What You Need To Know About Buying a Piano

Many of the families in my studio are in the market for buying a piano this fall. Like any major purchase, they need objective information before they buy, a commodity that can be somewhat difficult to find. I recently stumbled on Kendall Ross Bean's Guide to the Piano World (Part 1 and Part 2) at Piano Finders, with plenty of information on price vs. quality, factors to look for, construction materials, brands, and vintage. The hour or so you spend reading Kendall's article is well worth it if you're looking to buy a piano. I particularly liked the detailed comparisons of European vs. Asian pianos in the second part of the article, as well as the sections on what to look out for when purchasing:

Often a dealer will resort to a device I call "artificial urgency" to induce you to buy his piano, at his price, today. Events such as fairs; armory, truck, or warehouse sales; "factory outlets;" clearances; and, most recently, the "University sale" (see below) are only a few of the many schemes designed to generate a feeling of urgency about buying right now. Since these events last only a day, or at most, three (if you're lucky), there is an incredible amount of pressure to make a quick, and often, ill-advised, decision. If you buy at one of these events, rest assured that the price that you are paying is above, or at best, equal to what you would probably normally pay for the piano at the dealer's, and that it only seems like you are getting a great deal. It is a common practice at these events to mark up the suggested retail price. Remember too, that if you purchase an instrument while under pressure to make a quick decision, the chances of your contracting that illness known as buyer's remorse are much higher. If you want to buy at a sale, it is best to have already done your homework, to know what you're looking for and what it usually costs for comparison, and to also know your personal values. It might also be wise to have an expert on hand, one who is not in cahoots with the store sponsoring the event.

The Bösendorfer Artisan Model 180

The Artisan Model is one of Bösendorfer's custom pianos from their special model line. About the Artisan Model's discreet floral ornamentation:

As long ago as the second millennium BC, inlaid work featuring geometric and figurative designs was produced in the Orient as facing for very special objects. The design hallmark of the Artisan is its discreet floral ornamentation worked – by hand, of course – with a variety of excellent woods such as walnut, maple, pear-wood, cherry-wood, mahogany, aruba and burr amboyna.

For as long as anyone can remember, creative minds in all walks of life have grappled with art’s great mystery and the question of what makes art art?

The Bösendorfer Artisan model could – by its very name – symbolise the quest for the great mystery of art.

If you were put one of these in your living room, you would definitely need to make some wise decisions regarding the rest of the room's decor. Another view:



(Via high end piano guy on Flickr)

Attila Pertis and Monika Egri Play the Blue Danube Waltz on a Pleyel Double Grand Piano

My jaw dropped when I saw this video - duo pianists Attila Pertis and Monika Egri purchased for their performance instrument a rare 1904 Pleyel Double Grand Piano. A bit about this siamese-twin piano from their website:

The two keyboards are placed at opposite ends of this 2.5 meter long instrument that weighs nearly 600 kilograms. The brilliance of the design lies in the fact that, although the two pianos are housed in one body, both have their own sets of wires, pedals and mechanism. (With a special switch, the Pleyel design also makes it possible for one of the players to operate the pedals of the other if necessary, and this of course also works the other way round.) At the same time, the casting and the resonance - an important element of the instrument - are common to both. All the sounds produced are emitted in a shared space, the overtones enrich each other, and all of this results in a warm and wonderfully full sound.

Here are Pertis and Egri playing the Blue Danube Waltz:



Another interesting factoid on Pleyels from Wikipedia:

The red spruce used by Pleyel and several other top manufacturers comes from the Fiemme Valley in province of Trento, Italy. Piano-makers are extremely fussy about this. "It has to be from a north-facing tree," explained Sylvan Charles, a master piano builder who supervises the 15 workers in Pleyel's Paris workshop. "The tree has to be a certain age. The direction of the grain and the thickness are also important, but I won’t tell you any more because that is the secret of our sound." He described the Pleyel sound as "round, warm and sensual." Steinway, by contrast, is known for its bright, powerful "singing" sound.

Restoring a Piano, Step by Step

Here's a fascinating documentary about the restoration process of a 1927 Mason & Hamlin piano, courtesy of Lindeblad Piano Restoration.



(Thanks, Bhaskar!)

Are Estonia Grands the Piano World's Best-kept Secret?

When the first Estonia pianos made their way to Vancouver in the mid-90's, I was immediately struck by the unique quality of tone on the pianos that I tried. An article in Sunday's Columbus Dispatch looks at the story of these Talinn-made instruments, sold for a fraction of the price of their Steinway competitors.

Does anyone have any experience with owning an Estonia over time? Your comments are welcome as to how these instruments grow and change through the years. One of the important things about purchasing pianos is not only how they sound in the showroom but how the instrument's mechanism stands up to years of playing.

On YouTube, there are a few clips of pianists playing Estonias. Here's one of them--Andy Quin taking a 9-footer for a test drive at the Talinn factory:



Estonia pianos home page
Wikipedia entry on the Estonia Piano Factory


(Image via the Suzuki-Orff School of Music's photostream on Flickr)

The Schimmel Pegasus

Here is one aerodynamically shaped sweet piano.

(Via Gizmodo and superlocal's photostream on Flickr)

Comparing Piano Brands

In case you're in the market for a new or used piano and are somewhat bewildered by the variety of brands on the market, you might want to check out Martha Beth Lewis' article on Piano Brands. She offers information on different sizes, critiques on dozens of brands, and further hints on piano shopping. Among her caveats:

Stencil brand pianos (sometimes called store brands) are common in the US. These are like the house brands at a grocery store. A piano store (usually a nation-wide or at least a regional piano company) buys these from a factory and puts a name on it. Therefore, many "different brands" of pianos - - at varying price points - - are actually from the same factory. And could, in fact, be the same model except for the brand name!

(Via Josh Nemith)