What Are the Best Piano Brands? Best Piano Brands

[@LivingPianosVideos]

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[@setalaka]

i like how he plays the opening music to the 'show' on his own hahahahhaa

[@timothywinter1857]

I've been rebuilding and restoring pianos in the US for 42 years and there are many great pianos in the world. It's about how they were made, the materials used, the period of time they were made and from what country. Every country has a different sound, and different approach to soundboard making, plate height, bridge height and angles, casting of the plate, hammer making, action geometry and voicing, let alone the material the rim and cabinet is made out of. You can find great pianos and bad pianos from the same company. There in no real right answer. I personally think a properly restored Mason & Hamlin with the new carbon composite WNG action and Ronsen made Weichart /Wurzen hammers is hard to beat. A new well aged white spruce soundboard with sugar pine ribs doesn't hurt either. This kind of piano can't be over-driven.

[@eddiej.2354]

Hi Timothy. My dad was in the business for 45 yrs as both a rebuilder and tuner. I remember helping rebuild the players and gluing all the bellows and connecting hoses from the draw to the action as a little kid. Unfortunately he's no longer here but he left me three player baby grands with a tons of parts and over 1200-1500 piano rolls plus. My uncle Bob who was a machinist / parts maker was helping me by identifying the parts but sadly he to passed away. You may know my dad and more so my uncle Bob aka Robert Streicher i probably missed spelled his name. I forgot to mention I kinda miss the smell of the heated glue pots.

[@marjoriesell8079]

Wow! What do you think about Wurlitzer pianos? I am thinking of buying a used one for $200.

[@titob.yotokojr.9337]

My favorite pianos are Fazioli, Steinway (Hamburg), and Shigeru Kawai, because of their exquisite sound and fine craftsmanship.

[@LivingPianosVideos]

Next, the L was redesigned and eventually all of the grand pianos employed design tweaks including the patented Acu-Just hitch pins which offer more sustained tone particularly in the high register. What sets the Baldwin L grand piano apart from Steinway and Mason & Hamlin is that there are very few Mason & Hamlin model AA pianos which are 6-foot 4-inch grands.

[@pierremoller2334]

Great video and good explanations. I live in Paris and am currently testing pianos in order to buy a small grand. What is said in the video confirms what I discover from my own experience, from discussions with (good) salesmen and with my tuner whom I ask for advice. One could argue 2 points : - the handcrafted japanese pianos (Yamaha CF and S series, Shigeru Kawai) are of the same quality as European and US-made ; but the guy actually acknowledges it during his explanations ; - the east-european pianos are not in the same league as the German-Austrian-Italians - but this is confirmed in the presentation.

[@mro2112]

The opening claim that the US makes the best pianos is kind of silly. My opinion is that there is no "best", there is only your preference, and your budget.

[@benjaminsmith2287]

I think Mr. Estrin has a fondness for the old American pianos and that's sort of etched in his memory. Sometimes people have a fondness for what they grew up with. He's a great presenter and all and a fine pianist, but I disagree with him when he gets into generalizing about "Asian" pianos. Asian pianos have a huge range in quality, Japanese have been making pianos the longest time, and some of the best are as good as any piano in the world, IMO. Also, some of the middle-priced ones being made in China are comparable to any American or European piano for the price. There are horrible Chinese pianos, decent ones, and absolutely wonderful ones.

[@PiotrBarcz]

@@benjaminsmith2287 Hailun makes great grands and uprights! I've played them before and they sound beautiful!

[@wiltzu81]

Well, it depends how you look his statement: First of all, Steinway is american brand and he does not list Hamburg made Steinways in his Europe category so we must consider that he calculates Hamburg-made Steinways as a american brand products and Hamburg does make very good instruments for sure. And almost every other grand pianos are more or less based/copied from Steinway as it is the piano to where everything else is always compared.

[@dennisdeemii]

@@benjaminsmith2287 I agree. He's projecting the old and sadly, ignorant, blanket assumptions about instrument branding. He's a man of his time, I guess.

[@marioferreira7275]

@@dennisdeemii tbh in the last 10 years since this video has been made yamaha and kawai or even the asian pianos also have brought up their build quality.

[@LivingPianosVideos]

Pleyel pianos are excellent examples of great European piano design. The pianos are very refined with a bright, clear tone. Like other European pianos like Bechstein and Bosendorfer, playing a Pleyel requires a sensitivity since they project tone with less effort than American pianos like Steinway and Mason & Hamlin. So as long as you don't have a heavy approach to the piano, these instruments can provide a high level playing experience.

[@donnie71281]

I'm a piano tuner and rebuilder in WV. I absolutely agree with your video. Though it would have been nice to hear something about Baldwin. . . since you are seated at one! There are 2 Walter pianos, in my area, that i service. I'm very glad you mentioned them. They are wonderful pianos. It hurts me to see fantastic old piano names slapped on something that will never live up to the name.

[@LivingPianosVideos]

@urbano277 Depending upon the type of music being performed, each piano has its advantages. The clarity and delicacy of European pianos is wonderful for classical period music (Mozart and Haydn) particularly chamber music. Steinway is a great piano for concerto playing since it has the power to balance well with orchestra.

[@bettyjane6684]

You are an amazing teacher and personality! We appreciate your content! Why couldn’t newer countries and people simply employ the same techniques and products as the age old experts?

[@stephanespoerli6582]

My favorite is Bösendorfer, but each piano is different, so try before you buy !

[@pianomanic71]

The Yamaha CFX is the new king of the block in concert pianos around the world. Yamaha sells 11,000 pianos a year for a reason. Founded in 1887 and renowned around the world in both upright form and grand piano form. Thanks for your video and review.

[@DavidChristmas]

If you want to get an upright piano which is really nice and affordable, I would recommend Kawai K300 (I have one).

[@gmwdim]

I visited a Charles R. Walter dealer and those instruments have amazing action and sound. Their consoles are also beautiful furniture. I personally prefer uprights/verticals because both my own and my parents' house are quite small, and at around $11-12k the Walters are affordable too.

[@slwankaedbey775]

I think at the end each peace needs a certain sound of piano so it's totally subjective and there's no such thing as the ultimate piano

[@studentjohn35]

Feurich and Grotrian don't even exist, then?

[@wiltzu81]

Feurich is just chinese made piano with german name.

[@thearanetachannel7349]

studentjohn36 There’s a Grotrian-Steinweg piano.

[@studentjohn35]

@@wiltzu81 You are rather young. i was lucky enough the spend two days at the Feurich factory in Gunzenhausen. A great loss when they shut down, but hundreds of their grands are still in first rate condition.

[@wiltzu81]

@@studentjohn35 world is full of piano makers that have existed in past and names have come alive again with chinese makers. I assumed that your original question referred to existing pianos made with names like Feurich and Grotrian and not with the produts that someone else made in past in Germany with same name. And my age have nothing to do with that matter. I have played hundreds of those pianos which original manufacturers do not exist anymore as markets in Europe atleast for second hand are full of those kind of pianos. For example we used to have here in Finland Hellas and Fazer, who made pianos. Both went oblivion like 20 years ago, but couple years ago Hellas popped back or tried that with the name installed to chinese mass produced piano. Mostly all these chinese pianos, nor matter what fancy old european name it has, come from one factory that is Pearl River just without Pearl River name. If you are willing to pay, chinese will make the piano even with your name and that what some european companies have done as survival solutions in avoiding costly production let say in Germany, so moving manufacturing to China. I would not be surprices to find in someday in future that there is chinese piano on market with name John Broadwood or Conrad Graf which is then advertised as a piano that Beethoven played. Even Steinway isn't as it used to be. They have cheaper model lines Boston and Essex. Both have highlighted note "Designed by Steinway", but one (Boston) is made by Kawai in Japan and in Indonesia and another (Essex) by Pearl River in China. The good question then is, that if Pearl Rivers own small grand cost like 10 000 and same piano with "Designed by Steinway" sticker has double price, is it then bargain/cheap Steinway or overpriced chinese piano?

[@manuelgomessamuel]

Check Schimmel! Amazing, plenty of awards. I've got one K 122 and it is just fabulous. Comparing best makes that I've had the pleasure to play, this is my list: Boesendorfer, Grotrian Steinweg, C. Bechestein, Schimmel, Steinway, Fazioli, Steingraeber, Bluthner, Shigeru Kawai, Yahama and Mason & Hamlin.

[@pliuworld]

What does Steinway dominate in the number in most concert halls? Is it because Steinway dominates in music schools so musicians want to perform to a already familiar key action?

[@pierremoller2334]

pliuworld Yes. Steinway has or had exclusive agreements in major Music Schools and also major Concert Halls. So musicians who can afford it buy Steinways because they want to practice on a piano action they are familiar with, but also because they are likely to hav eno alternative in concert. In addition, Steinway really are great pianos !

[@pliuworld]

Pierre Moller I used to hold this opinion by recognizing a piano by its "brand name" (such as "Steinway really are great"). But I got very confused after running into so many ordinary Steinway pianos which are poorly voiced or maintained. They are everywhere in friends' houses, schools, or some local auditoriums. People always proudly presented their Steinway's to me and I played them with high expectation, and turned out to be very confusingly disappointed. I therefore started to developed a understanding to play and listen to each instrument not by their brand.

[@pierremoller2334]

pliuworld I do agree that each piano is different, especially when it is pre-owned. And a badly tuned or maintained Steinway can be as bad as anything. I recently attended a charity concert in Paris' salle Wagram and the action of the Steinway failed during Beethoven's 5th concerto... Incidentally, I recently played a Steinway S from 1960 that was good, but did not appeal to me at all. Still, if the purpose is to compare brands rather than individual instruments, which is the topic of the post, I believe one has to rely on general opinions from artists, piano tuners and craftsmen. From what I heard over my 4 month quest, is that Steinway is always ranked at the top, but not alone. Last but least, the brand has an influence on resell price and some buyers like me take that into account since I probably will have to sell it when retiring in 15 years. I usually avoid testing pianos from top brands such as Steinway, Fazioli, Bösendorfer, Steingraeber and Bechstein, because I can't afford them when new, and they are grossly overpriced when pre-owned. Conversely, I do not waste time going and testing unknown brands pianos : I believe that even if I find a great instrument, it will be difficult or impossible to resell. Therefore, I focus my search on a few prestigious brands that I know to make great instruments when new and that are not overpriced when used, such as Yamaha (S series), Grotrian, Sauter, Blüthner, Schimmel, Seiler. In the US I would probably have included Kawai in my list, but there are very few on the second hand market in France.

[@feelimpianist]

pliuworld Just simply because Steinway knows how to market their brand in American style.

[@dankwank7083]

My grandfather has one of the last Australian made 'Beale' pianos in the world and I much prefer it to the American pianos I've tried. He's had it since 1973 and regularly tunes it and still sounds amazing and sounds different from the normal retail pianos. I think it depends on the brand.

[@LivingPianosVideos]

A couple of years ago the PTG national convention featured my Living Piano: Journey Through Time: Historic Concert Experience. I have not been to one since then, but you never know!

[@domodepiano]

absolutely adore Charles Walter pianos, so happy to hear them mentioned in the beginning, I played a new mahogany 6 footer or so at local Steinway Hall and was blown away, definitely on my wish list /bucket list instrument list. The Shigeru's (SK's) remain my no 1 absolute dream (though a particular fine example from Steingraeber , August Forster or a Faz might sway me, or a realy sweet Baldwin SF 10 either from final days the AR shop was making them or a restored vintage....) :)

[@cristobalplatz]

I agree! The Shigeru Kawai is stunning, I was lucky enough to play one in Japan a few years ago. And, Charles Walter are lovely, even the uprights.

[@LivingPianosVideos]

The Baldwin Model L Artist Series Grand Piano has a rich history. For the most part the piano was manufactured to a very high standard throughout Baldwin's history.

[@hansties]

you have not mentioned Schimmel piano, also German brand I think,and a pretty good one too I heard. Any reason?

[@stefanrogers9091]

Schimmels are just the best for chamber music

[@tammyreynolds6094]

I love Schimmel as well!

[@mdjordjevic08]

My piano is Steinway & sons ebony parlor grand 6 foot 2 inches and my parents paid 68K for it years ago. I love my piano. Thank you Steinway for making such beautiful and clear sounding piano. To order brand new Steinway it has to be built by hand it takes one year to get your order. The company in NYC told me I would have to be patient if I want to get a concert grand D piano. Yikes!

[@twostep919]

How do you get your pianos to the top of your ivory tower?

[@floridafyme]

Good things are worth waiting for.

[@AT1Tan]

The force is strong in this on. He even says Kenobi at 2:43.

[@bryvnxiii4632]

thats because he is older luke

[@hastensavoir7782]

my list: Steinway (NY or Hamburg), Fazioli, Petrof, Mason & Hamlin, August Förster

[@Growmap]

Thank you for your videos. I'm really enjoying them. I learned how different pianos were when my teacher while I was majoring in music at college said he had played every Steinway concert grand in 3 warehouses to choose the one I was taking lessons on. At the time, of course, I didn't probably understand that in much detail, though.

[@georger5301]

Outstanding. I am a retired piano technician who has tuned and repaired over 25,000 times. I've had a Schimmel 6'4" grand since 1970 that has given me much pleasure. It is well constructed and certainly beats the majority of pianos I've tuned. It's like a thirsty man coming to water. If, I had to replace it, I would choose an older Steinway that had that certain touch and sound.

[@andykra5134]

If you are purchasing a high end piano ($100,000 or more) then you need to try all the top brands and make your choice using their serial number to narrow your choice. I've played many a piano and I only recall one Steinway that was incredible. No fault of Steinway, it's just that that particular piano gave me bliss. Sadly I couldn't afford it at the time.

[@bridgediamond1]

Happy I have a Petrof and a Weinbach pianos! They are great for studio.

[@PiotrBarcz]

Samick apparently bought Gulbransen in the 80s. We have an old Gulbransen upright that sounds like an old saloon piano! They were based in Chicago and you can find plenty of Ebay listings for them! I recommend them!

[@wetastefa]

My mother in law has a Shubert stand up piano that was made in New York. I am going to take pictures of it later but I am looking for any information on the brand and whether or not they are good pianos.

[@PerrrfictKats]

Thanks so much for the answers. I looked up the serial no. on the internet and the piano is about 61 yrs old. The Knabe info I googled said they are guarateed to last about 100yrs. and that Knabe is known as a 'singer's piano' because of the sweet tone.The piano dealer said he cannot keep used Knabes;they sell almost as soon as they come in. This piano helps me hear the tone and notes, I would recommend a Knabe[ older ]to anybody! Thanks for the info! God Bless.

[@eddiej.2354]

Hi PerrrfictKats. I know your post is old but ill ask anyway. Do you know the name of piano dealer who can't keep Knabe's in stock as I inherited three pianos from my dad. Two Knabe player baby grands.. two are Ampico B draws and the third is a Haines Brothers with an Ampico A draw along with over 1200 piano rolls most Ampico and many QRS and others plus many parts. Im hoping you're still on KZbin. Thanks Eddie J.

[@hyedheydheydhyehd]

I have a 3 thousand dollar Falcone upright at home but once I drove a long way to AZ Piano in Phoenix to play their 110 thousand dollar 9'2" Schimmel concert and I don't ever mean to toot my own horn but I pretty much wet myself when I played Chopin's nocturnes on that thing. I can only hope I'll get to play a Steinway and Sons someday.

[@vincentneale2620]

I have been a Piano Tuner for over 40 years and from my experience you should never judge a Piano by Brand there are very good and very bad Pianos of all Brands When you go to buy a Piano choose the one you fall in love with as everyone has a different taste, touch, tone and feel, also take a Piano tuner with you to inspect the Piano as there are some Pianos which cannot be repaired such as one American brand where the action is made of plastic and nylon and none of the action parts are screwed onto a action rail frame they are glued on instead

[@eddiej.2354]

Hi Vincent. My dad was a rebuilder & tuner for over 45 years. He would never ever use one of digital tuners. The one thing that drove me bonkers was when he'd be tuning one of his pianos and I'd have to listen to the notes over and over till they were to his liking. I kinda miss the smell of the heated glue pots during rebuilding of a client's pianos. Im curious to know what is the going price for a tuning these days? My dad left me with three player baby grands. Two knabes with Ampico B draws and a Haines Brothers with an Ampico A draw. Out of all three only the Haines Brothers plays. My dad was rebuilding the two knabes but unfortunately he was hit by someone texting and driving back in 1999 as he was crossing the street. My uncle Bob was helping me identify player parts but he later pasted before I had sent pictures of all the parts ie player draws, pumps and valves. You might have known my uncle Bob Streicher as well he was a machinist and parts maker and still mentioned in a lot of piano blogs. I might have miss spelled his last name. Anyway, let me know about how much a good tuning goes for... Thanks Eddie J.

[@gtoliver-official]

I have an old stencil piano named Bernhard Steiner, assembled in Wellington South Africa, but we think the parts are imported from Japan. Unfortunately the company is long gone only with its serial number from an unknown maker.

[@jeabond3312]

My best piano brand is Essex Piano Designed by Steinway & Sons. My favorite Essex upright piano is EUP-116ST, EUP-123FL, EUP-123CL, EUP-116CT, EUP-116IP, EUP-116ff open rack and closed rack,EUP-116ET, EUP-123E, EUP-123S, EUP-116E, EUP-108C, and EUP-116EC.🎹

[@davesnow7133]

Essex is for beginners, I think the actual Steinway would be better for a serious pianist

[@tabiviolinpiano8665]

yes young struggling pianist is a pretty good description for me :D

[@TJWatson59]

My 1978 Studio upright Yamaha was built in Grand Haven Michigan at the old Everett factory after Yamaha bought it. (1973-1989)

[@stevimichael5553]

Bozendorfer has a heavier almost muffled tone depending on piece played. Yamahas are more traditional in jazz teios because have a briggtee sound across the tonal range. An older steinway model B from say 40s has exquisite tone. I have many experienced friends of mine play my 9 ft petrof and agree it has a beautiful sound throughout its range. Sometimes it's apples and oranges. Many factors involved..also a very personal taste in deciding which piano is right for you.

[@benjaminsmith2287]

Bosendorfers and Yamahas vary. Some Bosendorfers, like the new VCs, are very clear in tone. Yamaha is used in many styles, including Classical. It's a myth Yamaha is an instrument for particular genres. Plus, they've changed their tone on the CF, CX series and the new SX and debrightened their other pianos. But I find Steinways just as popular in jazz as Yamahas are. And they're used in pop as well (Billy Joel for instance). I agree, it's personal in deciding which piano is right for anyone. I like 12 or so pianos from different makers and like the 7 to 7 1/2 foot range pianos best. Like the Steinway B, that's one of them. Though nothing beats the 9+ footers for bass and projection.

[@b00i00d]

How do you define "best"? There are so many different characteristics relating to playing alone (i.e. not considering things such as serviceability, durability, build consistency etc), for example: action/responsiveness, tone, balance between the bass and high registers etc. And of course choosing is also very subjective: what kind of sound do you want? What style of music you play and so on...

[@vangmx]

I love pianos and it was simply great to hear from someone so knowledgable about all the brands of piano. Some people will argue which piano brands are the best but we get this debate with practically every instrument. Anyway good job!

[@malte31099]

You gotta mention that steinway&sons has been invented in Hamburg, Germany and still is produced based on the German ideals

[@benvye4279]

Absolutely right. The Hamburg factory used to manufacture their own action parts which were clearly superior to the New York parts. They also used Renner actions for a while. Today, all action parts come from the New York factory.

[@Piwemol]

You should check the history of Steinway, with is quite complex. The company was founded by a Heinrich Steinweg, who first was one of the founders of Grotrian-Steinweg, a company that still exists in Germany. But Heinrich Steinweg emigrated to New York, where he changed his name into Henry Steinway. And there, he created Steiway and Sons in USA, not in Germany. Steinway Germany was create quite later in Hamburg by Heinrich's elder son, Theodore, who had staid in Germany or returned because he did not like living in the USA. As far as I understand, Theodore created the German Steinway company after selling the family shares in Grotrian-Steinweg, with an agreement that this brand could still use the name Steinweg. So Steinway has to be considered as a US company, though their best pianos are arguably those made in Hamburg. Now it is difficult to define where the pianos were invented : Heinrich's initial work was in Germany for Grotrain-Steinweg, not for Steinway and not in Hamburg. Afterwards, Heinrich invented a lot of improvements in USA. But later, Theodore, who was also a craftsman genius, did bring his own innovations which he invented in Hamburg.

[@ondrej8763]

Petrof is from Czech republic, middle Europe!

[@malanaganz7188]

We visited the factory and it was the nicest group of people. All of the other European factories (other than Forster) were so busy telling us how great they were that we could hardly ask questions. But Petrof even served us lunch and took a lot of time talking to us. It was our best stop on a Piano Technician's tour!

[@ondrej8763]

Malana Ganz At least something positive. Czechoslovakia was very successful country, but communism destroyed everything.

[@malanaganz7188]

This visit was in 1994.

[@viktorcejka8576]

I will buy Petrof vertical pianio because it is the best brand. I am from the Czech Republic :).

[@viktorcejka8576]

The Czech Republic is not an Eastern Europe. It is so stupid :)

[@FranzFerdinandVIII]

(18.Aug.2020) other piano brands came to my mind, such as Armstrong, Chickering, Huntington, and Wurlitzer.

[@LivingPianosVideos]

While there are only 2 American piano manufacturers left (Steinway and Mason & Hamlin) there were over 1,800 companies making pianos in the U.S. 100 years ago. Many of them made top-notch instruments.

[@FranzFerdinandVIII]

i know, right? how the times have changed😅

[@youssef45031]

Bosendorfer is the best

[@MrPasqual1]

Fazioli: Italian pianos, born in 20th century -> best pianos in the world

[@MARTIN201199]

Shigeru Kawai: Hold my sake

[@aldito7586]

I agree with you. I'm not a pianist. I'm an electric bassist. There is something about Fazioli piano's. They have a really nice deep tone !!!

[@grandma2maj]

I see so many pianos of the upright variety, old pianos that are free on Facebook Marketplace. I see a lot of 100 year old grand pianos for under a thousand dollars. Are these just shot or is it because there’s just not a demand for pianos any more?

[@firzennet]

You seriously have a lot of knowledge inside that brain of yours. Thank you so much for telling me about different types of pianos. Picking the right piano is even more stressful than picking the right car (and might even cost more). Thank you.

[@LivingPianosVideos]

@TweakRacer Your observation that you can get more piano for your money if you give up the prestigious Steinway name is right on target. It comes down to personal preference. Other factors to consider are the period of time the piano was made.

[@newyorksymphony4484]

why do you say that the US have been made pianos since the invention of the instrument?!!? Have you ever heard of Thomas Broadwood? The are a Scottish-English piano makers and started making pianos in 1773 creating models for Haydn, Beethoven and Chopin...Steinway began building pianos almost a century later...

[@samr1321]

Newyorksymphony U.S.A did not exist when the Piano was invented in Italy.

[@eileenpearce-davies1249]

Bosendorfer used to be the best but Fazioli outranks all competitors. It's like comparing an artists's palette with 20 colours with one that has 200 different shades. Of course, you have to be able to play to a certain level before you can truly appreciate the difference.

[@nudeood]

I agree completely, Fazioli is my dream instrument...but I know of a person who has played Faziolis and doesn't like them because they are 'too perfect'. He says that they are so well engineered that they are almost artificial seeming, whereas Steinways etc all have a bit of character in their imperfections. I just think nothing even comes close to the tone of the Fazioli though.

[@eileenpearce-davies1249]

Glad that you call it your dream instrument: that's what performing is all about, realising your dreams in sound. I heard comments about perfection before and about the sound being 'cold and impersonal' when actually the piano is neutral with exquisite tone colours & depth so the artist can truly project their own personality and imagination. That's what I meant when I talked about being at a certain standard to fully appreciate what an instrument can do.

[@jossdionne9810]

Angela Hewitt made a Double-Set DVD playing baroque music on a Fazioli, for favor! or for flavor.

[@benjaminsmith2287]

I prefer Bosendorfer right now. But, I haven't heard a Fazioli live. I've heard Bosendorfer live. However, I just think I prefer the Bosendorfer approach to sound.

[@desertbob6835]

@@benjaminsmith2287 I play a Bösie. Nothing else will do.

[@nytom4info]

Bosendorfer...Steinway.... Yamaha..... ;)

[@dukeofpearl]

Yup! My Yamaha u3 will do me until I can afford a Bosendorfer! 🎶

[@themusicwriter6449]

Shigeru Kawai

[@franslengkeek]

Steingraeber & Söhne Bayreuth Germany, perfection!

[@nikolaacimovic8854]

it is total individual...The best piano is the piano that response the best so that you can quickly express what you wish...My expirience:I went to Cologne Bechstein center ( I live in Germany) with the thought to buy a Bechstein concert piano.As I tried many of them something was missing,then I saw W.Hoffmann pianos,they were produced also by Bechstein, with the difference they are some cheaper then Bechstein...I thought first it is due to unpossibility to make fine nuances and coloration in order Bechstein kann...Then I was supprised how they are more responsive than any other piano I have played.I could immidiatly have a feeling of freedom like by bösendorfer or stainway and so I bought Hoffmann piano...Never regret this deceision.

[@benjaminsmith2287]

Very good. People don't always have a connection to the most expensive piano. Here, you found that you connected better to Bechstein's "lower" line. I like W. Hoffmanns, and I like some better than some C Bechsteins as well.

[@praestant8]

My pleasure. I think any well crafted piano can last a 100 years or more if well maintained. Knabe was for a period of time the piano of choice by the Metropolitan Opera - so yes you are right. The grands also had shorter lid props (on average) I believe just for that purpose. I've only had the privilege of playing smaller Knabe grands but I'm told the larger instruments purr ever so sweetly. I should think such an instrument would be ideal for the serious residential piano.

[@MrSNBryan]

Well that was great ! Thank you ! I think a piano should be ready and at its best when new. Of course one can make changes in tone and adjustments along the way. And the tuning becomes more stable on a mature instrument. But the hammers are wearing away and getting shorter with use, etc. This sounds more to me like the difference between american and german Steinways for example, the first more economical and the latter simply better in all aspects. Don't you think so ?

[@PerrrfictKats]

I like it so much better than the old Whitney spinet I had which I wanted to play,"Farwell to my old Silbermann Clavichord" by C.P.E. Bach, before it left...

[@praestant8]

There are a handful of small shops that build specific instruments in very limited quantity. David Rubenstein in California being another and produces a custom 8' and 12'2" grand with 97 notes.

[@MsStarryEyed]

Out of this list I’ve only heard of Yamaha, Kawai, and Steinway lol! I wonder where Roland and Korg fall or are made

[@Mr850man]

Korg and Roland are very good digital piano brands, I don't know if they even make acoustic pianos

[@dalexplym4882]

Both made in Japan and only electronic -- no acoustic models.

[@rainysunday6186]

Electronic means you don’t have to waste money tuning them.

[@PianoDawg1620]

My budget for a piano is around $5000. With this money I can only buy a Chinese (Ritmuller) upright acoustic piano. But I can buy a fairly good digital piano from a reputable brand for the same price. I personally like the sound of the acoustic piano way more than the digital but am scared that it wouldn't last as long. What do I choose?

[@katiegrundle9900]

what about pianos from canada. Heinzman, mason and risch. Although they are no longer. I love my Mason and Risch console and my cameo piano

[@LivingPianosVideos]

Baldwin SD-10 Concert Grand

[@goognamgoognw6637]

You forgot french Pianos PLEYEL. They have been building pianos since the early 1800's. The Pleyel Grands made in the late 19th century are higher quality, sound and refinement than anything made in the USA at that time or now.

[@feelimpianist]

Pleyel is absolutely great to play with Chopin pieces!

[@Piwemol]

I doesn' make sense to mention Pleyel in a video dedicated to current brands. Pleyel recently went out of business and anyway, the last Pleyel company had nothing to do with the Pleyel company that Chopin's favourite pianos. In France, you can find lots of "real" Pleyels (before 1930) on the second hand market for cheap. Including a comprehensive rebuilt, a half grand Pleyel of the 1900 th century will cost you not more that 15 k€. Much cheaper that same period Steinways or Bechsteins.

[@benjaminsmith2287]

They are wonderful. One of my favorites.

[@kenb3552]

I think Pleyel's are/were made by Schimmel.

[@Piwemol]

KenB Twentythree Yes. Long aftee the original Pleyel company went out of business, there have been Schimmels sold under the Pleyel brand. Very good value for the money, but they sound like Schimmels, not Chopin’s Pleyel.

[@LivingPianosVideos]

However, before the bankruptcy and Gibson takeover in the early 2000's, there was definitely a decline in manufacturing consistency which began in the 1990's. Baldwin redesigned all of their grand pianos in a joint venture with the German piano manufacturer Bechstein which Baldwin owned from the 1960's through the 1980's. First they introduced the SD-10 concert grand in 1966. The SF-10 7-foot grand appeared in 1972.

[@bluestripetiger]

Fazioli for beauty of expression and delicacy, Bosendorfer for robustness and bold resonation

[@musicisitall]

Because fazioli is a relative new brand. second: steinway pays famous pianist to play for the brand.... and third (glenn gould as example) as they use another brand, they are not allowed to play on steinway anymore....

[@peace-now]

The best brands are: Steinway Blüthner Bösendorfer Bechstein They were the original "big 4". A new on has come along: Fazioli The interesting thing is that Fazioli as come from nowhere, and is as good as the big 4. Who know if someone else will come along... Any of these 5 are top line pianos.

[@pianomanic71]

Acujust Hitch pins were made to help the piano as the soundboard decrowns. check out the Permacrown on the new Yamaha CFX

[@dbattis]

Mike - FYI, Essex is made by Pearl River in China for Steinway. The Boston piano is made by Kawai for Steinway (in Japan). I have played on a Boston and it is a very good piano, somewhat comparable to a Kawai or Yamaha. Pearl River is owned by Yamaha and is typically carried by Yamaha dealers as lower priced alternative. However, the Essex brand may be a bit better since it's made to Steinway's specs.

[@PVZBlover]

At: 4:10 the Estonia Piano Company is from Northern Europe not Eastern Europe

[@studentjohn35]

You mention Ibach. It's been quite a while since their factory turned out an instrument from the factory in Schwelm (near Wuppertal)

[@firasabdul4734]

John Gray & Sons perhaps is not as popular as Steinway, but they had dominantly the best Organs in the 19th century according to history books. I have tried one and it sounded amazing even half tuned.

[@bettyjane6684]

Would you share - what are the distinctions in good - bad pianos?

[@MarzaFR]

Wow, newest comment I found

[@LivingPianosVideos]

@renatoaranha Grotrian is a great piano manufacturer. It is certainly top tier and simply an omission on my part. Thanks for the input!

[@pianomanic71]

6 out of 10 finalists in the International Chopin Competition last year chose the Yamaha CFX over both of the other choices. The other two choices?? A Fazioli and a Hamburg built Steinway D.

[@LivingPianosVideos]

The vast majority of these pianos come from China and Indonesia. While the quality has improved over the years, I wouldn't think of these instruments as ones to be past down generation to generation since the cost of rebuilding would exceed the original retail price of the piano.

[@malachishanks6313]

In my opinion Baldwin pianos are my favorites followed by Steinway and then Yamaha, Baldwin is an American piano company from a small town in Tennessee and every piano is hand crafted and well priced.

[@ffggddss]

What about Kimball? They're no longer in business, right? But you can certainly find them used; I have one. My tuner tells me they are quite good. So what about used pianos, including brands no longer made? Like the guy said, there used to be zillions of US brands... [And I see he's got a vid on old vs. new pianos - gotta check that out.] Fred .

[@NosferatuPsychosis]

What do you think about Korean Mafe Samick SU118F Upright from 1994?

[@PerrrfictKats]

I just bought an older used Knabe piano, the pins are rusty, but it has wonderful sound. I thought later on of having the pins replaced. The tuner said it was only worrysome if the strings would break. The keys look like they have an "ivory" venneer, one key the veneer popped, so the tuner coming to repair it,, but it has great tone and sound. Is there any way to tell how old it is. It doesnt seem to have the plactic type keys that the newer pianos have. This Piano is Japanese? Thanks!

[@b_nadams]

How are Boston and Essex pianos 'made up'? Aren't they designed by Steinway?

[@adamhill8480]

Yes, Boston is made by Steinway.

[@benjaminsmith2287]

Boston is made by Kawai, designed by Steinway. Essex is made in China, I forget who makes it. I know Steinway markets them, they may have designed them as well.

[@benvye4279]

Essex was formerly made by Young Chang of Korea, now it's made by Pearl River of China.

[@benjaminsmith2287]

benvye: Thank you.

[@benvye4279]

You're welcome! Incidentally Steinway completely designed both Boston and Essex. They contracted Boston to Kawai back in the late 1980's. The Boston piano is superior to Kawai but it's also priced that way. Essex actually saw an improvement when manufacturing went from Young Chang to Pearl River. Despite it's Chinese manufacturing, they aren't bad pianos.

[@MarilynCrosbie]

What about Canada?

[@OdelliaFirebird]

I had a Grand, upright piano from J & C Fischer. I'm looking for a European equivalent as I've moved continent. Don't say Yamaha. Compared to this, it's crap. Most pianos sound like in a tin can to me. The inside structure is all wood, which explains the sound. It's a hundred years old! I'm looking for that rich, grand, free sound. and upright as I don't have space... Ideas? Thanks.

[@lc3046]

Hello, I would like to buy a piano 1/4 and I hesitate between Essex, Petrof and Yamaha. This is for an advanced young pianist (9 years of practice). What would you recommande?

[@pianomanic71]

Yamaha purchased Bosendorfer in 2007. THe new Yamaha CFX Hammers and sounding board are from the same factory. Of course the CFX lists for over $160k.

[@richard165s]

I definitely agree. I have played on Steinways that really suck, though generally, their tone is awesome.

[@kwixotic]

Agree with the comment about the Yamaha "S" series as I owned an S4 for several years. Very difficult to sell because some prospective buyers would use that "I could buy a Steinway for the price you're asking" line of thinking.

[@luyisu6880]

data out of date, now the largest piano manufacture is pearl river

[@goottohadinata7216]

steinway Hamburg type D, bosendorfer, Yamaha CF, C7, C5, C3 , and shigeru kawai. love these brands... 😊😊

[@benjaminsmith2287]

Yamaha CFX, CX-line have improved on those you mentioned. I love these on your list (Steinway B also) and love models from Grotrian, Bluthner, Hailun, (from China), Mason and Hamlin, old Baldwins, and maybe some others I've not discovered yet.

[@charlotteluvshugs]

I use a Winter Piano, made in Toronto and New York, it's from the 1950's, and it's the only piano I have ever had in my house (mind you I am 16) the refinement on the piano isn't too

[@MarilynCrosbie]

Not sure Canada still manufactures pianos, but older good ones from Toronto, Ontario, Canada are Heintzman and Mason & Risch. Of course, they are old pianos.

[@geraldparker8125]

My favourite American pianos are Knabe, sweet-toned and of very, very high quality. I mean the ones made in Baltimore or Rochester. A Knabe concert grand, something that one seldom finds, is just amazing. Of German pianos, the Bluethner firm, of Leipzig, is incomparable, again especially for their sweet tone and craftsmanship. Could you do a video about those firms and comparing them?

[@EvaYoungPianist]

The piece at the beginning is the 1st movement from Bach's Italian Concerto BWV971!

[@feelimpianist]

Schimmel pianos are good, too. I love Beethoven piece played on Schimmel. You won't get the same tone on Pleyel or Fazioli or any other brand. I don't know whether you have heard of August Förster before. It's great piano, too.I saw August piano in Liszt Academy in Hungary, some schools & jazz clubs in Vienna. Once I sat down and played on August grand piano, I can't resist it. But I can never find any August piano outside Europe.

[@malanaganz7188]

We visited the August Forster site in Germany and were very impressed with the quality of workmanship.

[@googolion]

GROTRIAN-STEINWEG PLS

[@LivingPianosVideos]

@urbano277 Pleyel piano company was founded in France at the end of the end of the 18th century. They currently produce several hundred pianos a year. Chopin played a Pleyel piano as did Debussy, Saint-Saëns, Ravel, de Falla and Stravinsky. The tone is typical of fine European pianos exhibiting a clear, focused sound which is more delicate than the American piano sound. The sound is much closer to Bösendorfer than to Steinway.

[@saffronsworld1508]

Just curious...If you are actually playing a piano or present when someone else is playing, you can discern the quality differences; but if you listen to piano music in mp3 format over a blue tooth speaker, could you discern the tonal differences?

[@LivingPianosVideos]

@TweakRacer Nearly all piano companies have their up and down periods of production. Even the exact same brand and model of piano new in the store have different character since pianos are made of wood, leather, felt and other organic materials as well as the metal plate and strings. The right piano is the one you feel a connection to.

[@haotianyu6368]

Played a Sauter... will never forget it. I've played about 10 Steinways, and have never been satisfied.