Which Acoustic Piano to Buy - 3 USEFUL TIPS

Which acoustic piano to buy?

Buying an acoustic piano can be a costly and difficult issue. In this video I help you to pick out the best acoustic piano so that you can have the instrument for your budget.

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[passageenBleu]

If you are willing to wait - and I did for years - then the right piano will find you.
I spent years looking in music shops. Then a year ago I saw a piano in an antique shop, tucked away in a dark corner. Lifting the lid revealed a C Bechstein. After playing a few notes I fell in love with the rich warm sound. She was in need of tuning. I knew she was the one, and her 109 year age has enriched her beauty.
I have subsequently learned to tune the piano (and continue to learn!).
Learning to maintain a piano is just as rewarding as learning to play, and for the inquisitive with a desire for a holistic appreciation of their instrument, I recommend one acquire these skills over time.
Thank you for your very informative channel. Keep up the amazing work.

[janharris]

I worked for a Yamaha dealer many years ago and I concur with your recommendation. I'm still playing a high end Yamaha Clavinova I've had for over 20 years. Never had the space and the cash at the same time to feel like I could go for an acoustic. Still feel like my Clavinova was a great investment though!

[omarelhatoum]

I am leaving the second he said 5000 he had me dying

[Runner]

This video helped me to buy my first real piano (I had a digital and upgraded to an upright). I watched this before heading to the store. Along with some other videos and this one was probably the most useful. One thing I learned. Pianos have personalities. It’s like buying a pet. When getting a kitten or a puppy you don’t just get the cheapest or the first one you find. You have to try them out, okay different ones. When I was shopping I tried lots of different ones. It must have been the 10th piano I played when I fell in love. Everything else, the keys were too mushy, too stiff, the sound was too flat, too tinny. But when I sat at my Kawai, it was like love at first sight. I felt like the piano was made for me, and I had found my long lost best friend. The tone was rich, deep and melodic, the keys were smooth. Thank you for your video. My new piano is due to be delivered tomorrow and I can not wait!!!

[robertrenk]

I had a Baldwin R early 90’s for a few years. Couldn’t stand the sound and bought a digital that I like a lot more.

[truefilm]

Played for over 10 years in recording studios on Yamaha pianos, the C3 and the C5, both from the early 1990s. These pianos are simply fantastic. I also love the Yamaha U2, upright piano. It's quite high and sounds similar to a grand. The latter sells used for under USD 5000. Just my 2C.

[GarryBurgess]

I bought a brand new Kawai K-300 2 yrs ago. I love everything about it, except that I wish it was a Grand Piano, but that was quite a bit more expensive. I am not good enough to justify that anyway. But I like it all shiny and new inside and out.

[robertgainer]

Get a digital for a fraction of the price, with no tuning costs. Play that for five or more years while you save up for an acoustic. I have just upgraded from a £1, 000 digital (c$1, 250 USD) to a £6, 000 acoustic (c$7, 600 USD) but it has taken me over five years to save up for it. Good thing come to those who wait.

[boldcautionproductions]

Great share. On my 6th weekly lesson today, it was then obvious I was at a disadvantage of using a digital piano to learn. For a couple of reasons, I could not control the shape of the music or individual notes. Convinced I need to at least practice on an acoustic, but may have to buy one - not much room in my house for one.

[rproctor]

I saved up a hundred grand to buy a house but now that the cost of housing doubled I might just buy a grand piano and live under a bridge. I think I would be happier this way.

[Taichistretchingspace]

I fell in love with my Yamaha 1990 - $7500 grade AAA Japan after 4 years on my Roland 140R — 10 months later fingers nolonger painful

[gorbeenatter]

I used a hypodermic needle filled with vodka and fabric softener to the tip of the hammers with a little gentle sanding to transform the tone of a harsh piano to a warm sound.

[znraymond]

Thanks Jazer for your tips. My recent shoping experience teaches me lessions, avoid Chinese pianos. I found a 15 year old Kawai piano online with pretty good price, when I went to the owner's home for an audition, I found hammers were not even, they did not reture to their home positions. With the serial number, I found the piano was actually made in China.

[greensheperd]

Thanks alot for the useful tips jazer, i still have another question though: in many forums people state, that learning good technique and playing advanced will make a grand piano a necessity. I am currently thinking about buying a nice, professional upright, since budget is not my main concern (i want to play this instrument ideally for the rest of my life, so i don't want to buy another one later, its a long-term-decision for me), but space is a main concern... so im kind of confused and unsure what to do. i liked the sound of the uprights, even more than the sound of the baby grands i tested. but being held back down the line when my skilllevel rises worries me a bit... if you could talk about this issue, i would much appretiate it, thank you.

[williamsmyth]

Here is a very important limiting factor in your choice of piano - the weight of the hammers. The hammers on a lot of new pianos are way too light. It's like plucking a guitar string with a feather - you can't get an acceptable dynamic range. This should not be confused with stiff action. Play a chord on the piano as softly as you can, and then very loud. Note carefully the contrast. The dynamic range should be the same as you can get on a high quality piano, or an electric guitar. Use that as your assessment of the hammer weight.

[zbigniewbohdanowicz]

Short and to the point, no need to look further, grat tips, fully agree

[michelprimeau]

Hi Mr.Lee, I want to buy a new upright acoustic piano for 5-10K. I'm in my early 40s and started less than years ago to play piano. I intend to buy that piano for my next 40 years so I want to make sure I have the right thing. How am I suppose to check with my limited skill? I'm an early intermediate and can't test a piano to it's maximum potential with a Chopin piece. So far, the only thing that I can test is the break (the change were copper wires comes in). I play the chromatic scale at the 3rd octave and pay attention between D and F. I also check for the escapement by playing very softly. I don't care about high level features. A pig with lipstick is still a pig. There are to many piano retailer that talks about what the piano have and not what it does because it simply can't deliver. You can have double felt and sound boxy. You can have agraffe and have an awful break. I need simple exercice, tips that I can do to test a piano capacity. Thanks

[afloridian]

i bought a 64 key, bright tone, detroit made, $200 grinnel jr piano and am very happy with it. Honestly this video is for very serious pianists, of which i am not

[bodaciouscans]

I bought a European second hand piano (made in Germany). The sound is sooo beautiful! I prefer it even over Japanese instruments. I tried several Yamaha uprights and I just don't like the sound as much as European made piano's

[borderbuddies]

I had a digital piano and my lessons were on a Yamaha grand piano. I loved the Yamaha. I now got a second hand European upright. Unfortunately my lessons are now on a cheap Yamaha upright and the sound is not that great.