I'm puzzled about that too. Its not like Bechsteins and Grotrians are that hard to find.

Monica,

Where is the Wessell Nickel & Gross factory?

Puzzled? These are very hard to find brands for people who do not live in NY or LA. We talked at length about flying to NYC and trying out piano row. Yet the problem there, as we understood it from afar, is you cannot compare many different piano brands in the same store and really go from one piano to the other and back to compare. So in the end we chose Atlantic Music Center to finish our piano shopping as they had many of the best brands to compare closely. We truly applaud Brian for building such an amazing store and he is building an even larger store with more brands. He has already added Pleyel and is wanting to add Grotrian and more Bosendorers.

Comparing pianos is very hard for the non-professional. I know accomplished pianists who know of nothing beyond Steinway. Most of the brands that we tried they have never heard of. But we had a wonderful time and adventure stepping far out of our home town. We have stepped out and now have all of you, who frequent this forum, as new friends to share with the joys of great pianos. Thanks for reading and sharing your comments.

Restaurant and My Final Decision[/b]
In a short time we found the restaurant and were lucky to get in without a reservation. We got the last table open, as they were expecting a crowd for the Saturday evening before Mother's Day. The fish dinners that we had were delicious. The sauce for the fresh fish was especially good.

So which pianos had made my final list? In the beginning I thought I wanted a Yamaha grand.
Yamaha C7 (7' Concert)in Denton

When I compared this Mason and Hamlin BB (7') at Peter Collora with the Steinways, a Yamaha C7, Estonias, and Bosendorfers it was the piano which was my measuring stick. It won out over Steinway for me because it had a much richer sound and a wonderful responsive action. It was a Yamaha and Steinway killer.

It was very well prepped and I loved playing it. (Since I fell in love with Yamaha and Bosendorfer pianos as a young woman, this was my first new love as a middle aged woman. ) The case was quality and very pretty, and I knew I would be satisfied with this one in my home. Its sound was brighter and more to my liking than the Bosendorfers. However the Boses had more refined actions and more emotional appeal.

So on my final list which my husband and I agreed on included this Mason and Hamlin BB in Rosewood; the Nicholas Schimmel 7' - such a big beautiful rich sound with a deluxe ebony and veneer case; a Bosendorfer 200 cm in Senator Case with beautiful veneer, wonderful action, gorgeous sound (I never got to play this piano but only a similar one); a Bosendorfer 225 cm in Ebony in Dallas with the extra keys, warm full bass and wonderful playing action, actually the best sound of the Bosendorfers in our opinion; Feurich 6'4" Rococo case in Dallas - the piano for a castle, but needing touchup and voicing; the Feurich 6'5" Ebony case in Florida, the piano with the richest most pleasing sound and wonderful action; and the Steingraeber and Sohne 5'6" in Ebony, amazing action and rich, clear, strong sound - a dream of a piano.

My husband said; "Honey which one do you want most?" I reviewed everything one more time in my mind and gave him my answer. He picked up his phone at the restaurant and made the call.

"We want to buy your ____ piano. Can we meet you tomorrow, Mothers Day, to finalize the deal?" I heard him say. The answer is "Yes" and everything is set. So we take a walk on the beach and celebrate.

My husband has done it. He has blessed me with my new grand piano, the piano of my dreams! Pretty special to say the least!

This is a neat story; kind of long, but interesting. There's only one thing that gets me in the gut: Why is your husband buying you the piano? Doesn't the money belong to both of you? If you're married, why do you need him to "give" or "bless" you with anything that already belongs to you? It's year 2007 and it's hard to imagine a wife having to ask her husband for anything that already belongs to her.

I think you got the Mason BB!

Not to derail the thread or state the obvious but:

• Most couples don't have unlimited income.
• Most couples both want things.
• For inexpensive things, they probably just go ahead and buy.
• When they both want expensive things, for one to buy, the other must wait.
• It has nothing to do with permission, rather it's being generous enough, or loving enough, or both, to do without something you[/b] want so the other person can get something they[/b] want.
• Hence, it's a "gift".

"Honey, the list price on this piano is $183,000. Please come over and play the pianos we can afford."

Fun read......

but I can't help thinking that this thread is the internet equivalent of Robert Jordans 'Wheel of Time' books! (readers will know of what I speak)

Except that, here, we've been promised an END!! Good one, atropos! ROFL

These suspense threads are really very tiresome. I don't really mind details of the journey when you don't know, but once you know what you are buying, it is incredibly narcissistic to drag it out.

I hope you love your new piano, but I find I am no longer interested.

I don't know, but possibly China? The latest Fine book talks about some of the M&H action parts being outsourced to China; I suppose it's possible the assembly is taking place there, too.

Why do I get the feeling you knew the answer to that question?

Hmmm.... I think every married couple works out a financial arrangement that is comfortable to them. I certainly don't consider my husband's earnings to be "mine" (it was his hard work and skill that earned it, after all), nor mine his. So I don't find Jordang's language in this regard at all strange or unusual.

p.s. I'm rooting for the M&H BB, too, but I think it will be the ebony Feurich.

i think it is a well written and entertaining thread.

what i don't understand is, if someone else does not like it (realizing that you can never please all of the people all of the time), why not just not read it? what is the point in being critical?

but really i'm just trying to suck up to the researching husband, so i'll get the inside tip on the RX6 that they passed over!

Do you understand, tm3, that with that post you are being critical as well, just in a different style?

I think its pointless to voice your opinion on how you have 'lost interest.' By the way im enjoying this thread. Provide bigger pictures for when you get to the final product. So we don't see pixely pictures.

Well that is where we differ, Chris. I believe if someone is going to tell a story they accord their audience the respect of not drawing it out as some sort of tease for their own amusement. It is called poor manners where I come from.

I agree to some extent Monica, but it comes across as if she's asking almost begging for "him" to buy "her" a piano. She even said he "blessed" her as if he is a god!! Their money is joint funds by law!

I do, however,understand that someone might say my husband and I agree on this or that, but to say my husband has blessed me is much too oppressive for my taste!

I just can't imagine asking my spouse to buy me something. I can, however, ask for an opinion and an agreement in what "I" wish to purchase.

Different strokes

:rolleyes:

[what i don't understand is, if someone else does not like it (realizing that you can never please all of the people all of the time), why not just not read it?]

Hey now, everybody; calm down. We're new at this having just discovered Piano World not that long ago. I agree with tm3 - if you don't like it, don't read it. Our account of searching for a Grand just evolved into this story, and because we are working together to tell the story (and both of us have jobs) we discuss and edit it usually at night. Don't you think telling one's experiences are personal and narcissistic many times anyway? To those readers who like it, thanks. To those who are bored of it, you don't have to click on the thread everyday. If you want to read the end, check back next week. We should be finished then. When you discover something exciting, the natural inclination is to share it. We had no knowledge of many of these pianos and have found it facinating and a wonderful experience. Our daughter and son-in-law have now decided they want to find a Baby Grand to buy, and another friend of ours is also searching for a piano. This adds to our fulfillment in learning so much and sharing it.

I think Jordang has a future as a suspense novel author. Even those who are becoming annoyed have to agree that their curiosity has been piqued by this intriguing story...

To Markey and all of the others who object to the language I'm using about my husband. There is a story behind our marriage that you don't know and if you did, you would understand better my feeling of being blessed. I won't even get into that because this is about pianos. I will tell you that I have a Yamaha studio piano and a Clavinova and never thought about having a Grand piano. I probably wouldn't buy one by myself or have given it serious thought because with a large family, health problems, and life in general, a Grand Piano is not an essential that I had to have. It is a gift because my husband decided to give it to me and I had not mentioned it to him at all. It was a total "out of the blue" surprise. He could have gone out and bought one at our local music store in our small city, but he wanted me to get not just any piano, but one that I would truly love. He became involved in searching and researching for it, which opened a whole new world to both of us. I am not a full time musician now, but a public school educator. While music was once my life work, it is now once again more of a hobby. I don't know about you, but hobbies are for pleasure and I have never spent a lot of money on hobbies. A house? Yes. A car? Yes. Insurance, utilities, clothes, gas (!!!), etc. come first. Traveling every weekend was also not something we did. It came with the search. Maybe this will give you an understanding and you won't get stuck on the language. I also hope that your "significant other" shows you that he/she loves and cares for you in just as special ways as my husband has me in buying me a piano. That's the end of my personal input. Let's get back to pianos.

he sounds like a great guy.. he didn't buy you
a Dyson vacumn..but a piano..something you love.

Mikhailoh:
It is called poor manners where I come from.[/b]

Indeed it is.

I'm putting my money on it being an Ellenburg, by the way... .

-Michael B.

Today, I bought my wife a piano. It wouldn't matter if it was a piano or a wrist watch. I think we are about the same age as Jordang and her husband. It's not about who makes more money or whose money it is. Gifts, small or large, are given from the heart. Now I know what some of you are going to say but I'm not kidding!!!!!! And I like reading this thread too.

I will agree with Jordang on one thing. I assure you that when I bought my grand I dang well had my wife's blessing to do so.

I, like Jordang, am lucky enough to be blessed with a mate that holds my happiness as I as I do hers. You don't make major purchases in a marriage without concensus.

But Jordang, you've had the piano for a couple days now. Holding the information back while expecting your audience to take the ride with you is not, IMO, as graceful as I think you are.

Yeah Mik, but she's either playing the piano or showing appreciation...posting here is probably third best right now. Wonder if she chose the "right" piano...

Actually, this is one of those "mystery" threads that I've enjoyed - but now I'm wondering if I missed what piano she got???

I'm rooting for Bosendorfer!

Derick

I would be overjoyed to receive a Dyson vacuum!

must resist that sucks jokes..... must resist....

I'm LOVING this thread and agree if one doesn't like it or enjoy it go somewhere else - quietly.

Jordang thank you so much for the little morsels all along the way - it's been wonderful to come in every evening this week and rush to find out what happens next.

It's generous of you to take your time and share your life with us - I'm richer for it and have learned so much just reading this.

What a blessing to have a husband who loves you so much.

"Our daughter and son-in-law have now decided they want to find a Baby Grand to buy, and another friend of ours is also searching for a piano."

I know of a Knabe baby - 5'1" - that I understand has the deepest, stronest bass keys imaginable for a piano this size. Our piano teacher said it makes up in sound what it lacks in size and she would buy it for her daughter if she had the chance.

email me privately for more details - it is not mine but is being sold by a couple I know.
lynda@usmcjosts.com
(Am I allowed to post that here?)