Recommendations of acoustic pianos Options

[Seer_Green]

We've had a few threads about recommendations for digital pianos, but what about acoustics? I'm thinking particularly about pupils who perhaps want to move up from a digital, or who would prefer an acoustic outright. I'm thinking mainly about the sort of entry-level acoustics, either new pianos or models which are worth looking out for secondhand. Obviously a lot depends on the sound, look, size, shape etc., but what sort of thing might you recommend to someone who asked?

[Scooby Doo]

So much depends on their budget, and I think that's the main limiting factor. Good second hand pianos are hard to find and get snapped up very quickly.

You can't really go wrong with a Yamaha, but personally I find them rather too bright in tone. Dale Forty's (a local firm down my way) do some nice uprights with a more mellow tone (and you can even get them in funky colours - I soooo nearly bought a red one at Christmas a few years ago!)

Dale Forty

[PianissiMole]

I think its almost impossible to make any general recomendations e.g. by make regarding acoustics. Whereas digital models are very consistent and generally either work or don't, so much affects the acoustic and its age and history are probably more important than the make. One can only really make recommendations by maufacturer was far as new or nearly new pianos are concerned. Yamaha and Kawai obviously spring to mind; I was also quite impressed by Wendl and Lung.

[SomePianist]

I was also quite impressed by Wendl and Lung.

+1 for Wendl and Lung. I tried a couple of their budget uprights a couple of years ago and liked them very much. Opening the piano up I saw they had "proper" hammers with two layers of felt. This is where some cheaper pianos are lacking.

NB the two pianos sounded very different to one another, though I think they were the same model. Hence I would recommend that your make sure the piano you try in the shop is the same one that is delivered (though I would make sure of that anyway).

Of course, Yamaha is another one to consider.