Which piano is better:
Lagonda

mason & risch


Both pianos are about the same price, and does anybody know what year these pianos are?

I suspect both pianos are around 90 years old. The Lagonda was a player piano. Neither of them would be something I could recommend, particularly without seeing what they are like inside.

Mason & Risch is a good name in Canadian pianos. If you want a more informed opinion you should send an email to silverwood pianos. He posts on the forum. Good luck!

Just my thoughts, but I don’t think I’d want a former player piano with the player mechanism removed; it is no longer the same instrument and has been modified from its original state.

I have read that the Mason & Risch pianos were very good pianos, so that would be my preference. But, as BDB said, condition is everything.

Rick

neither

My daughter is just starting piano lessons, so I was thinking on spending not a lot of money on it in case she doesn't like it after a while. So I think I will go with the mason & risch. Thanks for pointing out that the one piano is a former player piano. I would think that everything would be loose inside after removing parts. Also the one key on the far right looks to be lower than the rest may need some work.

What is your budget? Depending on that, you may be able to get something much better. I am also against getting either of these pianos but it all depends on how much you can spend. If you worry your daughter might not stick with lessons for long, you might be better off buying a piano with better resale value.

(Resale value is not a significant consideration if the buying price is extremely low.)

You certainly would need to play test either piano, because the chance of them being completely worn out and useless, or requiring a lot of expensive work to make them play right, is quite high.

I would prefer a digital piano to either of those. Although beautiful, they are quite old and probably worn out or nearly so. I am not usually a digital fan, but one is preferable to an old worn out instrument that is difficult to play and a money pit to maintain. Look at a Casio Privia series or a Yamaha P series. They start at around $500 or so and go up from there.

+1

I'd suggest you shop a little more. I believe you do have more choices than you might think, and can find something within your budget and ambitions that will serve you better.

The expense of owning a piano just begins with the purchase price. In fact, if you get a real beater, you will still have to pay money to get rid of it, whereas if you got something a little more reasonable, you might actually make a few bucks when you sell it or trade up for a better one for your little girl.

Since no one has mentioned it, your best piano dollar will be spent on having a qualified tech inspect any used piano before you buy it.

At least, look inside and see if there are any mice.

A pat on the back from me, for doing something so nice for your kid.

I hear this all the time. Unfortunately it's a catch 22 situation, you don't want to spend much in case she doesn't like it but if the piano is a horrible clunker the chances are she won't like it.

Of all the students I teach who don't practice most of them have old pianos like these that are completely out of tune, have broken keys and are pretty much unplayable. No wonder they don't want to practice, imagine something sounding really bad even when you are getting it right!

My advice for those on a budget is to buy a nice new no frills digital. It's easy to sell on if things don't work out and at least you know it works and sounds okay.

Have you considered renting a piano from your local piano dealer? If it doesn't work out with your daughter you're not stuck with a piano that you are forced to sell.

I bought the mason & risch piano. A piano is a little heavier than I thought. I got it in the house with the help of the wife, she is skinny but strong. Anyway, It has a number 28090 on it and another number 22471 on the left inside. Would any of you experts know what year it is or around what year it is? 20's, 30's, 40's????????

I think it's a great pity you didn't go with some of the excellent advise that was given by other posters here. So frequently an old piano can hinder a child's technique and progress. And I fear that will be the case with the piano you purchased, potentially a money-pit to get it playing nicely. Without hesitation I would have either:-

1) Rented a piano on a monthly basis to see how your daughter progresses.
2) Considered the purchase of a digital piano if funds were tight.

You obviously don't know what you are talking about, It is a great piano and my daughter loves playing it. It is a classic piano and sounds great and is Canadian made not some crap from china.

Congratulations on your new "arrival". I'm impressed you got it in the house by yourselves. Heavier than you thought is, I'm sure, an understatement.

I would choose an upright piano in mediocre condition over a similarly-priced electronic keyboard any day.

Agreed though that renting can be a good idea if the price is right.

I definitely agree - I prefer the acoustic, even if it isn't perfect. If the acoustic is in relatively good condition for the price, like some Baldwin Hamiltons I've seen (and bought a couple), then it's no contest.
If the OP loves their new-to-them piano, though, that's what matters here.

Congratulations on your new/old piano nelson84 !
Depending on which of the 2 numbers you provided is the serial # , it appears that your piano is either around 1903 or 1909. Either way it's over a hundred years old. Nice piano stool, did that come with it?
There's no need to make a put down on pianos from China.
Hope your daughter gets lots of enjoyment and music making with her new piano.

Well, why then bother asking advice here in the first place??
An old upright will not sustain a child's interests like a digital keyboard that stays in tune. Those here who say they would take a mediocre acoustic over a digital aren't thinking like a child.
And chances are, if you moved an old upright by yourself rather than hiring professional movers, you're not going to get it tuned regularly. And an out of tune piano is the biggest deterrent for anyone wanting to play.
Sorry pal, but tweedpipe is right.

I don't think all these old uprights are bad, but it depends on how well they were maintained. When I was about 10 years old I liked playing on those early-20th-century tall uprights better than a "new" (1974) Kimball spinet at home.

The picture of the Mason and Risch looks pretty nice. If the interior workings are in as good of shape as the exterior, it should be a reasonable starter instrument.

That said, I wouldn't risk it unless a piano tech gave the instrument an OK. Lots of expensive things can go wrong with a 100-year-old piano, even if it can be acquired for next to nothing.

I tend to agree. I don't know if I'd have enjoyed practicing as a child on an antique poorly maintained upright. I own an antique upright which I foolishly paid around $2000 for many years ago (its lying untouched at home back in my native country). Its a piece of junk. Fortunately though, I bought it after I had played for 8 years. So that piano couldn't keep me from going to my lessons regularly and using the pianos there for practice.

Anyway, you will see for yourself. You don't have to trust our words.

To be fair to the OP, he didn't ask for advice about buying an old piano versus buying a digital, he asked for which of two pianos was better. I'm sure all advice was well intentioned but nobody should be surprised if nelson84 chose to ignore it if he was happy with the pianos in the first place.

I learnt on an "old clunker" and bought a digital 16 years ago. I suspect the digital has been worse for my technique than the clunker ever wants but I was happy with both.

Sometimes people don't know what questions to ask and don't want to be educated either. I think that's the case here.

I can see why someone would only consider buying an acoustic, even if it might not be the best purchase in the long term. I learnt on an acoustic, and only played a DP for the first time a few months ago, when considering the purchase of one - it took a lot to shed my inhibitions and ingrained aversion towards 'electronic keyboards' (when I close my eyes now, the vision is that of a rocker thumping hard on his keyboard while standing up), but I took the plunge and never regretted it.
It might be different though if I could only afford a basic DP (I bought a V-Piano) which didn't give me all the touch sensitivity and tonal control I expect from all those years playing on acoustics - not my own, some of which were in fact rubbish from neglect, to say the least, though many weren't even that old: they just never got maintained & tuned regularly. I had to play occasionally on concert grands to keep my technique in shape (relatively - I've jumped several notches since acquiring my own instrument at last).

Yes the stool came with it, you spin it and it goes up and down.

Why would I hire some weak ass mover when I can lift a piano by myself. If you have to hire a mover you might as well be wearing a dress but if you are old go ahead and get a mover thats okay. Why wouldn't I get it tuned regularly? I don't know how to tune a piano but I can lift one.

Ok. I think you've made it quite clear what kind of person we're dealing with here. You have a nice day and all the best to you.

How do you take "If you moved an old upright by yourself rather than hiring professional movers"

and conclude that "you're not going to get it tuned regularly" ?