Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Yamaha AG has a rival - Schulze-Pollmann!

Guitar Centers across the nation will have to construct special demo rooms to accommodate the vast array of roll top desk DPs debuting at this year's summer NAMM. I feel lucky to be alive right now.

I'm just glad that yamaha may have some future competition in the hybrid department. Competition is never really a bad thing from the consumer point of view.

just wish the roland V-piano would get some good competition. Price is way too high.

If this product is priced like the nu1, sounds good and marketed properly it will be a good thing.

Unlike the nu1 this gives you a grand piano action vs upright.

A dark mahogany model will look decent too.

Lets hope it makes it to the us.
God knows the physis pianos are taking their jolly good time. Lol

I hate to be negative, but I think we can probably assume it will not be priced competitively. It's hand built in Italy by an exclusive piano maker. When has anything hand built in Italy been cheaper than an equivalent cranked out of a factory in indonesia run by an aggressive Japanese multinational?

That rolltop alone probably cost more than an AG

You've got a point

Either way though..It's still competition.. Hopefully Kawai and roland will try one as well.

You never know lol..

Here is the reply I just received, copied here:

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Good Morning Sir,

Thank you for your e-mail and for your interest in our newest product ilPiano.

In Italian “il” means “the” (article). We are not sure yet when ilPiano will be available in the USA and its pricing. If you can tell us the city and state where you live we will pass the info to our US distributor and they will contact you once the info you have requested is available.

Thank you for your attention and for your consideration.

Best Regards,
Paolo Rossi
Servizio Clienti

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Extra note:

I went ahead and sent back the info they requested which was "city and state" and added my zip code in the USA.

Tut. So cynical.

Imagine the burglar's disappointment - he thinks he's found the family bureau - all the cash and interesting stuff will be inside. "Oh crap. It's a sh*tty piano. Just for that I'm going to wreck the place".

Wanted to note that I have no interest in playing or buying the following:

1) AvantGrand(s)
2) Physis Piano
3) ilPiano

Having a "real" authentic grand action in an AG is not enough reason to spend the extra money when other console digitals by Yamaha and Roland are quite sufficient.

The other two models above are Italian-made and I won't buy anything made in Italy.

Italian products can't be all that bad can they?

Yes, it is accurate. Because the avantgrande doesn't have piano hammerheads. This has actual hammer heads. I think Yamaha have probably got it right by not putting expensive felt hammers on an instrument that will never actually use them!

il is the definite article. Like 'the' in English. So it's called thePiano. I think calling it ilPiano is like making a play on ipad though.....

By the way why won't you buy anything made in Italy?

Alpha Piano


GRAND PIANO ACTION
All ALPHA Pianos utilize the full action of a concert grand piano, such as those used in a Bösendorfer 280, Steinway D-274 or Yamaha CF-X. There is no other digital piano in the world that exhibits these properties. The uncompromising striving for perfection is complemented by an original Renner action and genuine felt hammer heads.

http://www.alpha-piano.com/en/alpha-pianos/alpha-piano-description

The ilPiano-series is according to their homepage being shown now at Musikmesse 2014.

http://www.schulzepollmann.com/?lang=eng

Is anybody visiting Musikmesse this year?

Hi - I checked out the Schulze-Pollmann today at Frankfurt's Musikmesse. Curious instrument. The action is very convincing - feels quite like a serious piano. I was not enthusiastic about the sound. And the looks... well, not like a piano at all, but rather a piece of furniture

I checked it out: embarrasing poorly regulated action. Uneven aftertouch. For me too little aftertouch at all.

There were 2 different models: one standard action without dampers and one WNG action with simulated dampers, i.e. a damper rail with weights on it. Unfortunately it was so bad regulated that the damper pedal did not lift the rail far enough. So, there was no difference between pedal or no pedal.

Gregor

I agree about the regulation. But the fact that this thing *can* be regulated is a plus. When I was at their stand, someone was actually turning some screws in the action (perhaps a reaction to your feedback? ).

So I guess the status of this thing is: Interesting concept, but far from being mature. And: No competition for the Avant Grands unless some major changes are made. But then the Avant Grands also have a problem: Their sound engine is rather outdated by now.

There is a LOT to say for decoupling the action and the sound engine. Even if you consider console type instruments manufacturers could go for a modular concept....

Gee, my N2 still sounds like a piano?

Good for you.

However if I were in the market for a Digital Piano with first class action and sound engine to be used with headphones or a PA I would look elsewhere. For silent use even the new Clavinovas might be better (in terms of sound).