Hi, I came across an unusual no-name piano brand ("Ivory Piano").

But the pianos I looked at seemed not half bad! A small upright (123cm) was about $2,300 and a petite baby grand (142cm) only costs $5,200 (new price). The larger baby grands were around $1,000-$2,000 more expensive of course. Still, it's half the price of a used Yamaha with similar specs.

I tried out the baby grand and it seemed to have a decent sound, although it wasn't in tune. The key action was really fast and responsive, just like a real grand!

The shopkeeper didn't know much about the piano, but he said the piano is reconstructed from various piano parts (some components from German pianos, others from Japanese pianos) put together in a piano factory in China. They are all standard models and he buys 3 or 4 at a time.

So what's the catch? Is it a really cheap construction? Will it start to deteriorate as soon as I get it home? The hammers are wood (not plastic like the Kawai) but probably not a super hard wood. To my untrained eye, the construction seems solid - and surely if it was a botch job then the playing action would suffer?

How can I be sure I'm getting a good deal on a good quality piano? Any tips or suggestions?

Have a technician look at it. We have plenty of brands sold here for the prices you quote.

I was given the address of the factory, and it turns out that the piano is produced by Pearl River. It seems to be a high-end manufacturer, but is that just hype?

Does anyone know anything about the GP142? Is it a good piano. I am choosing between this baby grand (new) and the Yamaha U30BL (20 years old). They both cost the same! The Pearl River seems too good to be true?

Which one should I go for?

Pearl River has come a long way in the last 10-12 years since importation into the states(USA).Quality control and the pianos themselves are much better than a decade ago. Pearl River has benefited greatly from their prior joint venture and affiliation with Yamaha in the former Yamaha Pearl River factory in Guanghoz. To say they are comparable as for quality to that of the Yamaha / Hamamatsu factory is definitely stretching it.

The U30BL is the 131cm uprt.which replaced the U3A artist 'uprt.in the domestic market in Japan. They did "compromise a bit on the case cabinetry, no lock,thinner arms,backposts etc though the strung back appears to be the same.

Now comparing the two pianos the GP142 and the U30BL,they are totally different animals. I would say the U30BL is the superior sounding instrument though the GP142 may meet a furniture criteria more so than the Yamaha uprt.

Assessing the condition of the 20 yr. old uprt. to that of "brand new" is a consideration. So whatever floats your boat is the right choice.

Thanks for the comprehensive response!

I really don't care what the piano looks like (so long as it's black ) - although the resale value in a few years is a consideration.

I'm looking for the best playing - best sounding piano I can get for my budget of $5,000 or so.

Is the action of the Yamaha U3/U30BL comparible to a baby grand? I found a definite difference in sound quality between U3 vs U30BL: the U3 wasn't quite as rich & bright sounding for large, loud chords compared with the U30BL.

But is the sound of the U30BL as rich as the (mini) baby grand (considering it's only 131cm cf. 142cm)? Both pianos seemed to have a comparible action for very fast passages (I found I could play stuff that I struggle to play on other uprights). But what about light, delicate playing: is the grand action superior, or does the Yamaha mechanism have a compensatory action?

Assuming after 20 years, it's still in good condition (which it is!) would a Yamaha be a better piano even though it's an upright?

That's my dilemma

And I think a lot of people struggle with the choice of top-of-range upright vs entry-level grand. Can you shed some light on this issue in general?????

If the furniture design of the baby grand is not your primary criteria, the Yamaha should provide better tone quality. The Pearl River GP142 is the smallest size grand piano (at 4'7") that is available and the Yamaha U3 is the tallest upright (52"). The string scale and soundboard is considerably larger on the upright and many folks on this forum would discourage anyone from wanting a grand piano under six feet in length (let alone one well under five feet). On the other hand, large professional upright pianos over four feet in height get good reviews. As for the Yamaha versus Pearl River argument, the PR is a solid entry-level piano, where the Yamaha is professional-grade quality. The final analysis must be your inspection (by a qualified technician) to determine the current condition of both pianos.

Kawais do not have plastic hammers.

If it's made out of ivory it sounds like a great bargain.