Hello, I am looking for a grand piano with an auto-play function. I play the piano, but my office wants to be able to auto-play (hence the Disklavier Pro). If I weren't looking for the auto play function, I would probably widen the scope of my search to include other makers (I have a re-built 1965 Steinway L at home), but since it's not completely up to me it seems a Disklavier Pro equipped model is the "safe" choice. I also like the Silent Function and being able to record, as I do record / compose a bit on the side, and have always felt the drawbacks of using a MIDI keyboard (I use a Deeper and an old Kurzweil PC88). The prospect of playing on a "real" piano but being able to edit the data afterward is very interesting.
I played a C3X and a C5X over the weekend; the C5X overall had more warmth and bass, but I don't know how much of the difference is due to the preparation of the piano. I imagine the bass improvement is from the C5X's physical differences, but the tone might be a combination of preparation and the unique characteristics of the specific piano?
The dealer offered to add me to their conservatory purchase this week, and said that prices will go up in 2015 (though with the yen falling it seems the opposite *should* be the case). He offered $48K to $50K for a C5X with Disklavier Pro; the C3X with DKP would be $40K to $42K.
These are my main questions:
1. Are there alternatives to the Disklavier Pro that are as good (velocity levels, silent mode, internet playback)? Can they be retrofitted on a used piano? (And is the Pro much better than the regular Disklavier?)
2. If Disklavier Pro is the way to go, then among Yamaha grands, which is the best "value for money"? I think the budget is flexible as long as the model we get is the "best" vs. the others. I read posts that said go with the C3X or C6X/C7X, but the C5X I played definitely drew me more than the C3X. I didn't get to play the C6X or C7X but I think that would get into eyebrow-raising territory budget-wise.
3. Since I want a Disklavier Pro (which not all pianos are equipped with) and to be part of the "conservatory" pricing, chances are I can't play the specific piano I'll get beforehand to see if I like it, since it probably won't be in the showroom. How bad of an idea is this? On the other hand, if a piano hasn't been properly prepped, how can I know that I'll like the tone even if I do get to try it out?
4. Were I to go ahead and get one of these models, are the prices ($48K-$50K including tax for a C5X with Disklavier Pro; C3X with DKP $40K to $42K) reasonable for December 2014?
We are also open to getting a used piano, but given the "new" aspects of the CX series (introduced 2012) and the technological updates in the Disklavier system, this seems to be one situation where buying new might make sense.
This is my first post to the forum, so apologies in advance if I've not gotten the hang of etiquette. I did search for existing posts on these topics, which seemed to indicate:
1. Yamahas may not be good value for money compared to some Korean or Eastern European brands but production is fairly consistent and pricing is predictable, so they are a "safe" choice if I don't have the time to test a lot of different pianos and haggle on the price of the specific one I ultimately like. (I might find a great YC at a dealer that doesn't budge on price, for example.)
2. It's generally hard to say what a "fair" price is, but I'm hoping for a general "that's in range" or "that's way too much" kind of assessment.
Thanks everyone!
Last edited by bryan77; 12/21/14 02:22 PM.
