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Joined: Feb 2010
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We have been looking for a while to buy a piano for our 6 year old daughter who just started to learn piano. Most of our friends recommend Yamaha or Kawai. With lower price of Kawai, it has been our target for the initial search. All price quote we got were above $5k, which was way above our budget (we just bought a house a few months back). One of our friends got a group deal a year ago for a Kawai for ~$4200, but we were unable to get anything even close to $4800. What frustrated us the most was that when we were trying to talk to the dealer about our budget, they immediately directed us to some other pianos with lower tag price, and would not want to negotiate the price with us at all.
Finally we bought a 50" Hailun upright from Wells Piano in St Paul, and we love it. Hailun was actually the brand our daughter's piano teacher highly recommended. Being a professional piano player and a music faculty in college, she owns a Hailun grand, and an upright. She played our piano and said it's great. We were actually able to negotiate a price that both my wife and I felt pretty happy about.
What I want to see to those who are looking for a piano for beginners is that Hailun is catching up with Yamaha and Kawai. It still has unbeatable price for now.
BTW, for those who live in Minnesota, I highly recommend Wells Piano. The people there are just so nice. We didn't feel embarrassed like other piano stores when telling them our budget.
Piano beginner. Bought a Hailun 50" upright from Wells Piano.
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Joined: May 2008
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I'm happy you are thrilled with your piano however, Hailun--however cost friendly --has many, many years to go to earn both Yamaha and Kawai's reputation for quality.
Last edited by Less Rubato; 02/10/10 11:51 AM.
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Joined: Nov 2007
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I have heard of Hailun but have not heard one. What does it sound like? Is it more like Yamaha, Kawai, European?
Thanks!
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Congratulations! Enjoy!
Nancy
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A while back, we sold same piano to a very prominent Vancouver doctor who is a fine amateur pianist.. The guy bought the piano 'against his own instict' and has continued his hunt for a top upright ever since.
Pianos tried out since included top models by Grotrian and Sauter, pianos costing manifold of the H5 - no challenge for this customer.
Yesterday I had a conversation with our customer again whereby his inclination appeared keeping the 50' Hailun - at least for now.
His question was this: is paying 5-6 times really worth the price and then gaining perhaps 25% in quality and 15% in sound?
This is not to say that Hailun makes the only great 50' upright,
may others do as well.
But it is a question well worth pondering for anybody spending more than 6-7 k on any upright with those kind pianos available in today's market.
Congratulations to your piano, please keep us posted how things will go!
Norbert
Last edited by Norbert; 02/10/10 02:02 PM.
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Congratulations, MN Shoreview! Your daughter is a very lucky girl. Your experience with Kieran Wells is consistent with the experience of two families I sent to him and who ultimately purchased grand pianos from him. He is extremely friendly, professional and service-oriented, is very sensitive to budgets and puts his customers immediately at ease. Best wishes to your family.
Mason & Hamlin A (2006); Yamaha P140
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A while back, we sold same piano to a very prominent Vancouver doctor who is a fine amateur pianist.. The guy bought the piano 'against his own instict' and has continued his hunt for a top upright ever since.
Pianos tried out since included top models by Grotrian and Sauter, pianos costing manifold of the H5 - no challenge for this customer.
Yesterday I had a conversation with our customer again whereby his inclination appeared keeping the 50' Hailun - at least for now.
His question was this: is paying 5-6 times really worth the price and then gaining perhaps 25% in quality and 15% in sound?
This is not to say that Hailun makes the only great 50' upright,
may others do as well.
But it is a question well worth pondering for anybody spending more than 6-7 k on any upright with those kind pianos available in today's market.
Congratulations to your piano, please keep us posted how things will go!
Norbert The following are all excerpts from Norbert on the SeilerFan post entitled Hailun - my personal experience:
You are entitled to your opinion but this was not an opinion based on fair data. One cannot compare "incomparable" pianos seperated by various modes of preparation and especially considerable price differences between them. Missed anything?
This exactly was I read in the posts by many of this make's new owners and I don't remember even one who had compared Hailun to a high[er] end piano during his shopping trip before.
To offer a slightly skewed comparisons of 2 pianos in completely different stages of preparation and at totally different price points may be interesting to read, but are IMHO less than relevant for real shoppers.
Your report about the particular 7'Hailun notably used such words as "cutting Corners" etc. Much in your report went on from there...
I want you to know that in comparison to Seiler 9'concert grands, Charles Walters, Mason Hamlins, Estonias, Grotrian Faziolis and others, I fully agree with you.
I am however, much less sure if such wording would make much sense in comparison to pianos in same or similiar price range as is the Hailun.
I made the simple point that pianos from different price ranges don't make any sense to compare - even if the Hailun would have been the *preferred model* over the much higher rated Charles Walter.
It would have been much more interesting - and certainly equitable - to have readers report about similiar class of pianos AS HAS BEEN HAPPENING HERE FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS!!
To criticize a piano from a lower group against higher rated pianos this, by saying it's "cutting corners" amounts virtually to slandering such make.
Why not compare 'apples with apples'?
That's why comparing any of these pianos designed "by older hands" [no pun intended ;)] at higher quality [and price..] such as the Charles Walter to a Hailun is not only *not* helpful but in a way *misleading*. [ sorry if this should sound a bit too harsh..]
Piano Industry Consultant
Co-author (with Larry Fine) of Practical Piano Valuation
www.jasonsmc@msn.com
Contributing Editor & Consultant - Acoustic & Digital Piano Buyer
Retired owned of Jasons Music Center
Maryland/DC/No. VA
Family Owned and Operated Since 1937.
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Is English Norbert's first language?
Choleric
Yamaha CVP307 digital piano
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Yes, Kieran is the guy to buy from in the Twin Cities. Have fun and let me know how it sounds.
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Dear all, Thank you very much for the reply, the congratulation to my purchase and the encouragement. I have to say that I don't know much about the pianos. Kieran Wells gave us some very good educations and we were very happy with the purchasing experience with him. My daughter is enjoying the piano (although sometimes frustrating when practising  She loves it. This made me and my wife so happy about our decision to make the purchase given how tight our budget was. About the quality of Hailun piano, I can't say much. At least our piano teacher sings very high to it. I agree with Less Rubato that Hailun may have a long way to go to earn the reputation of quality. I was told that when Yamaha and Kawai first entered US market, it took them sometime to get recognized. Hailun has been here for over 10 years (?) I think the quality itself is probably not a problem, just the reputation I guess. Again, I know almost nothing about pianos. It's good to learn from all the professionals here. Have great day!
Piano beginner. Bought a Hailun 50" upright from Wells Piano.
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Joined: May 2001
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It is very true that it takes a long time for piano brands to get a good reputation. We were one of the 1st Yamaha dealers in the US starting in 1961. Many people laughed when we told them we were selling Japanese-made pianos. They are not laughing now! 
Piano Industry Consultant
Co-author (with Larry Fine) of Practical Piano Valuation
www.jasonsmc@msn.com
Contributing Editor & Consultant - Acoustic & Digital Piano Buyer
Retired owned of Jasons Music Center
Maryland/DC/No. VA
Family Owned and Operated Since 1937.
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MNShorview: Encouraging a child in music is the very first and perhaps most important job for parents to do. Let me congratulate for having done this - regardless of piano chosen. In our B.C. Canada area, many new excellent piano teachers have moved in giving children the best they can, be they old established "well known" teachers - or *not*. Last Saturday I attended a concert by Vancouver's Senior Youth Symphonic Orchestra, it was fabulous.[ Berlin,London, move over..] While there were about 80 active participants, I knew only very few of the 'stars' and hardly any of names of the teachers involved. Yet they all helped to create some of the very best there is. Later I was told that over 80% of the participants were children of recent immigrants being tought by a very high percentage of recent immigrant teachers. As mentioned, I hardly had ever heard the names of any of the teachers involved. And nobody knew - or cared - any the brands names these kids were playing, be they for their cellos, violins, clarinettes or what have you. But the kids were absolutely fabulous and awe inspriring. Why is it only in the piano industry that we take ourselves so serious all the time trying to justify or 'explain' what brand of piano a young student should own. Or how 'famous' and 'established' such company has to be? Why then not all buy Sauter pianos or other makers who had their origin at least some 200 years ago? Considering the enthusiasm and the high level on which these young kids were performing, the answer would almost seem irrevelant. Making music is still quite independent from all of this and choosing an instrument which is both affordable and is good sounding, doesn't need a lot more explanation. IMHO. Wishing you the very best! Norbert 
Last edited by Norbert; 02/10/10 06:29 PM.
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