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Hi all,

I would really appreciate your advice on selecting a grand piano- my budget is approximately $25k. I grew up playing the piano but quit upon high school graduation and have not played much since (it's been a while!). I am now eager to start playing again and also want to introduce our young children to piano playing.

Growing up, I always played on a 1930's Steinway grand piano (Model A, I think) so that type of tone is what my ear is now accustomed to and which I favor, but obviously I can't afford a new Steinway piano within my $25k budget.

What do you think would be the best grand piano (preferably in the 5'9" - 5'10" arena) I could get within my budget? I am open to new or used pianos. I am leaning towards finding a good, fully restored Steinway O or L model but have also played a new Wilhelm Schimmel and liked it. I've also played new Yamahas, Kawais, and Boston pianos but didn't care for the brightness of their tones.

This is a very important purchase for me as I hope to find a piano that can stay in our family for years and years to come so I really appreciate all your advice on what pianos I should most consider.

Thank you so much!!!

Polly

A restored Steinway is still very expensive if you want one that's been restored well, and will probably cost you more than 25 k.

Have you thought about a brodmann pe187? It's a shameless Steinway model A clone and weighs in at a very attractive price. It's a great sounding piano but only buy one from a reputable dealer.

Hi Polly - Welcome to Piano World!

Might I suggest that you do some reading in the "A&D Piano Buyer" which has the prices of the new pianos which would be available to you. You can find the link to the free online edition on this page.

If you are near Philadelphia, I would suggest you check out Cunningham Piano as their 5'-10" Parlour Grand is quite amazing. It has a rich, warm sound not unlike a Steinway.

Happy Hunting!

Hey Polly,

I think it's usually the consensus that Kawai has a mellower tone. I guess it's all due to prep, so maybe try a few more Kawias and see if that's not the case (if that's a sound/tone you're looking for).

I don't know your area but with your budget in LA, you would have a mountain of pianos too choose from. There are a ton of Steinway's on our local craig's list. Maybe check out a few on your CL. If you hit on one, bring your tech back for a green light and let the dealing begin.

I believe that any piano in your price range is going to last a long, long time. Happy hunting.......blob

I'm with Minnesota Marty. If you are anywhere within reach of Philly, go to Cunningham Piano Company. . . .They will have a lot of pianos of different brands that may fit your budget, and if you want a new piano, the Cunningham Pianos are terrific.

I've only heard great things about Cunningham.

Another option, since you like Steinways, and are open to a second-hand piano: Rick Jones has 3 M's on his site right now between 21k and 24k, and a couple others under 26k.

http://www.rickjonespiano.com/steinways.htm

People seem to like him, he ships anywhere, and gives a ten year warranty on pretty much everything he sells. I did a lot of daydreaming on that site when I was hunting...

Polly,
It would be helpful to know your location. I would not overlook a used Mason Hamlin A of recent vintage. You probably could find five or ten year old MH A or maybe even AA within your price range. Rebuilt Steinway and Mason Hamlin grands can be wonderful but you must take extra care when searching them out. Having a trusted tech to help you look along the way can insure a happy ending to your search as well. Good luck.

Rich

Boston pianos are nice but are way overpriced. Have you possibly thought of buying new, perhaps Hailun or Pearl River? I played some examples of the former and was quite impressed. If I was at your budget and couldn't make it stretch I would definitely consider a newer Chinese piano, as much as I am a die hard Steinway fanboy. But if its your dream to ownthe one and only then your task is clear and good luck!

There doesn't appear to be a lot of new grand pianos in the $20-25 thousand segment. As Joe mentioned above, have you tried or considered the Brodmann 187 ?
A very fine piano , and considerably below the $25K point.

At 5'10", Hailun's model 178 competes well with instruments in its price range and above. The reigning "Piano Of The Year" is probably worth a look. If you can include instruments up to 6'2", Seiler's ED-186 is another outstanding new instrument within reach if you will accept it is more than just our dealer bias.

The usual suspects are Yamaha's C2x, Kawai's GX-2, and if you haven't played these recently, you should. Other's have correctly mentioned Brodmann's 187 as offering great value, and if it hasn't been mentioned already, Ritmüller is bound to be, too.

With the number of high value choices being offered new, I think it would be wrong to assume with your budget that you should or have to buy used to get better value.

Good luck in your search!

You might be able to get an Estonia or Shigeru Kawai of that size close to your budget. It might be a few bucks more or require some Jedi mind control. A lot of people who weren't impressed with the standard Kawai's had a totally different opinion about the Shigeru's. They're Kawai's handmade line and they only produce about 200-300 a year. Here's some info: http://www.georgekolasis.com/shigeru-kawai.html

Re: Yamaha's, not sure if you've played the Cx series that were introduced about a year or two ago. It replaced the long running C. The Cx's are pretty different to me, much warmer.

I was about to suggest Yamaha's handmade CF series, but their smallest one, the CF4 looks like has a street price of about $80K, so nm.

Otherwise, to stay within your budget you'll probably have to go Chinese or a used/rebuilt American or German piano.

Hi Polly:
Slow down. Don't get in a hurry. Do the research. (Two books: The Piano Book and Piano Buyer would be a good place to start. But don't stop there. If possible include a well-respected college-level piano teacher (or a longstanding private teacher with the equivalent education) and a qualified piano technician in the selection process - neither of whom have a remunerative interest in what you ultimately decide upon. If you do not have a piano technician, said piano teacher may be able to recommend one. Or you can contact the PTG for techs in your area to interview. www.ptg.org
Best wishes.

Hi Polly. I wish you the best of luck in your search. I'm somewhat confused by your comments concerning the brightness of the new Yamaha. I've spent a lot of time on older models and I know what the "typical" Yamaha sound was like. Quite frankly, the newer models, I find, are not bright in the least. I've talked to another forum member that has a new CX model and he completely concurs with me.

But don't take my word for it; The latest issue of Piano Buyer goes into this in more detail.

Sure, everyone has a personal preference in piano sounds, that's fine. My point is that I don't want someone else who may be considering a purchase in this price range to simply discount the Japanese models because of what the perception might have been in the past. Now if a perspective buyer can audition a new CX and find the sound not to their liking, that's super fine.

However at your price point, to my ears, my C2X is perfect beyond description.

P.S. No, I don't own Yamaha stock

Dear Polly Walker:

I'd like to add my voice to that of Marty. If you can possibly visit Cunningham Piano in Philadelphia, you will surely find something that you'll like. The 5'11" Cunningham is a HONEY. Nothing close for the money.

Good luck.

Karl Watson,
Staten Island, NY

Along with things already mentioned, I would suggest looking at a W. Hoffmann if you're looking to buy new, or at used Baldwins, which tend to be more affordable than the Steinways for comparable quality.

Thank you all so much for your advice- I really appreciate it. Do you have a preference on buying a new versus used grand piano (for same budget)? Thank you!

The Hoffman would be comparable quality wise to the Wilhelm Schimmel. Both fine pianos.

It's always a score to find a "like new" piano less than 10 years old and about 30-50% off the new street price. But it requires a bit of luck to find the piano you want, in that age/condition, within driving distance from you.

Polly, your question about new vs. used doesn't have a simple answer.

In the last 10-15 years, there have been a number of pianos introduced which sound and perform beautifully. However, they have yet to be proven over time. There is every indication that they will continue to perform well for years to come. There seems to be a battle on to produce fine pianos at decent prices. For the size you want, and within your budget, there are a number of brands to consider. They have been mentioned within this thread.

With your shopping constraints, you have to be very careful when shopping for used. That takes a lot of time and you really need to be in a large market to have a good selection. Your budget is too low to find a recently rebuilt marquee brand. That would leave you searching for an un-rebuilt used piano in excellent shape. Tricky, but certainly possible.

Personally, I would tend to shop for a new piano. There is much to be said for buying from a reputable dealer, having a new piano warranty, and getting all of the perks like extra tunings and delivery. Those are some things that don't come with a private sale.

I hope this helps.

I agree on the Baldwin suggestion - try several out and see if you like it. If you do, there are sometimes great bargains available. If not, then move on.

At 25k you should have some Mason and Hamlin options as others already mentioned (on the used market of course). Be sure to find a good tech / rebuilder that can fully evaluate any used piano if you decide to go that route.