Hello! I'm looking into getting a new piano -the one i have at the moment is not coping well with grade 8 + music! I have had a look at the "Boston" piano and i quite like that one ,not so sure about the yamaha.Does anyone have a Boston piano?Also i would just generally like to hear about which pianos everyone has got and which are good,all advice is welcome! Poppys

A good Yamaha can be very good.

I didn't like the Yamahas I played last year when I was choosing a new piano.

If you are anywhere near London you could go and visit Morley's - they have two floors of new and second hand pianos and you can spend all day trying them if you want.

I booght a new Yamaha. I only did this because I didn't feel I knew enough about pianos to go for a second hand one. I spose I expected it it to be perfect because I spent £4000 on it but, sadly, it's not.

I advise not to rush into anything. Take time to look round and get an idea of what's available and don't buy it unless it's really what you want.

I was going to buy a new Yamaha but was encouraged by my daughter's piano teacher, and other pianists to look at re-conditioned pianos.

I eventually bought a Bechstein Model C from Besbrodes in Leeds - in Rosewood. It's absolutely fabulous. Everyone who comes to the house wants to play it - adults and children. It has a beautiful mellow sound, particularly in the bass.

Besbrodes have 4 or 5 floors of pianos, uprights and grands and will deliver anywhere. I live in the South East. My daughter's piano teacher came with us and we spent two or three hours trying out various pianos before making our choice. I am so grateful to him for doing this - I'm not sure I would have been confident enough on my own.

Good luck - it's a big purchase

Play lots and lots of different pianos and then buy the one you like best.

Thats the best way, however for what its worth my daughter bought a Kemble 'Oxford' from Chappells in London, and both she and I rather like it. It was a showroom demonstrator and it was just over £3000.
But Im sure Yamaha, new or second hand (if it had been looked after) would be OK

I think that would be the only way I could buy a piano, getting my teacher to come with me....as I certainly would NOT HAVE A CLUE which one to go for just by playing it for a few minutes (would take me probably days or weeks to find out if I like it as I am only a beginner)!
I do like the yamahas but there again my experience of playing pianos is limited to 3 pianos EVER and I am only in between grade one and two as standard! by the time I am a much higher grade I might have a totally different opinion!
and I am only posting this 'smiley' as I've noticed they are new and couldn't resist them

we are looking at a new yamaha in a few months time. which one did you buy ?, and what do you dislike about it ?

It is a U3 which still, after 3 years, doesn't keep it's tune very well (maybe that's my tuner?). and, after a few months, patches appeared on the cover. It took a year and a lot of phone calls to get a replacement lid. When it finally arrived, it had no holes drilled and was basicly just a rough bit of wood.

It is a lovely instrument, I don't mean to sound ungratefull. I just wish I knew what to look for well enough to have gone for an older one with more character.

A lot of the pianos in my music school are Petrof, and I think they have a lovely sound.

I love my eavestaff upright Brought it from a shop in Exeter, Devon bu Exeter Central train station... I love it, and spent a good few days searcing most of devon for one! I love it very much

Go to a fine auction like Lion and Turnbull, Christies or Sotheby to get a good deal on a piano and just get it fixed up abitttt

so I was told

I bought a Yamaha U3 in October last year and it is the nicest piano I've played. The sound is incredible and after it's initial tune it sounds as though it has only just been tuned. I think, from experience, it depends how it has been stored prior to purchase.

Having said that, some of the older styles do sound fabulous - but the price tags usually reflect this!

I have a Yamaha grand, and it's really good! If you're looking for a Yamaha piano, go to the 1st floor at Chappell's - they have a great showroom there.

Found this list of ratings posted before somewhere.