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I believe white grands were more popular than they currently are in the 60s and 70s. It seems that many performers used white grands back then. I am speaking of popular music here. Classical has pretty much always been all about black. I recall seeing Liberace, Jerry Lee Lewis, Floyd Cramer, and a number of other pianists on white pianos a few (dozen) years back. There is certainly nothing wrong with a white piano if that is your wife's preference. A few years ago a dealer told me white was making a comeback because of several dating-type "reality" television shows that featured white grands. I think he may have been somewhat optimistic in that assessment, however. I also recall seeing a truly hideous white concert grand trimmed in gold on a Praise The Lord television ministry show some years back. I don't really watch television these days, but I hope that one has since been replaced.

comogo Guy wrote: "The worst part is the dealers are marking up the price around 25% to order a white piano from the factory. I understand shipping will be more but this seem excessive.

"Any thoughts?"

Looking it up in this year's Fine I see en ebony polish K3 listed at 7190 and a white K3 at 7590. That makes the cost for the white $400 more than the ebony, about 14.8%. That is the Larry price before any negotiations or trade-ins are considered.I think you're still in the ballpark, financially.

It's not the way I chose my piano. Personally I prefer dark woodgrain, but I got the instrument that sounded and played the best to me by not ordering the 4000 finish and used the money to buy the best instrument I could for it.

I don't see you talking about that part of the process, but I hope you are doing it--- if you are one of those people who has to have an instrument that sings to you, and that you love to touch, just to hear it speak. That feels just right to your hands. The one that says, "I want to go home with you!"

But it may not be like that, maybe someone else in your family plays once in a while, but most of the time you have to look at it--- we never know around here.

So just think: would a better instrument make you change colors? Or would a white paint job make you buy an inferior piano because it was white? Or maybe you'll pay a little more and get a white piano that is an acceptable instrument, the wife will be happy, and the drama will be over.

Or will it?

Like it's been already said, i would use the resale lesser value to my advantage. Find a used white piano that you like, and i'm sure it'll be cheaper than a black equivalent, as opposed to buying new.

Since it has been brought up a few times I would like to respond to the color vs quality issue.

Quality is the most important issue we are considering when choosing our new piano, however for us it does not make sense for that to be the only factor. A new 52" Schimmel Koncert would perform better than a U1 or K3 but I am sure everybody agrees it would not perform five or six times better which is how much more it would cost. We considered the U3 and K8 however we are casual players and my wife is already upset we are spending as much as we are (she would be happy with a K2).

With that being said, I'm sure my wife would rather have a white K2 than a black K3 but luckily I am the voice of reason =)

The colour of a piano affects its perceived quality. White just looks cheap.

I played a white piano once and I found it very disorientating. The white keys just seemed to go into infinity.

When I think "white" piano I see a southern mansion circa 1894 and a large spiral staircase.

Cmoguy--You seem to have a real handle on the negotiations between a pianist and spouse! You're definitely doing the right thing to try to make both of you happy. When we bought a new piano recently, I found the one I wanted and let my husband decide if it was worth the extra money to get a finish he liked. After looking at them all, he decided it wasn't.

I think you'll get used to whatever color you get. A U1 is a great piano, regardless of color. You may have a few people who see the piano and think it's not a "serious" one, but its your opinion that matters. I bet there are people who come into a house with a Bosendorfer and ask the owner why they didn't get a Steinway.

I'm not a fan of white pianos, but I do have to agree that it might look better in a Florida-y house. I wonder if the dealers near you know anyone who has bought a white piano--maybe they'd want to sell it, or maybe they could reassure you that it looks great in the house and you won't be sorry.

Nancy

We got it, we got it. You don't like white pianos. Fine. I don't like black ones myself. So what? The guy wants a white piano, let him acquire one in peace!

Wow! This thread has taken on a life of it's own, hasn't it?

Zormpas - I'm with you! Except - his Wife wants the white piano. If he (they) acquires one, there will be peace...

White is the colour of peace,but its also the colour of the plague.
I suppose after the plague when everybody has died there would be peace allright.

What???

Starting over.
yes indeedy,
White often symbolizes death and the plague in medieval art.
Its also the colur of purity[ when used sparingly].

hahahaha! You guys are making wayyyy too much of this!

She wants a white piano - let her have one.

Just as a side note, we've had clients in the past who have had their pianos custom finished in an unusual color (non-standard), they don't play any differently, but they sure do look different. I would agree that could be an issue down the road if they wanted to resell or trade, but to each his own.

Dare I open up the potential can of worms of comments on a "red" piano color and a well known artist? Maybe that will take a little heat off the lady who wants a white piano...

I've recently gone through the same sort of issue. We settled on which piano we wanted and then I asked my wife if black was ok. Naturally, the answer was no. So, we spent a bunch extra to get the Mahogany finish.

I was told by some that I was nuts: the resale value would go down.

But, strangely, I'm not buying this piano to sell it! I'm buying it because it's what we want. And, hopefully, we'll be able to keep this piano for many, many, many years. And the extra expense will be worth my wife's happiness on each and every day.

If your wife is absolutely sure she wants white, get the white piano, regardless of the resale price. If you can afford to get something that pleases your wife, and that you can live with, I fail to see the downside!

Hi all,...

Any ties between color and anything else are all driven by marketing. If every piano maker decided to stop making black pianos and start making only white pianos today,... then I'm sure in a few years Black piano will become 'taboo' because everyone will have white pianos and the sales people will find a way to sell the merit of having white pianos over black.

Apple sure has done quite well with the color of the plague,... I don't see many people custom ordering black MACs

Regards,

Robert

Perhaps not the best example. When Apple was selling both black and white macbooks, the black model was the "premium" model. Note also that the only white computers you can buy from Apple right now are the cheapest models.

As for white and the plague, consider also that white is the color of death in several Asian cultures.

Back on topic, to the OP, does your wife want white because she likes the concept of a white piano, or that she doesn't like the look of a black piano, and/or is she actually considering the decor when thinking about the color (vs simply the color the piano).

One last thing, it seems to me that I've personally seen various white grand pianos, but I'm not sure if I've ever seen a white upright before (in person). I'm assuming that white uprights are even rarer than white grands?

I thought that being in South Florida white pianos would be the norm? in a hot sunny climate?

Darn bitWrangler,...

You caught me! I'm a PC!!

But I did remember when I was in elementary school that the Apple logo used to be quite colorful,... and I really can't remember any specific image that resonates with that logo,...

Nowadays,... it's all white and for some reason if you ask me what color I would associate with Apple,... it's white,... and even though I'm not a user,... Apple's white color never brings up the image of the plague, death, low quality, or cheap,... more clean, beautiful designs, and expensive/overpriced to me,...

I think it's marketing in action

Getting back to pianos,... I actually like white pianos,... I encountered and considered a couple of white Young Chang PG pianos when I was shopping here in the midwest,... but my wife doesn't like white so I was veto-ed and we decided on a black one.

I wouldn't be surprised though,... if sometime in the future a tipping point will occur where black pianos will be associated with the older generations and white or multi-color pianos will be associated with the young and hip,...

Regards,

Robert

Holy Goddess Mother! Now we're discussing the color of Mac computers! Yes, and high end photography lenses are usually white. What does that have to do with the price of beans?

One more time. Who shives a git. If you listen to sales droids and marketroids you'll never want for copious quantities of steaming steer stool - like the 10,000 reasons I always hear from car salesmen why I really want an automatic transmission rather than the stick shift I'm asking for and that they don't stock...

Myself, I'd take a natural woodgrain over white, and white or just about anything over black - and that has nothing whatsoever to do with the price of beans either! This said, I've seen some black pianos I wouldn't mind owning - even if I'd be hard pressed to not reach for the rattle can white, cream, or whatever...