Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum looking for baby grand..Yamaha, Steinway prices?

Hi -

Newbie member here...wasn't planning to look at baby grands until next year after we moved, but two stores here in Houston clearing out some selection....

Sherman Clay going out of business (I think they've had similar sales elsewhere across the country) where they're clearing out all their Yamahas....

Looked at the C2X, C3X, C5X today....they have 30% off across the board prices off MSRP....salesman pretty firm they're not cutting further from there...

Also another piano store here ending their 26year run as the authorized Steinway dealer, and not sure what Steinway will do after this - they have a 20% across the board cut off MSRP (although they're a bit higher than the Piano Buyer/NY MSRP prices).....looking here at the entry level Steinway S....

Have spent lots of time looking through previous threads, and wasn't planning to look this soon nor necessarily spend this much, but wondering if this is a "once in a lifetime" as both places describe it chance....believe it much more for the Steinway, but still not sure it worth the dough....

Any thoughts?

Thanks!!!

Personally, and this is purely personal, I would prefer a Yamaha C2X or C3X over a Steinway S or M, particularly if it was a New York Steinway. That said, YOU might prefer the Steinway and if you have the funds and think its worth it, then go for it.

There are other makes you could consider. Kawai and Shigeru Kawai - the Shigeru SK2 will cost less than a Steinway M and give you very good quality too. I'm not going to claim it's the same quality as Steinway because I simply don't know.

Then in the USA Charles Walter is known as an excellent make although sadly I've never played one. I think they cost about the same as a Steinway though.

Good luck and let us know what you buy.

I don't believe Charles Walters are anywhere close to Steinway's prices. Don't forget Mason and Hamlin (to round out the made in America brands). I'd also echo the suggestion to try Kawai, especially a Shigeru.

But the usual advice is take your time and play everything. Play the Seilers, Sauters, Bosendorfers, Estonias, Schimmels and many more fine pianos. The reason for trying them all is to acquaint yourself with all that's available. Go downmarket and try Hailun and Brodmann, or Ritmueller, Knabe, Weber or Young Chang. There's lots more to hear than Steinway and Yamaha. After all you're shopping for a piano, not a deal.

Sounds like the "sales" are doing their job. They have you in a buying mood.

I would suggest buying what you like when you are ready. The Yamaha and Steinway are fine instruments. How did they sound and how did the action feel to you? Which was better sounding /feeling? Get that one if it is in your budget.

As others have said there are lots of other brands to try. It can be exhausting or exhilarating depending on your personality. (I found it exhausting).

http://www.pianobuyer.com/

Is a good link to get opinions/ballpark prices before shopping.

Good hunting! Post pictures when you get her home.

Bob

I would make sure the Yamaha or the Steinway is the piano you want. This is s great time to piano shop. There are many great new piano designs to check out and your in a area that offers access to most every manufacturer. Enjoy!

thanks so much for the posts - certainly wasn't planning to buy soon but these "closeout" specials got me in the door.

looked through the piano buyer to get a sense, and it seemed like 20% off a Steinway was a great deal, although it is still a lot of money and certainly more than I'd anticipated spending.....

I just didn't want to pass up a great deal on good pianos if indeed, like the salespeople were saying, these were once in a lifetime deals....

the Yamahas that I played and the Steinways all sounded great - my daughter just started piano on a small digital keyboard earlier this year, while I haven't played myself in literally 15 years...don't know how much to spend/stretch for our level of use/commitment.

If your gut says you're not quite ready, then you should go with your gut and not allow a sale push you over the fence. These discounts is pretty much every year, if not every month, and they always come around. Unless our economy suddenly changes and takes off like a rocket, I suspect there is really no urgency. The Japanese government recently announced they will devalue their currency as much as it takes to move their export economy, so prices are not going anywhere.

Steinway is a bit unique. The NY Steinway cost even more than a competitive German piano, and the German Steinway is so expensive in the US that you absolutely have to be in love with Steinway to buy it over its German competition. So unless you are absolutely in love with Steinway, the 20% off sale is really not a sale when you could buy another great German piano any day of the week for less.

Steinway's toughest competition is all the 5-year old Steinway on the street that people bought when the real estate bubble was in full swing and now dumping.

With money in hand deals can be made on "any" piano. That being said I would try as many pianos as you can and set your dollar figure you are willing to spend. I am a Yamaha fan and own two of them. They have served me well and are good pianos. A good steinway is a great instrument but my experience has shown there are a lot of steinways that don't measure up. Yamaha has a very uniform standard from piano to piano. I have commented on the new cx series from Yamaha in another post and was very impressed with that series of instruments.

And that's exactly what they are designed to do. So the sales tactic worked.

Oh... I hope they didn't actually use that phrase. But they probably did. These aren't bad deals, but they're certainly not giving these pianos away.

I don't mind a salesman doing their job - a good salesman can make the buying process fun. But realize they have their toolbox of tactics.

Deals happen at least twice a year. No rush :-)