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I see several threads about forum members' pianos. I wonder if we can have one thread where we can learn a little about each other and our piano. For example, maybe we can say how long we have been playing the piano, what kind/brand of piano we have and how long we have had it, etc.

I will start: This will be my first year of learning/playing the piano and I don't have a piano yet.

Good start!
Many members here seem to have multiple pianos, but I have just the one in my signature. My great grandfather bought it new in 1924, apparently using some sort of external mechanical player device with it. I used to bash away at the keys during visits to my grandparents' house as a young kid. My parents quickly inherited the piano and it became mine roughly four years ago, but it's at the end of its life.
I've been 'playing' this piano since forever but have never taken serious piano lessons.

Love to talk about my piano. I got my 2004 Mason-Hamlin BB grand from Rich Cunningham in Philly about two years ago and really love it. This past Christmas, I had new hammers installed and they are breaking in nicely. They make me think of the sound of the old Masons which I really love.

I began my love affair with the piano when I was about four. My grandfather was one of the old school tuner-technicians who could tear down a piano, make parts, rebuild, install pipe organs, carillons, hurdy-gurdys and so on. Every time we visited he would have lots of pianos and other musical machines around his shop and house and I was fascinated. Unfortunately my father was a career soldier and because we moved a lot my parents would not get a piano or let me take lessons. After years of begging, my father gave in a little and bought me a very old accordion and I took about six months of lessons before moving to another state. This was the extent of my formal musical education.

When I left home and got married, I bought my first new piano, a Hobart-Cable upright. After about a year, my wife and I made plans to move across the country so we traded it in on a used Thomas theater organ which we could move ourselves with a U-Haul trailer. I played it a lot until it developed many problems and could not be played anymore.

Over the next few years I bought and sold many old Golden-age uprights which I mainly refinished, but none were really decent instruments. The best one was a Kurtzman upright from a piano teacher who was put in an old age home. It played beautifully. I even bought a really early square grand in beautiful rosewood with large, carved legs, but of course, it was just a heavy piece of furniture.

Having had no lessons, I spent a lot of time trying to learn about music from books, listening to records, and later cds, and so on.

Eventually my wife inherited her grandmother's Gerhard Heintzman player piano. We got the player action fixed and played rolls for a number of years, but ultimately it needed a big overhaul which we decided not to do.

When my third youngest daughter graduated from music conservatory, she opened a piano and voice studio in my home, buying a brand-new Steinway L grand. I played it every day for a few years until she got her own home and took it with her. Going through withdrawl just as my playing skills were starting to improve, I started my search for a piano of my own.

I have detailed the story here before about finding my Mason-Hamlin in Philly but to make a short version, Rich called me about a Mason-Hamlin AA he had and I went to try it. After playing it and several other pianos, I agreed to buy it. It was a really special piano and the price was very good. However, the next morning, before I left the hotel to go back home, Rich called me. He had realized that they had just brought a larger Mason, the BB, back to the showroom from the workshop and he hadn't shown it to me. He said if I wanted to try it before going, he would let me switch to that piano if I liked it. Well, I did. And that's how my baby came home!

Hope that was what you were looking for.

Nice stories, DancerJ, Ben_NZ, and Chopinlover49! I enjoyed reading them...

I got interested in the piano about 7 years or so ago... after having played stringed instruments most of my life, I cut my index finger severely on my left hand at work; almost cut it off. The ortho Dr. was able to save it and pin it back together, but it did mess up my finger-tip; and that impaired my playing my stringed instruments to an extent. You need to bend and flex those finger-tips when playing the stringed instruments.

My mom called me one day after my finger had healed a bit and asked if I wanted a piano. My nephew, mom's grandson (my sister's son) had bought a house and the sellers had left on older Cable console upright piano. After a year or so, my nephew called the former owners and asked if they were coming to get the piano. They said he could have the piano. My nephew told mom he was going to sell the piano. Mom asked how much he wanted for it, and he said he'd sell it to her for $100. So, mom bought the piano from her grandson and gave it to me. That is pretty much where I started. It seemed that my injured and scared finger did not affect me playing the piano like it did the stringed instruments.

I learned a few chords, and a few scales and a little boogie-woogie, and I was hooked, big time! I eventually gave the Cable console to my granddaughter and upgraded to a studio upright and then to a 5’10” baby grand. Thing is, I didn’t really have room for a baby grand in my home, so I enclosed my attached car-port/garage (20’X20’x10’) just so I’d have room for a grand. Now I have two of them in my “music room”.

Not only was I learning to play the piano, but I started learning how to tune and service my pianos… neither an easy task. Yet, I’ve had more fun and enjoyment with my pianos than any hobby I’ve had in a while. My playing ability, (self-taught) has improved some, but I know I’d likely benefit from formal lessons. Plus, I’ve written about 60 of my own songs and arrangements. Some are better than others, and none of them are all that good.

I currently have a Yamaha C7 (7’4”) from 1978, a Baldwin R (5’8”, recently acquired) and a Howard/Kawai 5’10” (in my recently constructed piano shop). I also have a Kawai K48A professional upright and a Kawai UST-6, 46” upright. In the process of upgrading, I have sold a few pianos along the way to make room for something else. Thing is, they were in better shape when I sold them than when I got them.

There is no doubt that pianos are a lot of fun! In fact, I would not rule out me buying another one, if a bargain came along.

Rick

About 25 years ago I starting taking piano lessons when my daughters were quite small using Alfred's. Bought a nice Kawai DP and took lessons for about 2 years. At that point my teacher moved away, I got stuck, the lessons stopped and the Kawai was sold.

Eleven months ago my wife and I saw a story in our local paper about a teacher who seemed like a perfect fit for us. Not only did she have a lot of teaching experience, but over a third of her students were adults.

Well we bought a nice Kawai CN34 and away we went (using the Faber series). About three months ago we decided to upgrade to an acoustic piano. After a dreary two week adventure with a Yamaha AdvantGrand N1, we found a great deal on the new Yamaha CX series. We have had this piano for about three months, and it has been a great experience so far.

The best part is that according to our teacher our playing skills have advanced quite a bit, probably thanks in some part to the C2X, and our increased practice time with it.

A final note: I would hazard a guess and say that most of the "regulars" here that own nice acoustic pianos are not beginners, and have at least some intermediate skills, all the way up to professional status.

See from my point of view. Eleven months ago I was back at ground zero. As of today, I can play music at a level that far exceeds my original expectations. This probably is because of 1) my teacher, 2) my work ethic, 3) my instrument, 4) my lesson books.

I played for a year or so as a kid, then stopped till my mid forties, when someone gave me a very old small grand. It sounded like a dying cat, but I thought it was me, and I persevered for a while before I gave up. I'm sure my family was pleased when I quit, it truly was a terrible sounding object. Nonetheless, the family member (an in-law, ha ha) who gave it to me was put out when I sold it.

I took the proceeds from that and bought a pretty 25 yr old Kawai console, which was a huge step up in quality. I kept it for a year and a half then traded it in on my current piano. It's a'69 Mason & Hamlin A (5'8"). It wasn't rebuilt, but it looks great and some components are new. My RPT said I got a great deal, and it is a lovely piano, with very nice sound. My playing isn't worthy of the instrument, but I can dream.

My room is about 15x24, which is pretty big, but there's a lot of other furniture in there. Plans underway to get rid of some of the other furniture, so hopefully it will soon sit dramatically in the center of the room. We have several guitars and a couple of mandolins and a psaltry hanging in there, it's morphing from an unused living room to a real music room. The accordion's gotta go, though, before someone decides to play the thing.

Nice idea!
I started lessons when I was 5 years old, but only took for about 2 or 3 years before disliking the discipline. But I never stopped playing, and was self taught until high school. All the while we had an old Foster upright piano from the 1920s.
In high school I was attempting to learn the earlier Beethoven sonatas, and an area teacher heard me and took me under wing. She succeeded in helping me get a scholarship to music school, where I threw myself into music. In my first year my father bought a 1945 Baldwin F from one of the professors at the university, and I worked out on that for a year or so until my parents moved away and took it with them!
After college I apprenticed and began my work as a piano technician, and bought a Charles Walter upright from the dealer where I was learning.
My wife's family had bought a Kawai No. 600 grand new in 1968, so we eventually were given that piano (it shows in my profile picture), and when my parents both died a few years back I then was given the Baldwin back.
So currently we have the Kawai and Baldwin grands in the living room. And of course I spend a fair amount of time playing on the pianos (mostly Shigeru grands, of course) when I am working at the Kawai office.

You can read about my Grotrian 189 here

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1534631

about my attempts at recording it here

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1715812

I have been playing about 5 years now. I briefly had a Petrof IV before I bought my Grotrian.

I started playing the organ at age 6-7 and stopped at age 10 because it became too much "must" play instead of want to play.
Just last year I picked it up again.
Did some research (thanks PW), bought a piano, found a teacher and started plunking away
My piano is a Schimmel 116S. I love it. It's a modest upright but it sounds just beautiful, touch is very even and allows for quite some control. I must warn you though, it's white Wouldn't have thought of buying a white piano till we came across this one and it's just very nice.

If I remember correctly, I started playing at the age of nine years meaning it's been almost nine years (in September) of playing.

My Grandfather was the one who got me into it. He's always 'tickled the ivories' as it were. He has a small electronic keyboard at home that I used to play about on. He'd teach me little tunes and I really enjoyed it.

Across the park from us was a row of shops, of which one housed some piano teaching studios. My Father asked if I fancied having some lessons as I showed how I enjoyed playing the little bits that my Grandfather had taught me. I started having lessons there and showed some real promise, I really enjoyed it.

About two years later when I had started secondary school (the British equivalent of high school if I'm correct), I was introduced to one of my friend's piano teachers who came into school to teach us theory and take us through our theory grades (of which I've achieved Grade 5 so far - still plodding on up to 8 though!). I had a few lessons with her just to see what it was like, as she offered.

My goodness, everything was so different! At my initial institute of learning to play piano, everything was done on digital pianos and there was a 'keyboard/electric piano course' that they followed. I didn't study for grades nor did I do things like my scales. As I was playing on electric pianos, backing tracks were put to my playing and everything was very 'poppy'. This would probably have appealed to most young children, but not me!

After two character-building, musician-developing years at Westcliff Music Academy, I moved permanently on with my current piano teacher, Becky where I instantly started developing myself as more of a 'pianist' than a 'keyboard player'. We quickly started on my Grades and within about a year and a half I passed my Grade 1 piano with a Distinction!

As I started with Westcliff Music Academy, my first proper instrument was of course a keyboard - a Yamaha one, good for a nine year old to practise on. Soon after, I wanted a full length piano and due to the digital nature of which I learnt in at the time, my Father was talked into by my teacher to buying a digital piano. We settled on a Yamaha Clavinova CVP-208 to which I still have to this day. It's a fun piece of kit with phenomenal sounds but it's just not a piano and certainly doesn't play like one. It was second hand when we bought it and now it's probably about nine years old so it's a bit clunky to play.

In my second year of secondary school I was on the lookout for my first acoustic piano. My friend's Mum had one in their home which was unused and so it shortly became mine. The piano was a Normelle. British built from about the 1920s up until the 40s. Like most British makes, they were just a small firm that eventually went bust. The piano was great for me to start with, my playing improved massively.

About a year later, I'd developed so much that the Normelle just wasn't doing it for me anymore. I contacted a local piano dealership about the piano to see if I could get any more info on it and possibly a quote for selling it. I was told the Normelle was worthless with no value. A poorly built piano from the 40s that wouldn't had been worth spending any money on in the first place...

To which, this instigated the buying of my second acoustic piano! The one which I currently have and adore and shall certainly be with me for a long, long time: my Kawai K-15 E. It's what I think you Americans may call a console or studio piano? It's only 44" tall. But my goodness, for a piano of its size does it have a good bass!? Yes, it does! It's a great piano and since has helped me attain a Grade 8 standard of playing.

I'm currently on the search for a grand piano now for the drawing room of our new house to replace the Clavinova. So my piano history and life has been quite exciting!

I've only just realised how long my post is, so apologies to those who manage to read all the way up this point - but also thank you for reading this much!

William, wonderful to hear that you're about to get a grand piano--I know you'll make the most of it!

I learned to play on a huge and battered old upright that my family had. I had a year of lessons when I was 8, but that was all my family could afford, so I was mostly self- taught after that. I did get some free lessons in hymn-playing and a bit of music theory from our very generous church organist.

As an adult, I felt a home needs a piano. My husband and I first bought an old Lester upright, a very beautiful piece of furniture. Some years later, when we had a little more money, we decided we needed a more responsive action. Also, the back of the Lester was starting to separate and we were a little afraid it would one day explode!

We bought a used 1983 Sohmer studio, much plainer looking but with a lovely action and sound. We loved that one for years.

Eventually, though, I developed RSI from computer use. While retraining to recover, I found that a grand action was far more comfortable to play. So the great good fortune of getting a grand piano came out of that trouble. We felt very lucky to find the beautiful Baldwin below. The last few years I've been taking lessons steadily, and my husband has started them as well. So our piano gets plenty of use!

Nice stories. Thanks.

One of my hobbies was taking courses at a community college. One semester I signrd up for a music theory class with a corequisite of a piano class. That class was a group course on old Yamaha Clavinovas. They also had practice rooms with Clavinovas and one old partially decomposed Yamaha P22.

I was hooked and bought a Yamaha P-95, which was an OK digital. On the weekends I rented a studio at a local dealership for $5 per hour. The store manager always insisted I try out some of his new pianos. He would more or less force me to try out brand new Bechsteins, knowing full well I could not afford them. He also sold W. Hoffmann and those, for some reason, I always really enjoyed.

One day I brought in a check and purchased a new Kawai K-2. A nice piano, I'm not sure now why I still don't have it. I found a great technician, and she took good care of it, had it playing very nicely.

A year later I purchased an Essex EUP-111 for my fiance's house, so I could play there as well.

After several years I decided I "needed" a grand. What I could afford was a Kohler and Campbell KIG 52-D. It had a nice treble tone, but there were always issues with the transition between bridges and in the bass. Plus It was just too huge for my condo living room.

So, after fighting that a couple of years, I started shopping again. At Kim's in Garden Grove, CA I found a used W. Hoffmann T-122 upright. I traded in the K&C, taking a bath in the process, and took delivery of the Hoffmann. It has an even and very controllable action, and a terrific tone for a 48" piano, and I'm enjoying this piano very much.

My first 'piano' was a Roland EP-9 (Maybe 10? Not sure). However, my Grandma's piano has always been in the family. I 'grew up' on a 1950 Weaver Livingston Spinet. It had not been tuned in 30 years. Of course, at the time, I was just a beginner. I hadn't even started playing boogie woogie...my greatest achievement was learning Kansas City by Wilbert Harrison, LOL. It was a modest piano, and still is, but the Bass sounds more like a 42 inch console. After about two years of piano, I started losing interest. My digital had a weighted action, but... I wanted something real. I was being taught on a Sterling Spinet, which had issues, but still played. It was time for change. So that Christmas I was tasked with randomly visiting my grandma for a whole day. Believe it was the 22nd of 2012. I sensed something was going on. So I went, and said to my grandma, "I think I'm getting a piano for Christmas." THUS, I sort of killed the surprise for myself....plus I knew it was going to be a Spinet. Like us all on here, I had heard bad things about Spinets. I had to fake my reaction. I didn't like it at first. Over time, however, it grew on me....it is a good, well built piano...it's lasted 62 years with no Parts Replacement, no soundboard cracks, and no other problems. The Sound is Gritty, and I have outgrown it... but Indeed, a true showpiece of American quality, with years-perhaps decades-left. For a 'First Piano', nothing beats a well built American Spinet....or two! [img:center][/img]

We had a large, black upright of unknown origin as a kid. I started lessons at age 5. My sister was 3 years ahead of me. And all I really remember of years of lessons as a kid was being overshadowed by my sister. I don't remember getting to any significant level. Though, I was good enough to be my church group's organist in high school.

By that time the big upright was gone and a no name spinet had taken its place. I swiched to pop organ lessons by high school. All I really remember is that I didn't play that well.

I got a spinet piano as a wedding present from my husband. I made most of my progress on my own on that piano. I played all classical. And challenged myself with music well above my skill level. Practicing was more off than on for decades.

Then about 13 years ago, I got serious. I started lessons in a community extension program through UNH. I quickly realized the limitations of my old spinet. It was at this time I read Larry Fine's book and launched a search for my first grand piano.

I've told this story on Piano World before. My 1918 rebuilt Mason & Hamiln BB was the first piano I looked at. I traveled about two hours to play it many, many times to convince myself it really was all I thought it was. It is. Since I couldn't let this piano pass me by, I bought it!!! My piano technician feels it is concert quality. I continue to be blown away every time I play it. I couldn't be happier.

I quit lessons after about 2 years with Arlene Kies of UNH. I even applied and got into the piano performance major at UNH before life just got crazy. I dropped out before the first semester. At least I gave the chance for someone else to take my place.

I started up again 3 years ago with my present teacher. I really like her. She has other adult students who I have gotten to know and become friends with. There are opportunities to perform. I've hosted musical gathers at my home to share my piano with people. I'm having the most fun playing that I ever have all my life.

I didn't really play keyboards until my sophomore year in college. There was a donated Steinway B in our connected study hall, and I learned chords from an old Hammond Piper instruction manual. Later, after graduation, I bought an ancient Story and Clark player in antique green. Before I got married, I found a Steinway "L" that was a choir room piano. Fine shape, but needed refinishing. I had it redone, but couldn't place it in our new house. Sold it. Some years later, after my divorce, I moved to a bigger home and bought a 7'3' Yamaha at an auction. Very happy now. It's more piano than I need, but it brings me much contentment.