Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum The Unlimited Funds Piano. MINO

You could buy and sell Bill Gates with your pocket change. Since funds are unlimited, what piano would you buy?

A new Boesndorfer 225

New Bechstein D

Guess I'd stick with what I know and like. So, the Mason & Hamlin CC. But, my BB fills the space I have and could overpower the room (which is quite large). So pretty happy with what I have.

Fazioli 10 footer.

No question, it's the Fazioli F278. Best piano I've played. Coming in a close second would be a Beckstein D 282. Frankly, if money were no issue, why limit yourself to just one concert grand? Lots of rich people have stables of expensive cars, most of which are more than a top-level concert grand. I'll build a climate-controlled "piano garage" and be quite happy.

"Piano Garage" a la car collectors like Jay Leno or Jerry Seinfeld. I like that idea.

FWIW, and Jay Leno isn't Bill Gates rich, but he bought an Estonia for his garage.

I was actually thinking about an "Art Barn", with a loft for a library, offices and recording booth directly underneath, and pianos in the open area. Great for rehearsal, recording, and concerts of many types. And the view from the loft windows would be great.

Concert halls often have a piano garage.

I'm very pleased with one of the pianos I already own, so spending someone else's money, I'd order a 10'-9" custom American Steinway. 24 karat gold leaf on the plate, please.

Why not, it's not my money!

In reality, I put the NY S&S-D in the ultimate category.

Bechstein D or Hamburg steinway D..

I would have a concert hall where i would pay for people to come listen to my playing ( no matter how awful) and cheer and clap.. There would be a beautiful woman who would give me flowers so I can lay on the piano just like a real concert pianist..

MINO...

Ronnie Milsap once had a climate controlled room built to house his piano, with only the keyboard sticking out...

Well, and not just because I admire his thoughtful replies, I'd have to concur with Greg. He always speaks with authority as well as love of his art.

A Bosie 225 (or 275!) from the period 1960-1980, roughly speaking, is a piano with a wonderfully distinctive and beautiful voice that one is hard-put to tire of. If one were freed from the necessity of filling a large hall, it is a sound that might lead to new discoveries and unimagined feelings.

In a more mundane way, I admit that I just can't keep my filthy paws off the extra low notes. GGGG is actually enough, as in the big Erard jobs, and would be perfect for those three descending bass notes at the end of the Bach/Busoni Chaconne.

Karl Watson
Staten Island, NY

I would get the Otmar Alt Schimmel!

The question depends on my house, not on the piano. I could have larger pianos if I had a larger house, but I doubt they would be better than what I have now.

One of my customers is doing a two piano concert at a venue where I tune. I just sent him an email reminding him that they could practice at my house if they felt they needed to. It fits well, as the two pianos at the venue have similar characteristics to my two pianos, both in tone and in touch, although mine are under 6' and theirs are 9'. I think mine are slightly better, but that reflects the fact that I have more time to work on mine.

Since the game is "Money Is No Object" you can include the price of your new house in the piano price. It's necessary, like delivery and tuning!

But you have to describe the house too.

I am planning a significant remodel of our house, which will give me room for larger pianos, but that space is for repairs, not performing. I may offer to house the piano which is not stored on-site at the venue once it is done. Access and moving would be easier than they are now.

I would start with a Bosendorfer 290 and a Mason & Hamlin BB , then go shopping.

I already have the Mason-Hamlin BB, so I guess I would just use the money to hire a teacher.

Okay, I'm going to take the plunge into this fantasy.

If I had enough money to consider buying out Bill Gates with my pocket change, I could probably buy a small country. But even the new rich must show some restraint.

So--I'd have several homes, each with at least one high-end piano (two pianos in places where I might reasonably find someone willing to play two-piano pieces).

The first would be a compound in Santa Fe, New Mexico. There I'd have a NY S&S A. In this case, it would be an art case model.

The second would be a town home in Manhattan. There I'd want two S&S Bs, standard ebony.

The third would be a town home in London. There I'd have two of the following: Hamburg Steinway Bs or similarly-sized models from Sauter, Steingraber, Bluthner, or Grotrian. (I've never played any of these, so I'd go with the one that appealed. I've played a Bosendorfer but it wasn't to my taste. I have found the recorded sound of Bechsteins to be too bright, and the recorded sound of Faziolis to be too clinical.) They'd also be standard ebony.

Finally, I'd have either a large farmhouse in Provence or a villa in Tuscany. There, I'd have one example of my second favorite of the European pianos I've mentioned. It would be in mahogany or a light-colored veneer.

I doubt that I'll be out shopping anytime soon.

I think I'll go with the best piano I've actually ever laid hands on...the Fazioli 278.