Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Steinway vs C. Bechstein vs Fazioli

Mmmmmmmmm. Didn't somebody do something of the sort to a lily, with similar effect?

No, it was a Shirley. Shirley Eaton.

Larry.

Surely not!!

Now for a little fun.... Click on phantomFive's link above. Who can name the brand of Presley's gold leaf piano from the photo? NO GOOGLING! You are on your honor.

I will give you a hint - it is an American brand.

I guessed, and I got it completely wrong.

However the effect on Shirley was rather different than the one on the lily.

I guess "Peoples number 69 firewood and piano co-operative".

Nope. I was surprised, because when googling "american piano maker" followed by the names of the two main suspects (main for me, at least!), I came up with fewer hits than googling "american piano maker" and the right name.

The distinctive features I see on the piano are:

1) Rounded side-arm

2) square legs

3) distinctive square pedal box and lyre

4) the keyblocks seem wider than on most pianos

5) the simple square music rack

6) it looks built like a tank

Based on all that, I guessed a brand, but I'm still not sure because my Google skills are failing me

Just google "elvis presley gold piano". I'd never have guessed the real maker.

Aliash,
Although I haven't tried all of the exact models of the pianos you've mentioned, I've tried most of the brands in the concert grand size. I actually have a thread previously about my experiences with each with sound clips. I tried quite all Hamburg Steinway Bs and Ds (no Cs there), and the Fazioli concert grand. Have a read/listen for yourself. I also had sound files of Bluthner and Shigeru pianos, although I didn't have bechsteins or Bosendorfers on that trip. My comments are throughout the thread so you might want to scroll through the pages to find my posts. I would love to explain my experiences again but I'm on vacation right now and typing on a phone is no fun!

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2516433/1.html

[s][/s]If I'm not mistaken Elvis had a Knabe.

Maybe he did, but it wasn't a Knabe covered in gold leaf.

As a previous poster mentioned, you really need to include a Steingraeber in your mix. To leave it out would be a big mistake.

Aliash, you were more indulged than even my kids, LOL. Lucky you.

I like Steinways. I haven't heard the new Bechstein, and I haven't loved the tone of the Fazioli pianos I've heard, but none of that matters. It only matters that you like the piano and how it sounds in your space.

A few points though.

One, you already have a pretty nice piano that you don't love, but that would suffice even for a concert pianist to practice on, so . . . don't rush.

Two, you clearly don't have much if any financial issues buying a top tier piano.

and Three, you're clearly not only buying this piano for the sound and touch. The Fazioli craftsmanship is what made that brand appeal to you more than its tone, so you care about what it looks like.

So I'd take Bechstein and Fazioli off your list.

Bechstein: Less common than Steinway. Newer design. Some name recognition, but while it may be a newer and possibly even a better design than a Steinway C, it no longer has the cachet value among people who don't love pianos. You're actually considering a Fazioli, when you don't love their sound, so clearly something besides musicality plays into this.

Still, you don't seem to want to default to the Steinway without at least looking at some others, so I think pick one or two that have something unique, which your peers/friends/family, and especially you, can appreciate. Something that will make your piano more fun to play than it's just being a great instrument.

To me, that means Steingraeber and Bosendorfer, not Bechstein and Fazioli.

They are equal in craftsmanship to the Fazioli. Can be bought with any custom veneer you like. Are probably better built than even a Hamburg Steinway, although it's splitting hairs at that point. But more, they offer something unique.

The Bosendorfer 225 has extra keys and a mellower tone than Steinway that may sound spectacular in your home. It also has huge cachet even among non piano people.

Steingraeber... well, in my opinion, it's the other piano equal in craftsmanship, equal in the beauty of its tone, and equally unique. Their 232 gives you the options of a Sordino or Mozart Rail. Problem is, unless your friends are pianists, they won't know it's one of the top piano makes around. Bosendorfer . . . most people will recognize that name. They'll be awed by the extra keys. The action is amazing, the build quality is amazing, the tone wonderful . . .

Steinway C Bose 225
Uncommon, beautiful, impressive.

And hey, if you don't care about the name being well known outside the piano industry, add in the Steingraeber 232 with custom veneer work inside and out. Maybe Birdseye maple on the inner rim and under the lid, and Santos Mahogany elsewhere.

Good luck

to toddler2: i appreciate the review and your opinion, yes it's a tough choice to make, wheater to have the greatest looking piano, or the greatest biult piano in detail or the best sounding, somehow i never considered a steingraeber, but have bosendorfer. the steingraeber is a enigma to me, never played one and never seen one before. as for the bosendorfer, i could say i didnt like the sound very much, i've played a couple in concerts halls and smaller venues...
i will try to make an agreement with steinway to give me a nice custom veener on the inner rim, but i would probably have to wait a couple of years so they could build me one.

and to answer your questions: yes, the money was not a problem in my family, but after the Steinway B was not used that often, when i was studying abroad, the treble section become dampened quite heavily and the yamaha is to short, i don't like the cheap bass that it produces and is too bright for my taste and even extremely lacking in the colour of tone, its like a dead piano. the fazioli on the other side is a very beautiful instrument, but first of all i dont like the shape of the piece where you put your sheets on (i dont know the english word for it :D) and second of all i really do not like the sound, i even can't describe what is bodering me that much, but have tried the 212, 228 and the 278 and it kept on being worser and worser when i played them.

A long time ago in this thread I made some comments without, I think, mentioning Steingraeber. Or maybe I did. But in any case, l'Il second what Toddler 2 said about build quality of Steingraeber. If you haven't ever touched one or seen one they really are something special to consider. For complete transparency in my comments I'll mention that I have one.

Thank you mark, yes i have read the line where you mentioned the steingraebers qualities and after a second, or even a third opinion here i will give them a try. i have contacted them already.

Aliash,

I think you should have a good tech work on those two pianos.
Wood and felt are not the most stable materials, and none of your complaints about the Steinway or the Yamaha should be beyond the skills of a good tech. They may not be able to completely fix the Yamaha tone, but they'll be able to at least to moderate and improve it with voicing. That'll buy you some time, although probably not years!

Steinway really said years to build a custom C? I'm sorry, but I think that's ridiculous. You haven't described an art case, just custom woods, and they aren't growing the trees... .

Yes i have tried many of techs too try and fix both the pianos, but the yamaha i really do not play anymore, and the b is in terrible condition, i think nobody in slovenija could fix it, maybe if i had a good technician from austria or germany to come over but i haven't heard of that by so far. I mostly know all these gentlemans who call them selves technicians here in slovenija, because i have met them over the period of my carier when they were voicing before the concert etc., but i think they are not capable of fully prepare or fix my piano. actually there are only two companies who work on voicing in slovenija currently and one of the technicians could bearly hear since i was a child xD so you can imagine what kind of pros we have