Hello Pianists, may I ask for your considered responses.

I am buying a new piano and am going for a Yamaha C7 which seems the right model for me.....I have looked at many makers, all the big ones Steinway, Bosendorfer, Schimmel etc and tried to get to grips with the Fazioli website and gave up...

What are your thoughts on Pianos..which do you like, which do you covet,..personally I like the brightness and clairty of the Yamaha...I almost went for a 9 foot but it was way beyond my budget but I was tempted for about ten seconds till I read the price tag...the C7 though not hand built seems like an excellent Piano and is excellent value I feel and well priced and thankfully I have the room...

Also do you prefer carpets on the floors of your music room or wooden floors...I gather that hard floors can create the most staggering echo

your thoughts and opinions please

Kindest regards

Andrew

I recently looked at the Yamaha C3, C5, C6 and C7. Discarded the C3, couldn't hear much difference between the C5 and the C6, or the C7, so went away using the C5 as a yardstick.

I also looked at a number of vintage models (Ladbrokes in Birmingham had one of Chopins own pianos in the window, but it's not for sale and you're not allowed to play it) and a few of the cheap & cheerful types, discarding them all.

Steinway and Bosendorfer are way out of the budget, though I wish . . .

Finallly went to a Schimmel agent. The Schimmel is more expensive, slightly, but the 189T vs. the Yamaha C5 is no contest - a Mercedes against a Ford Granada. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with the Yamaha, it's a good instrument: The Schimmel is just a better instrument.

Then there are (cut and paste);

the Schimmel Pegasus (grand and upright): http://www.schimmel-piano.de/e/fluegel/208-P.html

the Schimmel Otmar Alt: http://www.schimmel-piano.de/e/fluegel/213-A.html

and the Schimmel Transparent: http://www.schimmel-piano.de/e/glasfluegel.html

I'm not sure what they're like to play, but I love the concepts!

the transparent one...call me 'old fashioned' but isn't a piano supposed to have a wood cabinet and if it doesn't surely it can't sound exactly the same? I might be wrong though...

it does look nice I must say

I guess those models are purely for exhibition but they are very creative...I like the Schimmel very much but who is the main agent here in England I couldnt find them...

A certain central music shop in Manchester beginning with F (I'm not sure I'm allowed to advertise, but the rest of it is orsyth's) sell them: Don't know about being the main agent though!

Thank you I'll check them out...

Hi! I just bought a new piano this summer and I know what a tough decision it is. I decided to go for a Steinway over a Yamaha, for a few reasons.
First, economically speaking, Steinways go up in value while Yamahas decrease...
Musically, yamahas are among the best factory made pianos. They have a wonderful action and are bright and clear sounding, as you said. Steinways, however, are not factory made (you need to have a technician look at the piano before you buy it, esp. for Steinways) and they have a sound that is almost never harsh. This can, however, be a hindrance if you are playing in a way that would sound harsh on another piano. But I personally LOVE the sound of Steinways... they have such a beautiful depth of sound... I love the range of tone colours and lustres you can get on them.
Also remember, piano sounds will get brighter over time as the hammer wears down so you may want to get a piano with a duller tone colour originally.
Good luck in your piano hunt! My personal top two preferences: Yamaha and Steinway (and these are often what you will perform on if you do competitions). Good luck!

*Sarice*

Hmmm, yes, but . . .

. . . .the ones you will play in the competitions will be the full size concert grands, not the one's you're likely to be playing at home.

For price comparison: A 3 year old Stienway model D is currently being advertised by a company in Leeds for a shade under £80k. A new Yamaha CFIIIS retails for between £50k and £80k depending on whether the seller wants to make a profit or not.

The one's we're talking about range from £15k to £22k new. That alone tells you that they will not be the same as the concert models. Even if they were nominally the same, the chances of the one you play at home being set up exactly the same as the one you play on the stage are bordering on zero.

On balance, I think the comparison with the concert models by the same manufacturers may turn out to be anything from overstated to frankly misleading. I would buy one you like for itself, not for its concert cousin.

If I ever return the UK I don't think I'll have a big enough house for my 8ft broadwood barless. It would be a difficult parting but I already know that I would downsize to either a Schimmel or a Bosendorfer - dependent upon finances. Both firms make wonderful "small" grands (anything up to 6ft is meant here) with a lovely tone suited to the drawing room.

Of course, I'd be open to any piano at the time of purchase and would buy the one I liked most regardless of future resale value.

Sviatoslav Richter preferred the Yamaha to any other make, including Steinway.

We bought a Yamaha upright about 18months ago and i love it to bits. It's in a small room with a carpet. My jazz teacher has a Bosendorfer small grand (sorry can't be more specific) and i like the sound of that, too. The action on that feels heavier than our Yamaha (though that's not a fair comparison really) but also compared to the Yamaha grand at church.
But i just love all pianos so long as they make a sound!

I may be wrong but I think that grands in general have a slightly heavier action than uprights, regardless of make: It's the nature of the action.

When I began lessons, I played on an upright. However, after becoming more serious about piano, we bought a grand to take its place. (I have a sibling too, so it wasn't only my decision. Pianos ARE expensive.) For me, the sound on the grand piano is MUCH better. If you want to be a serious pianist (not necessarily professional, but serious), then don't even consider an upright.

Our music room has a hardwood floor, but there are carpets on top of it. (Not under the piano though.) I think that a flat surface is best, though I can't scientifically support that statement.

To me, the brand isn't as important as the individual piano, but in general, I prefer a good Yamaha over a Steinway. Make sure that you try the piano first, as I've found that the sound qualitiy can vary by a lot. Check that the touch is not too light or too hard, and that the sound isn't too bright or too muted. Most of all, you want a sound that you'll want to listen to. (I can't tolerate the sound of Kawais or bad Yamahas, which have light keys and bright notes, and the worst Steinways sound blurred to me. For me, individual piano sound/touch quality is most important.)

We also have an electronic keyboard next to the computers too. It's convenient for compositions and just hearing the sound, though of course it could never substitute for a real piano. It's a Yamaha full-size and not too hard to transport either, which works well for us.

That's an awfully sweeping statement to make when many people can't afford a grand, and, crucially, wouldn't have space for one even if they had saved up the money.

I know plenty of "serious pianists" who don't own grands and probably never will.

Sorry...I didn't realize how offensive it sounded. My apologies.

I meant that, for the person who started this topic, who can afford some type of grand piano (he/she mentioned specifically the Yamaha C7), that person should try to buy the grand piano.

Thanks for correcting me on that.

Quick hint for you...
I would advise a piano with a heavier action so you develop more strength... it is easier to go from a heavy to light action than light to heavy in case of performance!

*Sarice*
PS good luck with the search!

We bought a Yamaha upright nearly 2 years ago, mainly for it's bright sound in the hope I can hear the notes. I love it
Beverley.

Thank you all very much...I am going to see a couple of Pianos this week after the bank holiday weekend...both Yamahas so will have a try and see what I think...

I just recently got a yamaha upright also....I tried different ones in the shop at the price range I could afford and the main reason for a yamaha was for its firm keys. It is at the lower end of price and I have promised to myself that one day when I reach diploma standard I'll treat myself to something I really adore which costs a lot more money (don't know which piano but at diploma level I should be able to know what my likes and dislikes are).
have fun choosing

When you get to diploma level mortgage the family and install a good grand in the converted garage!!

mmmmmmm....don't tempt me, I 'just might'

I just tried a Shigeru Kawai SK-2 grand piano on Saturday at a showroom, it's way better than a C-series piano I tried, definitely better than a C3 for the kind of warm and round sound it produces. I find the C7 too bright. The C-series are also quite metallic, even my U1 sounds like it (the metallic sound). I also got a chance to run my fingers on a Steinway Model O, and the Shigeru has that kind of quality sound, except I feel that the Steinway had extra life to it.

Just my personal comments Although the Shigeru couldn't match with the S6, which had a life like the Steinway.

In terms of brightness you can (and should) get a new piano voiced to your requirements when you buy it - it gets brighter with time so it's a good idea to get it voiced less bright to start with. However, pianos in showrooms haven't yet had this done so they do tend to sound brighter than usual. I know what you mean about the steinway though: By and large you get what you pay for!