Need some help with piano brands

[alatariel]

Hi!
I'm about to buy a new acoustic piano since I've moved to my own place. I'm mostly interested in second hand-pianos because I'm a student and don't have a lot of money. But I'm not good at all at piano brands (excluding the most famous like yamaha) so I hope someone could help me and tell me which is the best. I will list the ones I found on second hand-sales.

The brands are following:
August Hoffmann
Fazer
H. Kriebel
Finger
Bogs & Voigt
Schimmel
Dreinhöfer
Kelman
Steinberg
Nylund & son
Ekströms
Zimmermann

Those marked with thicker letters are the ones I'm mostly interested in, but if you recognize others that are good please tell me! I really don't know anything about them!

[Colin Nicholson]

On-line piano shopping is often not such a good idea (if this is what you are doing?) and then asking us to comment on a long list of pianos.

. Rather confusing this post, as in your first sentence you say that you are looking for a new piano, then in your next breath, you are looking for 2nd hand!!!!

Are you from Scandanavia or thereabouts?.... some of these names - never heard of.

I'm sure the pianos you have listed are fine, but no one can really comment and say which one is the best.... its a matter of personal taste, trying out each piano, getting a feel for its touch & tone.... then of course seeing if you like the look of the piano. To get a true valuation of a second-hand piano, we also need to know maybe a particular instrument that you have tried - its age - how much is it (in UK£) .... and how it would compare to another piano.

The one that stands out here is Schimmel - but then again, no one knows the history, condition and general tone quality of a particular individual instrument - where it has been previously kept, how often it has been tuned & regulated etc. I have heard of a few others, but would rather not comment on how good they were unless I tried the piano out.... a name isn't everything. I have come across some shocking Yamaha and Steinway pianos - a good name, maybe the best names, but the pianos I played and tuned - were no better than another name!

Questions I would need to ask......

1. How old is each piano? (need serial numbers)
2. What is the price?
3. What warranty is offered?
4. Where are you looking to buy your piano?
5. Do you know someone who owns one of these pianos?
6. Why have you ruled out Yamaha!!! ?

Have a look at Kawai pianos aswell - how much are you spending?
As I said, some names stand out more than others - but this doesnt make this a better brand name - it depends on the actual piano in question.


Hope that helps....

[alatariel]

Yes I'm from Sweden, but I think most of the brands are german?
I'm asking for advice because I thought that there may be brands that are better than others generally. Of course I'm going to try the piano out before I buy it!
Sorry if my post was confusing, I'm not a genious in english :P
Buying pianos on second hand here (if you buy it from a private person) is a little different. There's no warranty and the price is not so high (90-500£), mostly the people selling the pianos don't know anything about them and have just "always had it in my house" or got it from their parents or grandparents. And even if i knew how old they are I wouldn't have a clue. How old should a piano be to sound good? I think someone wrote their piano was from 1930-40 but the age is not usually mentioned at all. It's really hard to know which I should try out!!!
I know yamaha and kawaii well, I would reaaaaaally like a yamaha (played only on yamaha's last year in school) but I'm a poor student and don't have the money to buy that kind of piano right now. I just want to buy a piano quick so I can play because I haven't even seen a real piano in months!

So what you're saying is that I should go and try out all the pianos mentioned??

[Barrie Heaton]

of the pianos that you have hi-lighted the Schimmel is the best make However,the Ekströms never come across one. Which ever piano you go for you need a tuner to look at it first I would contact http://www.svks.ch/ and ask for you local tuner to help you.

Madlen Blösch
Nonnenweg 18
4055 Basel
+41 (0)61 693 49 39
bloesch@svks.ch

Madlen is very helpful

Barrie

[Colin Nicholson]

Sound advice there from Barrie.

If you can try out most of the pianos.... more the merrier!

From the list you have given, most are from Germany, with the exceptions being
Fazer = Finland
Kelman (or Kellman) UK
Nylund & Ekstroms = Sweden
Steinberg = German (then from 1965 - bought by UK)

From your list, I would try to wittle it down to a few pianos. Try out your 'local' pianos, and definitely the Schimmel and maybe try the Zimmermann - both have reasonably good history attached. I would keep away from the £90 bargains! .... even though they may be German, the mechanism may require alot of work.

Aim at 2 pianos first, try to find out their age - by the serial numbers, but you'll need to visit the pianos and remove the front board to see it. Send a few pictures if you can.... or contact your local piano tuner - they will know what to look for. A "test tuning" may also be needed to ensure the wrest plank & tuning pins are in good, solid condition. Who know what they sound like.... only you can find out!

regards

[alatariel]

Ok, I'll try to check up something about the pianos and contact a tuner.Thank you for your help!