Hi everybody
I am learning to play (last 6 weeks) and know the interest is one which I will continue with. I have a Casio digital which is great but I would like to get an acoustic instrument......
For my budget, I think I can manage a new Yamaha B1 or the less expensive Cranes CJS-109L upright both of which I love the look of in Ebony.
Anyway, my question is can anybody offer any advice as to which is best, I assume they are both overstrung and underdampered.....
Any other suggestions of manufacturers welcome. I have only considered new as I would not know what to look for out on my own in the second hand market.
Regards
Nigel
Buying advice...new upright
Moderators: Feg, Gill the Piano, Melodytune
Re: Buying advice...new upright
Sadly its just as easy to buy a c**p piano new as it is 2nd hand. Find a good trustworthy local dealer and take his/her advice.Nigel wrote:I have only considered new as I would not know what to look for out on my own in the second hand market.
Nigel
Never heard of a Cranes.
However, there are many good pianos out there of all prices and many bad, like any other commodty.
Try and find an established dealer who will give you the benefit of a lifetime's advice without any pressure, plus good after sales service. Avoid discount cowboys .Obviously, any advice offered on this forum is very subjective but if you find something you like come back to us in case there is some dreadful flaw in your choice otherwise let your ears do the choosing.
Bear in mind that we all consider ourselves knowledgable and reliable dealers!
Never heard of a Cranes.
However, there are many good pianos out there of all prices and many bad, like any other commodty.
Try and find an established dealer who will give you the benefit of a lifetime's advice without any pressure, plus good after sales service. Avoid discount cowboys .Obviously, any advice offered on this forum is very subjective but if you find something you like come back to us in case there is some dreadful flaw in your choice otherwise let your ears do the choosing.
Bear in mind that we all consider ourselves knowledgable and reliable dealers!
don't buy a piano from ebay!
by all means source a piano you are interested in via ebay - but then ensure you contact the seller and arrange to view and play the piano in question - or if you don't play yourself try and arrange for a friend/teacher to play it and see if the instrument is ok and you like the tone of it.
have a piano tuner / technician inspect the piano to ensure it is free from any obvious defects which could end up costing more than piano is worth to resolve.
Play a good selection of pianos, preferably from a range of dealers, even if only to be able to compare the difference between different instruments - if you play and buy one piano then to your ear it will sound like............ a piano!
play several and you will quickly learn what sort of tone you like and dislike, what kind of action feel you like and dislike etc - even if you are only running up the notes one at a time rather than playing actual pieces....
then, with an idea of what you like in mind - go find the best piano in your price range you can afford
piano shopping can and should be fun - so enjoy the process and rest assured you will end up with a better purchase for having spent that little extra time.
by all means source a piano you are interested in via ebay - but then ensure you contact the seller and arrange to view and play the piano in question - or if you don't play yourself try and arrange for a friend/teacher to play it and see if the instrument is ok and you like the tone of it.
have a piano tuner / technician inspect the piano to ensure it is free from any obvious defects which could end up costing more than piano is worth to resolve.
Play a good selection of pianos, preferably from a range of dealers, even if only to be able to compare the difference between different instruments - if you play and buy one piano then to your ear it will sound like............ a piano!
play several and you will quickly learn what sort of tone you like and dislike, what kind of action feel you like and dislike etc - even if you are only running up the notes one at a time rather than playing actual pieces....
then, with an idea of what you like in mind - go find the best piano in your price range you can afford
piano shopping can and should be fun - so enjoy the process and rest assured you will end up with a better purchase for having spent that little extra time.
Thanks for your advice all....I'm going along to the two main dealers in Cardiff (Cranes and Gamlins) to look at a selection of new uprights. Prior to purchasing I am going to ask my tutor to come along and help me in my choice.
I do really like the look of the Yamaha B1, I just hope it sounds as good as it looks!!
Regards Nigel
I do really like the look of the Yamaha B1, I just hope it sounds as good as it looks!!
Regards Nigel
Had my B1 for 2 years now. I bought it at discount price off of the internet, unplayed. Sounded very harsh in the middle register when it arrived, but after some careful voicing and regular tuning it sounds really very good considering its cost and I'm definitely happy with it. I've played a lot of different pianos now and if I get a chance to upgrade (e.g. move house) I would consider replacing it with a reasonable sized grand.
The Cranes is a lacklustre little piano.
Furthermore, the stick-on badge inside the piano reads "Estabilished 1851". If they can't be bothered to check the spelling on a mass-market item, just imagine what else is wrong with it.
Very cheap and what a Chinese piano was like a decade ago. Consider one only if you can't afford anything else and must buy new. Even then ask for a huge discount!
The b1 isn't my favourite piano, but it's streets ahead of the Cranes. Try a Perzina for comparison. Badged variously as "Carl Ebel", "Gehr. Steinberg" and others.
Good luck!
Furthermore, the stick-on badge inside the piano reads "Estabilished 1851". If they can't be bothered to check the spelling on a mass-market item, just imagine what else is wrong with it.
Very cheap and what a Chinese piano was like a decade ago. Consider one only if you can't afford anything else and must buy new. Even then ask for a huge discount!
The b1 isn't my favourite piano, but it's streets ahead of the Cranes. Try a Perzina for comparison. Badged variously as "Carl Ebel", "Gehr. Steinberg" and others.
Good luck!
This is brilliant information.......without this expert knowledge how would a beginner like me otherwise know?PianoGuy wrote:The Cranes is a lacklustre little piano.
Furthermore, the stick-on badge inside the piano reads "Estabilished 1851". If they can't be bothered to check the spelling on a mass-market item, just imagine what else is wrong with it.
Very cheap and what a Chinese piano was like a decade ago. Consider one only if you can't afford anything else and must buy new. Even then ask for a huge discount!
The b1 isn't my favourite piano, but it's streets ahead of the Cranes. Try a Perzina for comparison. Badged variously as "Carl Ebel", "Gehr. Steinberg" and others.
Good luck!
More research on the others I think. I take it Perzina is the manufacturer and Carl Ebel, Gehr and Steinberg are the distributors????
Thanks again Nigel
Perzina is the maker, and the other names are their brand names. The Distributor is Music Brokers International based in the Netherlands, which accounts for the slightly awkward English on their website:
http://www.musicbrokers.nl/index4.html
I think the website gives a list of brand names. Essentially all brands are very similar, the variety of names is used to combat discounting from rival dealers. The pianos are good enough to sell without dealer discounts.
http://www.musicbrokers.nl/index4.html
I think the website gives a list of brand names. Essentially all brands are very similar, the variety of names is used to combat discounting from rival dealers. The pianos are good enough to sell without dealer discounts.
Piano Purchase!!
Following my dithering about which piano go for to support my learning from scratch over the next couple of years I've finally gone for a used Yamaha U1......and I'm very pleased!!