So, bought my piano...

JohnEB · Post by **JohnEB** » 22 Apr 2006, 16:45

In the end it came down to a Schimmel 120I (which was right at the very top of my price range) and a Wendl & Lung 161 grand. The salesman in the shop with the Schimmel (try saying that after a couple of beers) was rubbishing any other make I mentioned I was interested in, other than those in his shop. He stood over me while playing, and didn't offer any advice other than 'the movement will get easier the older it gets.' Well, thanks. Offered a 5 year manufacturer's guarantee, and more or less said if I wanted anything other than tuning I'd have to find my own technician.

In the shop with the W&L the guy just left me to play for as long as I wanted. When I called him back to talk prices he was incredibly helpful - turns out he's the tech that comes out to the pianos - and talked me through everything he could do with the piano in terms of voicing and regulation, the experience he'd had with other similar pianos, exactly what their guarantee covers, and why they chose to stock that brand.

So I bought the little W&L grand and it's being delivered in about 10 days. I'd taken account of the comments here about quality, and sure enough the tech explained (without me prompting) that the quality had been poor, but that now it was much better. In the end it came down to enjoying playing the piano, and having a knowledgeable and helpful tech (who was standing in for the salesman I'd talked to previously in that shop - maybe I got lucky!).

So finally I can relax after about 3 weeks of searching and fretting over which piano to buy!

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 24 Apr 2006, 22:17

Enjoy your new piano I sure when the pianos has been prepped you will get years of enjoyment out of it

Barrie,

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 25 Apr 2006, 19:28

Let us know what it's like when it arrives - as soon as you can tear yourself away from it long enough to fire up your computer, that is!

JohnEB · Post by **JohnEB** » 03 May 2006, 17:51

My little Wendl & Lung 161 arrived today - what a wait! It looks much bigger in the house... but it looks very much at home.

It was a bit of a risk buying a cheap chinese grand, and I'll just have to see how it goes, but so far I'm very pleased with it - nice rich tone, very smooth motion, and a beautiful finish on the piano itself.

I'd thought it would motivate my children, having a grand in the house, and sure enough my 2 children decided that whoever practised the most in the week before the piano arrived would get to play it first - I've never heard them play so much! So that's worked out.

I'll let you know in a few months how it's going.

Dietrich · Post by **Dietrich** » 07 Sep 2006, 10:06

Hi John, I am sort of contemplating buying a W&L grand silent (161 or 178). How are your experiences untill now? How is it to have a 161 in the house in terms of #decibels (too much noise my wife counters, take a normal piano..). I live in Maastricht, did you buy it in Belgium? You mentionned some negative reviews earlier, where did you find them? I am quite new to this forum, so I may have missed something. Dietrich

Sept 10. I just read our reply, thanks!! The silent will be available in 1-3 months they told me (W&L, Vienna). The tone can indeed vary somewhat, and they can adjust it to personal preferences, I understood. I will try again, and find out.

sussexpianos · Post by **sussexpianos** » 07 Sep 2006, 14:19

I've never heard of this maker. Are they comparable to any other makes?

JohnEB · Post by **JohnEB** » 07 Sep 2006, 15:30

I bought my Wendl & Lung in Brussels - there are several dealers in Belgium who hold them - I know of shops in Gent, Brussels and Namur. The 161 is in a room roughly 5m * 8 m with hard floor but high ceilings and it is certainly not overpowering. Even with the lid slightly open (lowest setting) it's still fine. I didn't know it had a silent option! To be honest I preferred the 161 to the 178 in terms of tone and action, but that might just be the particular 2 pianos I tried.

If you search this forum on Wendl you will seem some negative comments about build quality - but I think those referred to uprights, and I've not seen any problems on the 161. I know a couple of big music schools in Brussels who have bought the 178 and I don't think they would do that if they would be worried over quality.

There are also general concerns around Chinese pianos and quality - probably because some other makes can be poor, and there is not much history to go on. I have no idea what my piano will be like in 10 years, but I'm prepared to take the risk because of the lower price and excellent tone.

I don't know what other brands to compare the Wendl & Lung to - it certainly sounds more European, meaning that it has a softer tone and louder bass than say a Yamah or Kawai.

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 07 Sep 2006, 20:12

The only brands directly comparable are Brodmann (also Austrian owned and Chinese built) and Perzina which are in joint Chinese and Dutch ownership.

All three makes offer great value and now offer excellent build quality with much sourced or designed in Europe. Perzina state a very high percentage of European materials and Brodmann actions are designed in partnership with Langer in the UK, although I suspect they're built by Langer's Chinese factory.
W&L state that they are designed by 'Master Piano Builder, Peter Veletzky' who doesn't sound particularly Chinese.... Nor Austrian for that matter. Never mind. Wherever he's from, he knocks together a decent piano.

All good alternatives to mainstream makes.

JohnEB · Post by **JohnEB** » 08 Sep 2006, 06:54

Veletzky certainly looks Austrian and the story of W& L on the website appears believeable! http://www.wendl-lung.com/ He apparently designed the pianos, although it's likely only the 122 upright is entirely his design with the other models having Chinese input. He apparently does some quality control in the factory.

They're built in the Hailun factury in China and there is some evidence that they get a final finishing/voicing in Austrai, although personally I can't verify that.

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 08 Sep 2006, 07:41

A good website at W&L too. Thanks for drawing attention to it.

Enjoy your new piano!

Dietrich · Post by **Dietrich** » 21 Sep 2006, 20:37

Hi John, Can you tell which shop in Brussels? Somehow I cannot find any on the web. Dietrich

JohnEB · Post by **JohnEB** » 21 Sep 2006, 22:44

I got my piano at De Lil et Fils in Brussels.
http://www.goudengids-shopping.be/eshop ... lngdns=all

You can also try

http://www.jspiano.be/

I searched Google with Wendl Lung Nederland and got a few hits including this one http://www.barning.com/page10.html and this one http://www.henkhupkes.nl/ so I'm sure you'll be able to find a dealer near you where you can try a piano out.

Jan · Post by **Jan** » 27 Sep 2006, 08:44

Hi John, Thinking of buying a Wendl & Lung 161 myself I am wondering if you are still content with the sound and quality of your piano. After a few months playing it you must be able to say something about it.

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So, bought my piano...

So, bought my piano...

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