My piano search

[Daniel]

I found Piano World because I wanted to window shop pianos. Of course, I also wanted to learn about them.

I knew I couldn't afford a piano, and even if I could have, I was renting apartments and houses, and moving every few years, including moving between islands.

Plenty of people, of course, own pianos in Hawaii. But it's also true that the tropical climate is brutal.

There are authorized dealers in Hawaii. There are tuners. But, of course, nobody can change the fact that the climate makes remote islands in the Pacific a difficult place to own a piano.

I knew people over the years who did own pianos.

The best piano I saw was a Steinway grand in Hana, Maui that belonged to a woman who had brought it to Hawaii from California.

She didn't play it. Nobody played it. She didn't take the time and spend the money to take care for it.

I can understand why. It would have been like Sisyphus rolling his ball up a hill without end.

The humidity in Hana is brutal. It would and did turn any part of a house that wasn't exposed to constant air flow into a situation of complete mold infestation.

So, fast forward. I'm living in a sub-tropical climate. The climate isn't a disqualification.

I'd like to buy a new piano. It doesn't have to be a grand piano but I want an instrument of excellent, extraordinary quality.

I plan to settle when I move. My plan is to own real estate. I've moved around North America and the Pacific my entire life. I'm not interested in moving.

I still can't afford a piano just now but what money I will have and what money I will have in trust will all be in investment accounts except small amounts I will keep in a checking account and my primary trustee will keep in one.

So, it's not our of the realm of possibility that I could afford a piano in a few years.

It's been a dream of mine since forever.

Are their any brands and models that anyone would like to recommend for me to consider?

I plan to look at the brands' official sites and get a look at what's available how much different pianos cost.

I want to get specific figures to replace what I'm thinking- "a lot."

[Bernard]

I would not exclude Yamaha from your search. I've been told humidity is an issue in much of Japan, and that Yamaha considers humidity when building their pianos (maybe all piano manufacturers do, I don't know).

[Daniel]

I certainly won't exclude Yamaha. I won't exclude American made pianos. I won't lie though. I'm very interested in German piano brands.

[Daniel]

I looked at the Sauter site. I looked at the uprights. I looked at the Grotian site. The Grotrian site was more interesting especially the 118, the model above the lowest one. I wish they had videos of the pianos being played so you could hear them- and wish they listed prices.

[Daniel]

C Becstein has videos and list prices. Yamaha next. Then the famous American brand. My brain is drawing a blank. It starts with "M."

[Rontuner]

Mason & Hamlin?

[AndyD]

When house hunting have you factored in a suitable room?
A room with door to isolate and in which you can put one or two dehumidifiers for maintenance.
With an area/wall that is well lit but not in direct sunlight, and has power sockets.

Unconstrained, Stuart & Sons full size are probably the best if you have £200k and a room/house large enough to accommodate its qualities.

However we compromise.
We set a reasonable price and have a reasonable sized home space; then you may combine those factors with the quality & longevity of an instrument that would enable you to learn to grade 8, and suddenly 'best piano' is a very different tool.

Probably something like Yamaha U3. New they are £10k, a little used in excellent condition maybe £5k. Or the smaller U1 about £8k new...

Regarding European pianos, they are all pricey; Bechstein, Bluthner and Bosendorfer are first class. Grotrian and Sauter follow close.
Steinway prices are ridiculous, £60k for an upright?
Are they made better than Bechstein?
Do they sound nicer than a Bluthner?

My advice, first sample Yamaha & Kawai and hopefully you will enjoy their sound and find a size that suits.

[Daniel]

@Rontuner said:

Mason & Hamlin?

Of course. Yes.

[kluurs]

The quest for a piano is fun - do try them all. If you've got it in your budget, NYC is a great place to see everything even if you don't buy in NYC. If you'd like an upright and unconstrained by price, do include Bosendorfer in your quest. But frankly, Yamaha and Kawai make some very fine uprights.

If you go to high end grands, you're talking some big money - and value can often be found in the previously owned inventory - especially in down markets.