Thanks for the video, Stu! I was recently fortunate enough to upgrade from a 5' Yamaha to a 6'2" Brodmann. The differences in playability, clarity and consistency of tone, improvement in quality and build, the overall presence, improved action, etc... I felt justified in my upgrade from day one and continue to feel so a few months in. Worth the investment.
Thanks for tuning in and supporting our channel! That is fantastic news! I am happy to hear that the investment/upgrade has continued to supply you with inspiration and enjoyment every day! :)
That’s a very honest assessment from someone who sells pianos. Many years ago I worked at a dealership that sold mainly yamaha pianos and organs. The owner was a tuner by training. The standing joke in the showroom was that if he started demonstrating the models of different brands actions, and then tearing down a piano that was on the floor, then that customer was not getting out of the store until he bought something!
Thanks for the kind words and for tuning in! Hahaha it could be perceived as desperation to sell, but, from the optimist's point of view, it could just be that, being a tech, he geeks out so hard on pianos and couldn't help himself once the conversation about piano specs got rolling! ;)
@@MerriamPianos true, but most of the time the sales staff preferred it if the boss stayed off the showroom floor lol. His other stunt was, in the middle of the demo, to casually pick up the coffee pot and place it on the piano while he continued to talk. This of course demonstrated to the customer how durable the finish was on the piano. Of course we all knew that the coffee machine had been turned off since noon hour!
Great informative video! Thank you so much for sharing the amazing quality and craftmanship of this amazing early american piano builder from Chicago named Adam Schaaf. FYI: I have a 1916 Adam Schaaf upright just like this piano. Everything on my piano is in great shape just needs one hammer repaired. The original owner was in her ninteys when I got it. I told her then since she grew up with this piano and owned it her whole life that I would get it fully restored and it would go to someone that would appreciate it as much as she did in its hayday. With the sound quality and craftmanship that she remembers. Lovely Americana manufacturing video again thank you for sharing!
Thank you kindly! We're glad you enjoyed the video. And thank you for sharing the story about your piano. It sounds like a special instrument with quite the history. We wish you all the best as you tackle the restoration project. Thanks again and all the best! :)
I am an old amateur player, had a 6' 4" Samic for 25 plus years.but moved Colorado to Northern Virginia , sold the Samic. With the smaller house, thought about and tested uprights, Yamahas, Kawaii, Mason Hamlin, Schimmel, some new some used. Decided to try a baby grand, a Schimmel Fridolin actually 5' 3 not 5'1'as advertised, and fell in love. Yes it is made by Pearl River but it is designed and overseen by Schimmel and was in my price range. I have never enjoyed playing more and look forward everyday.to play on my Schimmel.
Congrats on your Fridolin Schimmel baby grand piano! Pearl River makes something in the neighbourhood of 150,000+ pianos annually. With that said, you can bet that they've learned a thing or two about making instruments in the process! We carry the Fridolin Schimmel line and it offers a great European-sounding alternative to other Asian manufactured instruments at its price point. I know it will serve you well for many years to come! Happy playing! :)
Hi there! Unfortunately, we probably won't be releasing that specific comparison as the FP90X has already been out for some time. With that said, if I recall correctly, Stu covers what updates were applied to the FP90X in our FP90X review video. :)
Very nice! Baby grand pianos start at the 5' mark. There are some petite grand models that are a bit shorter (most commonly around the 4'8" mark). Wishing you all the best on your piano journey! :)
A lot of what you talk about I find true in acoustic guitars. Quality tonewoods and construction methods are critical and make a huge difference tonally. Thanks for this informative video as usual.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! As a classical guitarist by trade myself, I definitely agree with that sentiment. There are definitely some parallels between guitar and piano making, particularly when it comes to the tonal profile of specific types of wood and where they are integrated into the design of the instrument. :)
The black piano on the left appears to have a thicker outer rim than the white Kawai grand piano, which looks like a GL-10... is the black piano a Kawai GX-1?
Are these MSRP prices? Can you get a $30K type experience(lack of imperfections) with less by 'buying used'? I am so picky about audio/sound - audiophile, I love how my native instruments sounds, but I hate the playing experience and fact that they have to come out of speakers instead of the piano itself :'( Any solutions for this? Maybe installing a bunch of different speakers/subwoofers in different locations inside a $500 piano cabinet with midi controller? 😂 I want the best playing experience for me playing the piano and hearing myself play, I do not care about listeners!
I believe Stu is reference retail prices in this video opposed to MSRP prices (which are typically much higher than the real price these instruments end up selling for). In some cases, you may be able to extract more value from a used piano purchase. However, it is important to note that pianos degrade musically over time. So, while you may find a higher quality piano on the used market, it may not necessarily provide as rich of a musical experience as a new specimen of a lower quality tier depending on how old the used instrument is. Also, if you're looking for the best sonic experience from the player's perspective, you may actually enjoy an upright piano more than a grand. The proximity and disposition of an upright piano's soundboard to the player's ears can lead to a more intimate sonic experience for the player.
@@MerriamPianos Thanks. Yes, sonics are important for me, how ever, I need custom springs on the levelers like they do in japan, I can't stand not being able to trigger a note again without the key coming all the back up first on uprights. and some other things. I also have a large area and current grand which I would like to replace. I think I am leaning towards one that has a silent mode+headphones, though I do hate wearing headphones when playing, would much prefer some well placed speakers, but I do not know what solutions there are for well placed quality speakers under $2k-5k on silent pianos :/
It is all a matter of subjectivity of course, but, generally speaking, to find a grand piano of the equivalent quality level of a specific upright piano is going to cost in the neighbourhood of two to three times more.
I think I remember this part from one of your videos from 2020 ua-cam.com/video/miP3ndqMYw8/v-deo.html&feature=shares I was so yung watching this back then haha🎹🎶
You could possibly find very old grand pianos on the used piano market for free to a couple hundred dollars, but they are likely going to require a lot of restoration work to become a viable instrument again, which can be quite costly.
Hi there! As you can imagine, a lot of it has to do with pragmatism and cost. Laminate rims are an effective way to ensure durability and stability both in terms of cost and function. With that said, there are some more premium grand pianos that use hardwood rims that are created out of one piece with the intention of the rim enhancing the overall tonal quality instead of simply being a structural support mechanism.
Thanks for the video, Stu! I was recently fortunate enough to upgrade from a 5' Yamaha to a 6'2" Brodmann. The differences in playability, clarity and consistency of tone, improvement in quality and build, the overall presence, improved action, etc... I felt justified in my upgrade from day one and continue to feel so a few months in. Worth the investment.
Thanks for tuning in and supporting our channel! That is fantastic news! I am happy to hear that the investment/upgrade has continued to supply you with inspiration and enjoyment every day! :)
That’s a very honest assessment from someone who sells pianos. Many years ago I worked at a dealership that sold mainly yamaha pianos and organs. The owner was a tuner by training. The standing joke in the showroom was that if he started demonstrating the models of different brands actions, and then tearing down a piano that was on the floor, then that customer was not getting out of the store until he bought something!
Thanks for the kind words and for tuning in! Hahaha it could be perceived as desperation to sell, but, from the optimist's point of view, it could just be that, being a tech, he geeks out so hard on pianos and couldn't help himself once the conversation about piano specs got rolling! ;)
@@MerriamPianos true, but most of the time the sales staff preferred it if the boss stayed off the showroom floor lol. His other stunt was, in the middle of the demo, to casually pick up the coffee pot and place it on the piano while he continued to talk. This of course demonstrated to the customer how durable the finish was on the piano. Of course we all knew that the coffee machine had been turned off since noon hour!
Great informative video! Thank you so much for sharing the amazing quality and craftmanship of this amazing early american piano builder from Chicago named Adam Schaaf. FYI: I have a 1916 Adam Schaaf upright just like this piano. Everything on my piano is in great shape just needs one hammer repaired. The original owner was in her ninteys when I got it. I told her then since she grew up with this piano and owned it her whole life that I would get it fully restored and it would go to someone that would appreciate it as much as she did in its hayday. With the sound quality and craftmanship that she remembers. Lovely Americana manufacturing video again thank you for sharing!
Thank you kindly! We're glad you enjoyed the video. And thank you for sharing the story about your piano. It sounds like a special instrument with quite the history. We wish you all the best as you tackle the restoration project. Thanks again and all the best! :)
I am an old amateur player, had a 6' 4" Samic for 25 plus years.but moved Colorado to Northern Virginia , sold the Samic. With the smaller house, thought about and tested uprights, Yamahas, Kawaii, Mason Hamlin, Schimmel, some new some used. Decided to try a baby grand, a Schimmel Fridolin actually 5' 3 not 5'1'as advertised, and fell in love. Yes it is made by Pearl River but it is designed and overseen by Schimmel and was in my price range. I have never enjoyed playing more and look forward everyday.to play on my Schimmel.
Congrats on your Fridolin Schimmel baby grand piano! Pearl River makes something in the neighbourhood of 150,000+ pianos annually. With that said, you can bet that they've learned a thing or two about making instruments in the process! We carry the Fridolin Schimmel line and it offers a great European-sounding alternative to other Asian manufactured instruments at its price point. I know it will serve you well for many years to come! Happy playing! :)
Very good, thanks.
You're very welcome! We're glad you enjoyed it. :)
Love this channel! ❤
Thank you so much! We appreciate the love and support! :)
@Merriam Music You're very welcome! I was also new to this information, and your channel back then. Your videos are very informative, and helpful🎹🎶
Thank you kindly! We're happy to hear that you've found them helpful! :)
Thanks!
You're very welcome! Thanks for checking out the video! :)
Please make a comparison between Roland FP90 vs FP90x
Hi there! Unfortunately, we probably won't be releasing that specific comparison as the FP90X has already been out for some time. With that said, if I recall correctly, Stu covers what updates were applied to the FP90X in our FP90X review video. :)
I learnt on a basic electric key board I want a Piano 🎹 I have room for the 4ft Baby Grand.
But would settle for a regular 🎹piano (starter)
Very nice! Baby grand pianos start at the 5' mark. There are some petite grand models that are a bit shorter (most commonly around the 4'8" mark). Wishing you all the best on your piano journey! :)
Perfect!
Thanks so much for tuning in! :)
A lot of what you talk about I find true in acoustic guitars. Quality tonewoods and construction methods are critical and make a huge difference tonally. Thanks for this informative video as usual.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! As a classical guitarist by trade myself, I definitely agree with that sentiment. There are definitely some parallels between guitar and piano making, particularly when it comes to the tonal profile of specific types of wood and where they are integrated into the design of the instrument. :)
The black piano on the left appears to have a thicker outer rim than the white Kawai grand piano, which looks like a GL-10... is the black piano a Kawai GX-1?
I believe you are correct on both accounts! ;)
@@MerriamPianos Oh wow! 😀
Are these MSRP prices? Can you get a $30K type experience(lack of imperfections) with less by 'buying used'? I am so picky about audio/sound - audiophile, I love how my native instruments sounds, but I hate the playing experience and fact that they have to come out of speakers instead of the piano itself :'(
Any solutions for this? Maybe installing a bunch of different speakers/subwoofers in different locations inside a $500 piano cabinet with midi controller? 😂
I want the best playing experience for me playing the piano and hearing myself play, I do not care about listeners!
I believe Stu is reference retail prices in this video opposed to MSRP prices (which are typically much higher than the real price these instruments end up selling for). In some cases, you may be able to extract more value from a used piano purchase. However, it is important to note that pianos degrade musically over time. So, while you may find a higher quality piano on the used market, it may not necessarily provide as rich of a musical experience as a new specimen of a lower quality tier depending on how old the used instrument is.
Also, if you're looking for the best sonic experience from the player's perspective, you may actually enjoy an upright piano more than a grand. The proximity and disposition of an upright piano's soundboard to the player's ears can lead to a more intimate sonic experience for the player.
@@MerriamPianos Thanks. Yes, sonics are important for me, how ever, I need custom springs on the levelers like they do in japan, I can't stand not being able to trigger a note again without the key coming all the back up first on uprights.
and some other things.
I also have a large area and current grand which I would like to replace. I think I am leaning towards one that has a silent mode+headphones, though I do hate wearing headphones when playing, would much prefer some well placed speakers, but I do not know what solutions there are for well placed quality speakers under $2k-5k on silent pianos :/
Wait! The video was out 1 day ago. Why do I feel I’ve seen exactly this video long time ago?
Because space-time is not as non-linear as it seems and, every now and then, it folds into itself. ;)
It was a clip from this video back in 2020 ua-cam.com/video/miP3ndqMYw8/v-deo.html&feature=shares 🎹🎶
@@MerriamPianos oh man!
I'm still a fan of good digitals.
Absolutely! Different tools for different jobs as they say! ;)
I currently have an upright worth around 8k if i sell it could I possibly get a baby grand at the price (if i get that much back) that is good quality
It is all a matter of subjectivity of course, but, generally speaking, to find a grand piano of the equivalent quality level of a specific upright piano is going to cost in the neighbourhood of two to three times more.
I think I remember this part from one of your videos from 2020 ua-cam.com/video/miP3ndqMYw8/v-deo.html&feature=shares
I was so yung watching this back then haha🎹🎶
That's awesome! Thank you for supporting our channel through the years! :)
Number 2
Congrats! :)
I'm looking at $500, lol
You could possibly find very old grand pianos on the used piano market for free to a couple hundred dollars, but they are likely going to require a lot of restoration work to become a viable instrument again, which can be quite costly.
As far as the inner and outer rim why use laminations at all, as opposed to using a solid block of wood? Thanks.
Hi there! As you can imagine, a lot of it has to do with pragmatism and cost. Laminate rims are an effective way to ensure durability and stability both in terms of cost and function. With that said, there are some more premium grand pianos that use hardwood rims that are created out of one piece with the intention of the rim enhancing the overall tonal quality instead of simply being a structural support mechanism.
@@MerriamPianos interesting. Thank you very much.