First and foremost, I am not a classical pianist. I play for myself, light jazz, dense chords, that type of thing. Bill Evans is my hero.
Yamaha GC-1 and C1
I tried them both side by side. How lovely it would be if the GC-1 fit the bill. But when you play them side by side it is clear that tha C1 is that much more "refined", for want of a better word. It sounded as though the GC-1 was "loose" compared with the "together" sound of the C1. At least, it was really clear at one showroom (Chappells of Bond Street). But at another showroom (J Reid in north London) the difference was not so marked.
One thing that struck me about both the GC-1 and C1 is that it is a lot more mellow than I remember Yamaha pianos to be (I have not owned an acoustic piano for 15 years!). BUT the problem is that the notes above high C are markedly more bright, almost jarring, compared to the lovely middle range and low range. This was the case in both showrooms I tried the pianos at. That is the thing that I do not like. Is it possible for the tuner to voice the piano so it is more even throughout?
Incidentally, I tried the GB-1 also and no - it almost sounds plastic compared to the GC-1 and C1.
Kawai RX-1
Tried this at J Samuels in London. Lovely action (the Millenium III action), if a bit light. I love the fact that the sound is consistent from low to high registers (unlike the Yamaha as noted above). In terms of tone, I think overall I prefer the Yamaha tone (at least in the middle registers) as it seems to be a bit more complex (for want of a better word) than the RX-1.
The RX-1 by the way, kills the Bostons (see below).
Samick NSG series grands
I really really wanted to love this piano (I tried the 175cm and 186cm models as the 158cm was not on the showroom floor - again J Reid in north London). The price (about £7500 for the 175) is certainly attractive, as is the spiel about Samick using some of the same CNC processes as the Bechsteins (Samick has a large shareholding in Bechstein).
But the action was "loose" and slightly jangly on the 175. The 186 was better, but the funny observation I made was that it took the 186cm Samick to sound as good/deep/complex as the 163cm Yamaha C1 or even GC-1 at that showroom. If the tone of the 175cm was already lacking, I do not want to bother to try and find a 158cm to play.
About the same overall as the Boston.
Boston grands
Given the Steinway heritage, I expected at least something along the lines of the Kawai RX-1, but was sorely disappointed. It just sounds like an average grand. No character. Action very average. If anything, it compares with the Kawai GE series of grands (which are a grand or two cheaper than the Bostons). So a big No from me for the Bostons.
Refurbished grands
I have not tried a single one that I have liked. I cannot see how some generic piano maker in the UK or Poland can simply put in new parts to an old shell of a say Bechstein and then sell it as a Bechstein. The whole point of the original piano, surely, was not just the parts but also how it was made. In many cases the only thing that remains is the soundboard (so I am told) so how can that be sold as the original piano?
Conclusion
My wife really wants us to have a Bechstein, because it has the nicest font (I am not kidding). But of cours a Bechstein, lovely as it is, is almost £30,000 new. So that is out.
I reckon it will be one last fight between the Yamaha C1 and the Kawai RX-1. The C1 is, however, cheaper (as one poster pointed out, Yamaha probably heavily discounts its pianos), at just under £10,000 if you're lucky, while the Kawai RX-1 is always above the £10,000 mark. £10,000 is a bit of a upper limit for me as I had started thinking around £5 to 6,000 when I first started looking about 10 months ago!!!
Anyway, that was my 5 pence worth. Thought on a postcard please
Cheers
Len
