looking for a new piano ... just been playing a Bechstein and a Grotrian Steinweg - help.

We've got a really old Bechstein at school. Although I like it (a lot ), I still wouldn't get one. The touch on the one at school is really light, which I don't like, it's not easy to get a pianissimo.

The Steinway I played at Leicester was probably the best piano I have ever played.

No wonder. Steinways are by far the best pianos around.

Have a look at This

Thanks everyone - yes - those scores were rather interesting !
They are quite different - both wonderful to play. Wondering if I can afford either of them!

As the proud owner of a Grotrian "Carat" - I'd love to offer a totally unbiased opinion....

seriously though - I came down to the same choice, and in the end the Grotrian won out with the last few bars of the Prelude from Suite Bergamesque. Handily, it was also 4cm shorter, which was just as well when it came to getting into the house and up the stairs.

Nice dilemma, hope you can pick one!

Haha, my piano gets one star!

Thanks Fen! great minds must think alike ..... I've decided on the Grotrian too and it's coming next Thursday.

It was a difficult choice. The Bechstein is very direct and has a wonderful bass, rich, and plenty of the wow factor. . It was also a bigger, brighter sound ( my OH said it sounded as though it didn't have a case round it) and I feel the other might suit the room better - it's not a tiny room but not huge either (no Andante, if you're reading this, it's not going in the kitchen!). And the difference in price might just allow me to think about a little early keyboard instrument at some point... of course, once you've seen inside Morley's you're never quite the same again.

Thanks to all who advised - Going to be a long week!

aah... you went to Morley's... It is a bit of an Aladdin's cave downstairs! When I was there they were doing a bit of restoration work on a Broadwood that apparently normally lives in a suite at Claridges. It has a very ornate parquetry case, and someone had put a big vase on it that had marked it.

I was so surprised that after years of fantasising about a Grotrian, I ended up living 10 minutes drive from their UK importer. Fate.

Congratulations!

Sounds fun......

There's a piano shop we went to in Bristol when I was about 12 - loads of pianos and even a harpsichord. That was pretty cool. Aren't shops with loads of instruments just wonderful?

I went back to the piano shop I got mine from 6 years ago today, just to look around, and it's just sooo much fun playing the different ones. I'd love to be able to choose one to buy (I think I was a little young at the time to properly pick a piano) - maybe someday when I have lots of money Messed about on the grands, but annoyingly there were signs saying you should ask before playing the nicest ones (including the only Steinway one), and I don't think they would've appreciated the fact that we weren't gonna buy anything. So I'm yet to play a Steinway

Your day will come

Trebor - the place I bought my new one has a policy that even if you don't want to buy you are still welcome. Let me know if you're anywhere near London and I'll send you the location.
They have all sorts of other keyboard instruments too - I tried a two-manual French harpsichord, and a spinet. Sarah - yes - it's great fun! What I'd like now is ............

Fen - thank you ! I never thought I'd own anything like this. For various reasons It's the first time I've really been able to choose without worrying about the size of the instrument - last time I actually chose a piano I lived in a third floor flat. Downstairs they had some unusual 1930s mini-grands that were designed by the present owner's father to fit into smaller spaces - eg one that was built to fit into an orchestra pit in a theatre, and a small symmetrical grand - never seen one of those before. Did they have these things when you visited? I thought they were rather fun, but went for something newer - doubt if I'll ever buy one again.

That'd be great, thanks - I'm pretty close to London

OK - they are in Lewisham, which is SE London - am in the process of moving the room around ready to accommodate the new Grotrian - will post precise location when I find the leaflet!

Ah, don't worry, I've found their website. Might go have a look in half-term if I haven't got anything else to do.

My old piano wasn't even listed!

Nor mine - Mine is a Royale Classic (Korean)

So which model have you gone for? A grand? <very very very envious if so!!!!> I love on Grotrian's site that you can order a paper cut out that's the shape of their various grands so you can try 'em on your floor!

No no, it's not a grand - it's the Grotrian Friedrich or Frederick, a fairly new model commemorating their founder as I understand it. I really wanted something fairly neat, and it's not as if I'm a concert pianist!

Mine was something Russian...

a quick update --- my new SG has just arrived

busy making it feel wanted
many thanks to all who advised / commented etc.

Aw, how lovely, maggie - enjoy!!!

Have fun!!

Have a lovely evening - and we'll be worried if we see you post before 10pm

Thank you ! it's 5 past 10 so just sneaking a break ... it's lovely. Anyone near enough to drop in and have a play ???

Maggie, you lucky thing. A new piano, how exciting. I wish I were near enough to drop in and have a little play.

Thanks Nannyjay - I know - I've bought a new digital in the past, but this is the first time I've chosen a brand new real piano.
Sorry you're not just round the corner - keep it in mind if ever you're in South London!

Congratulations! Enjoy playing!

A few days later, and how's it going Maggie? Still enjoying yourself??

Thanks La Chopiniste - yes I'm still enjoying myself Nannyjay!

There's a slightly -out-of-tune bit around a tenth above middle C which is a bit annoying, so I'm looking forward to the first tuning - but it sounds pretty good otherwise, and it's lovely and responsive to play. All the little pupils have admired the high gloss finish - it's like black lacquer - I wonder how long it will look like it does now?

Maggie, I'm excited now as well. My 'new' second hand piano is being delivered next Sunday.

I've chosen a Petrof which is a make I particularly like. It's probably not as technically good as your new one, but I love the sound, it is mellow and softish, which I prefer, and it's three years old and in perfect condition. Can't wait now.

Oooh ! the days go slowly, don't they !

Sounds wonderful Nannyjay. Didn't start something, did I ??

No Maggie, I've been looking for a while now, but I particularly wanted a Petrof. Only 3 days now.

Lucky you - both of you. I think I'll go and buy myself a new piano stool as a consolation (one that goes up and down).

I'm looking forward to when the husband retires, we'll need another piano, otherwise we'll argue. I'll let him have the old one and I'll start saving up for a Steinway now (I've heard one in a friend's house - might even try to get a little play on it one day).

It's here. My lovely piano. I can't wait for the family to depart so I can spend the evening trying it out.

Gather you won't be going to the bonfire then, Nannyjay?

Nope! Don't think so.

I disagree. They are good pianos yes, but generally a little over-priced for what you get. They are definately the world-leaders in branding and marketing, though! Incidently, as a member of Joe Public you are automatically barred from buying their best pianos, as they only sell them to high-profile customers.
(Also, last time I was at their London shop they were selling some very ropey 2nd-hand pianos of various makes (one with a cracked frame!!!) for premium prices...)


I think Yamahas are unbeatable for value for money and have lovely smooth actions.

For the ultimate, though, and the best piano I've ever played, Fazioli. Blew my socks off. Expensive but justifiably so.

I think Yamahas are unbeatable for value for money and have lovely smooth actions.

fwiw, I didn't like the Yamahas I played when I was looking for my new piano recently. They seemed harsh and unsympathetic to play.

I agree Maggie. One of my pupils has just bought a new Yamaha, and I really don't like the tone. I find it rather harsh, and very loud for a normal sized sitting room. I dismissed Yamaha when I was searching for my piano. I absolutely love my new Petrof, although I know it would not be everyone's choice.

I am going to treat myself to my first "real" piano since leaving home, (I have a digital at the moment), and am wondering what would be the better piano, a baby grand or a similar priced upright,( both new).

I had the same dilemma when I wanted to upgrade recently. One opinion I received was that unless you have the space for a decent sized grand, you can get a correspondingly better sound with a good upright.

I settled on a new German upright - none of the grands I played seemed to me to be as nice to play (within size / price constraint). (edit - sorry, next question deleted, just re-read your post)

Have fun choosing! if you are anywhere near London, I can recommend where I bought mine.

you might find this rating useful / interesting -

http://www.pianos.co.uk/info/ratings.php3

it's reasonably subjective but in the absence of anything better was helpful in building up more of a picture for me.

Thanks Maggie
a piano teacher friend of mine also said the same thing, an upright would be better at the same price as a grand.
A grand would look so nice though!

A grand would look so nice though!
I know - other members of my family tried to persuade me to get a grand - even though i'm the only one who plays!

Maggie, what difference has it made having a real piano as opposed to a digital?
I do quite like my digital, but would like a real one, particularly as I have been teahing for 18 months now, I feel that the piano teacher should have a real piano!

Well - yes, I feel that a piano teacher probably *should* (unhelpful word though, should, I don't like it!) have a proper piano. I had in fact been teaching on a digital for a while, but I didn't feel it was offering a proper service to my intermediate and beyond pupils. I had been undecided what to buy, so had dithered for some time. But I 'm not sure you can really play proper piano repertoire effectively on a digital. The new acoustic feels alive in a way a digital never will.

However, a good digital has plenty going for it; I'd been quite happy with mine (a yamaha clavinova) and I'm not planning to get rid of it yet. Anyway some pupils really enjoy playing with the buttons or the rhythm section as a bit of light relief. The harpsichord "stop" is fun for playing earlier keyboard music. I think a digital is in many ways very good for beginners (perhaps a bit less imposing than an upright? and certainly less so than a grand) and if I had only beginners I wouldn't necessarily be in a hurry to upgrade for their sake. But if you have the opportunityand the space, I'd have both!

As I live in a relatively small house, there was not room for my new piano and the Technics which has stood me in such good stead over the last eight or nine years. It was top of the range and new when I bought it and had many interesting features. I miss it already, but had to choose and I feel that the acoustic piano is much more responsive for me to play and also that it gives a kind of professional aura to the lessons that maybe were not there with the electronic piano. I really missed the acoustic when I had the electronic, but I'd really love to have room for both.

Thanks for your comments on the Digital / acoustic piano. My pupils at school learn on a Digital, but the few home ones that I have would benefit from an acoustic. I do plan to host the next local exam session at my house on the new acoustic, which would mean that all my students could come aroung for a practice before the exam.