Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum C.Bechstein 1.92 and Steinway B

Hello everyone, this is my first post in the forum. i have been reading the posts and found them really interesting.

I am in the quest of buying a new grand! I have played fazioli, grotrian, c.bechstein, steinway, etc.

The ones that i really liked were a Steinway B N.Y 2.11 (what do you think?) and a C.Bechstein 1.67 but i think i need more bass so i am considering the C.bechstein 1.92 but i have not had the chance to play one, anyone have played a 1.92 ? could you describe its sound? i know every piano is different but any opinion would be really helpful.
thank you.

They're both really beautiful pianos. The NY Steinway B is nicer than the Hamburg one in my opinion - having played good examples of both.

The Steinway has a very rich sound, very complex, whereas the Bechstein is much clearer and has this kind of ring to it. Both are wonderful but very different instruments. Both have exceptional quality actions and both have exceptional build quality. What you need is a good technician (true for any piano) to bring out the best in the pianos.

This is a difficult decision but if you buy either, you won't be disappointed. Your best bet is to buy the one that speaks to you the most.

Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong here, but if you want to keep money in mind, I'd go for the Steinway. It might not be the better sounding piano (it's equal to the Bechstein), but when it comes to re-sale, it's probably easier to sell. If this is your piano for life, however, just go for the one you like best.

Both of the pianos you are considering are superb instruments. I'd suggest having a really good technician go with you before purchasing (yes, even on a new piano). They can help evaluate and explain what you're experiencing.

For me a simple test of which piano I like better: the one I don't stop playing is the one I like. One time I was shopping for a piano, and the owner of the rebuilding business came out to the shop and said "It's the end of the work day for us, but feel free to keep playing as long as you want - send a txt when you're done and we'll lock up". I played and played. Yes thats the piano I bought.

Regarding bass: it might be possible you're wanting the American sound in the bass. In other words Bechstein might not bring the bass you want at any size. I wouldn't call it deficient but it is different. Steinway (and other American makes) has that "take no prisoners" power and presence. No doubt the Bechstein is a quality piano, but it might not be the sound you like. Personally I go for the American sound.

Lots of shops in the UK carry Bechsteins. Any in particular ones that that anyone would recommend for great service and commitment to the brand?

For most American pianists of the post-war era (boomers), the Steinway B represents the ideal home/studio work horse. Whatever its defects, it has got the job done and gloriously so for many of us.

However, Bechstein and Steinway are quite different pianos, although not so much so as a few years back. The Bechstein is, today, considerably less Bechstein-ish. In my opinion it's the same with Bosendorfer and Bluthner. In America, it's much the same with Mason & Hamlin, who have drawn by far the closest to the Steinway ideal. All of these marks have lost a good deal of their original, distinctive personalities. I think that in an attempt to take business away from Steinway, they have become more robust, less sweet and certainly less unique to their original tonal tradition.

I recognise that these opinions will be VERY unpopular with many forum members and I fully expect a swarm of indignant protests. They are my opinions only and are based on what my ears and fingers tell me.

Karl Watson
Staten Island, NY

Thanks a lot for the opinions they really help me.

Another thing to consider is that i will be buying the piano in mexico, so is going to be difficult to play the exactly one that i am going to buy, the best i can do for now is to try the same models else where and maybe order that model in mexico, but i still cannot find a c.bechstein 192 to play.

Do you think it would be a disaster if i just order the same model of the one that i played?
Most likely to be the Steinway B
Thanks for your help.

Karl,

"I recognise that these opinions will be VERY unpopular with many forum members and I fully expect a swarm of indignant protests."

You'll get no "protest" from me at all! I still think the pre-WWII era was the best for American pianos. As you say, they've lost a lot of their distinctive "voices" in more recent years.

Hi Passion,

"For me a simple test of which piano I like better: the one I don't stop playing is the one I like. "

Ha Ha! Very, very true. If you don't fall in love with it, for whatever reasion, it's going to be a very bad marriage.

Exactly - and sometimes it's hard to even describe the reason.

Just a note to consider - the Steinway B is 211cm (if I recall correctly) while the other instruments are considerably shorter in length. Stronger bass will be the major difference in sound, all other things being equal. The more comparable instrument to the Bechstein 192 is the Steinway A, which is a delight. The Grotrian 192 is also an instrument to consider, and remember that Grotrian and Bechstein don't have the added freight of advertising and marketing to pass on to you. If your travels take you to a city where you can play a Mason & Hamlin BB, do so, as you will be surprised at the sound.

Good luck in your search.

Dear suboceanic:

With great respect, ORDER nothing. Ordering is not the way to buy a piano unless it be from one of the top Asian houses.

A Steinway or a Bechstein, to name only those pianos that you've mentioned, will have brand similarities but will be unique and, generally speaking, not the same as the one built before or after it.

You must play and get to know your piano. It will be, to borrow a phrase, your "longtime companion."

Karl Watson
Staten Island, NY

Thanks karl, i just called the steinway dealer in mexico, and they offer 2000 dlls, so i can go to new york and select the B that i want, but the piano have to be sold.

With bechstein i dont know yet, but i think i can go to L.A.

Thanks john, i had the opportunity to play a manson and hamlin but it was from 1937 AA, i found the tone really nice, but the action a little agresive? But like i said i havent played a new one.

My own opinion exactly.

Of course there remains at least one more other unnamed alternative to avoid this malaise but it would be too unprofessional for me to mention the name...

Norbert

Norbert:

I take your meaning. I'm told by many fellow pianists that
Sauters are remarkablye consistent at building truly gorgeous pianos and that they are all, in some way or another, beautiful.

In seems to me that Estonia have effectively displaced the niche formerly occupied by Petrof, and with far, far superior fit and finish.

As for Kayserburg - after that demonstration that Russell contrived in Berkeley, we are all waiting for the possible shock waves that a new grand piano may cause. Does anyone know if there will be a range or will there be just one piano, and if so, what size ? One would guess 6ft.-ish.

It seems to me that the old rule about the best pianos being 190cm or larger is still sound.

Kindest regards and with great respect,

Karl Watson,
Staten Island, NY

By the way Norbert i am going to Vancouver this weekend, before i return to mexico i hope i can make it to V.Pianos and play some.

Never order a piano unseen and especially, unheard. Also write down serial number of the one you settled on at the piano store so you can ensure it is the one that is delivered. A few dealers will ship an instrument already crated.

Hi Suboceanic,

I'm hoping to try a new C. Bechstein model M/P (192 cm) within a few weeks. A dealer near to me is expecting delivery of one soon and will contact me when it's ready to by tried out. I've been testing Steinway As and Bosendorfer 185/200s recently, so I'll let you know what I think and how these three brands compare as soon as I've tried out the C. Bechstein.

But if you are looking at a Steinway B, I think another poster already mentioned that this is quite a bit larger than 192cm. C. Bechstein has their own model B (212cm) which I imagine would be a closer match in terms of size/volume/bass.

Hey pogmoger! Thanks for your input, please let me know your impressions of the c.bechstein, 1.92, have you played the steinway B? I know that they are diferent size, but i am consider this 2 options mainly for the price.
Cheers.

Hello again Suboceanic,

I finally got to play the C.Bechstein M/P 192 yesterday and I must say that it was an exceptional piano.

To put this into context: so far I have tried Steinway O, A and B, Bösendorfer 185 and 200, Sauter Delta and Omega, Shigeru Kawai SK2, Yamaha C4F, Bluthner models 4 and 6.

My two favourites so far are the C.Bechstein M/P 192 and Bösendorfer 200. Both pianos sound completely different, but what I liked about each of them was the level of dynamic and tonal control they offered. The C.Bechstein has a very clean, singing tone, a rich bass and bell like upper octaves. The dynamic range is more than I expected from a piano of this size. The Bösendorfer is richer and darker, but when I adjust my touch, I can still get a melody to sing through the more mellow textures. Now I need to decide which of these two sound worlds I want to live with daily for the next few decades!

About Steinways: I will be comparing to Hamburg Steinways, but perhaps you are looking at NY models. My impression of models A and B is that they are phenomenal pianos and they are immediately accessible to me from the first touch of the keyboard. But after playing them over a longer period, I find myself tonally limited when comparing to Bösendorfer or C.Bechstein. I've gone to the Steinway Gallery directly after playing a Bösendorfer, and then after playing the C. Bechstein, straight back to the Bösendorfer dealer in order to make direct comparisons whilst my memory is still fresh.

These are only my personal thoughts and opinions, and many others would surely disagree. I hope my perspective is of use to you, but I encourage you to spend as much time as you can playing different instruments yourself so that you can reach your own conclusions.