Our Estonia came last week!

"Estelle" is a brand-new 190, and not only is she gorgeous, but a magnificent instrument. Thankfully, in our piano hunt we found Nick of Nick's Piano Showroom in Bonita Springs, Florida, who was so helpful in directing us to our perfect piano. My husband and I are both graduates of the Oberlin Conservatory (many moons ago) and moved to Florida from New Jersey permanently in 2008. We sold our Steinway before moving down here, and have been piano-less since. Nick was a God-send, and showed us how the piano was constructed and the differences between the Estonia and the other pianos we were considering. Thank you, Estonia Company, for being so particular and making such a wonderful instrument!

Congratulations on your Estonia! I am sure you will love it!

Did you and your husband major in piano at Oberlin?

Soon we'd like to see pictures in it's new home.

Congrats and looking forward to the pictures!

But why did you sell the Steinway, was storage no option?

Yes, we were piano performance majors at Oberlin.

The Steinway was not in good shape, and we really didn't enjoy playing it. Also, we did not think we would have room for it. Nick made a template of the Estonia for us, and we were indeed surprised to see that it did fit in our home.

My business partner did his undergrad at Oberlin with Joseph Schwartz in the mid 80s. Did you know him?

Congratulations on your new piano Estelle.
Yes, please post pictures when you can.

And if you decide to have a forums piano party, let me know. We're practically neighbors :-)

Congratulations on a fine piano!

Pictures?

Rick

Congratulations on your new piano Estelle.
Nice when it becomes the choice among professional type pianists.
Enjoy!

Norbert

Not only do I know Joe, I studied with him! I graduated in 1970, however, so we couldn't not have been there at the same time. I adore Joe Schwartz.

If I ever figure out how to post a picture, I will! Would love a piano party!

How to post pictures...
http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Forum/1/topic/007839/

Or, you can email them to me and I can upload and post in your thread webmaster@pianoworld.com

If you do decide to have a piano party, count us in.
Kathy sings, I play (old) rock n' roll, standards, blues, a little ragtime and even less jazz :-)

Piano parties are great fun and a wonderful opportunity for forums members to meet in person.

Some past parties, tours, cruises, etc. can be viewed in this area...
http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/forums/21/1/

Very nice! Congrats. The Estonia 190 is on my radar of pianos to try out. I owe Sam down at Piano Works a visit soon.

That is really cool. Small world, huh. He lives in Florida now also.

Congratulations on your piano. Nick is good people!

Congratulations, and best wishes for many years of musical enjoyment!

The new Estonia Grand Piano...



Posted for Estelle Estonia

Oooh. Aahh. Mmmm, Hidden Beauty!

Lovely! Congratulations!

As this Estonia 190 Hidden Beauty was purchased form Nick's Pianos, it might well be this one?:

2011 Estonia 190 Hidden Beauty from Nick's Piano

And, Estelle, congratualations with you wonderful aquisition.

schwammerl.

I'm guessing that is Estelle!

I bet that the two of you are very happen to once again have a piano to play on!

But tell, us, do you play standing up?

<BG>

Enjoy!

BTW, Frank is fun to have at a piano party!

I know of Oberlin, live near Kent State. When I was looking for a piano, I first went to a Steinway dealer near Oberlin, who claims to purchase for them, and most likely did. I had set an appointment and played all the pianos for part of a day. None could compare to any Estonia I ever played. While introduced to one in Columbus, I found my "Irene" in PA.

It was my lucky day, I visited every so often until I could afford to pay for it. The dealer more than tolerated my weekend visits, about 80 miles from home, for six months. Then I bought it. It has been almost 4 years since I bought a just born Estonia (it was only 4 months old). It is the best musical and financial decision I ever made. Love my L190. Know you both will, too. Interesting you have "Estelle" and I have an "Irene".

I call my Estonia "Sylvia Robert" since I am not quite sure if it is a boy or a girl......

Estelle.. what a perfect name.

i adore my Estonia. ... people have no idea what a great piano it is.. well.. they do when they play it.

Congratulations on your new piano! And, it is a very nice one!

Yes, Nick is a very nice guy, and a great pianist and tech!

Rick

Thanks for posting the picture! Nice!

Congrats on your beautiful L190. Estelle is a nice name for a piano. I never came up with a name for my L190....still hoping he/she will reveal it to me in time. Last month I had my teacher's other adult students over for a practice recital and they all just gushed about the Estonia. I don't think any of them had ever heard of Estonia before, much less played one.

Jim

That piano will afford so many pleasurable years! Isn't it peculiar that a piano can be so longed for, and at the same time, seemingly worthless to those who don't play?
BTW, I call my Yamaha, "The Empress" I played today for a visitor who was 9 years old. I hope she will someday remember this experience and want to learn to play. It's our obligation to expose young folks to the art of the keyboards.

I actually 'named' my Estonia STONE but have never once referred to it by that name.. Wish i had thought of Estelle. that really is perfect.

If you think it has a more masculine quality, why not Esteban?

Congratulations on your new Estonia. She is quite beautiful. Estelle looks like she's done in polished mahogany, which is one of my favorite finishes, but I could be misjudging by the reflection on her fallboard. Esteban would be a very cool name for a masculine Estonia.

I hope you have many happy years together.

BTW - my Yamaha's name is Wolfgang.

Estelle is ebony with bubinga wood inside and on the music stand. She is the "hidden beauty." Gorgeous!

Hurray for your Estonia. My new 225 Hidden Beauty Estonia came today! So lovely. Such a wonderful tone right out of the box. Although I couldn't look when the piano was coming down the ramp and up the ramp to get into my house.

I'm thinking of an Estonian name (Paralink website provides translations) but haven't picked anything yet.

I AM SO EXCITED!

AlaskaDragonFly,

Congrtulations on your new Estonia 225! You are probably the first member here owning a 225!

When you say "right out of the box" I presume you do not mean literally and that the dealer you bought it from has first unboxed and checked it on arrival and has given it the necessary care in terms of tuning, regulation and voicing before delivery at your home?

Should you wish to give it an Estonia name you might want to have a look at the link below that gives you Estonian names with their meaning and pronounciation:

Estonian names

Enjoy for many years to come

schwammerl.

Very exciting. You are fortunate as the wait list is growing. We shared some videos of our first L225 and it is now destined for a new performance hall due to open this Fall.

If you have not already, check out the documentary, "The Singing Revolution" to learn more about the unique role of music in Estonia's history and culture. It deepened my understanding of the source of the energy that goes into their instruments.

Not to publish a picture of 'that' piano is a cardinal crime...

Congrats!! [with great envy..]

Norbert

Congratulations AlaskaDragonfly.

As Norbert said, pictures, we like pictures!

Congtrats on your new Estonia. Very nice piano! Estelle is a great name for her as well. My mother-in-law's name, (now deceased), was Estelle and she was a regal lady who never made a disparaging remark about anyone.

I will think of your mother-in-law when I play Chopin's 4th Ballade, a piece certainly worthy of a regal lady! My mother-in-law was also a very lovely person. I never heard her say a bad word against anyone.

The Estonia Hidden Beauty can be a difficult piano to photograph both inside and outside, but here are a couple of examples I came up with:







Impressive in all details without a doubt. But it's not just looks, although this does show dedication to the highest quality possible.

Customers instantly connect with a sound all its own, combining elements of both European and American pianos.

The Hidden Beauty is indeed a difficult piano to photograph.

Here's one with slightly more Bubinga surfaces than present models have:

http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/SHIPMENTTOCALGARYCUSTOMERS.jpg

Congratulations to OP - indeed a very beautiful piano.
[and hard to get...]

Norbert

I'm guessing this is Estelle's younger brother. Quite a handsome devil!

Yes it is, but his adopting parents requested that an operation be performed.

Here he is in his new home:

How do you know he is a boy?

It really is very beautiful, very elegant, I believe it must have amazing charm, although I have not played Estonia. Congratulations to you!

Lakeside in Beijing

The excitement I feel for my Estonia 225 has not subsided. Here are some comments to the posts that came in after I announced the piano's delivery last July.

1--yes, you are right. The piano was opened in Bellevue at the dealership and inspected, etc. Then it was recrated and shipped to me in Alaska. So it was that Alaska "out of the box" experience that I was referring to. FYI, there is a wonderful piano technician here in Alaska and we're going to tune soon.

2--Alaska is very, very dry and we had an incredibly rainy season right after the piano arrived so....I wanted the piano to adjust to our home. I had a humidifier/dehumidifier installed. So the first thorough tuning is coming right up.

3--Norbert! You talked to me about Estonia a LONG time ago and I still appreciate your perspective and info. Thank you.

Now I'm going to try to figure out how to post pictures. After quite a bit of negotiating, I was able to get "special" legs on my Estonia. It may be shallow but I love the look.

Now's let see about posting that photo...

I keep clicking on "Enter an Image" but then it says "enter the url" and I just want to pick up a photo from my computer's file so I don't really understand the command.

Oh well, it's pretty and I'm sure someone will know what I should be doing to post a photo or two. My piano playing is a little better than my posting skills.

Still delighted with the piano

>I keep clicking on "Enter an Image" but then it says "enter the url" and I just want to pick up a photo from my computer's file so I don't really understand the command.

You first need to upload the picture before you can enter the url. After uploading you get a mail back with the url.

uploading is explained in the "forum rules and help" link in the top right but even then it's hard to find. This is a more direct link.. hope that helps

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthrea...ite_id/1#import

one more thing AlaskaDragonfly, it seems better to start a new page for your new estonia!

Late to the party but congrats! There is nothing like a beautiful new piano and you certainly have one there!

Not me...not me....

Dealer who sold piano: "where's my commission"?

Norbert

Congratulations! The Estonia is a really lovely instrument. I'm sure you'll treasure it for many years.

I *almost* pulled the trigger on the 190 one last year but decided to wait.

I need to stop reading these Estonia threads.

I think for the rest of my life whenever I hear the name Estonia, I'll think of Apple. May she rest in peace.

This thread is almost a year old! Still, I checked out the photos, and might I add - very nice piano

Thanks for the uploading tips...I still can't upload because the link keeps breaking after I click the submit button. I'll keep trying. Also, I don't know how to start a new thread.

I really appreciate your help if you have time to advise a little more.

Thank you.

Wouter79, thanks for your photo uploading tips...Here are two photos of my Estonia 225 and our wonderful cow-like dog named Panda mushing through our living room in Alaska.

After another member suggested to me, I often use another sight, Imageshack.us

You now have to sign up for an account with them. Once there, the upload is easy and they give you forum code ready to cut and paste. It isn't as clean as this sight's upload, but it is pretty easy.

To start a new thread, click on "New Topic" which is listed directly above the top thread on the left. From there, you can make a title and then post like normal.

I'm excited to see it all put together, complete with fancy legs. Several years ago, we ordered a fancy scrollwork music desk for an otherwise standard L168. We also sold an Estonia in rosewood with Victorian legs to a celeb client. Actually, both were celeb clients in the music industry.

Gorgeous!

The piano is nice, too. I see you have a lighting solution for the lid, too.

Again, I'm a better piano player than a photographer or poster of images. Perhaps a rather low bar to meet... But, oh, how I love the sparkle of my piano and it's wonderfully resonant bass. Very lively to the touch yet plays like silk.

This photo may show you the legs. I'll have to do some "beauty shots" of our Estonia 225 later with better lighting. This photo makes it look too short. I paid for all 225 cm and I need to take a photo that reflects that. Also, this photo doesn't show the beautiful bubinga wood on the underside of the lid.

Yes, I bought the little floor lamp just to have it show off the underside of the lid. The lamp makes all the difference for my guests. I considered all kinds of options but this lamp works great.

Trish (Steinway rep in Alaska) is organizing my tuning, voicing, etc., and she promises to have two excellent musicians come to my house for an official "opening" evening for the Estonia 225.

It was a strain for me to spend this much money but, sadly, there was a death in my family about two years ago and I realized I better get on with buying the piano of my dreams. I had looked for about 5 years and almost pulled the trigger on a 190 as the other poster said. (It got sold while I was thinking it over for one day.) I first ordered the 190 but a little glitch (no one's fault) gave me a second chance to rethink and remember that I would only buy one piano in my life. Hence the 225 sits resplendent in my too-small living room. How lucky I am to have the piano of my dreams.

Also, during my five year search, I loved the Mason and Hamlin pianos, just loved them, especially the BB. But Estonia won out for me every time I had the chance to comparison play at a dealer. A few years back, I even had the chance to play an Estonia concert grand in Denver at a dealer. I remember clearly that I had to stop halfway through the piece I was playing because I couldn't bear knowing that I would never be able to own such a beautiful piano. How little I knew. A 225 is not a concert grand but it is fabulous.

Well, I'm sure life will sweep along and keep me from posting for a few months but I really appreciate the enthusiasm and kind words of the people in this thread. I am going to try out a few more lessons starting tomorrow with a Russian piano teacher here in Alaska. I hope it will go well. My piano playing anxiety when there is anyone else in the room knows no bounds.

Now if I can just get my 11 year old to keep taking HER piano lessons....

Thanks again, everybody.

Cheers.

If you would like your bench legs to match better, Jansen has a couple of styles that are "unlisted". What you would need is style J10. Shhh! Don't tell anybody I told you about 'em.

Thanks! Yes, I would like my bench legs to match better! The dealer told me they had done the best they could but I seemed to recall there was a dealer somewhere in my piano searching days who had a big display of bench legs. It's hard living in Alaska sometimes. Washburn closed up shop here and I had to travel to Seattle to ultimately purchase my Estonia.

THANK YOU. I will follow up.

You will probably need to get a dealer to order them, but Jansen can make them, finish them in polish ebony and ship them to you. Swapping them out takes 10 minutes and a 1/2" wrench. Contact me if your dealer isn't familiar with these. I have photos somewhere, but I'm confident they are the best match.

Your piano is stunning!!!! - Congratulations

Switching out the bench legs would be the crowning glory.

Alaska, your Estonia is beautiful! However, I have to ask, where in the world (literally) did you find a 225? I didn't think Estonia was making a 7' yet. I've been waiting for it.

The 225 (7'4") came out two years ago. The 210 is the new one at 6'11"

Okay, but why isn't either one on the Estonia web site? And, what's the advantage in having two models just 15cm (5") difference?

Estonia's website is being updated right now. The new pianos will definitely be on it.

15cm difference may seem small to some but can make all the difference of fitting a piano in a certain space - or not.

Many other makers have similar options - presumably for same reason.

Norbert

Congratulations and nice pic!
And yes, nice that you have a special light to light the inside

>Now if I can just get my 11 year old to keep taking HER piano lessons....

Just keep playing with love yourself, that's all you can do. Most likely she will pick that up and do some instrument later.