Poll: Worst piano and best piano -- name the best and worst brands.?

Question

I have an Acrosonic Baldwin which I love for its size. It's small (has to be - to fit in our apartment), but has a great sound.
One days, I'd love a Steinway =)

I dislike Petroffs in particular (partly because I've had to practice on one with a cracked soundboard).

Answer 1

Based on my own experiences, Steinways would most likely be the best brand. In a survey that I saw concerning all the pianists that play for the major orchestras in the US, 98% of them chose Steinway as their ideal choice of piano. I also have a book that provides information on different piano brands, and Steinways do rank among the top. I saw that the piano brand called "Strauss" (I've never seen them) ranked among the lowest, getting only 1 star.

Answer 2

Piano Name Brands

Answer 3

I admit that practicing on a Petrof with a cracked soundboard is as bad as you can get.

The best brand hands down is Mason and Hamlin. Go tinkle one and you will see what I mean. Unfortunately they are astronomically expensive.(25000-75000)
I love Pearl River. Especially the Kaminga Bobinga wood ones. they are beautiful and the touch is fabulous.
Petrof shouldn't be automatically disclaimed as a bad brand, piano stores rate them higher than Pearl Rivers.
I personally do not like Steinways because the higher notes don't ring as much as some other brands.

The worst piano brand ever is Yamaha. They are slapped together as quickly as possible to make quota, no attention is paid to the beauty.

If the piano has to fit in your apartment and sound wonderful, I would suggest a kawai upright grand. They produce the only upright grand that I have ever played on that actually rang and felt the same as a Pearl River grand.

Happy trails!

Answer 4

Let's get over this idea that Yamaha makes the best piano. The Yamaha is a good "line production" piano, but among such instruments, it is the most expensive. You can get a piano of equal quality for less -- like Essex or Boston.

But you cannot compare any line production piano to a fine hand-crafted instrument. Steinway, Bechstein, Bosendorfer. etc. all stand head and shoulders above any line production instrument.

98% of concert artists insist on Steinway. That makes it the best, in my book.

The Worst that I have ever played was a Belorus. Woof what a dog. Also Pearl River makes a real piece of junk.

Answer 5

I really like Seilers and Perzinas. They are both very beautifully sounding. Yamaha are a bit too 'brightly' sounding for me.. and Steinways are okay, but really not all they're hyped up to be. Steinways are the equivalent to Krispy Kremes, some people love them, some people think they're nothing special! :D I don't know of any bad piano brands though... I think they all start out okay and gradually deteriorate over time. And it is hugely based on personal preference!

Answer 6

Bösendorfer, hands down. Sure Steinways are great, but try to scrap $200,000 for a Bösendorfer Imperial.

Best upright piano ever is the Bösendorfer Studio 130.

I had a Schafer & Sons baby grand, that piano sucked.

Answer 7

I don't have time to go over all the brands, but I just want more people to know that Steinway pianos these days are selling mostly on the brand name than on the quality of the instrument. people hear the name steinway and their knees get weak. There's no doubt that the older steinways are pieces of art and even the less elite models have wonderful sounds and beautiful action. But for the more recently built Steinway pianos, I lost count long time ago of the terribly expensive but also sloppily built steinways. Many of these pianos aren't even voiced or regulated right and they just whipped them out of the factory like candy bars. The fact is that many well-to-do want these pianos for furniture in their over-sized living room so as long as there's an autograph by the owner on the frame, no one's going to care if the piano sounds like a cow.


whoever that voted me down, I know you are either an idiot and know absolutely nothing about piano, or you are working and being paid by Steinway!!!!!
That's how firm I am standing for my opinion!!!

Answer 8

Kawai, hands down. Of course, you could get a digital piano that never needs tuning, and adjust the sound any way you like.

Answer 9

stienways are amazing from what iv heard.(my gf plays piano) yamahas are ok and not terribly expensive. if you are looking for inexpensive, steer clear from the long hard to pronounce names

Answer 10

Best Kawai by far
Worst hmmm, can't say...