Topic: Anybody Here Know Something About Baby Grand Pianos?
Topic Posted by: ingyandbert
Date Posted: Mon Jun 23 9:54:35 2008
Additional Comments:
You might recall, my in-laws are both professional musicians.
MIL got it in her head that Mr. Ingy and I should have a baby grand piano and she's been after us for weeks about letting her buy one for us. I don't play piano (or any instruments) so I left the decision to Mr. Ingy since he does play. He finally decided to take her up on the offer. We have a huge, 10' high leaded glass bay window in our living room that we could place the piano in, so space is not a problem.
We are looking at used baby grands in order to keep MIL's cost down and have one to see this evening and another later this week. The one tonight is an Ester and the other is a Chickering. I know nothing about pianos or brands. Our plan is to check the pieces out for appearance and outward condition and have Mr. Ingy play a bit to make sure he likes the sound. But before MIL plunks down the cash, we will have a piano tuner check the mechanics of the piece to make sure there are no big surprises or expensive repairs to be made.
In the meantime, does anyone have any advice or suggestions for things Mr. Ingy and I might look for? Neither of us has ever bought a piano before so we're having to wing it.
Thanks!
Posted by: oh hey Date posted: Wed Jun 25 12:49:35 2008
Message: has a chapter on buying a piano.
Posted by: cc Date posted: Tue Jun 24 15:41:43 2008
Message:
I see you have a ton of advice here. I play piano & mrcc insisted that he buy a baby grand for housewarming gift for our first house (except that it came with a payment booklet :/) I wish he would have researched first, or allowed me to. I think it depends on how much you play & how much you/they are planning to spend. Who wouldn't want a high $$ piano if that is an option. I would.
I visited my piano teacher a few years back, & when she went to a grand piano she chose Baldwin, but I don't remember if she told me the reasons. I am going to work with tuner to improve the tone of ours. He said over time he can gradually get it to a richer tone.
Check out the university sales if that's an option. There is one here yearly & it's a popular event. Good luck. That's exciting.
Posted by: jooles Date posted: Tue Jun 24 3:11:49 2008
Message: I don't have any experience with baby grands, but I have played a great many upright pianos. I see that a few people have mentioned Kawai. I have played two Kawais and love them. My friend got a bachelors degree in music and majored in piano performance, and her parents bought her a Kawai upright. It was beautiful to look at and play.
Posted by: Donna E Date posted: Mon Jun 23 14:48:01 2008
Message:
I would recommend a Steinway, also, if it is affordable. Don't shy away from the used Steinways as their tone is sometimes even nicer than new ones. Two other brands that are more affordable but have great tones, Suzuki and Kawai. Both are manufactured in Japan but have very high standards.
Also, make sure that the piano tuner you use to evaluate the condition is a member of the Piano Tuner's Guild, you can probably get a yellow book listing for them.
Another consideration is to make sure that your furnace has a humidifier on it. A good piano tuner will measure the humidity in your home and tell you at what level to keep it so that the tuning "stays". Most of them also suggest that you keep your piano on an inside wall.
I so miss having a piano in my home. We had a 5'4" grand and when my son got bought a home, we gave it to him because he is the only one who plays. There are times I have even thought of buying another one just for me to take lessons. I miss the music in the house.
Posted by: Boo Date posted: Mon Jun 23 13:11:38 2008
Message: Ingy, sorry to bother you again, but as I said below, I am living vicariously through you. Weber.
We had a Weber when I was growing up and through my own kids teen years. It was a GREAT piano. Although it wasn't a baby grand, it never seemed to need tuning. The few times I did have it tuned, it always went out perfectly and the tuners said it was a great piano, although not a name you heard often. Just a thought. Now you've made me want a baby grand!!! *L*
Posted by: Papaya Date posted: Mon Jun 23 12:49:41 2008
Message:
Hi ingy, I have a 7 year old Wurlitzer baby grand in a matte black ebony finish. I had a Baldwin concert master cd player added to it. I'm not an accomplished player, but the piano plays itself beautifully! I buy the cd's from qrsmusic.com. Sometimes I get a deal on them from Ebay. It's especially nice during the holidays to have the piano play itself and guests are easily entertained watching the keys.
My piano sits in front of a sunny window. It has faded. I always leave the lid up and it's warped now. I believe in using one's things and enjoying them, so the imperfections add character.
Posted by: trkdrvrsqueen Date posted: Mon Jun 23 11:48:53 2008
Message: What a wonderful gift! My piano is a Story & Clark and it has beautiful tone....it's not a baby grand. I just googled baby grands and now know why they are different than a grand piano! (shorter strings!) Steinway is a great brand but pricey. Remember what ltv said you are buying an instrument but lso piece of furniture!
Posted by: enjee Date posted: Mon Jun 23 11:11:44 2008
Message:
What a wonderful gift! I LOVE baby grands and if I had the space I'd get one. The quality of sound on a baby grand is so much better than an upright piano. I've been playing piano for over 30 years and I always get very excited when I get the chance to play a baby grand.
I don't really know anything about the different brands of baby grands so I'm obviously no help. It sounds like you have picked a nice spot for it. I don't know if you have to be as careful with them as uprights, but if so, make sure it doesn't sit in direct sunlight or be around too many extreme temperature changes. Oh I'm so jealous :-)
Posted by: Paulsmom Date posted: Mon Jun 23 10:36:10 2008
Message:
Chickering is a good brand. Never heard of Ester.
My suggestion is to see if you can find an affordable used Steinway and get someone to inspect it. We have a great piano restorer guy down here but that doesn't help you up there - but see if you can find someone who restores old pianos and see what you could get a Steinway for. They are VERY expensive. But they are also the BEST. Even an very old Steinway that has been restored is a great piano. I am, yes, I admit it wholeheartedly, a PIANO SNOB.
Sticking keys, missing keys, blah blah blah etc. are all minor inconveniences compared to, oh, A FREAKIN' CRACK IN THE SOUNDBOARD, so be sure and get that checked out. We had a 5'8'' Ivers and Pond, and although it sounded good, it developed a crack in the soundboard which is a bad thing. We traded it in on MY Steinway. Everyone's heard the sad rest of that story. But hey, I will live vicariously through YOU. So get one. Or I'll pick up some heavy stuff RIGHT NOW.
Posted by: DENIM Date posted: Mon Jun 23 10:25:17 2008
Message:
Our church has an upright well over 100 years old. I have one and there is one at my mother's house, and they are both uprights that are 100 years old. I do know that an upright IS NOT to be placed up against an outside wall. Can't remember the reason, but I do know they are not suppose to be up against an outside wall.
I am thinking a baby grand is not going directly up against a wall though. The most important thing with any instrument (and not that I know anything except from my girls) is that YOU like the sound quality. No matter how pretty an instrument is, it is not worth much if it does not sound good.
Calico plays the piano, the bass guitar, and is learning the mandolin.
Gabby plays the piano, guitar, bass guitar, and is learning the auto-harp.
They are both learning the fiddle.
All of the instruments they have are very nice with really wonderful sound quality.
So, if your husband is going to be playing it, make sure he plays it enough in the store or where ever it is at that he really likes the sound/tone of it.
Also, pianos will sound different in different rooms. Or so I have been told.
Posted by: Tooncey Date posted: Mon Jun 23 10:21:46 2008
Message: Wow! What an awesome gift! I've been wanting one of those for years, but alas, no where to put one (or no way to buy one for that matter lol!). Can't really help with buying advice, just wanted to say congrats! I'm sure whichever you choose will look great and sound even better!
Posted by: TAB Date posted: Mon Jun 23 10:19:05 2008
Message: We have, or I should say had, an antique baby grand. We gave it to our oldest daughter. She had it tuned and it sounds so beautiful, plus it is a very unique piece of furniture to have on dispaly. Good luck. TAB
Posted by: SnopesQueen Date posted: Mon Jun 23 10:18:48 2008
Message: Well I know nothing, LOL, but since your husband's parents are professional musicians, could they perhaps offer you some advice on how to select a piano?
Posted by: lifetimeviewer Date posted: Mon Jun 23 10:09:50 2008
Message:
In addition to being a musical instrument a piano is a beautiful piece of furniture. Be sure you look it over just as you would any piece of furniture you were considering. Be sure it is a style you like and fits with your decor.
Posted by: Boo Date posted: Mon Jun 23 10:07:17 2008
Message: Our area has many sales for baby grands through the local universities. If I were you, I would check with some of the local schools, in the music departments, for not only advise, but also possible used pianos. It seems to me, I see them advertised as a huge sale from the universities about 4 or 5 times a year.
has a chapter on buying a piano.
