I am in the market to purchase a baby grand and have seen two that I like. One is the HG161G Hailun and the other a 5'4" Kohler and Campbell. They are close in price.
Knowing very little about pianos in general, I would appreciate any advise that can be given comparing these two pianos.

NOT professional advice, simply an opinion from a consumer who looked at both;
HAILUN hands down.

I am just talking about touch and tone to my own liking. I am sure many posts will follow on quality etc.
Do you have a preference yourself as to touch and tone?

I have heard both and prefer the touch and tone of the Hailun. I havent been able to compare the two side by side so find it difficult at best. I appreciate your comment....thank you.

Kohler & Campbell - hands up!

Serious: go by your own take of things, both are nice pianos!

Norbert

- look mom, no hands -

Norbert, you are right of course. (i still like em though)

Do you, or anyone else for that matter know if both of these pianos have duplex scale?

Interesting choices. I have decades of experience with Samick Music Corp. products and would have confidence in the Kohler & Campbell KIG54 or Samick SIG54. I am impressed with Hailun products, but have little long term experience.

Both Pianos have "Duplex Scale"

When a dealer disucsses his brands, unless it is by PM, he is talking to anyone who reads PW.

Plover,

Only in your parlance could it be said that Norbert discussed his brands here

Anyway, I'm out of here. Something about this thread seems odd.

You can fill the Captain in on his choices.

The speed by which comments by same people are coming in whenever my name appears in conjunction with Hailun speaks volumes.

There's something about this brand that is is either feared or hated to such an extent that it puts the previous East German watch towers along the Berlin wall to shame.

Now let the educated shoppers speak themselves.

Meantime I shall recommend Belarus made 20 years ago in the Soviet Union!

Norbert

I agree with the tenor of the thread. Hailun hands down, up, sideways, etc.

Hop (an HG 178 owner)

Working for a company that is an authorized dealer of both, my preference is the Kohler. Sorry, I've played both side by side, I've got no pony in this race, it's just my personal opinion.

Interesting. I'd be curious on what you base this opinion. Perhaps you could describe the tone in various parts of the keyboard, the smoothness across the break, the touch, or anything else that makes you prefer the K&C to the Hailun.

This is not meant to challenge your opinion, but rather to help all of us discover various aspects of evaluating and comparing pianos.

Hop

An opinion is an opinion, whatever the reasons might be - all are welcome!

Fact is, that these are tough times and dealers of currently competing makes do take note when certain makes get perhaps a bit more buzz than is desirable.

Having been a dealer for Young Chang several years ago, I wouldn't be able to offer an opinion on these pianos today in their current state of development or condition.

For me at least, it certainly would be important to compare pianos in their most current state of quality than what could have been the case some time ago.

My 2 cents.

Norbert

+1

Could you perhaps include a comment re how easy - or difficult - it is to play these two pianos quietly? (One at a time, of course;-))

I say go far Hailun, I haven't heard one negative thing about them and from what I read earlier, someone drove 6 hours to see pianos and between H, Kawai, and Yammie, he went with the H.

I have been doing a lot of research and comparison between the products and as a result my head has been spinning. But today the spinning stopped once I made a decision as to which piano was the better investment and which piano I personally preferred. I feel confident with my desision. I will be purchasing a Hailun HG161-G.
That is a 5'4" model with duplex scaling. The K&C is a nice piano but in my opinion did not hold up to the Hailun with tone or touch (not that I am any expert).

I came across "dealers", mostly old school, not players, that tried to knock the Hailun product. Their main points being...it's a Chinese built piano, look at the dealer your buying it from and how long they've been in business, and so forth.
I truly knew having talked with these people that they are threatened by the Hailun product. I must add that some dealers that do not carry the Hailun product told me they were impressed with Hailun. That was refreshing.

My experience with the local Hailun dealer was a pleasure. Not once did I feel any high pressure sales tactic rearing its head. Besides the dealer being informative about the product and it's history(however short), the dealer was also informative as to where I may seek an outside point of view that was objective with no commercial interest.


I'm sure many will ask what the deciding factors were for me, so I will try to add this on to the thread once I take delivery of the Hailun HG161-G.

I was given great advise from dealers. "Play and feel the pianos, follow my gut instinct and purchase the one I felt most comfortable with". I did Hailun wins.

If you do the research you will more than likely come up with the same confident decision I have made..... Hailun wins hands down, up, sideways and then some.

I thank all for the input and welcome any further comments.

Capt. Mark.(Bubbles)

Congratulations to your new piano!

Special congratulations to a decision made on your own!!

Norbert

why the heck would you ask in the first place? Take the time and research like you just did and come up with your own answer. Asking a question like this post then on the 2nd page, say that one brand wins hand down, sideway.... just makes you look more like a sock. I might be too sensitive but I don't think I am alone due to recent posts.

Don't get me wrong though. I'll pick the Hailun also if the other choice is K@C.

When your piano is home, take a picture and share its Chinese beauty with us.

In the meantime, you are a 50/50 chance sock in my book until proven with pictures to back up



Gratz on the piano if indeed you bought one.

Congrats on your new piano! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed my HG178. I'm familiar with this particular size and style; one of my neighbors bought one just like it after I told her about Hailun.

I'm especially glad to hear that you listened and investigated using your own faculties (after asking for suggestions to aid you in your search). Making your own decision is the most important part, regardless of the brand you prefer.

Hop

This is an odd thread.





Captain,

Looking forward to a full report on all that research. You seem to have made great strides in two days. Be sure to give full props to your dealer!




No pony, but maybe a gelding. The company linked in the tag lists K&C as a represented brand. No mention of Hailun anywhere on the company website.

That's our particular store website. You can compare it here. We are authorized to carry Hailun in our store, and were heavily influenced to do so. The heavy love of Hailun on this site even being one of the reasons why. At the end of the day, the decision was left to the staff on which units we would stock, and we agreed unanimously to only stock the Kohler & Campbell lineup in this showroom, as it was a piano that the staff in this store liked the best for the price range.

I can't speak for the rest of the staff, only for myself. The reason's why I preferred K&C are personal. I personally preferred the tone and the touch. While I thought the Hailun was a very nice piano, I enjoy the Kohler & Campbell overall. The newer KIG54 has a very nice scale for the price, and a good action (again for the price). I'm also extremely happy with the Millenium series grands and verticals. So much so, that I recommended the KCM600 to my own church over smaller Kawai's, Yamaha's, and the similarly sized Hailun. That's he primary reason why I voted to not stock the Hailun's on the floor, despite the positive response and endorsement it's received on this site. The other has to do with the nature of this level of instrument. Every six months, it seems, there's a new Chinese built piano that is going to revolutionize the industry. It's touted as the ultimate instrument for it's price, and promoted heavily on this site. Then, six month's later, the luster starts to fade, interest begins to wane, and everybody start's to look for the next big thing. Yet, Samick and the K&C lineup continues to chug along... Speaking from a business perspective, I believe that it's better to go with a good solid product that continues to produce a decent quality piano and has done so year after year than to keep changing brands just to keep up with the current trendy choice. For over 15 years, Kohler & Campbell has been praised by some, maligned by others, and is still going strong.

BPrentice,

Thanks. That was refreshing. I'm sure this website gives retailers lots of opportunities to sample consumer thinking. It's nice as a consumer to get a perspective on retailer thinking. That doesn't seem to happen as often.

BPrentice:

I hope no offense, but that's virtually word by word what I heard a while back from another Canadian dealer of also new Japanese pianos like you. [out of town...]

His comments were actually quite forthright admitting "these pianos" [Hailuns] would blow the door off my ....

I am not suggesting this was your own reasoning - but it certainly was *his*.

Smart as you,this guy ended up becoming dealer anyways if only to tie up line and not having to face them as competition in town.

No offense: I do respect your comments as stated and perhaps for entirely different reasons!

Just a coincidence, let's say...

Norbert

Just a little bit of desk research might have reassured you this is not the case with Hailun.
Already more then 6 years ago these were first marketed in Europe as Wendl & Lung. This launch was and still is one of the most successful introduction of a non Japanese brand on the European market with over 300 dealers; a couple of years back followed the North American market introduction as both Hailun and W&L.

And yes once in a while Hailun/W&L extend their product line with some products that indeed seem to amaze the piano world, e.g. the 198, the Paulellos, the 4th pedal. But who is complaining about this and who in North America, apart from the competition finds it dreadful they climb the Fine ladder?

schwammerl.

As a Hailun owner, I would salute any new Chinese (or American, Japanese, European, Indonesian, etc.) built piano that would revolutionize the industry. I'd be delighted to see some improved and lower cost instrument that would be available to more players. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying what I have, and I am suggesting to others that it warrants consideration.

I'm sure that the fellow at the Piano Company in White Flint is not alone in preferring the K&C over the Hailun. I don't know whether he is in the distinct minority. Incidentally, one person that I hadn't seen in some time was interested that I had purchased a grand piano, since she had been looking for one but wasn't sure she should spend so much money. I told her about Hailun and she bought an HG161C the next day at the Leesburg store of the (same?)Piano Company.

Hop

Or even in the minority at all.

The biggest difference I see in newer type pianos is in which way they try to market their brands on the market today.

Some try to convey their quality or presumed quality by relying on old, well known names.

Some go throught this period until they are better established, then turn course later.

I have always had problems with calling a piano by previously famous or well known names as it often projects a sense of false glory for which there is very little connection.

Others are not afraid to start from scratch and put their own, honest names on fallboards, especially once they know they got a product that will be highly successful on market.

With benefit of clear identity in future.

My 2 cents.

Norbert

B U M P


Captain,

Looking forward to a full report on all that research. You seem to have made great strides in two days. Be sure to give full props to your dealer!