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I'm looking to buy a baby grand. Can anyone give me some advice? I'm looking at a 1988 Samick SG172, 5' 7" with a Damp Chaser built in for $7900. It includes a 10 year warranty, moving,set up and 2 tunings. The second is a private sale. 1990 Yamaha GH1-B 5'3"for $7500. I'd have to take care of moving, set up and tuning. I'm leaning towards the Samick.
Any thoughts?

I don't know about the Samick as I personally don't have experience on it. I won't go for the Yamaha either. The model doesn't sound like a good Yamaha for me.

Have you tried out any of the Chinese brand? I recently tried out a baby grand of Wagner (stencil of Hailun in Malaysia), it's really nice and perform much more better than a Yamaha GC1 that I played. The price is also much lesser than the GC1. However, durability is a concern. For me, I will go for the Chinese brand, given I have limited budget.

Keep up updated!

The GH1B was a lesser predessesor as for scale design,build quality,sound etc.compared to the newer GC1.
A 1988 Samick 172 is kinda old,overpriced and is nothing to write home about.
I'm in agreement with tanjinjack. The Hailun 151,161 or 178 are superior to your preowned options and are obtainable brand new for the same pricepoint. I've owned them all(preowned options) many times over along with being an authorized Hailun dealer so.... I know the difference first hand

The Samick is seriously overpriced. In Northern California a dealer would be doing well to get $4,000 for it.

A new Hailun 151 should have a street price below that of the Samick and a 161 should be doable for about the Samick's price. Almost all pianos are essentially the same width. If you can raise your budget, Hailun's 178 should be doable for c.$10k.

The best used piano money that you can spend is that spent for a pre-purchase inspection by an experienced tech who has no affiliation with the seller.

Are the pianos that you're considering the only ones available in your market?

I've also seen a 40 year old Yamaha. I don't have the model. It's 5' 7". It's been completely reconditioned (new pins, etc.) Asking $10,000. Any thoughts?

Reconditioned? Ask the dealer what's replaced and what's repaired.
Let say there's new hammers, pins, strings etc. for the piano. There's no new pinblock and soundboard. The action parts probably is also the old one with replacement for the faulty parts.

Regardless of what have been done, I would personally run away from that piano. It's too expensive. You can get a better Chinese grand at that price! You got new case, new soundboard!

Like the Samick, that Yamaha is seriously overpriced.

New pianos from China, Indonesia, and Korea are making it difficult to unload older Japanese pianos. tanjinjack's caution re the soundboard and action parts is well taken.

At the $10k level, you should be able to get a new Hailun 178. A Heintzman 168 should be doable for just a little more, as should a Kohler & Campbell KCG-600 - 5'9".

Please visit all the shops which are within reasonable traveling distance.

I found out that the Samick also has a German Scale Design. Does this make a difference?

Hi Liz24,

Are you in Eastern Canada? I have the Hailun 178 here in Stanstead, Quebec, Canada. You are welcome to try it anytime.

Every mass produced Samick of the mid to late eighties was blessed by Klaus Fenner so therefore of German scale.

Hi Liz,

Have you tried the new Yamaha GC1. It is 5.3 and had duplex scale and a tone collector. You will have the full warranty also if purchased new.

Good luck,
Patrick

Here in Colorado, I am aware of a Kawai KG2, 5'10" in excellent condition for $8000 and it would blow the casters off of either of those pianos.

Each of those pianos is overpriced and neither one of them are decent, in my opinion.

With the current economic 'crisis', it is definitely a buyer's market. Take some more time and shop around for a really great deal.

GC1Patrick,
Your posting that,"For around 11000,- US dollars you can get a brand new Yamaha GC1." Is eronious and a tad irresponsible. You are based in the Netherlands. In the past few days you posted that new GC1's there were 12,000 Euro. Today's quote would make that $16,200 US. $11k is well below the national Yamaha minimum selling price. These price quotes set up shoppers for frustration in negotiations with authorized Yamaha dealers on new pianos.

Hello Marty,

I only know of the 11000 dollar as it is has been mentioned a few times on this forum (It actually amazed me that they were so much cheaper there!)
I am sorry if I spread confusion or gave inaccurate information, the GC1 in europe goes for 12000 euro as I said before.

I certainly don't want do confuse shoppers and will not use quotes heard on this board anymore.

Kind regards,
Patrick

Randy and Mario,
Thanks for the info. I'm in Toronto, Ontario so Quebec and Colorodo are a bit out of the way!
Liz

Yamaha

Klaus Fenner once denied this when I visited him near Bad Homburg before he died.

He apparently designed only one or two grand pianos for Samick and never touched any of the other models at all.

Not that it perhaps matters that much at this time...

Norbert

Norbert,I was being sarcastic.Don't take me serious. Nobody else does! You are quite correct