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Any opinions on a G-275 9' Young chang

1984 model

Also, does anyone know if they were putting Renner action in the '84 model.

Thanks

It depends. If you're willing to put it through a decently comprehensive rebuild, it would probably be nice, but without new strings, pinblock, hammers, shanks, key bushings, and key rebalancing, I probably would pass. Also, if you don't plan on keeping it forever, I'd pass.

I spoke with the technician who has serviced it for the past almost 30 years for this lady who owns it (teacher by the way). He verifies that it is a fine instrument, strings are in good condition, action is fine and hammers are in good shape and holds a tune with no problems..

It is a really good buy and it would be a move up from the 6'10" I currently own and am very fond of...

I've no idea what this piano is like, but I'd LOVE to see some pictures of the thing...

It may be true, but as a tech I've run into plenty of problem child Young Chang grands in the past, so I don't see any reason to start trusting them now. Hire an independent tech to evaluate it for you and if the price is fair, and you like the piano enough to part with your current one, then gopher it.

It's a Young Chang, no matter what size it is.

So, if you love Young Chang... have an independent tech check it out... and have a go at it.

But please understand where Young Chang sits in the market and what it is/was (esp. in 1984). I think Young Chang offers a competitively priced product in a popular segment of the market, and I've played some that were pleasing pianos. So it's not that I'm discouraging anyone from buying one.

It's a lot of living space to give up, and it could be monumentally difficult to sell if you should desire a future upgrade.

True it is a Young Chang. I guess I was comparing it to the one I currently have which is a very nice piano. Not a Steinway but, still a nice instrument. The room for me is not a problem as I have a single room dedicated to the piano alone. I believe you to be correct as far as selling it in the future goes. The one I have, I have had advertised for a while now and not really had any bites on it.

The alternative is I can get a really good trade in 10k for my current piano and I know of a Kawai EX that is a good buy and I also know of 2 Yamahas. So, I guess it comes down to do I want to go into that much debt for a piano to move up in quality or is the young chang for someone like myself who is not a concert pianist satisfactory. I am a serious player and do play every day of the week. My thing is "I absolutely love the bass you can only receive from a 9 footer".

Btw, I appreciate, as always, the comments of each and all...

I should have added, I do definitely believe in quality in anything I buy and I would really like for the 9 foot piano I end up buying to be the last one I purchase.

So, that being said it might be better to forget the y/c.

It doesn't really sound like it meets the parameters of what you are looking for.

Perhaps a Baldwin concert grand? Also Knabe and Chickering had concert grands that were real stunning back in the day. Of course condition becomes paramount on anything older, but there are possibilities there.

If you have the space (and don't mind using it) there is certainly nothing wrong with buying a concert grand. There is nothing like the bass. A 7' isn't really even close, at least in my opinion.

I would think that the market for used 9'grand pianos is quite small and that there could be bargains out there.

Concert grand pianos that have been used for concerts and recitals will, you would expect, be well maintained, but my piano tuner, who literally travels the world assessing concert grand pianos, has told me about some appallingly maintained concert grand pianos and some of these, according to him, were in the hands of incompetent technicians.

Be cautious as with any used piano and remember that a used concert grand that turns out to be a dud, could be impossible to resell.

Enjoy the search, but be prudent!

Robert.

I have heard similar tales from traveling artists.

Does anybody else have a sort of problem with imagining a lower level quality 9' piano? I don't want to sound prejudiced or snobbish but my reasoning sort of goes like this:

9'pianos are sold largely for big venues, such as schools, concert halls etc.
Such users want extreme durability and quality of sound.
Those qualities are going to be obtained from either top tier instruments or slightly below top tier.

I am sure that the manufacturers of the cheaper end of the market know what they are doing. I just can't see how it works.

I know nothing about Young Chang 9' pianos.

I seriously considered a mid '90s 9' (Hamburg Steinway) when I bought my current piano. It was a dream to play, better than the (smaller) Grotrian. And $$$ was not much different. But what finally put me off was the long term aspect - I ran into stories of a number of 9' pianos which were near impossible to sell. As well, I realised that all future residences would NEED to be able to accomodate a 9' piano. 9' pianos are more expensive to transport than a 6-7' piano. Also, they're very heavy (brand dependent).

That said - I still sometimes feel some regret with not having bought it (it's still for sale nearly 3 years later).

I also ran into stories of people who fitted them into almost impossible spaces - one in an apartment where it took almost all the living area, the person slept under/beside the piano, and the small bedroom had a couch and dining table.

I'd go play other pianos in the same price range first - you may find that, for similar money, you could find a better, though smaller piano. I wouldn't rush into it. And, I'd be surprised if she had any other buyers for the piano, so price could be VERY negotiable. As others said, you'd need to be prepared for it to be a long term purchase, not a stepping stone to a 9' Steinway/Mason et al.

I hear about 9' pianos being cheaper, used, than smaller ones. I wish I could come across one!

I don't know much about Young Chang concert grands. I've played a few smaller Young Chang grands but I've never liked them. That said, sometimes manufacturers pull out all the stops for the concert grands. Here is a video of Living Pianos who had a Young Chang 275 for sale recently. It sounds like a decent enough piano - nice tone on the video at least.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9QNKOd2HN8

These pianos were made so they could claim to build a concert grand. It's a marketing tool more than an instrument for serious performance.

I would strongly suggest you forget it and look for a 60's era Baldwin. One of the best concert grands and it will cost the same as the Y-C and you would be able to actually sell it one day.
They are also easier to find.

Steve

If you really want a concert grand (and who doesn't?), an older Baldwin SD-10, if you can find a good one, is a very good choice. While I was really looking for a 7' piano, I lucked into finding my SD-10. I paid about $20,000 and it's really a fine instrument. Every day I marvel at how lucky I was to find my baby.

There are terrific deals to be found out there on older but still excellent pianos, and the price of older concert grands is quite good.

Remember, a piano is a long-term investment, particularly a concert grand, since you probably won't be able to sell it if you want to Take your time, do lots of research, and when you've found the one, get a trusted independent tech to completely check it out. Trust me, for used concert grands, it's totally a buyer's market. Good luck!

Steve

Baldwin 9' is by far my favorite instrument. I think with the feedback I have gotten that that is the route I should probably go. Thanks once again for all the comments...

collective sigh of relief....

.....except from the guy trying to sell the 9' yc.