Welcome to the Piano World Piano Forums Over 3 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments. Over 100,000 members from around the world.
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
I did walk by this piano at Classic Pianos in Portland last week when I got my N1. I plinked a few keys, and it didn't sound all that impressive. Just kidding. But I did get to plink a few keys. Seems like a perfectly serviceable piano to me
Main battle axe: Yamaha N1 Living room axe: 1999 Petrof III Road axe: Yamaha P515 Office axe: 1927 Kurtzmann upright Neighbor's axe that used to be my axe: Kawai GL10 R.I.P. axe: Kawai MP11SE
I just played this instrument on Saturday. It was so lovely - but very mellow, unlike other VCs I've played. They also have a couple of 225s in the background there - one new, one used. I would have been happy to take any of these home (if only my checkbook agreed). All had a very clear, pure tone, the typically Viennese tone I suppose.
I just played this instrument on Saturday. It was so lovely - but very mellow, unlike other VCs I've played. They also have a couple of 225s in the background there - one new, one used. I would have been happy to take any of these home (if only my checkbook agreed). All had a very clear, pure tone, the typically Viennese tone I suppose.
Cool. But the big question: how did you get in the door? The only way I've ever been able to get into the Classic Pianos' showroom is on the pretense of looking for a piano, then they'll unlock the door and send a salesperson in with you to follow you around while you "shop."
Probably the main reason I don't visit their store more often.
Main battle axe: Yamaha N1 Living room axe: 1999 Petrof III Road axe: Yamaha P515 Office axe: 1927 Kurtzmann upright Neighbor's axe that used to be my axe: Kawai GL10 R.I.P. axe: Kawai MP11SE
I just played this instrument on Saturday. It was so lovely - but very mellow, unlike other VCs I've played. They also have a couple of 225s in the background there - one new, one used. I would have been happy to take any of these home (if only my checkbook agreed). All had a very clear, pure tone, the typically Viennese tone I suppose.
Cool. But the big question: how did you get in the door? The only way I've ever been able to get into the Classic Pianos' showroom is on the pretense of looking for a piano, then they'll unlock the door and send a salesperson in with you to follow you around while you "shop."
Probably the main reason I don't visit their store more often.
Well, I've bought 3 pianos from them, so that probably helps. But I've never had an issue with just showing up whenever and being set loose in their showroom. They'll drift by from time to time to talk pianos and then leave me to it again. That's disappointing that your experience is so different.
Ah. Must be because the times I had gone before, I hadn't bought anything from them yet. Hard to distinguish me from the normal riff raff roaming the streets.
To their credit, the purchase of my N1 went very smoothly, and the sales person and his staff couldn't have been nicer.
Last edited by Emery Wang; 06/01/2106:51 PM.
Main battle axe: Yamaha N1 Living room axe: 1999 Petrof III Road axe: Yamaha P515 Office axe: 1927 Kurtzmann upright Neighbor's axe that used to be my axe: Kawai GL10 R.I.P. axe: Kawai MP11SE
Cool. But the big question: how did you get in the door? The only way I've ever been able to get into the Classic Pianos' showroom is on the pretense of looking for a piano, then they'll unlock the door and send a salesperson in with you to follow you around while you "shop."
I'm always honest that I just want to look around and play some pianos. No one ever minds You never know if you might want to upgrade in the future or send a friend their way.
Yes, I am making a much bigger deal out of this than it is, maybe it's just because it's a Tuesday. However, there is something nice to just being able to walk into a store vs. having to pass by a front desk person who must then call a sales person who then must walk you to another building and unlock the door so you can get in. Makes it more intimidating when you show up in your pajamas and bunny slippers and just want to look around.
Main battle axe: Yamaha N1 Living room axe: 1999 Petrof III Road axe: Yamaha P515 Office axe: 1927 Kurtzmann upright Neighbor's axe that used to be my axe: Kawai GL10 R.I.P. axe: Kawai MP11SE
Back to the piano-- reminds me of the few, excellent, Grotrian uprights I've played. (:ducks and covers:)
But more seriously, it does seem to hold over more in common with the 225 than some of the other VCs do vs their traditional counterparts. In a nice way.
I'd love to play it person ! I have a strong feeling it would be much more impressive then on the video. No offense to the player, it's just difficult to get a good and representative recording in a store. Their forte is knowing about and selling pianos, not being a Pro recording engineer.
I'm also guessing Dennis will have one soon at Keyboard Concepts, probably the Santa Monica store. And if it stays on the floor for any length of time, he said they were flying out of there at a record pace !
2005 NY Steinway D Yamaha AvantGrand N3X, CP88, P-515
It sounds very similar to Yamaha s6x and s7x. I bet Yamaha is using similar building tecnichs in both.
I actually hear this as a very different sound to the Yamaha SX pianos. They have a similar warmth, but I can hear that the Bösendorfer tone, even the new VC pianos, is still rooted in the European sound world. You can hear that there's still a kind of deliberate change in tone between the registers on the Bösendorfer, and that's a part of the piano building tradition that goes back 250 years.
The Yamaha S series pianos are warm sounding instruments of course, and they do have a range of colour that makes them sound kind of old-world, but it is still the modern Yamaha sound, which is a sound equally beautiful to the Bösendorfer but entirely different.
For what it's worth, Yamaha own Bösendorfer, and there are some places where they converge: the Bösendorfer disklavier for example, but the actual building of the two lines is entirely separate.
I was in the Classic Pianos showroom a few weeks ago and played many of their pianos - including the two 225 in the background and a 200 they had at the time (not sure if it's still there), as well as an S6X and S7X (and many other Estonia and Schimmels). It's a shame they didn't have the 230VC at the time - I would have liked to try it (even if it was never an option).
I made an appointment ahead of time since I was a returning customer traveling in from out of state to trade-up from a C1X I've owned for a few years. There was a walk-in at the time as well which they mostly left up on his own. I spoke with sales a bit while they finished trying out some stuff since it would have been inconvenient for both of us if we tried to play over each other. I realize now that appointments are also very convenient for everyone involved. I played around for about an hour and they left me alone for most of it. They knew I traveled in from out of state and knew that I was a serious buyer so maybe they figured it was best to let the pianos do the talking for them.
I found the used 225 was noticeably brighter than the new 225. It seemed well prepped, but it might have seen a rougher life and needs a bit more work to be comparable to the new 225 IMO. The new 225 was lovely but outside my budget.
In the end I had to choose between the Bösendorfer 225 (used) or 200 (new) (which were at the very tip-top of my budget) and the Yamaha S7X and I ended up choosing the S7X - I'm still waiting for delivery until next week.
Originally Posted by Joseph Fleetwood
I actually hear this as a very different sound to the Yamaha SX pianos. They have a similar warmth, but I can hear that the Bösendorfer tone, even the new VC pianos, is still rooted in the European sound world. You can hear that there's still a kind of deliberate change in tone between the registers on the Bösendorfer, and that's a part of the piano building tradition that goes back 250 years.
The Yamaha S series pianos are warm sounding instruments of course, and they do have a range of colour that makes them sound kind of old-world, but it is still the modern Yamaha sound, which is a sound equally beautiful to the Bösendorfer but entirely different.
I would agree with all of this from my personal experience as well. I really enjoyed all of them and I was fortunate to have so many good options available to choose from.
Was that the S7X they had on their recital stage? If so, I had the privilege of playing it a few times before COVID. Congratulations on your new piano!
Main battle axe: Yamaha N1 Living room axe: 1999 Petrof III Road axe: Yamaha P515 Office axe: 1927 Kurtzmann upright Neighbor's axe that used to be my axe: Kawai GL10 R.I.P. axe: Kawai MP11SE
Was that the S7X they had on their recital stage? If so, I had the privilege of playing it a few times before COVID. Congratulations on your new piano!
It was the one on the stage at the back of the room. I wonder what they moved up to take it's place. The Bösendorfers seem to be in the same place they were before towards the front.
That lady is always so distracting with the affected mannerisms. I really have trouble watching her. Perhaps it suits the ambiance of the showroom, and sells expensive pianos.
My S7X was delivered yesterday evening after being shipped from Melbourne to Sydney. It definitely needs a tune. The bass currently is not really in tune with the rest of the piano.
You may remember that in the selection I had to choose between one with a phenomenal base, but poor treble, and one with the nice treble but thinner, weaker more plain base. I chose the latter. I'm still hoping that since it was brand new out of the box it just needs wearing in a bit, both strings and hammers, and the bass will improve.
I've never played a 230VC, but I prefer to believe that the S7X is as good or significantly better, since that's what I've got I suspect that the S7X is probably the more powerful piano as that's what I found when comparing the S6X with the 214VC. The Yamaha action is very different from the Bosendorfer action.
Player 13 - I'd be interested in hearing your experience with trying the pianos, and also after delivery. What did you think of the bass? Were the lowest notes rich and lush, or a little dull and plonky (relatively speaking)?
We should start an exclusive S7X club on this forum. S6X,S5X and S3X owners could perhaps to allowed to join as well.