All About Choosing and Buying Pianos

[jce]

Collard and Collard was established more than 200 yrs ago under a different name. However as far as I know, the company stopped producing pianos around the sixties which means the piano is at least 40+ years old. I have not played on one before but I heard that the action is quite bad…


For beginners, I’d recommend choosing a piano with keys that are not too hard to push down and hammer action that is too heavy otherwise the child, with fingers that have yet developed, will find it difficult to play on. However don’t choose one that has light hammer action either because that won’t train the weak fingers well. It’s not easy getting a piano, esp secondhand, as you will just have to go round trying until you find something with a nice sound, suitable action and within your budget.

[titank]

DS Piano Teacher also recommend get those hard type press piano as when during exam, children need some kind of strength to play.

Yamaha & Kawai we are just paying for the branding. Now beside HL125, any other recommended brand?

[titank]

This Karlchonderg is a Korea make piano but using German technology. Price range from $5800-$6500. Maybe would go down test how good the piano!

[Blackdas]

Tks Jce...

I agree it is hard. But an \"expert\" told me that when you train with hard keys, you will not having difficulty with the \"normal\" ones. Maybe its just a different school of taughts.

And yes, my wife learn that they stop production already so i guess it must be very old... In fact she found a newspaper article (before WWII)from NLB archieves advertising the piano..

The \"expert\" also claim that european pianos are better based on the fact that all famous pianist are europeans... Not sure if this is a valid arguements.

Can I ask anothe question? How about Apollo piano from Japan? Is it suitable?

Thanks in advance.

jce:

Collard and Collard was established more than 200 yrs ago under a different name. However as far as I know, the company stopped producing pianos around the sixties which means the piano is at least 40+ years old. I have not played on one before but I heard that the action is quite bad...

For beginners, I'd recommend choosing a piano with keys that are not too hard to push down and hammer action that is too heavy otherwise the child, with fingers that have yet developed, will find it difficult to play on. However don't choose one that has light hammer action either because that won't train the weak fingers well. It's not easy getting a piano, esp secondhand, as you will just have to go round trying until you find something with a nice sound, suitable action and within your budget.

[MummyThreeStreams]

titank:

I believe there is no demand for 2nd hand china piano. So china made piano best is to use until it beyond repair then scrap it or maybe some shop where they take in at 50% at the end of 5 years like Piano Master.

A piano dealer refused to take in my SIL's china piano for trade-in because he said there was no 2nd had value. But maybe it also depends on the brand? Coz I hear that some china brands are getting quite good? Can't remember the brand of my SIL's piano. But it was really bad. They never tuned it. I played on it once and it was awful. Even my son told me it was terrible to play on.

[titank]

Then what brand of China piano will the shop take in? Maybe can do a experiment with some shops then we can have a feel of how the market.

Buy Japanese like Kawai, Yamaha is too expensive. Then buy china make piano next time no resale value. Really very headache now.

[jce]

Personally, don’t like Apollo, not well made at all.


As for what the "expert" said about "european pianos are better based on the fact that all famous pianist are europeans", I don’t agree. The reason European pianos are better (though not ALL are better) is because they have a long-standing history of piano-making. There are so many, many piano makers in Europe but only a handful make it to the top and only so many survive over the many years.

[ciaobella]

can someone advise whether Yamaha Japan imported model MC10BL is similar to our U1 model in Singapore ?

[ciaobella]

Just to share with everyone.

I went to Piano Master yesterday. They are promoting Hailun HL125 for $3699
China Made Brand New. They will trade it back for $1500 within 5 years.
Very tempting cos brand new and the music sound ok.

[phankao]

jce:

Personally, don't like Apollo, not well made at all. \\.

Really? I have an \"antique\" Apollo. I love it for both it's look and sound. But then again, I'm an unconventional buyer generally. When I was looking around at the pianos at the dealer's warehouse, I was not very impressed with some of the slightly-cheaper range Yamahas bc they felt and sounded like similar standard to my 15yo Korean piano.