Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Schimmel C120 vs. Bechstein A114

Hello,

we are currently deciding between Schimmel C120 vs. Bechstein A114. Our daughter loved both instruments. We've got a similar quotes for both (ebony finish for both, around 17.5K USD including NJ sales tax/delivery/tuneup). Wondering about opinion which one is more considering similar price point? Looking at the link which was cordially recommended to me in another post,
Schimmel value appears about 10% lower: https://www.pianobuyer.com/brand/schimmel/. Wondering if it is better idea to stick with Bechstein as I assume this will be a better value should we choose to upgrade few years down the road (not sure how likely is that scenario but still)?

thanks in advance!

The height difference could mean a little something in terms of tonal performance across the compass of the piano, particularly with clarity in the bass. Both are considered high-quality models from well-respected manufacturers, but neither is particularly well known in the US market, particularly to the general public.

If you're going to upgrade only a few years down the road, then don't buy a new piano, or if you do, buy the best one you can afford and keep it longer-- you'll lose money, no matter what new piano you choose. I grew up on a slightly worse new upright piano than these, and it didn't impede my progress at all for the first 8 years of lessons (by an admittedly enthusiastic student, and my parents maintained it regularly). I was working on repertoire like the Brahms g minor Op.79 No.2 Rhapsody and complete easier Beethoven and Haydn sonatas by the end of that partnership. We upgraded to a newer used grand when I was about 15-16 years old and decided to major in piano performance after graduation. At that point, my repertoire included easier Bach preludes and fugues, complete easier and moderately difficult classical sonatas by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, some more bombastic romantic works that a teenaged boy would be into, and just starting some more well-known etudes, where the advantages of a grand piano made some sense.

The amount of discount when you buy the piano in the first place matters to an extent with resale value, but your preference for one over the other in terms of touch, tone, and appearance should matter more. When you back-figure the sales tax and typical local delivery costs, both are being offered at a healthy % discount.

thank you very much for your response.
Sadly neither me nor my wife can play the instrument ourselves, so we are going by the feedback from our 12 year old daughter. This will be first acoustic instrument for her, she is currently playing electric Yamaha. Out of several pianos we tried, she picked up Bechstein / Schimmel among other brads. They are towards the upper limit of what we are willing to spend. i am also trying to look at this models used. Not that many options though and i am slightly concerned doing this without trying a particular used instrument.

Ah, yes. Either would be a really big step up, and something that would last several decades with good maintenance and care!
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