piano for beginner

[newby2]

Hi

I am going to buy an upright piano for my son who has just started
learning to play. He is a beginner, but we would like him to go all
the way to grade 7 or 8.

I was told Yamaha is a good make and the cheapest model B1 is around 2300. Is it good enough for a student like my son? Our local shop (in Bristol) recommended B3 which is c. 3200, or reconditioned U1 or U3 which could be c. 3000-4000.
Given my zero knowledge on pianos, I am a bit confused.
Shall I go for new (B1 or B3) models or 2nd hand U1 or U3 model? Any advice would be much appreciated. Also, any good online piano dealer you can recommend?

Thanks a lot.

[Colin Nicholson]

Firstly how old is your son?.... and why stop at Grade 7 !!

You say he is a 'beginner' - then a 'student' mmmm - confusing!!

Assuming he is young (say aged eight), all the pianos you mention will certainly be good enough for him. You say "we would like him to go all the way...." - well, in many cases, regrettably parents sometimes speak too soon & and on behalf of their children, and some pupils never make the grade, or expect the piano lessons to be conducted in a certain way. Have you arranged for a piano teacher yet?

Personally I would spend alot less for now, and upgrade later (about £2K would be a good start) - just on the off-chance your son doesn't enjoy the lessons, and wants to pack it in. Remember that the lessons MUST be in the interest of the pupil, and parents should not force or push their kid into lessons. I have been teaching piano for over 30 year, and seen it all happen.

For you son to reach Grade 8, he will need to be aged around 17 years or less - this is if he wishes to continue his music at college. If its just for pleasure, then see how it goes.

The general rule for music curriculum is to add a '1' to the last digit of your son's age, and that is the grade they should be at. So, for example, an 11 year old should be at Grade 2 standard - both piano & theory of music. Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) is the best examining Board.

Hope that helps

[MarkGoodwinPianos]

Hi Newby2,

Colin gives good advice about considering testing the water with a cheaper piano. However, I struggle to find pianos in the sub-£2000 price bracket that are inspiring to play. Yes, they can do the job and yes, they can look, sound and feel OK but if you have the budget for it, and are willing to invest in something of a higher quality then I think £2000 - £3000 is the perfect price bracket for a piano for young and ambitious pupil.

The Indonesian-made B1 is good for testing the water with and doing the first few grades but if you came to sell it you'd take a huge hit and in my opinion they don't have a pleasant tone.

The next level up is the P series which are good for taking you up the next few grades but I think you are out of your budget now. I'm not sure where they are made any more. It used to be England but that factory stopped production. Where are they made now anyone? Good build quality, good performance but there seem to be hardly any available on the used market.

Then there is the higher quality U series which are Japanese made. The new ones are £6000-£7000+ so again, you're out of budget but if you don't mind going with second hand then you can get a near-mint condition reconditioned U1 for less than £2500 or a near-mint U3 for less than £3000. Most dealers offer a 5 year guarantee with this. Always check for new loop cords, new key bushings and perhaps new tapes and damper felt too. Some dealers offer a full cabinet repolish, others just tidy them up a bit.

Do your research, ask for lots of advice, visit as many shops as you can to try and get a good grip of what's available and for what price. Try and persuade a technician to fully inspect any piano you choose before handing over any cash.

I can't help you with the B and P series but if you fancy visiting some U series pianos, I've usually got at least 20 reconditioned ones tuned up ready to play. All the pianos in the photo below are U series uprights apart from the Steinway in the bottom left corner.


Bristol is quite far from my shop in Oldham but you'd be welcome to send a technician of your choice here to inspect what I've got in stock. To remove any risk I offer long-distance customers the option to pay cash on delivery with no deposit up front. If a customer doesn't like it when it arrives or feels that I've exaggerated about the quality or condition then we will put it straight back on the van and take it away with no questions asked and no request for any money at all. I would simply apologise for not being able to help.

Other dealers offering similar things near me are:
www.markgoodwinpianos.co.uk (that's me!)
www.pianoplus.co.uk (mainly focuses on new pianos I think)
www.besbrodepianos.com (Melvin and Steve are nice chaps)
www.gsgpianos.co.uk (haven't met these)

Feel free to email me at markgoodwinpianos@gmail.com or reply below.
Happy to answer any questions

[Colin Nicholson]

Hi Mark

GSG Pianos was my previous p/t employers!! - yeh, you haven't met them, but you've replied to my posts a few times - cheers. Graham Gribbin owns the shop (since about 1981) and also Annette Hawkins works for him, she's PTA. Nice chap is Graham, but shop very crammed - in with pianos!! He mainly stocks Kawai & Yamaha downstairs, and a few digitals upstairs. I left there October last year after working every Sunday.

Your shop/studio looks good - I'll have to pop over some time & meet you.

Cheers

Colin

[MarkGoodwinPianos]

Hi Colin,
Thanks for that. Interesting to know.
Yes feel free to pop by. I'll show you what I've got and then I'll treat you to a pub lunch up the road.
Email before travelling just to make sure I'm about

[Colin Nicholson]

Thanks for that Mark.

Bit of piano work on at the moment, but I'll let you know nearer the time when I can pop over - hopefully within next couple of weeks. Let me know your quietest day(s)?

Regards

Colin

[MarkGoodwinPianos]

Well I'm quiet on Monday to Friday between 9am - 5pm and also on a Saturday & Sunday lol
Occasionally, somebody will phone and offer me their granny's old Chappell piano and other folk phone me for advice about digital pianos.

I'm joking of course, but I'm usually available all day every day.

A chap came in yesterday and asked me what I do for a job! I said "this IS my job!"
It's paid my way for 8 years and counting and it's been tons of fun so far

Anyhoo, I've sent you a PM with my phone number and directions.
Arrive hungry and thirsty!

[Colin Nicholson]

'Kevinpeter'.......Not such a good place to advertise sleeping tablets from Canada here on a piano website, so your ad will probably be removed.

Regarding major scale sequences???? I certainly wouldn't want piano lessons from you, and you would frighten the heck out of any kid wanting a beginner piano lesson. Scales are introduced much later - and there are no such scales (or keys, or key signatures) as D#, G# and A# major.... don't exist mate. Using an advanced technique for using enharmonic equivalents is not the way to go to teach ANYONE the piano during the early stages, and perhaps you should go back to basics????

Can you tell me the key signatures for these above keys, if they exist? - or perhaps you just thought these major keys existed because the tonic note can be given another name?

Major scales should never be initially learnt (or taught) in alphabetical order, but in rising intervals of perfect 5ths (for the 'sharp' keys), and falling perfect 5ths (for the 'flat' keys)

I am presuming at this stage that your beginner has learnt the keyboard, and the lines & spaces for treble clef?

[musicpeeps]

I just think that a traditional acoustic piano is the best kind of piano to learn on for the piano beginners. The reason of being used for the very first time is he's going to get used to listening to the uniqueness that seems of the piano. His own muscles in the hands will get used to the weights from the piano secrets through an early age and will reinforce all of them up for later on their life.