Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum Purchasing a Grand

Hi,

Just to get the facts out first..
I'm 16 and first played the piano when i was about 7. Learnt for 2/3 yrs then quit because I moved overseas. Been learning on and off. Now I play everyday. The piano has become the most important thing to me. but I only play for pleasure.
I've been working with a german Schiedmeyer that we bought second hand anout 10 yrs ago for 7 000 its a good piano.. but I really really want a grand. partly for its sound, partly for its looks, partly for the simple fact that ''i play a grand''

i know it's childish and probably an insufficient reason for purchasing one. But i really do love the piano.

Anyways i'm having some doubts as to how much I should spend.. since ILL be the one paying (:

i've taken a look at shops and online and stuff.. there's a knabe grand thats completely been redone but with its original case, it sounds gorgeous, but the case is.. EPIC FAIL. and theyre asking 4500-5500 which is alright i guess..??

i found another one on ebay .. heres the link..
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Piano-Medium...220QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

and finally.. theres this one..
http://www.wapiano.com.au/index.php?cPath=23_64&osCsid=4e0870ec14cc76cfbf917030beb19eb4

anyways.. this has been a really long post. but hope at least someone can respond? (:
^^
thankss

You might want to post this over in the piano forum where you will get more responses about specific makes, models and prices. This forum is mostly for teaching issues but you will probably find that many teachers have very strong opinions on the type of piano they would like their students to have.

That's a lot of money for a 16 year old! I don't mean to sound patronising but there can't be many people your age who could make that kind of purchase without the help of their parents. Are your parents willing to support you in this?

My personal opinion is to get as new a piano as possible. They don't get better with age and an old piano can look great but have many problems if it hasn't been cared for properly. It's possible to find bargains in the private ads but you are taking a big risk as opposed to buying from a dealer with back up and warranty. Don't buy a piano without playing it first and be sure to have it checked over by a qualified technician before handing over your cash.

A grand piano is more than something you can brag about playing. The feel and sound you can get from a good grand that is well-maintained will outshine any upright.

When you buy used, the problem is you don't really know where it's been, but you can get great deals, too. Just understand that this piano you purchase will most likely not be the last upgrade you do.

I reiterate with Chris said: don't buy anything before you have a chance to play it! Also, you'll need a piano technician to look at it too, because they can tell you if it's worth the price.

Really, do as Chris suggests and post on the piano forum. Soak up all the advice, do your homework and go from there. Oh, and keep saving

Yess.. i know its a lot of money ^^ my parents arent that willing to support me.. but i've got about 20 grand in the bank so hopefully that'll get me somewhere.. actually it was left for me from my grandpa.. so i didnt want to use it at first ><

also.. do piano tuners and things count as technicians..? i'm not really sure what a piano tech is..

Look here:APTTA
And can I just repeat - take your time and do your research.

haha that's what my mum keeps saying.. but i found a steinbach for 3000 thats a deal right?? (:

The Piano Forum holds the answers to your questions.
But come back and tell us what you bought when you finally take the plunge, ok?

Seriously, regulars in the piano forum will know much more about these instruments. In fact if you do a search for Alex Steinbach it has probably been discussed already. From what I can gather it's a common brand in Australia which was made by Samick from the 1980's and is now made by Pearl River. The one in your ebay ad says mid 1970's but the model number SG172 would suggest Samick to me so I'm a bit stumped on that. It looks nice though and they say it has had only one owner. Providing they have kept it maintained then it might be worth a look even if it is getting a little old. 172cm is a decent size and it has 3 pedals. If you like the way it sounds and feels and if a tech (tuner) gives it a clean bill of health then the price looks okay.

You wouldn't go far wrong with a Yamaha C3 but the price is going up quite a bit. If I were you I would not go and blow all of that $20k on a piano. You might want to go away to study in a couple of years and that cash could be really useful! Then when you leave college and want to get your own place it would make a very nice deposit. There will be plenty of time for you to buy your dream piano later on. For now I would look for a sensible used piano that will be easy to sell on if you leave home and no longer need it. For that reason I wouldn't bother with the Knabe if the case is in poor condition unless you plan to have it restored which will cost even more.

Here's one thread from the Piano Forum to start you off.

Thanks,

I had a look at it, it seems that the steinbachs are usually a little too bright for people.. but then again.. I do prefer the brighter sounds like the kawai or a good yamaha..

Has anyone heard of the brand estonia? because i found a 6" grand in ebony gloss for 3500 and they said the price was negotiable.. (:

also.. I'm looking at a yamaha c3 grand now for 16 995. is that alright?
i think it's 30 yrs old and has been refurbished...

Be wary of "refurbished" Yamahas. Get the serial number and find out where it was built. If it was built in Japan, then it might be grey market, and troublesome. Also, if it needed refurbishing, then chances are it was pretty damaged to begin with. You don't know where it's been. I would think for that kind of money you could find a used Yamaha that didn't need refurbishing because it was well-kept. Keep looking.

I agree with Morodiene. "Refurbished" could mean anything, or nothing. $17K for a 30-y-o C3 is pretty high, in my opinion.

I'll say this once more just to be clear - the best place to ask these "would this piano be all right?" questions is in the Piano Forum, which I linked earlier. The really knowledgeable piano people (techs, dealers, piano obsessives ) post there, and offer good advice. Not that we piano teachers aren't knowledgeable, but they are the experts.

Don't rule out a piano because of others opinions on the sound. They are all different and the only opinion that matters is yours. You need to try the piano out for yourself.

The Yamaha is too expensive. It could well be a good piano but I am sure you can find them for less money than this.

Estonia has a very good reputation providing it was built within the last 10 years or so. At 3500 it's most likely a lot older and would not compare to the pianos they produce today.

For the record, I purchased a refurbished Yamaha C3 for $8500. At the time, I didn't know it was grey market. Anyways, that should give you an idea of what it is worth. Usually, you get what you pay for, but that price for a refurbished piano is way too much. That is about the price you'd pay for a new one.

thanks(: and isnt this part of the piano forum? I'm really confused >< i dont really know how to work this website.. sigh.

This is the Piano Teachers' Forum, which is one of the forums here at Piano World. Other forums include Non-classical, Adult Beginners, Piano Technicians. The Piano Forum, which was the one I linked to in my earlier post, deals with, well, pianos, the various sorts, and buying and selling them (though it's not a trading post, just a place for advice and information).

If you click on This Link it will take you to the summary of all the forums here. We're now in the Piano Teachers' Forum. The one with the most info on buying pianos is the Piano Forum. But do take a look at the others, too. Lots of information everywhere

ah ok icic(: THANKS