Any Piano experts out there?

[PeakCompletions]

Want to get a baby grand for my new house and haven't played since I was little... want something for the formal entry that looks good and sounds great... have kids that can play so no worries about me hurting anyone's feelings haha

Steinway, Yamaha... those were always the big names I knew growing up... no one close to me carries anything like this so I will have to source from a larger center...

any and all advice appreciated!!

:cheers

 

[Kayvan]

Steinway

Come to factory in NYC and order; make a trip out of it, see a show, shop, eat a ny strip steak

 

[canuck]

Look up piano buyer book and read it over. Available on the internet and is the best/invaluable source of information. Rates piano's as well for you.
There is so much to know it is incredible. So a simple answer, Piano buyer book then post.

 

[HHGT]

Plenty in Los Angeles. Yamaha is the best value, but there are a lot of Korean companies that make beautiful pieces. YoungCEO (aka Jeff) here a fellow GT owner owns a large transportation company and could ship it fairly inexpensively. You'll have to find a local company to assemble and tune.

 

[canuck]

http://www.pianobuyer.com/

This is the link to get you started.

 

[NJGT]

I have toured the Steinway factory and would second Kayvan that you should buy a Steinway - literally hand made in Queens. I bought a model B baby grand several years ago after the tour.
While I rarely recommend anything written by someone affiliated with the New York tTmes I would recommend this book by a Times reporter about the making of a Steinway from beginning to end. Canuck will be happy to know that the baseboard is sourced from the Queen Charlotte Islands.
http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Making-...A6/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

 

[PeakCompletions]

thanks for the info guys!! Will check it out!

 

[Magic]

Baby Grand Piano Story

Back when I was in college and asked my wife-to-be father about marrying his daughter the only stipulation he said was if I took his daughter I had to take the "baby grand piano" too. She had convinced her father that if she had to move to London during high school, he had to buy her a baby grand. I said yes and he agreed to keep it until we both finished our schooling. First job I took was in New Orleans and I had to find an apartment big enough to place the piano in. We had no furniture except for a folding card table and chairs and of course "the piano". The baby grand was purchased in London, moved to Oklahoma, then New Orleans, then back to Oklahoma, then back to New Orleans, then back to Oklahoma, then to Texas, next back to London for a short stay, then onto Alaska, back to Texas, again back overseas to Indonesia and is now back in Texas in storage.

Why couldn't she have asked for an original Ford GT40 instead of a baby grand? :ack:ack

Ray - might be willing to make you a good deal on a well used and well traveled baby grand piano! Needs a little freshining up. Maybe a new carbon fiber like vinyl warp would do the trick. :biggrin:biggrin:biggrin

 

[fjpikul]

You can tune a piano but you can't tuna fish.

 

[Neilda]

I have a recording studio and some pianos - I play too.

A Steinway is undoubtedly one of the best makes, but unless you play regularly (and well), it is going to be an extremely expensive piece of furniture. If you want to flash the cash, get one! Or really splash out and buy the best, a Bossendorfer.

Alternatively, and perhaps more sensibly, a Yamaha in piano black is going to be cheaper and, to my ears, just as good. Yamaha have a lovely ring to them and will hold their value when measured against a Steinway. Many, if not most, studios use Yamaha, and for good reason.

You should also consider buying a used one, anything up to 3 years old, if you can find a tame piano tuner to come and check any pianos out for you, it might save you any disasters (which would be rare on 3 year olds). A second hand Yamaha baby grand should be immaculate, do not settle for the smallest imperfection.

I hope this helps rather than confuses!

 

[GTdrummer]

Bought my wife a Yamaha BG 15 years ago and it has been great. They must throw a LOT of endorsement money around because it seems like everyone you see in concert is playing a Yamaha. Steinway is the Mercedes and has a big price but will retian value. The most important thing to know is if you think there is a lot of pricing flexibilty in cars, wait until you shop pianos. The prices are all over the place so do some homework.

 

[shelbyelite]

I took piano lessons for 11 years. can play by ear pretty well also. My grandfather and father were PRESIDENT and VICE-PRESIDENT of Baldwin Piano and Organ company for about 20 years. 1980 - 2000. At these times Baldwin was one of the #1 names in the piano business and their quality was second to none. Some of the biggest names in the Piano playing business, played Baldwins. If you can get a Baldwin from this time (about 1985 - 2000) you will get a great piece. Since they left the company it has struggled with some VERY bad decissions on upper management, so current baldwin pianos probably will not be what I would look for as it is really just a name being sold to various other companies who make a piano and slap the name on it. Anyway, you are probably looking for something new, but most quality pianos are timeless and some more desired with age.

 

[dbk]

I learned on a Baldwin in the late 80's. Who knew that Shelby Smith, to be my friend 20 years later, would be related to the PRESIDENT and VICE PRESIDENT of Baldwin Piano and Organ Company? :lol Isn't Baldwin owned by Gibson now? If you've got a hookup, I've been trying to find a silverburst Flying V that they produced a handful of between 79-82. Or a silverburst SG they made 400 of a couple years ago.

When are we starting the forum band?

 

[SteveA]

When are we starting the forum band?

I call dibs on band manager and chief groupie inspector.

 

[shelbyelite]

I learned on a Baldwin in the late 80's. Who knew that Shelby Smith, to be my friend 20 years later, would be related to the PRESIDENT and VICE PRESIDENT of Baldwin Piano and Organ Company? :lol Isn't Baldwin owned by Gibson now? If you've got a hookup, I've been trying to find a silverburst Flying V that they produced a handful of between 79-82. Or a silverburst SG they made 400 of a couple years ago.

When are we starting the forum band?

Yes, last I heard the Baldwin name was owned by Gibson. I had heard that they were considering selling the name, or had sold it, but I would have to ask my father. He still keeps up with it as it was a major part of his life and he hates to see something that he and my grandfather made so successful flushed down the toilet the way it has been over the past 10 years.

 

[GTdrummer]

I . My grandfather and father were PRESIDENT and VICE-PRESIDENT of Baldwin Piano and Organ company for about 20 years. 1980 - 2000. .

This is all starting to make sense now.........

 

[GTdrummer]

I learned on a Baldwin in the late 80's. Who knew that Shelby Smith, to be my friend 20 years later, would be related to the PRESIDENT and VICE PRESIDENT of Baldwin Piano and Organ Company? :lol Isn't Baldwin owned by Gibson now? If you've got a hookup, I've been trying to find a silverburst Flying V that they produced a handful of between 79-82. Or a silverburst SG they made 400 of a couple years ago.

When are we starting the forum band?

In the 70s I played full time in a band and traveled most of the country. We generally opened for bands that were on the way up or down. It was seeing the latter that made me go to law school. I still have a band with some "serious" retired players here in Richmond but we do it for fun.

 

[HHGT]

I stood in line and sold aspirin.

 

[Cobrar]

... I've been trying to find a silverburst Flying V that they produced a handful of between 79-82. Or a silverburst SG they made 400 of a couple years ago....

Dave - Just about the time I think that I have you figured out -- a Gibson Flying V?? :biggrin Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) or Marc Bolan (T. Rex) inspired?

 

[PeakCompletions]

Thanks again for the info guys!! I was honestly looking at older used pianos rather than a brand new one... finding one with real ivories would be cool :biggrin

that's what my Grandma had...