Need help/info on piano purchase . . .
 

Any piano experts?

Just curious:

Why a piano? How about a true 88 key electronic unit? I have one and won't go back to a "real" unit simply due to the maintenance, weight and cost.

Just thinking out loud....

And for my vote, a piano isn't a piano if it isn't at least a baby grand.

I've never cared for uprights...but that's just me.

I haven't found an electronic whose action even approached that of a real piano.

Ireally have not noticed any difference, but then I am only a duffer.....

Might talk to a professional keyboardist and see what they have to say.

That is true for an inexpensive electronic keyboard, but the top of the line models are just as good as the mechanicals. A used, properly cared for piano is good deal. If you can not buy one from an established dealer, try renting one.

I don't know about the Yamahas you mentioned but we thought of an upright and ended up with a baby grand for our son.

Went to the Costco piano roadshow and bought it form them. Great service, fast delivery, cheap (relatively) to buy. Not a recognizable brand (Cline - Korean made but so are some name brands), but not nearly as "bright" sounding as some Baldwins and Yamahas we heard. Going on five years of ownership now and it has never had a problem but we do get it tuned on a regular basis.

There still is a difference between electronic and acoustic. It has less to do with the mechanical feel and more to do with the acoustics and intangibles. If you're serious about piano, I'd find a good upright. There just is no substitute for a "real" piano. And I say that having an Alesis digital keyboard in the house. But back when I played when I was young I was on a so-so upright, then later on a 6' grand. Imho you do not need to go to a baby grand, and in fact many of the full size uprights sound better than a baby grand. There's no hiding from physics...

I don't know the models you mentioned, but in general Yamaha makes fine pianos. Just get a "full size' upright and you should be good to go. Check with university music departments as they often sell their student instruments at a decent price. I had a Young Chang and it was a sweet piano...wish I still had it. Maybe at one point I'll find a used upright and start playing keyboard more seriously.

Check out the music department of your local university. They can probably give you a primer and maybe try to sell you one of their used Yamahas. I'm not sure if it's a promotion through Yamaha or what, but once a year I get a form letter from the music department at UW and SPU offering to sell me a used studio grand at a discount.

If buying used, you'll want some form of PPI. You'll want to check the action and make sure the sound board isn't cracked or damaged.

I looked up the U1, U3 and U5. Very nice instruments...top of the line uprights. I wouldn't hesitate to get one if you can find a clean used one for a good price (and you like the sound). Lots of variables in acoustic pianos...wood, construction techniques, etc. You have to play and listen to them, as they all are slightly different.

My comments on electronic vs. mechanical pianos was directed towards a student. A professional or any highly skilled pianist will be able to tell the sound difference. And of course, there is the incredible technology with a good mechanical piano, much like a good mechanical watch!

I wouldn't worry too much about the age of the piano - to some extent the older ones can be better... Yamaha's are a great choice, I think (I own a C3). As for buying used - the piano market is crazy... I read somewhere that 9/10 used pianos listed in the want ads are not listed by private parties but are instead listed by "piano brokers" and my experience backs that up. A great source of info is Larry Fine's "The Piano Book". Good luck...

I bet a good number of those are used ones out of Japan. They do put a premium on new stuff and get rid of used on the cheap.. The price differential makes it worthwhile to import to the USA.

I also would recommend checking the universities, here in S.Cal it seems they sell off their pianos every few years.

My friend (who is very picky) has a top of the line Roland electric and I can't tell the difference in the action... but I'm an armature bass player so what do I know.:p

I'd find the local piano tuner and give them a call and see what they tell you. Sometimes they'll know about good used pianos that have been well-maintained. We have my grandmother's baby grand in our home and my wife and kids play it, it's alot more pleasant to hear than me playing the drums!

My Fiancee is a piano teacher, so I asked her what she thought.
She says that Yamaha makes a good student piano, but that dollar for dollar you'll do much better getting a used piano. Old is not a problem, but cracked soundboards, loose tuning pegs etc. most definitely are. So find a good piano shop (preferably someone who both tunes pianos and refinishes/restores old ones) and do a piano PPI.
Check out your local criagslist, you can oftne find a nice wurlitzer spinnet or the like for < $1k.

We got our Yamaha C3 from this guy:
http://rickjonespianos.com/
My son is 17 been playing since 5, piano teacher made us get a grand.

Watch out for "gray market" used Yamahas. These are Yamahas used in Japan, traded, and then exported since the Japanese apparently don't buy used pianos. The wood is different because of humidity differences in Japan, and it may lead to problems in the U.S. Search google for gray market Yamahas. Buy from a reputable dealer. You want a Yamaha made for the U.S.

If money is no object, get a Steinway. They retain their value best. A good used upright < 10 yrs old can be had for $!5K, if you can find one. You can always resell a Steinway. They are like a Porsche.

Grand pianos sound better than uprights, and are a better investment if you have the room.

You really need to have someone with you who plays and knows a good sounding piano from a bad one.

Re: Need help/info on piano purchase . . .
 

I answered some of these questions in a separate post. I had to do some research on this recently myself.

20 years is not old for a piano unless it has had heavy use--like in a music school. 50 years would be old--and you would look for cracks in the sounding board and worn out felts, etc. It doesn't hurt to have someone inspect a piano for you--though a good dealer should be reliable. It is a must to have someone with you who plays and knows a good sound from a bad one. Never buy on the internet. Go to the best dealer in your locale. Somebody who gives a solid warranty and trade-in guarantee.

Check google for the differences in Yamaha models. You can get educated quickly on google about how to buy pianos and which ones to consider.

Porsches and pianos have a lot in common. If you think this forum is full of opinions check out www.pianoworld.com www.pianostreet.com s10.invisionfree.com/The_New_Coffee_Room/index.php?showforum=1

Another common point is get a PPI before buying used!!!