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2 Steinways.. A 1972 "M"(5'7) and a 1945 S(5'1) does 6 inches make a difference in the overall sound..the price is 12,000 difference between the two...is it worth it?

Dang, I thought this thread would be about something else.

Bob, you don't say anything about the respective conditions of the two pianos (which, after all, are significantly different ages). If your question pertains solely to the issue of length, the answer is yes.

I can't say whether it's due only to size or to other aspects of design, too, but the Steinway M is a well-regarded instrument. The Steinway S ... not so much.

Steven

Freudian slip??

Only you can decide if the extra money is worth it based on your finances and ear. Unless they've been rebuilt the S is 25+ years older and that would also affect the price differential.

They are 2 Rick Jones pianos..both with 10yr warranty..the M has a fancy Louis XIV case
S is Satin black..BTW the subject line was intentional to garner responses to my question..so apparently 6" more makes a difference..

Are we still talking about pianos???.....now I'm confused again

So you have a size difference, an age difference, and a style difference, each one of which would increase the price of the same piano. If the difference is only $12,000, I would say that piano is quite a bargain compared to the cheaper piano.

A Steinway M is a far better piano IMHO than the S. So 6 inches does make a big difference.

Rich

The M is better than the S, however, Steinways from the 40s are often better than Steinways from the 70s, unless the pianos are rebuilt to a very high standard.

My guess is that these pianos are in mostly original condition and have had minimal restoration work done. The fancy case makes the M more valuable to someone who wants that case, but less valuable to someone not interested in it. That case can be difficult to sell.

Have you played these pianos?

Bob Newbie,

Since I'm not familiar with these specific pianos, I can only answer in general terms. I think the M is far more versatile than the S and worth an additional 12k.

fingers

Unless you really care about the Louis XIV case I would say you should consider the B Rick Jones is offering for just 3k more than the M. The model B is a very famous.

The S sounds great in that clip, however, on his site and it looks like it has had a complete restoration with new pinblock etc. The Renner hammers sound great on it. if I were you I would play them all and then decide.

Keith's point is basically what I was getting at
not just size..a 1945 piano over a 1972 piano
the build quality..even though were still talking Steinway...awhile back they had a 1926
Steinway M..which in my guess..as Keith seems to be leading to..would be indeed better that the 1945 model...

Independent factor: The size and acoustics of the room.