Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Yamaha M-series, P22, or 50 yr. old Steinway?

I have 2 daughters that have shown over the past 5 years that they love and are commited to playing the piano. I am looking to upgrade our hand me down awful piano and am looking to purchase a used piano. I have narrowed it down to 3 options. All play and sound equally great. Which would be the best choice:
-20 yr. old Yamaha M-series $1900 including delivery and tuning.
-20 yr. old Yamaha P22 $1800 without tuning.
-50 yr. old Steinway $1900 including delivery and tuning. (Needs about $1500 worth of cosmetic painting, but plays fine).

Not looking for which has the best resell value just wondering which is the best financial choice for me to make.

Based upon the limited info you provided, the P22. Don't know what model of Steinway, but $1500 is more than touch up but not enough for quality refinishing. At 50 yrs old, it's probably a good piano for a modest, experienced player, but probably not my first choice for a student.

While agreeing with Sam that the 45" P22 may beat the 44" M, you have to say more about the Steinway for anyone to respond meaningfully.

My 2 cents: If you are thinking of the P22, understanding that the dealer won't tune it after you get it, make sure it has at least been tuned BEFORE you commit while it's still at the dealer. You really don't want to buy a piano that's out of tune at the dealership because you won't be able to hear what it sounds like. If you can't hear it, how do you know you'll like it?

While agreeing with Sam that the 45" P22 may beat the 44" M, you have to say more about the Steinway for anyone to respond meaningfully.

My 2 cents: If you are thinking of the P22, understanding that the dealer won't tune it after you get it, make sure it has at least been tuned BEFORE you commit while it's still at the dealer. You really don't want to buy a piano that's out of tune at the dealership because you won't be able to hear what it sounds like. If you can't hear it, how do you know you'll like it?

I have found out a little more information about the pianos I listed above:
-20 yr. old Yamaha M302 #T135591 (manufactured in GA)
-20 yr. old Yamaha P22 tuned a little over a year ago is being sold by a teacher friend of mine who bought it new for her piano studio (bought a grand and needs more room so selling the P22 at "friend" price). I would pay to have it tuned after we move it.
-50 yr. old Steinway R222 #370325. I would wait to have cosmetic painting done and find a cheaper price than $1500.

Does this information change the opinion that the P22 is the best buy?

Present condition is key for all of them.

With the Yamaha P22, it depends how and how much it was used in the teacher's studio. If it was used 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, there will be considerable wear on the action. If it has been regulated, and hammers reshaped/replaced along the way, that's a big plus.

As for the Steinway, R222 is not a model number, so we still don't have enough information. Is this an upright or a grand? I'm assuming an upright because of the price. How tall is the piano? If it's 40 inches tall, it would be a Model 100 console. If it's approx. 45 inches tall, it would be a Model 45 or Model 1098 studio upright. Some of those era Steinway consoles and studios can be very nice...and some of them can be quite odd.

The Yamaha Model M 300 series is a 43-inch console. I find these (and most Yamahas) to be fairly consistent from one to the next, with few, if any problems.

If you can have a technician check the pianos for you, then you'll know for sure which is the better piano.

Sorry for the disconnected information- the Steinway is a 45" studio piano.

Steinway mavens:
Does this mean it's a related design to a new 4510? Or is this a whole different piano from a modern 4510? If it's the latter, we might need some input from someone with pretty deep ol' S&S knowledge to move forward here . . .

I did confirm with the piano store that the Steinway is a 51 yr. old 1098.

That should mean it's not the 45" we've been talking about, but rather 46.5". Is that right, or did Steinway uncharacteristically change designs on the 1098?

It means they changed the way they measured pianos.

Interesting. Can you be more specific re how they used to measure compared with how they currently measure?

When BDB was just a lad, inches were longer than they are today. That 60" LCD TV you have today is just clever marketing

That's actually true.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_%28unit%29#International_foot

But the real answer is that while the 1098 measure 46.5 inches in the back, it has the same innards as the 45 inch Sheraton model.

Got it. Thanks!

Most of these measurement changes have to do with the casters. But somehow some of the Kawai grand models grew longer between the literature of the time they were made and the current literature.

Perhaps it has to do with the expansion of the universe.

Exactly what I was thinking. A medium soda is just huge these days.

My wife an I are both musicians and teach several students. We currently have a 100 year old cable grand 5' ( it was refinished about 30 years ago) and a 30 year old yamaha console. We have kept them well tuned, but alas, we too have to get a new piano. Due to the number of students we have, the piano is going to be used most of the time. We played several new and used pianos, grands and studios. We finally decided on the P22. We are paying 4200 that includes delivery and two tunings. We played every possible brand. It took us several months to decided. Once you make your decision, please share what you have decided.

Robo,we did decide on the P-22. We haven't brought it home yet, but are excited to do so soon. Thanks to everyone who helped guide us to our decision.

Congratulations and enjoy!