🎹Baby Grand Piano: Everything You Ever Needed To Know About Baby Grand Pianos (2020 Updated)🎹
Вставка
- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
- Start With Size - 2:28
Price Range - 6:52
The Action - 14:41
Other Components - 21:10
The Bridge - 23:40
New Versus Used - 27:05
🛒Browse all Baby Grand Pianos▸geni.us/Baby-G...
💕Subscribe to Merriam Pianos HERE ▸ bit.ly/Subscrib...
🔔Click the 🔔 bell to be notified of all videos! ▸ bit.ly/Subscrib...
#Piano #BabyGrandPiano #GrandPiano
Introduction:
Welcome to Merriam Pianos’ refreshed 2020 review of all the critical points of information to know about as you are searching and shopping for a baby grand piano.
A baby grand piano can be one of the most expensive purchases a family makes, and it’s often difficult to understand how you should be making the decision, or what pieces of information to focus in on so that you feel informed and comfortable with your budget and ultimately your final selection.
We hope you enjoy the video, and if it is the first time to the channel, we’d love for you to subscribe and stay notified!
Price Ranges:
Grand pianos range widely in price, starting from $10,000 and heading up to a half-a-million in rare cases. There are many reasons for the massive disparity - building materials, production time, the sophistication of design, and to an extent, exclusivity and limited production.
One the one extreme, the majority of Chinese baby grand pianos are manufactured to achieve a price point, and although the cost-cutting measures have become less extreme in 2020 than they were in the early 2000’s, there are still design and material selections that are made entirely out of cost consideration to sneak in under the $10,000 USD mark. Although, this is becoming difficult to find models that still meet this price point.
Between $10,000 - 20,000, the baby grand pianos available include a wide variety of stencil or entry-level brands from larger manufacturers, built in China and Indonesia (*). This would include pianos from:
● Pearl River
● Parsons
● Hailun
● Perzina
● Samick*
● Young Chang
● Kawai*
● Yamaha*
Some of the best Indonesian pianos are from the Kawai Karawan factory, which builds the K-200, GL10, and Boston models for the Steinway & Sons brand.
From $20,000 - 30,000, this moves to the Japanese product from Kawai and Yamaha, the two largest piano manufacturers in the world by dollar value. This would include models like the GC1 or C1X from Yamaha, or the GL20 / GL30 or GX1 from Kawai.
From $30,000 - 50,000, European builders from the Czech Republic, Poland, Estonia, or San Marino find their niche.
And from $50,000 and up, with the exception of the NY Steinway Model S (and maybe M...which is stretching the baby grand label a bit at 5’7”), all others are from Germany, Austria, and Italy.
Manufacturers:
Although the number of piano manufacturers in the world is shrinking through consolidation and attrition, the number of brands continues to hold steady. This leads to a heavy burden on the customer to further understand the source of the products and how to access up-to-date resources which ‘decode’ the industry.
Longevity:
Baby grand pianos have varying lifespans, and their cabinetry is the biggest indicator of how long they will last, or whether they can be rebuilt. On the low end, an inexpensive entry-level grand piano may have a realistic life span of 30-40 years before major components would be in need of refurbishment under normal use - such as action parts, hammers, bass strings, or possibly tuning pins.
On the extreme end, a hand-made concert grand piano is built (as Steinway says….built to be rebuilt) with the intention of a 100+ year lifespan in-home, studio, or light institutional use. (Factors such as sheer physical damage and extreme climatic changes affect even the best pianos in high-use institutional settings.)
Sizes and what is appropriate/necessary:
Most homes select pianos between 5-7’ in length, with the majority of those between 5’1” and 6’1”. This size range is sufficient to fill residential rooms of any size, with the smaller 5’ sizes appropriate for rooms of 15’ x 15’ (approx) and 6’ models could easily fill rooms more than twice that size.
New vs Used:
There will always be used options to select from, and the options are so varied that it’s difficult to draw broad conclusions. Important considerations are warranty coverage, moving costs, reliable information as to its history and maintenance records, and accuracy of information overall. Generally, a used grand piano in good mechanical condition, if in black polish and without a premium brand, will sell for $3000 - 5000 privately. A used Yamaha or Kawai privately, in good condition, will sell for between $7000 - 15,000 depending on the model.
Connect with Merriam Music:
● Website ▸ www.merriammus...
● Contact Us ▸ www.merriammus...
● Instagram ▸ / merriammusic
● Facebook ▸ / merriammusic
● Twitter ▸ / merriammusicinc
I made a whole lot of music on a $200.00 upright as a kid and as a teen. I spent hours and hours on that klunker and I loved it. At one point I worked in a piano store and had exclusive access to a Bosendorfer Imperial. Nothing compared to that but was so far out of my price range, it might as well have been on the moon. Much, much later in life I was able to plunk down cash for a 5 foot grand. I feel privileged to have a grand and a house to put it in.
For the last 60 years I've used my grandmother's Krakhauer Bros. (NY, 1935) 5' 7" art grand piano (Louis XV). It's good enough for me. Bosendorfers rumble in the bass and have tons of harmonics because of so many bass strings.
Amen
Must have been really cool to play on that bosendorfer imperial!
@@kaden697 Piano heaven! 😌
,
I went into a huge piano store with my mind believing i wanted to get a Yamaha or Kawai, I walked out buying a Brodmann. After spending HOURS playing many different pianos, this Brodmann just sounded so nice. An equivilant piano in the two main brands would have set me back 30+k , This 5'6" Brodmann , a 2012 piano, was only $7,200.00. I could not be happier. Biggest tip i could give is, spend lots of time playing them. Buy the one that makes you WANT to keep playing.
Agreed on that front for sure - buy the piano that makes you want to play, and spend the time to make sure you're hearing and feeling what you think you are. Congrats on the instrument, if it's one of the Vienna-built ones for that price that's a great buy. Enjoy! -stu
@@MerriamPianos Not sure of the history, other than it's German built. the serial number is 175 0001022
I did just find the model CE-175. It's a bigger piano than i thought it was. 5'9"
@@gmee123 Sounds good! I think you might be looking at the label one particular component labelled "Made in Germany" vs the entire piano (as none of the Broadmann's are made in Germany, so I hope a store/salesperson didn't communicate that) but you can read up on their various lines and manufacturing here: www.pianobuyer.com/brand/brodmann/ Regardless, glad you've something you love!
Brodmann's are very nice! Congrats!
Arguably the best explanation of the inner workings of a piano I have ever seen. Thanks for the effort you put into this video.
Thanks for tuning in! We appreciate the kind words and we're glad to hear that you found the video useful. :)
Professional violinist here. Interesting comparison between violins and pianos. I've had to continually have my violin appraised for raising value and insurance. My piano on the other hand... I just sold it back to the store to buy a brand new grand, woohoo. I realize that NEW IS BETTER with pianos, unfortunately. I'm very much in love with my new piano, and excited for its delivery in TWO days! yay! Thank you for all of this information. I wish that you had been at the store while I was shopping. I'm just glad that, as a musician, I already knew what I was doing when I was shopping!! It makes me nervous when new musicians are shopping for instruments, because they don't know what to look for. I always go to the shop with my students to help them select instruments, because it is a daunting task, regardless of how advanced they are, or what instrument they're shopping for. And you were SPOT ON with the comment that if you can't hear the difference between instruments, you don't need to spend more money just to buy a label. The more you play though, the pickier your ears get. Cheers :)
Your professionalism is unmatched in the industry. 🎹
This is what I need to see. I want real piano in the future, quality wise this is valuable video.
l feel the totally same
Really appreciate this video. I spent 10 years taking lessons and playing as a child/teen. Since then, I’ve only had access to one when I visit my parents. Now, finally, at age 37, I’m getting ready to purchase one for myself. So excited to have a piano in my life again! Thank you so much for all the valuable information!
You're very welcome! Congratulations on your new piano and for resuming your piano journey! Playing piano is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding activities you can invest your time into. Wishing you all the best on the next phase of your musical journey. :)
Absolutely the best video on this subject that I've seen;----by far. In addition to improving my playing (I'd consider myself within the 'intermediate' range), I'm retired and have a good deal of time to spend on what interests me. I'd guess you'd call it my hobby. I've read Larry Fine's book "The Piano Book" and Reblitz's book "Piano Servicing, Tuning and Rebuilding". So, this kind of video is right up my alley. I also have watched many of your other videos and really enjoy your straightforward style. Again, really enjoyed, and learned from, this video even though I'm not totally clueless when it comes to the subject matter.
I worked making Knights pianos at one time. I owned A 6 ft Yamaha grand for a while. No false overtones, lovely response and sound.
Pianos can be so different from one to another off the same production line.
Very cool! Thanks for sharing! That is definitely a good point. While most manufacturers strive for as much consistency as possible, there are a number of variables that do create disparities between two specimens of the same model. :)
Like all other professional level instruments. Actually all instruments, even in student or amatour levels.
Of course on professional levels the differences are much more important, that for student, amateurs or non musicians are even unhearable.
Best explanation on the internet of how a 5ft (or upright) makes the same bass note as a 7ft concert grand. More mass, by adding extra copper windings around it!
Thank you.
This is one of the most comprehensive videos I've ever seen on UA-cam. Thank you!
Stu, it's great info... you and your team deserve a big congrats.
All your videos have great sound, lighting, editing and of course the host has a wide array of knowledge and history.
P.S. Like the hairstyle and length in this video.
Thank you very much for taking the time to tune in and for your incredibly kind words! Stu is fantastic and, needless to say, without his incredible talent and knowledge, these videos would not be possible. With that said, we are also very fortunate to have an amazing production team that allows us to be able to present these video reviews and comparisons to our UA-cam community. :)
The piano's principal period of evolution was from 1709 (Cristofori) to 1911 (Dolge). In 1910 there were over 1000 piano manufacturers in America alone. The piano hit its peak at that time. Pianos can last a long time. The oldest (Cristofori, 1720) is 301 years old and still plays.
If they get refurbished sometime…I‘d say yes. Keep in mind…these guys have a store for new pianos and so are their arguments. Completely natural (and understandable). Same with new cars vs used cars. If you buy a good unit used in great condition it saves you a ton of money and a lot of VAT.
This might not even be the best piano channel, but the best youtube channel. These videos are so easy and fun to watch it's unbelievable!
Thank you so much! That is a very nice compliment to hear! We appreciate it immensely. :)
A terrific and informative video. I've been shopping for as grand for the last three weeks to replace my 120 year old instrument which, frankly, I never cared that much for.
For me, Steinway was the measure of quality but the cost was out of my league. So I settled on Yamaha and I purchased a used C-3 in great condition. The seller was the only owner of it and she was a violist with a symphony orchestra, so I knew the instrument was well cared for. I am very happy with it. Along the way I discovered the whole controversy on so-called gray market Yamaha pianos. (Dealers do not like to talk about that, I found out.)
Thanks for an informative video.
This is/was a very good "unbiased" presentation, in my opinion. I'm not a "high-end" pianist (maybe an intermediate level player for my own pleasure?) but I do like quality!
7/4/23 Hi, Stu!
I took lessons as a young boy for a few years with a good ear and a love for playing picking up classical and modern music by sounding it out. I moved far away out of state at 13 yrs old and left my nice sounding upright baby grand behind. I'm 60 years old now. As my business changed with Covid, I was left with a lot more time. Post divorce and on my own again, I began to think about my piano days and how much I loved playing. Always with music and my own melodies in my head still, I began to take my continued piano longing seriously. I felt I wasn't able to put it at the top of my priority list. But, we should always choose to do what we love to do, especially when we can express ourselves through it, no matter what the cost or the time it takes to realize your dream. Time passes anyway and money is just money. We're more important than both. So, amazingly, I was just gifted a Yamaha baby grand that is in beautiful condition. It was from a church that just replaced theirs with another larger Yamaha electronic grand. And out of more than 40 people I was chosen. If fact the list was lost. My name remained with my story apart of it. They were moved to tell me it was mine. I haven't even found out which model of Yamaha it is. I didn't want to interrogate it thoroughly as it was free and looks shiny gloss black, about 5-6ft long or so, and in beautiful shape. Been played a little on Sundays for the last few years. I know nothing more yet. Still must deliver it. All I do know is, it's far nicer than anything I ever thought I would get, but it's exactly what I hoped I would have one day soon. Now, I begin a wonderful journey of learning to play again. Your videos have been absolutely natural and professional and informative as you do an absolutely excellent job from production to presentation delivery. I am going to follow each one and learn as much as I can from them. I'm hoping I can find a great source that helps me learn properly and classically to develop good habits at the beginning and allows me a great foundation to becoming a great pianist. I wonder if you have any inspirations to recommend in that way or advice overall for an adult who is beginning with a fine piano after a lifelong love and longing is about to be realized?
Thank you!
David
Hi David! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for writing in and sharing your story. I am very happy to hear that you have rediscovered your passion and love of music and the piano. Our musical journeys can be long and winding sometimes, but that is part of the fun and magic. Congratulations on your new Yamaha grand piano! There is nothing quite like playing a grand piano to be honest. The responsiveness of the action and musical control it offers is unparalleled. I am confident you will be very pleased and inspired by the experience. We're also happy to hear that you have been enjoying our UA-cam channel and videos. I will be sure to pass on the kind words to Stu on your behalf. In terms of advice, from being a lifelong musician and longtime teacher myself, I would advise to enjoy every step of the journey and to make sure that you celebrate your accolades. When thinking purely in the present tense, we can often lose sight of the amazing progress we have made. Little routines like recording yourself playing once a week and then listening back to it a few weeks later can be a very tangible way to keep track and appreciate the progress you are making. Thanks again and hope this helps! :)
I was getting worried that Stuart would knock the lid down at 7:07. Anyone else? 😬
Great video though! And yes, it's so frustrating playing bass notes that don't ring properly. Reading between the lines, we can surmise that the purchase of a very small grand piano, or one costing much less than $5000 secondhand, is not easy to justify. I fully agree with that.
Maybe you can get a good secondhand upright for $3000+ (and maybe that's OK for an intermediate level classical pianist) but I'm happy with my (much cheaper) digital piano, because of clarity, price, versatility and moveability/portability. Modern music pianists (like me) don't absolutely need an acoustic instrument anymore. Would I buy a hybrid? I doubt it. I'm enjoying my modest digital piano and saving my money for a six-foot grand.
Exactly my sentiment.
I am a seasoned classically trained amateur and your detailed descriptions are very interesting and helpful in understanding piano technology! Thanks!!
Sooo much good information here, amazing video thanks for putting it out there. I love all this 'under the hood' type stuff, getting to hear how things work and why!
A similar video to this about uprights would be an awesome idea for a future video, if only we all had the space for a grand eh!? All the best
Your knowledge Stu is remarkable and more to the point your willingness to share it makes you a very special person within a confusing industry. Thank you.
I will be happy to pass along the kind words to Stu on your behalf! Thank you for taking the time to tune in. We appreciate it. :)
Lovely video ! Sadly not using metric system so kinda difficult to understand 😅😅 this piano is 15 bananas long i tell ya !!
Being an engineer in the USA can be frustrating. Sometimes we have to flip back and forth between metric and English units depending on the application, customer, or project.
I personally do all my calculations in SI and then convert them at the end when needed. Much easier.
You explain stuff sO well. Thanks. I’m learning not just about pianos but about effective communication.
Hi Stu, excellent video! I bought a Kawai GL10 two months ago after I watched your video.. you are right about finding the connection with a brand, I prefer the richness / warmer tones of Kawai over Yamaha, it’s so rewarding to own a brand new baby grand, that really motivates me to practice more.
Hey Amy! Thanks for the comment and glad to hear you're still loving the GL10. Bar none my favorite 5’ baby grand from the any of the "big" builders. Enjoy :)
What is the size of the GL 10?
Internet Privacy Advocate it’s about a 5’1
The GL-10 is 5’0”.
@@kenpeters9807 Thank you!
I for one have actually decided on the brand (Bechstein, for various reasons) even without having tried one single baby grand. Yet, this was incredibly helpful in navigating models and price ranges.
We are very glad that you found the video overview helpful in your piano process! Bechstein pianos are amongst the very best in the world! Their tonal range, expressivity and dynamic capabilities are immense! Any pianist of any level would be thrilled with what these fine pianos offer musically. :)
Wonderful work, Stu! Very "information dense" as are many of your presentations.
Decades ago, I did some industrial engineering work at the Baldwin factory. I will never forget their "Case Storage Room" (fifth floor?) with dozens of finished Baldwin grand "cases" stored on-end; every size. Mmm.
We lived in a small apartment, so I had to pull myself away from the beautiful Sales Room.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in and supporting our channel! We sincerely appreciate it. That is a very cool experience and I can certainly see why it would have been quite tempting to venture into the sales room to indulge. ;)
Thank you for your video. The information was so useful. We have chosen our piano already, but watching your video has made us realise that we had good advice from the piano retailer and we made the right choice for us. Great video.
Best comparative piano video I’ve ever seen. Excellent - full of integrity.
This is very good. Having discovered the size/bass string relationship we had decided that we could not practically fir more than a 5’ or 5’1”. After listening/playing several we did some serious rearranging and still maintained out LR and DR but fit a 5’5” Kawai GL30.
Don’t give up, you’d be surprised what you can do if you want to.
If there is a will, there is a way as they say! I am glad that you were able to find a few more inches to accommodate the GL30. When it comes to grand pianos, even a few inches can make a substantial difference in terms of the musical experience provided. :)
Getting ready to cram a used Kawai I bought this weekend at 6’1” in my family room. It will now be “ the piano room”! Lol.
@@1MSally1965 congrats. What’s the model?
@@1MSally1965 what is thr model of your Kawai? RX, GX etc?
Did you spot the Kawai NV10 posing next to the GX like "I'm a real boy!"
Awesome video and advices as always, I wish you guys were in Europe!
Thank you very much. IT was very educating and useful
Oooh! I am in the Toronto area! Would def love to come see you guys sometime
Fabulous relevant advice. Congratulations on a most informative series!
Thank you! We're very happy to hear that you enjoyed the video and found it helpful! :)
i just bought a new kawai gx-2, incredible instrument for the price, 5'11, couldnt be happier with it.
Congratulations! The Kawai GX2 is a wonderful piano! The combination of its warm tone and responsive touch via the Millennium III action makes it an absolute dream to play. :)
I recently sent my 1925 Baldwin C in for restoration. I purchased it last year and have no “real” sentimental attachment, but like it’s tone and power. Thank you for confirming my decision to spend the money.
No problem at all! Thank you for taking the time to tune in. We appreciate it. :)
Awesome video, thank you very much for such a detailed analysis! Although, there is one point I would like to hear more about: how to choose the maximum size for a grand. It is a complex subject because it is not just a matter of having physical space, but how the acoustics of the room would be able to accommodate the piano sound. That is highly dependent on the room itself, the construction materials, furniture, etc., but also on the sound characteristics of the piano, and not just it's volume. I am interested in hearing about that because I wonder if there is any way I could have a moderate-sized grand (2m) in a small apartment. I often see cases of concert pianists who manages to do that, but I don't want to irritate my neighbors, nor get a distorted sound from the piano.
Or become deaf. The one problem I’m considering is (and using yamahas line for reference, because it’s the one I know best), I give my classes on a 1970s G5 and that thing sounds gorgeous, but I do have a large classroom and sometimes studying more intense repertoire (like Russian music, or some Liszt) I do feel bothered by the amount of sound, buzzing in my ears. That usually means i study at lower dynamics at the expense of not working on muscle resistance to fatigue. Hence, I’m considering a g2/c2 for my home, and even then I’ll probably have to play with the lid closed at all times, because of the smaller (stone walled and mosaic floored) space.
Really people, beware of your hearing, very often we get carried away with our playing/studying and it can wear down our most precious musical tool, our ears.
@@joaobernardo1034 that is a very good point. I think I already did some damage to my ears due to the several years playing drums at a rock band, practicing in small spaces... My current piano is a small upright, but It has a loud volume nevertheless. I can only imagine how it would be with a grand instead. When I finaly get a grand I would make sure to do a proper acoustic treatment to the room first.
Wonderful explainations - thanks indeed for your helpful directions
Thank you so much! We're glad you found them helpful! :)
Great stuff , love the in depth content .
Fun to listen to. Almost like, story time for piano players!
Question, ,
have you put out a video out discussing mid size grand pianos best suited for classical music or jazz.
And speak to what pianos generally concert pianist gravitate to.
Thank you in advance.
Gunars.
Hi Gunars! Brent here! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch! We're glad that you have been enjoying Stu's review/comparison videos. We have not yet tackled mid-size or concert pianist preferences, but I think those would both be exciting topics to cover. Thanks for the suggestion! I'll be happy to pass them along to our production team for you. :)
Like given for the best shopping tip ever, that helps so much in all shopping: Don't go by brand.
Thank you for the information, very interesting on how much is involved!🥰
You're very welcome! We're glad you found this deep dive into baby grand pianos interesting! :)
Thank you very much for your precize information
I love all your videos. I want to visit your showroom one day and meet you to thank you for all of your information..THANKS!!! You keep me inspired and motivated
Thanks so much! We're glad you enjoy Stu's reviews and comparisons! If you're ever in the Greater Toronto Area, please feel free to stop by one of our showrooms! Thank you kindly for the support! :)
Terrific video … exactly what I was looking for !
Thank you so much! We're happy to hear that. :)
I don't want a baby grand but that was fascinating.
Thank you, Stu! This is the most value added advice that I have ever received, re: buying a piano.
An excellent information and overall explaintion of the subject, thanks.
Thank you I am just beginning my search for a baby grand and you have given me so much to consider on my search. Very informative.
You're very welcome! We're so happy to hear that you found the video helpful! :)
🥰👌👍 Thank you for this information.
It is very helpful.
Greeting from Netherland.
This guy is incredible
This has been a very informative video! You have perfectly described the nuances and facts of the complexity of selecting a grand piano. I now finally understand how my antique Chickering has degraded and why it would be difficult to sell. I am going to learn the trade of piano technology as my encore career in retirement. Thank you for this excellent video! I will be selecting another grand in the future for training and for my own personal use. I really learned a lot!
Fantastic and well thought-out content! You answered about 3 major questions/concerns that I have as I'm currently looking to buy a grand. Thanks and cheers from Nashville, TN!
Tim, I am curious if you got a grand and which one did you get. I am looking for one for a family member. Thank you.
This was very educational. Thank you
Thank you for this video and your priceless hints!
Thank you for these videos! They are extremely informative and helpful.
Wow really really really great video. Thank you for how deep you went this was very detailed but not overwhelming, Your passion is obvious!
Thanks so much for tuning in and for your kind words! We're so glad you enjoyed the video and found it informative! :)
I don't even have the space for a baby grand in my house but here I am
Me, neither but I love pianos and am learning.
Thank you this video is very interesting and incredibly useful.
Another great, insightful video. Thank you!
You're very welcome! Thanks so much for tuning in! :)
engaging and knowledgeable speaker that kept my interest and worth watching even if you are, as I am, an 'ungifted' amature that just wants to understand these beautiful instruments better. thankyou.
Thank you so much for tuning in! We sincerely appreciate it and glad you enjoyed the video! :)
Thank you. This was very informative. It sounds like a decision could take a few days or more.
You did an amazing job on this video. Thank you!
You're very welcome! We're glad you enjoyed it! :)
This is really excellent. Thank you so much! Cheers from Australia.
You're very welcome! We're glad you enjoyed it! :)
very good video, again! Thank you! I hope i can come to your area some day.
You're welcome! Thanks for tuning in! Hopefully, you'll be able to stop by one of our showrooms sometimes. :)
Thank you for this excellent video. It is the best that I have seen and helps me to be better informed. I am considering moving from an upright to a grand piano and this has helped me tremendously.
Fascinating! I had a Knabe studio upright for many years, but I wanted a grand at some point. My technician had a used piano studio, and I told him I wanted a Knabe grand. He chose about six grands for me to audition - the Knabe was awful! I was so disappointed. I tried a few others. Nothing. He said, “try the Sohmer parlor grand.” I said, “it looks a little beat up, doesn’t it?” He told me that it had new strings, hammers et al. I was skeptical, but I sat down……and that piano simply played itself! Warm dark clear tone. It was built in 1928, but it has held up nicely. At six feet, it makes quite a statement! I just wish I was a better player.
That is an awesome story! Thanks for sharing! There are a lot of useful lessons for others to extract from your selection process. It is easy to have a preconceived notion as to what sonic/playing experience we will enjoy even prior to sitting down at some of these instruments. As you discovered first hand, having the opportunity to experience them in person is always the best way to make the determination. :)
This is such a brilliant and insightful video that gives so much foods for thought and what to weigh up in that very important analysis. Thank you
You're very welcome! We're very happy to hear that you enjoyed it and found it insightful! Thanks for the kind words! :)
A very helpful video! Once I heard your pronunciation of the word "out", I realized that you may be Canadian. I was rewarded at the end of your presentation when you said you are located in Toronto. I was initially in the market for a "baby" grand, however, sound /tonality is important to me, especially in the bass. I don't know if jumping up to a 6' as opposed to a 5' would make a noticeable difference for a home player like me, I am now tossed up between Kawai and Yamaha, Kawai hammer technology seems to be superior, however, sound/tonality seems better in the Yamaha. Regardless, your video was very helpful in pointing out several aspects of a grand piano that I was unfamiliar with. The closest I come to Ontario is when I fish the Niagara basin, Ontario, and Erie. If you were closer, we could do business. Thanks again!
I love my Vogel 5’3” baby grand.
Vogel grands are excellent instruments! Thanks for tuning in and happy playing! :)
Very well done. Lots of good info. However, everybody talks about the length of the bass strings. I have a real baby grand 4'7" and it fills our 21' LR with plenty of sound. I'm not a professional so slight differences in tonal quality are lost on me. My point is, even at 4'7" it takes up a lot of space! I couldn't imagine a bigger piano in its place. A piano you see in a large store will always look *bigger* in your home!
This is a fantastic video!!!
Thank you so much!!!
The better the pianist gets the lesser he can probably spend on a piano😉. But a very good and informative video. Well done.
Excellent discussion.
thank you very much for the video. very very informative and helpful!
Excellent and honest presentation! Thank you!
very helpful, thank you.
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! :)
Great video. Very informative.
Thank you so much! We appreciate it. :)
Maginificent video !! Thank you very much for the many good videos you make. It made a big difference in support to make the best choice.
Great presentation. Always enjoy Stu's videos - they are super informative, honest, well organized thoughts, good speech. Thinking of going to Toronto and visit his shop and talk to him, not to mention what a good pianist he is.
About baby grands being a "loose" term, and some people using baby grand & grand interchangeably ... I remember hearing a story once of someone in I think the SF Bay area who called a piano mover to help move their two baby grand pianos because they needed to do some deep cleaning or something and the pianos were in the way.
When the movers arrived ... there, in the barn-sized living room, were two Bosendorfer Imperials (290).
Haha oh wow! Those are some big "babies"! I know what you mean though. Unfortunately for piano movers, not every piano owner is aware of the different size classifications of grand pianos. I suppose some people simply refer to them as "baby" grand pianos because they tend to treat them like a baby given their value as well as how much they are cherished by their owners. :)
Thank u for ur objective presentation of manufacturing of the great three manufacturers
5:30 I always thought that the soundboard is responsible for the overtones. You can produce any overtone you want, you will hear only what is amplified with the soundboard. And the soundboard will produce and amplify the overtones just from the main frequency of the string vibration.
So,.... if the soundboard don't receive the required information .
( old strings, the quality of the other parts of the instrument ( all instruments) , than the soundboard alone is not enough.
Correctly saying : ( maybe) the soundboard the most important part of an instrument. I am a professional classical guitarist and teacher for long- long time. Maybe we should listen the experts humbly, before we are too quick with our mouth.
@@jozsefhalajko6995 I am an expert... in physics. I hold a PhD. What he is saying makes little sense from my perspective.
Not walking out of the store until I have a brand new concert hall grand Fazioli for my 800 sq ft apartment. #Priorities
Haha spoken like a true musician! ;)
Thanks, this clarifies pretty much most things you need to know, great!
Great video that is super informative. Thank you!
You are the best demonstrator and truly a knowledgeable person. I never miss your any reviews and I got to learn many things as I also work in a same industry as piano & Synthesizer specialist. I really enjoy and very much passionate about the work and reviews really helps me to how to work genuinely and honestly and sharing correct information and giving correct guidance to the customers. I have a question what’s is the correct keys weight to practice classical pianist, in my country we have very less options and I never get chance to try good quality pianos market is growing in my country day by day and I am really curious to gather a knowledge. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledgeable. I really respect your musicality your are a great musician. 😊
Best video i ever watch!
Thanks so much! We really appreciate that. :)
This is a very informative video. Thank you for making this! :)
You're very welcome! We're glad you enjoyed it! :)
Informative,,, an Outstanding Useful video.
Thank You Soooo Much
Phenomenally helpful video
Thank you. Learned a lot.
wow....you're a natural teacher. I always wanted to know the very things you spoke about e.g. what determines the length, etc? You're spot on sir. I'm better informed now. Thank you.
Thank you for tuning into the video and for your kind words! We're very happy to hear that you found the video helpful. :)
Amazing presentation skills 👏👏👏
Thank you so much! We appreciate that immensely. :)
Anything that goes into technological or mechanical details confronts multiple varieties of coherent trading-off. It's interesting going through and find yuo are trapped with joy.
I really appreciate the depths you go to in these reviews and guides Stu, I'm considering a Feurich 179 dynamic 2 have you had any experience of them or perhaps you could do a future review on one ?
Very informative video. Thank you
Very useful...thank you very much...
Excellent video. Thank you very much for sharing!
I own two Chickering grands. One is 5' 8", and the other is a 6' 4". I prefer my Pianoteq Pro driven by a Casio PX-150. My advice if you actually want a Grand is to go no smaller than 5' 8".
If you can fit it, for sure - the bigger you go, the better the clarity, sustain, and resonance. I've had amazing experiences on some 5'3" and 5'4" pianos, but it's pretty rare if you're talking exceptional musical experiences. And nice on the Pianoteq - me as well, what a killer engine. Cheers! -stu
@@MerriamPianos I'm just saying that from what I've seen on your channel, if I needed a smaller physical size piano, but wanted an experience that didn't involve a clutter of loose wires, I would go with the NV 5 or 10. Or an even lower priced model with a non traditional action. I love my Pianoteq voice because I just love the exquisite tunning and rich sound. DIgitals are actually significantly cleaner sounding than acoustics. I can tune an acoustic piano, and the bass notes of the 5' 8" Chickering are in constant need of tweaking. I changed the hammers on it, probably ten yeas ago, and they were nicely voiced, but now they have become hard and it's a lot of work to needle them back to a more pleasant tone. You are in the business of selling pianos and a beautiful grand is something to be admired. A Steinway B would be my choice, but there are most likely instruments of equal quality available for a better price without the prestige of the Steinway name. At one time Chickering was definitely a competitor with Steinway.
All that said, there are a minuscule number of pianists that play as well as you do. On UA-cam, most notably you can find Cateen,
ua-cam.com/video/L2f6Mi7I5lY/v-deo.html
Valentina Listisa,
ua-cam.com/video/Dpqo_6jpe08/v-deo.html
and Jacob Koller
ua-cam.com/video/veYo4d24UU0/v-deo.html
but of course there are more.
I'm just advising people to get a good sized grand if they want one or look for a top line digital that fits their budget and room size. I think at this point in time they will be happier, and their pocket book will not be as empty. High quality grands aren't cheap, even if you know how to rebuild them.
Internet Privacy Advocate, I agree with a lot of those thoughts. For sure there’s definitely quite a few customers who would and should opt for an NV series if sound management and footprint of a larger grand is an issue. The thing that excited me the most about the NV series was that for people who needed a digital, they did not feel like compromise and presented a very authentic and responsive musical experience. For people who have both the space and don’t need to worry about sound management, the choice between great digital or a smaller acoustic baby grand is definitely more nuanced and personal. For example on the GL10, there isn’t a huge difference in string length or action between it or a 6’ when we’re looking at the treble or midrange. It’s all in the lower 1/3 of the piano, and if the piano is well designed, people may still prefer the connection they have with an acoustic. I would definitely take a C Bechstein L167 over an NV despite its size 👌. Always great discussing Piano stuff with you, thanks for the great comments.
@@MerriamPianos I'm just of the opinion that we've reached a point where a large portion of quality digitals actually sound much better than smaller grand pianos. It's more of an aesthetic issue. A true grand sitting in the living area is elegant and symbol of wealth and sophistication. DIgitals never equal that feeling. Nevertheless there are many advantages to a good sounding digital. I may be biased, because it's obvious to me that Pianoteq Pro is one of the best. It's amazingly good. I can assure anyone that the "Pro" version is really the one to have, because that is the only one that allows for every parameter to be adjusted on every single note, and that can make a big difference. It does seem too that digitals have to be adjusted to the acoustics of a given room more than an acoustic piano. I can move my set up to someone else's house, and it just doesn't sound as good as it does in my own home.
There are hundreds of pianos to choose from in the Pianoteq line up, and I don't own all that are available. Generally I only play the Bluthner "Concert Recording Grand" It's the one that I own that has the sound that fits my space. In the end people have to buy and play what they themselves think is best. People get used to playing one piano, and really don't want to play anything else. In that sense, pianos are like tennis rackets, baseball bats, hockey sticks and many other things where the feel of the response is very important.
Also great video!
Thanks so much! We're glad you liked it. :)
Thank you for this video! It’s extremely educational and well presented. These 38 minutes really opened my eyes to a world I’d never seen before.
I only wish your dealership was in the US. 😊
Thank you kindly! We really appreciate that! If you're ever up here in Canada, please stop by one of our showrooms! :)