I want to preface this with the fact that I am a big believer in manifestation. I bought a Roland FA08 last year and now that I am recently retired, I decided to try my best to learn how to play piano. Having had a piano in the house when I was a kid I had something to compare the semi weighted digital keyboard to and there is no comparison.
I started scouring YouTube for what to look for when buying a used piano. I am a wood worker and was an auto mechanic, so this was right up my alley. I kept looking for used pianos because I wanted a Grand or Baby Grand and thought the new ones were out of reach. I went and looked at the Kawai's and wanted to try the millennium action. I was more interested in the GL-16 for the duplex bridging. They didn't have one but I tried the GL-10 and 30. It just wasn't for me.
The pianos sounded nice for their size but I wanted to see what I could come up with at the Steinway Presidents Day warehouse sale. I had an 11 am appointment on day one of the sale. I went with the intention of looking at a couple of used Boston's, but again I was not impressed with the sound. The low end was muddy to me. Something that made me hesitant to get a Baby Grand. I really wanted to be around the 6 foot mark. I wandered over to a section of the store where the non-Steinway pianos were. I looked at a Mason and Hamlin from 1955 but it needed a lot of work in the action and probably needed a restring. In spite of that it sounded awesome even out of tune. Ot was built like a tank too but I wasn't looking for a project.
Then I saw an Estonia 190 that was very clean. By the time the sales person came over I had already been under the piano and it was immaculate in and out (Like it was played by a little old lady from Pasadena on Sundays lol). I thought Estonia was a stencil brand out of Asia. How mistaken I was. I hit that low C and was blown away by the clarity of the bass and the bell like tones of the treble. Not too bright, to me it sounded perfect. Then I looked at the price new. This was a 2011 model and well kept. It also had a piano saver installed. I didn't think the financing would be approved, but I said to the salesperson "If it's to be, then it will be." A few hours later I was notified the financing went through. It's getting delivered this Saturday and I am dedicating the downstairs (not a basement) of the house to music. I can control the climate better there. What a beautiful sounding piano. I can't wait. It crosses the 6 ft threshold and plays better than I can LOL. It ticks all the boxes for me. I'll post a picture when I get it. This is the room it's going in. Approximately 8 X 11 1/2 and faces a room slightly larger so it shouldn't be too loud. This is my first piano purchase and I think I scored. (No pun intended)
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![[Linked Image]](https://forum.pianoworld.com//gallery/42/full/14539.jpeg)
