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Rebuilt pianos can be great, but it really depends on who did the rebuilding and how completely it has been rebuilt. Old pianos often have action parts that are no longer made (so the action can be meticulously rebuilt wippen by wippen, but it may not be possible to find a modern wippen that can fit in these old pianos, even with moving the action rails). Old Bechsteins didn't use capstan screws but their own "rocker" to do what a capstan does...much harder to regulate.

How are the modern day Bluthners? I am also getting a good deal on a Bluthner Model 6 and 4 (ex display) .....

Are there some issues with a Bluthner that make it necessary to have a specific tuner?

I know you said you're advising a charity on this purchase (hence no VAT). I believe you said it will be in a small hall. I don't recall if you said how much play you expect the piano will get and who will be playing it. And is the case condition very important?

Rebuilt pianos can be great, but it really depends on who did the rebuilding and how completely it has been rebuilt. Old pianos often have action parts that are no longer made (so the action can be meticulously rebuilt wippen by wippen, but it may not be possible to find a modern wippen that can fit in these old pianos, even with moving the action rails). Old Bechsteins didn't use capstan screws but their own "rocker" to do what a capstan does...much harder to regulate.

Blüthner had a "patented" action that was very different from what you find in most pianos. I don't know how rebuilders work on these when they encounter them or how technicians/tuners deal with them. The old Blüthner aliquot string was suspended above the other strings; never having tuned one I am not sure what issues that might bring up.

And then older European pianos generally have 2 pedals (no sostenuto pedal) which might be an issue for some pianists. While most old European instruments from the turn of the last century had 88 keys, some have only 85.

Personally, I'd rather have a newer instrument that doesn't present any headaches for future technicians.

For a venue, I wouldn't go for any restored piano unless it had extensive rebuilding work done, meaning the installation of a new soundboard, and a new tuning plank, and, for a venue, a new action. Anything less than that isn't going to be reliable enough. A 6'3 rebuilt Blüthner from Blüthners London would be a good choice because of the restoration work done on the piano. The patent action Blüthners are beautiful to play on, and when they are properly regulated they have none of the repetition problems that people say they do. There is a difference in feel in that the sound happens higher up the key travel, but it's really nothing that you can't adjust to very quickly. The only reason I'd avoid one for a venue is the fact that there are very few technicians can make a good job at regulating them.

Regarding the insurance, it's easy enough to get a note from the rebuilder or showroom to say how much you paid for the piano, and just insure it for that amount. That's what I did with my piano.

In the UK the VAT is 20 percent whether buying new or used, and the only difference would be buying from somewhere that doesn't pay VAT, and since most piano dealers have a turnover of more than £70,000 a year, there will be VAT on all instruments bought through a dealer.

A new Blüthner model 6, is 6'3, and if it fits within your budget would be a good choice. The 6'3 Blüthner is used for concerts by Blüthner themselves in the Landsdowne Club which seats about 200 people and fills the room well. The 6'11 model 4 would give you a different character in the bass, but not necessarily better or louder. There is no reason why any competent tuner couldn't regulate and tune a new Blüthner piano. The Blüthner 6'3, for whatever reason, sounds like a larger piano when comparing it to 6' pianos from other makes. That's also true of the Bösendorfer 185 and the Steinway model A, but these pianos cost a lot more than your budget, so I'm guessing the Blüthner you are looking at has a few years on it, because the retail price new is £69,000.

A rebuilt piano is a particular flavour. Yes they are beautiful, but there are differences in the tone. The differences may be perceived as superior by some and inferior by others, so it's not a 'safe' bet compared with a new instrument. When choosing for a venue you want to go for something that as many pianists as possible will feel comfortable playing.

am planning to go and have a look at the Phoenix. One thing I am unable to comprehend - why is a Phoenix much cheaper than a similarly sized Steingraeber?

The Bluthners I am looking at are around 8-9 years ood but fully regulated. The Model 2 , is however new but Bluthner is giving a good deal on it. ..

A decade old Blüthner that has been looked after by Blüthner's should still be pretty excellent, if the servicing has been done right. If you're happy with the price and the funding checks out, then you can't go wrong really.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet :-)

Phoenix is mostly constructed in Polen, but with some assembly in England.
Steingraeber is constructed in Germany.

Other than that, the reason is the same as why Steinway is more expensive than most others. Name recognition. Marketing. Perceived value. Some small things that make you want the one more than the other. I think all German manufacturers make wonderful pianos and in theory, they should cost about the same. They all sound different. They all have their strong suits. In the end, that is why you should try as many pianos as possible, as you are more likely to find something that meets your requirements functionally, as well as financially.

A map of the different brands in the marketplace can be found here:
https://www.pianobuyer.com/article/a-map-of-the-market-for-new-pianos-ratings/

Be aware that the map can be a bit confusing compared with your own evaluation notes. It is not a A is better than B comparison per se. With the exception of the Fazioli, history seems to play an important role.

The Shigeru Kawai is an awesome line of pianos, and where I live, good value for money amongst high end pianos. I have tried quite a few Shigeru Kawais over the years, mosttly SK3s which seems to be a favourite for many homes, but also the SK5, SK6 and SK7 which might be what you will be looking at.

I have found them to be surprisingly individual in how they sounds, and as always, I favour some more than others. Compared to Yamaha CF and. SX, they come at a surprisingly good value in Norway.

You might want to have a look in this thread, regarding a presentation of the top of the line Shigeru EX:

https://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthre...higeru-kawai-ex-concert-grand-piano.html

Have you tried the Phoenix yet?