster at Paya Lebah.
Yup, and 30K+ is still upwards of 10K so rex21 is still within budget. :evil: -
FQW:
very evil.. :scared: hahahaha..KKKS:
You can try the Bechstein A1 and C-Bechstein-124 at Cristofori Funan. You may also want to look at Grotrian at the PianoMaster at Paya Lebah.
Yup, and 30K+ is still upwards of 10K so rex21 is still within budget. :evil:
i've yet to try sauter too! -
rex21:
very evil.. :scared: hahahaha..FQW:
[quote=\"KKKS\"]You can try the Bechstein A1 and C-Bechstein-124 at Cristofori Funan. You may also want to look at Grotrian at the PianoMaster at Paya Lebah.
Yup, and 30K+ is still upwards of 10K so rex21 is still within budget. :evil:
i've yet to try sauter too![/quote]At least FQW did not mention about the Steinway K-125 or K-132... -
BTW, Sauter ML 130 is not far off!!!
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rex21:
Unfortunately following the refurbishment of VCH, the Sauter showroom is no more. Dealer is busy searching for alternative location at present.
very evil.. :scared: hahahaha..
i've yet to try sauter too!KKKS:
Oh yah, they have a very nice showroom at Palasis Renaissance.At least FQW did not mention about the Steinway K-125 or K-132...
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FQW:
haha.. i spoke to alvin. he said he has 1 piano at his air-conditioned warehouse. if i want i can make an appointment with him and we try it out there. apparently several people have been by there to try out the piano!Unfortunately following the refurbishment of VCH, the Sauter showroom is no more. Dealer is busy searching for alternative location at present.
Oh yah, they have a very nice showroom at Palasis Renaissance.KKKS:
At least FQW did not mention about the Steinway K-125 or K-132...
Steinway huh. maybe if I eat bread for the next 3 years only? hahaha.. but i'm under the impression that Steinway uprights are not really up to mark? haha.. maybe my opinion will change when i try it out.. -
The Steinway K132 is Steinway Hamburg not the US Steinway K52. It is a monster!! Tell us how you feel after you try! They also carry Boston-132?? which is made by Kawai. Quite good as well.
Ah forgot to mention Petrof-K125 and K-135 at PianoMaster. These are really good buy. I am also impressed with the tone of Hailun. Can't remember the model. You will make your parents happy if you choose Hailun at the end!! Ha ha! -
hahaha.. looks like i must try the Steinway out on a weekend then. palais closes at 7pm on weekdays! no time to rush down after work.. :slapshead:
lol. i seriously do not think i will choose Hailun! hahahaha. anyway will see when i can go try.
tried the A1 yesterday. Roshnich was not bad too. but Bechstein definitely better. however i think i prefer Schimmel C130 to the A1. anyway they only had 1 chair in the room so had to play standing. hardly a good indication. lol. maybe Chiu Piano's room was enclosed while Cristofori was an open room so the sound was different too.
anyway looking at things, Haessler really seems like quite a good buy.
a few more models to go before i can finally decide! -
If you like the schimmel sound you might also consider the C126T ~ sweet clear voice and lovely touch.
i think itโs around $21,000
the petrof K135 is nice too. an upright grand, around $19,000?
we like the sound, but the keys felt a little heavy for my dd, so didnโt seriously consider it. Should be pretty ok for an adult though ~
i think the kind of piano you like also depends on the genre of music you play mostlyโฆ -
Hi! would like to start my 8yr old son and 7yr old niece for piano lesson @ my home. both have no music background. should I go ahead and get a piano for them to learn at home or just get a digital piano or keyboard? appreciate if someone can advise on this.
Thanks! -
Hi Tiredmummy1972,
I was puzzling over the same question early this year, so I asked a professional pianist and my dsโ JMC teacher for advice. Both gave the same piece of advice - get an acoustic piano, because it trains the childโs hearing more effectively, and it would last you much longer. They were both against getting a keyboard or digital piano (e.g. Clavinova by Yamaha) because the sound isnโt โrealโ enough, and neither is the touch.
I took their adviceโฆ -
Hi,
My 5 year old daughter just started piano class in January. Iโm thinking of getting her an upright exam model piano. Anyone here has any recommendations? So far the teacher recommended the Yamaha U1 but we find it a little too costly as we do not know if her interest will sustain. We do not wish to spend so much and end up having a white elephant at home. We went to Cristofori and saw Samick JS-121FD and find the price quite ok. As me and my hubby have no music background, thus would like to check if anyone knows if this model is good and if there are any other recommendations?
Can someone pls advise me? Thanks! -
Can anyone advice when is the business hours of Pianomaster on weekday and weekend? May go down with hb if he agree to buy the piano for our son. Thanks!
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Intermezzo:
i tried the C126T i think. just before the C130. i prefer the C130 hehehe..If you like the schimmel sound you might also consider the C126T ~ sweet clear voice and lovely touch.
i think it's around $21,000
the petrof K135 is nice too. an upright grand, around $19,000?
we like the sound, but the keys felt a little heavy for my dd, so didn't seriously consider it. Should be pretty ok for an adult though ~
i think the kind of piano you like also depends on the genre of music you play mostly..
i play both pop & classical.. depending on mood. maybe i need 2 pianos.. :evil: -
tiredmummy1972:
You can buy an inexpensive second hand piano first. If they show interest, you can hold it and upgrade it in the future. If they are not interested, you can sell the piano. If you bought it from a second hand dealer (rather than an owner), they will usually buy it back at a %age of the sale price.Hi! would like to start my 8yr old son and 7yr old niece for piano lesson @ my home. both have no music background. should I go ahead and get a piano for them to learn at home or just get a digital piano or keyboard? appreciate if someone can advise on this.
Thanks! -
Chattyirena:
Thanks chattyirena!Hi Tiredmummy1972,
I was puzzling over the same question early this year, so I asked a professional pianist and my ds' JMC teacher for advice. Both gave the same piece of advice - get an acoustic piano, because it trains the child's hearing more effectively, and it would last you much longer. They were both against getting a keyboard or digital piano (e.g. Clavinova by Yamaha) because the sound isn't \"real\" enough, and neither is the touch.
I took their advice...
Err., Acoustic piano=upright piano? -
Has anyone purchased pianos from the piano gallery before?
I have set my sights on this excellent reconditioned yamaha U3 which gives out an amazing sound and touch unlike the other uprights ive tried. I instantly fell in love with it and it is approximately around 4.5k. It looks really new to the extend that i couldnt believe that this upright was dated to the 80s.
The only concern is that this particular set is approximately 30 years old so im worried whether it will be able to last in the long run. The dealer (piano gallery) offers a 10 year warranty on its soundboard and cast iron though.
I dont know whether the set is still available though. The sound is really good (not too bright or mellow, clear bass) and fantastic touch. Initially i was aiming for the U1 and K3 but this U3 set is clearly superior (they have all 3 in the showrooms a few days back!).
Now the questionโฆ is this a good deal? What are the odds of an acoustic breaking down on this age? And any feedback on piano galleryโs aftersale service? -
I don't have feedback on Piano Gallery. but I use a U3 that's about 30 yo too. The U3 is an excellent piano. I agree with you about its character. Love the sound and touch.
I bought it a few years ago at about $3-$3.5 k. Maybe the one you saw is a bit newer than mine. What's the serial number? You can google the serial number for the age and the various U3 series online to see if that series has a history of problems. Eg see this site : http://www.markgoodwinpianos.co.uk/info/yamaha-u3-u3h-u3m-u3a-u3g
I think the old Yamahas are built to last several decades, if the are well taken care of. Did you take a good look inside? I'm not an expert, but I think the main risk is humidity damage to the soundboard. Can't think how else the piano can break down. If the strings snap or the keys become sticky, you can just replace the parts, not a problem. But if you have soundboard damage...