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If you had up to $16,000 to spend on a used piano, or if you were a piano consultant and your client had $8k-16k to spend, which piano would you choose and why?
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It would depend on what is available, to start.
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The one that performed best when I went to try it out, I wouldn't rule out any and would have a blast while looking.
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The question is rather broad. I AM a consultant and I would look in the local used market to get a sense of what's available and then research the reasonable alternatives.
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Co-author (with Larry Fine) of Practical Piano Valuation www.jasonsmc@msn.com
Contributing Editor & Consultant - Acoustic & Digital Piano Buyer
Retired owned of Jasons Music Center Maryland/DC/No. VA Family Owned and Operated Since 1937.
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"Imagine it in all its primatic colorings, its counterpart in our souls - our souls that are great pianos whose strings, of honey and of steel, the divisions of the rainbow set twanging, loosing on the air great novels of adventure!" - William Carlos Williams
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I would probably try to find a lightly used Baldwin SF-10 or maybe a Brodmann 212 if you could find one. Does this client have specific needs of just wants "the best" piano for that range?
2012 NY Steinway Model B | Kawai MP11 | Nord Stage 3 Compact | Moog Matriarch | ASM Hydrasynth 49 | Sequential Circuits Prophet 10 Rev4 | Yamaha ModX 61
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Baldwin SF10 is an option, as well probably a yamaha C6. Sometimes some Schimmel / Vogel comes out in that range and to me the bigger one are very nice pianos. Again also depend on what your client need, meaning.. a nice piece of furniture with a name on the fallboard or a performance instrument?
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...name on the fallboard and a performance instrument.
I research used Schimmel and Vogel right now. THANKS!
I thought i had it all figured out. My thinking was that an sf10 was the best option, some equate it to Steinway and any other top tier companies (I'm an admirer of them). "However" I think the max size is going to have to be around 6'-6'4".
So this is where i am in the piano search situation:
Baldwin L is what i thought would be best. However some people love them (after tweeking, i.e. changing out hammers to Wurzen Bacon or other cold pressed soft hammers, changing the strings...all that adds +$5k). Some people are not fans of Baldwin L's at all! So then i thought of Estonia and Petrof, but those are made in Estonia and Czechoslavaia...not Germany/Europe. Further, they don't have the prestige of top tier pianos...right...or am i mistaken? should i consider those? (and neither does a Baldwin L for that matter...right?)
Is this budget unrealistic for a purchase of a 30 year old German piano in the under 7' range (no less than 6')???
fyi, the budget started at around $10k for an SF-10 Baldwin. Nixed the 7' SF-10. Therefore the budget jumped up to $16,000. Please don't tell me we have to raise the budget to get what we want...(crossing my fingers!)
Is buying a used piano this complicated or is it just me?
If only I had a Black Amex...
Thank you for your responses..TRULY appreciated!!
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Baldwin sf-10, Yamaha C7 or Mason and Hamlin BB...and always go long...
I'm shopping now and will try to stay at 7 feet
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I think with a used piano (or maybe with any), so much depends on the individual instrument. I would certainly look at Estonias or Petrofs, but with some caution, because they have achieved respected status fairly recently. (E.g., I understand there was a period when Petrofs had some construction issues--but of course, the same is true of Steinways!)
At $16,000 I would not be worrying too much about "prestige of top tier pianos," because you pay extra for that and don't necessarily get added quality in return.
I wouldn't expect to find a youngish used piano from one of the top German brands (such as Bechstein) for that price, at least not in the market around here.
1989 Baldwin R
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Estonia and The Czech Republic are both in Europe, last I checked. Petrof, as I understand it, has recently had a rather unjustified price hike, so I'd probably take it off the list. Estonias aren't thick on the ground in the used market, though it's a shame you cant' go REALLY big, since there's someone in Vancouver trying to unload a 1995 Estonia 9' for $15,000USD! ^_^
There is a POSSIBILITY you may find a decent Steinway L or A for under $16,000, but may require some work or might not be as glitzy and shiny as you want. This is a tough one, definitely.
2012 NY Steinway Model B | Kawai MP11 | Nord Stage 3 Compact | Moog Matriarch | ASM Hydrasynth 49 | Sequential Circuits Prophet 10 Rev4 | Yamaha ModX 61
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Amateur Pianist and raconteur.
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At $16,000 I would not be worrying too much about "prestige of top tier pianos," because you pay extra for that and don't necessarily get added quality in return.
I wouldn't expect to find a youngish used piano from one of the top German brands (such as Bechstein) for that price, at least not in the market around here.
Yep. If you were buying new that budget would normally get you a semi-entry level baby grand from one of the Japanese makers. if you could get a like-new Tier 1 for that then who would buy a semi-entry level Yamaha/Kawai baby-grand?
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I think with a used piano (or maybe with any), so much depends on the individual instrument. I would certainly look at Estonias or Petrofs, but with some caution, because they have achieved respected status fairly recently. (E.g., I understand there was a period when Petrofs had some construction issues--but of course, the same is true of Steinways!) I bought and sold a not-too-old Petrof grand for under your budget, and thought it was a great piano for the price (I ended up with a significant upgrade, but played many pianos 2-3x the price of the Petrof that were not all that much better). If you find one in nice condition, I think it'd be worth checking out.
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agreed for Petrof, not too old (about 95 2000 , I am unsure but all models where redesigned after the fall of the wall)Mostly an action, damper mechanism and keyboard question, but the plates and case where redesigned and agree with an ISO quality since then
Last edited by Olek; 10/05/15 04:04 PM.
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In that case, google "Hollywood Piano", "Past Perfect Piano", "Knauer Piano", and "Living Pianos". See what they have in your price range. Spend an hour or two on the computer, then do some driving and check out the instruments in person. There'll definitely be some good options among those dealers.
-- J.S. Knabe Grand # 10927 Yamaha CP33 Kawai FS690
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I visited Living Pianos in Santa Ana last summer and had a delightful visit with them. Check out their website for a wide variety of used vintage instruments in your price range. http://livingpianos.com/pianos/I played a Mason and Hamlin that was pretty special! They also have new Webers (S. Korean) which were well within your price range. If you got over there and tried out the best six or eight instruments in the place, you just might be able to find your piano there. I visited Hollywood pianos a few years ago and also enjoyed my visit there. They had a lot of new Baldwins that were quite nice. I like Furtwangler's suggestion of a Kawai RX-2 although I'd push it to get an RX-3. And I see Living Pianos currently has a Yamaha C3 which would be worth a looksee.
Last edited by AZ_Astro; 10/05/15 06:20 PM.
Kawai KG-5. Korg SP-250. Software pianos: Garritan CFX, Ivory II, Ivory Am D, Ravenscroft, Galaxy Vintage D, Alicia's Keys, et al.
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I visited Living Pianos in Santa Ana last summer and had a delightful visit with them. Check out their website for a wide variety of used vintage instruments in your price range. http://livingpianos.com/pianos/I played a Mason and Hamlin that was pretty special! They also have new Webers (S. Korean) which were well within your price range. If you got over there and tried out the best six or eight instruments in the place, you just might be able to find your piano there. I visited Hollywood pianos a few years ago and also enjoyed my visit there. They had a lot of new Baldwins that were quite nice. I like Furtwangler's suggestion of a Kawai RX-2 although I'd push it to get an RX-3. And I see Living Pianos currently has a Yamaha C3 which would be worth a looksee. Did you by any chance try out the SF-10 they are selling?
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
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