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I'm not a big person, I think if I were larger I might spend more money for something that would hold up better to additional weight.

[...]Correct me if I am wrong but despite the different names they are called on each website, they look very very similar to me. I think they are the same, actually. But the price in the Jimlaab website is like half the price of the others.

If they are the same I'd obviously go with the Jimlaab one.[...]

My experience looking at benches is there is a large difference in the quality of the lifting mechanism, the attachment of the legs, and the fit and finish of the upholstery and hinging of the bench seat. In the end I bought a relatively inexpensive bench similar to the one you're looking at. I think this is the bench I bought, but I'm not 100% sure. I'm not a big person, I think if I were larger I might spend more money for something that would hold up better to additional weight.

Here’s the link:Piano bench

I bought one of the ones you linked, this one:

https://jansenpianobenches.com/coll.../products/concert-adjustable-piano-bench

It is really great and I'm quite pleased with it.

CPS Imports also gets very positive reviews and I know a lot of people who've purchased one of their benches. I also exchanged some emails with them and have a good impression of their customer service. So I would recommend them as well. The only reason I didn't purchase from them is because the bench I wanted was back ordered into next spring.

Re Lim Laabs and the Frederick benches, there have been a lot of complaints about bad quality and bad customer service, so I decided not to consider buying from them.

I don't know anything about GrandPianoBench.com.

Previously, I purchased an adjustable bench from Amazon (Songmatics maybe?). I think it was around $100 give or take. But very quickly it started to squeak and creak and wobble.

So I do not recommend getting an inexpensive bench.

Good luck!

Would it be too much to ask you to post some pictures of the bench you've bought? I'd like to have a look at the mechanism underneath also

Well, since I made so many threads about it, I thought I better give an update!

I tried websites all over the place to find a good adjustable bench within my budget. CPS Imports (which is rec'ed by a lot of people I know) is on back order until at least Feb. 2022, Vanda King benches is sold out, as was almost every other website I checked. Amazon does not have the bench I want in stock. I also emailed Frank (the owner of PW, who runs pianosuplpies.com) but he never responded.

Brandon from JansenPianosBenches dot com was very responsive, answering all of my email questions promptly. So long story short, I ordered from him.

The good news: the bench was delivered in a very timely fashion. My husband put it together for me and he said it looks to be well-made, good quality wood etc. The bench was exactly as I expected it, and IMO it looks quite nice.

The not-so good news: the bench shipped to me from Jim Laabs, which is another piano supplies site that doesn't have the greatest reputation. This is only "not-so good" because it is just an example of a complete lack of transparency.

Some of you will recall the other criticism of JansenPianoBenches, which is that many people feel their name is dishonest, since they are not directly associated with Jansen Benches. I actually emailed PLJansen (the official Jansen maker) and asked about their relationship with JansenPianoBenches. The PLJansen rep said JPB is an authorized dealer of Jansen Benches and didn't say anything beyond that. Note that Frank is also an authorized dealer or Jansens, as are many other retailers. Also note that you cannot order a Jansens bench directly from pljansen.com. So whether JPB is being unethical with their name, I do not have an opinion. Their website says they've been selling jansen benches online since 1996, so maybe they started their site before a lot of others and if so, it doesn't seem shady to me...

But with all the details, the waters are pretty muddy here... Esp., as I said, it was disappointing to learn that the bench was shipping from Jim Laabs only after the package was shipped. I would rather know about those kinds of relationships before hand.

But, back to the bench itself.

The seat seems to be good (I got the vinyl since the leather ones sometimes get bad reviews as being bonded leather which actually doesn't last long).

It went together really well, no problems with construction etc. -- the criticism of Jim Laabs is that they were selling some poorly designed benches in the past. This bench does not seem to be that way.

The mechanism is the less complicated (i.e. less sturdy) kind (see below) if the comparison point is a Jansen's artist bench. But this is miles above the quality of my old adjustable bench.

It's a little tight to adjust it, but that's not a problem for me.

And it feels very sturdy (it probably weights clse to 30 lbs). So, I'm happy with it. But check back in 2 years and lets see how it holds up!

Oh, last detail. I added furniture slides on the legs so that it won't tear up my carpet. If you were using it on a hard wood floor, the legs have little... plastic y things so I don't think you'd need to add anything.

Ok, now for photos!

Ugh, that means I have to turn the thing upside down! It does weight a ton, but as it happens, I took photos of it when I first got it. Hang on...

Ok, I found the post I made when I first got the bench, which was a little over a month ago. And wouldn't you know it, my bench which I bought online from JansenPianoBenches dot com, shipped from Jim Laabs. What is wrong with my brain, I completely forgot about that!!!

Anyway, I've had the bench for a little over a month now, and I use it every day. I have zero complaints. I don't think this is a Fredrick's bench.... but in case it's helpful, here's the post I made when I first got the bench. Photos at the end!

Regarding what you say about Jim Laabs: I understand that you bought your bench at JansenPianoBenches and Jim Laabs only took care of the shipping. That does not necessarily mean that they sent you one of the benches that Jim Laabs sell on their website for much less money (Frederick's), am I right or we will never know?