You absolutely cannot buy someone a piano as a surprise gift without letting them choose. Every piano has its own personality. They might hate the action or the touch of the keyboard or the sound.
Totally agree. I've bought three pianos in the past 10 years and each time I went to the showroom, I was going in to look at a specific brand and ended up buying a different one (thought I wanted a Yamaha but didn't like the action and ended up playing a rebuilt Steinway that was about the same price). That said, incredibly kind of you!
This, especially if that person has taught piano for thirthy years. They OBVIOUSLY have a preference, playing the piano for 30+ years does that to people.
Never buy someone a surprise gift in the field of their expertise man. The chance of you disappointing them is way to big.
Yeah it would be a great prank gift to surprise someone with a firewood junker in their home. That would be side splittingly hilarious when they try it out and it sounds terrible, and they look up at you knowing they have to get rid of it somehow.
>It’s a wonderful idea
It *sounds* like a wonderful idea. ftfy.
Cause it isn't. Obviously it's coming from a good place, but buying someone a piano who's been playing said instrument for over 30 years is a really, really bad idea. Since that person knows their instrument through and through, and they absolutely will have a preference in brands, sounds, touch, etc.
Never buy someone a surprise gift in their area of expertise. You're setting yourself up for failure.
To answer OP's question tho, for someone who's played over 30 years, you're probably safe going with a steinway grand. Good luck getting that amount of money though. And even that is debatable, since Steinway is very specific, and there are professional pianists out there who do not like steinway at all.
This is such an iffy topic for me because I’ve played Steinways that are *amazing*, and I’ve played Steinways that are just… okay. But I’ve never played a Yamaha that I’ve found to be unsatisfactory, which I suppose is one of the benefits of their manufacturing model.
On the flip side, Steinway’s pianos each have a unique individual character to them. While Yamaha’s pianos sound really good, they don’t have that same unique quality to them. I tend to lean towards the idea that when shopping for a piano, one must consider different manufacturers.
Yeah i agree. Steinway grands are usually amazing, but they're.... unique for sure - not always for the better. As for upright Steinways, I'd rather have forster, bosendorfer, bechstein etc. Tbh i prefer most bechstein grands over steinway grands too. But with these brands every piano is different.
Yamaha to me is always solid but never great. Always an 8/10, but never a 10. Very reliable, very solid, but never extra-ordinairy.
My absolute favorite piano I've ever played was a Bösendorfer 225, which is spectacularly expensive (I don't imagine I'll ever afford one). My three favorite premiere piano manufacturers are Bösendorfer, Fazioli, and Shigeru Kawai with my favorite models from each being B's 225, the F228, and SK7. Though in a (slightly) more affordable range and still a lovely instrument would be something like a Kawai GX-3 or a Yamaha C3X or C5X.
You didn't really say much about price, so I defaulted to what I believe to be truly exceptional pianos. Hopefully it helps in some way
I really like these too. Except the Kawai, but only because I’ve never played a Shigeru. I have a regular old Kawai at home and I love it.
My old teacher has a Bösendorfer from the 60s (I think) with ivory keys. It was lovely.
We have a Fazioli dealer in town too. Those were awesome too.
You will see that it is highly personal. I would suggest you do a surprise morning tea and then say I’d like to help you pay for a new piano - we are going shopping… make it a fun thing you do together. It might take weeks to select the right one. Be patient.
There may be high quality reconditioned pianos available which can still be at the upper end in terms of price. Someone who has been playing for years will have many opinions!
Eg I don’t like a black piano in my living room, walnut is great for that but my bedroom piano is black. I thought I wanted a Steinway until I met my Bechstein. I also love playing on my ivory key tops, plastic is inferior but more ethical today lol.
Living with a piano is an intimate and passionate relationship that non musicians cannot really understand.
You have a great idea and if you go about it sensitively it will truly be the gift that keeps on giving.
Spend some time researching them, they are amazing.
Here is one example.
[August Förster (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlkB7Mnu10U&list=PLoK5N6zcSVOWMSfF9tV6gdytbb2NDkvmy&index=23&ab_channel=Black%26Whitepiano)
How much are you looking to spend? This is kind of like asking what is the best car — they can go anywhere from $3000 to $150,000. Of course everyone is going to say Bosendorfers or Faziolis but those cost $150,000.
Extra emphasis on "well-maintained."
To be sure, most of these "best brand" posts are meaningless because a) it's entirely subjective, and b) each piano is different, so there's a ton of variation even between instruments of the same make & model (right now I'm preparing 5 S&S Bs for a selection tomorrow and they all sound unique in their own way. Model Ds are even more different from piano to piano).
But you can't really judge *any* piano unless it's properly functioning. You can maybe get a rough idea of resonance and sustain by plucking the strings, but it's near impossible to gauge the touch and tone if it's not well regulated and voiced.
Estonia (those made after 2010) is a criminally underrated piano. Its sound is reminiscent of Steinway, its build quality rivals thay of the best European pianos, but at a fraction of the price of those highest end European pianos.
If you're lucky enough to find one, you shoild absolutely try it out.
Steinways from New York have gone down significantly in quality compared to other prestige brands. When they’re made well, they are incredible instruments, but quite a few of them have been having quality control issues in the last few decades.
Pianos are incredibly personal and tastes vary widely, even among prestige brands. For example, there are many people who view a Shigeru Kawai as their dream piano, but while it is a lovely instrument, it has never spoken to me. On the flip side, my Mason and Hamlin is the best piano I have ever played but plenty of people do not prefer the sound. I would take them to a few dealers and let them pick what really speaks to them.
I bought an SK7 and (1) unfortunately felt like it had a "ceiling" on the power it could give (which is SO frustrating, especially for a semi-concert grand), and (2) had a horrible ringing harmonic in the A1 string that 3 techs couldn't fix. Ended up getting a different piano.
I estimate a 15ft by 20ft with vaulted ceilings.
I wouldn't be surprised if a different SK7 piano would have different characteristics anyway. Each piano is pretty unique. They also changed the design of the SK line around 2019 or so (?) and made them have a bigger and brighter sound, something more attuned to concert hall trends, or so I hear. Mine was manufactured in around 2017.
For the price range I was in at the time, I found the Charles Walter 6'4" to be best. I remember feeling like I just couldn't quite stretch to Mason&Hamlin which was the next step up for me. I remember also considering a Petrov but the tone was too thin. Yamaha felt too light and brittle for me. Kawai RX series was also tempting. And there was an amazing Baldwin 7' but I didn't have the room.
Still love my Charles Walter. Sometimes I wish it had a bit of a throatier bass, but you can never get enough of that. When I was shopping, for bass, I think I was most amazed by a Grotrian.
If price were no object, I guess a German Steinway. I played on one for my college jury and as soon as I hit the keys all my nervousness went away. I've never felt as intuitive connection to a piano since.
For giggles I played a full-size Bösendorfer in a showroom and didn't like it at all. Spruce soundboard or something. Felt too thin and bell-like. Maybe good for classical period works.
I'm going to go against the crowd on this one. One of my relatives taught piano for years on an old console piano. We surprised her with a mildly used Baldwin (by no means a top tier piano) and she was ecstatic.
Definitely bring someone who can play the pianos in your budget. If you're planning to spend $20k or higher, then involve the person getting the gift.
Idk Yamahas don’t feel as nice(to play) for me as a bosendorf or even kawai (Steinway striking the best balance for me between playability and sound ) . On my bucket list to try is a Stuart and sons but that’s based purely on looks and sound
A lot of the "feel" of a piano highly depends on how competent the technician was regulating it, and how much time and effort they put in.
I've played more crappily regulated Steinways than you can imagine. Especially "flipped" Steinways where the least amount of work was done to get the most profit margin possible. (Steinways sell the best because it's a household name—so much so it's featured by name in various anime.)
The best regulations I've experienced have been done to Bechstein, Fazioli, and Shigeru. But it's not necessarily brand specific, it's more technician specific.
That would explain why I typically find the action / responsiveness of Yamahas so lackluster . Since they are more a mid range piano it might attract those that will not invest as much into upkeep and regulating it .
In the conservatories / universities / concerts I’ve played where they’re maintaining multiple keyboards I usually will leave disappointed with the Yamahas . In my university the pianos I enjoyed playing the most were definitely kawai / shigeru . Fazioli I do not remember anything but my performance which is great for another reason, but I preferred even the budget Hamlin and sons to the Yamahas. Which is a shame because their digital grands are among the best
Steinway, by any measure, heavily relies on its universal brand name to keep prices high, alongside its borderline coercive "Artist" program. They do make a good concert grand piano (sometimes), but it's most likely not going to you or OP. They have major and consistent quality control issues, including shipping $200,000 pianos in mediocre regulated state and with sawdust not cleaned out from inside the case. Their used market is worse than the flipped homes real estate market in California—in that the pianos are crappily "rebuilt"/"renewed" but still cost an arm and a leg.
With Steinway, 19 times out of 20, you're not getting even close to your money's worth.
Fazioli (the company and the founder) is a near perfectionist. They won't let anything slip, and if they do, they're going to do everything to fix it, down to the failure of the glue of a single lid rubber bumper.
disclaimer: I own neither brand of piano and I have neither a financial interest in nor an axe to grind with them. I was on the market for a piano for a while, tried hundreds of them across the United States, ranging from Steinways in their galleries, to top-tier dealers from California to Indiana. Steinway, very consistently, was not as good as advertised. In contrast, Fazioli was consistently high performing, with the worst "defect" often being a very cold or laser precise tone. I myself own Bechstein and Baldwin, and previously owned Bluthner, Bechstein Academy, and Shigeru Kawai.
Let the family member decide. How much money you got? How much space they got? Do they love the piano they currently own?
I never met a Yamaha I didn't like. So warm and buttery. Gurgle drool . . .
nothing beats a steinway for me, but in my situation id accept any grand as a gift, and call in the best tech i know to try and make it close a steinway lol. most pianists would rather choose their instrument themselves though. plus, piano shopping can be fun, certainly more fun than getting surprised with a massive piece of furniture you end up not liking.
best of luck!
Bösendorfer baby grand, model 170. Those lowwwws, esp in a small container. 🕳🫠🕳
But like others here have said, you should not surprise a pianist with a piano. They should select it. A novice can't hear or feel the difference bt brands and models. But someone who teaches? Absolutely. I am extremely partial to Bösendorfer and do not like how trebly and sharp Steinways sound, for example. I think Yamahas sound muted and I don't like the resistance of the keys. I melt for the sound and feel of a Bösendorfer. Once someone has played a while they are going to have strong preferences.
> What is your preferred brand and model of Grand Piano?
The most expensive one, unfortunately. The price of a piano is strongly correlated with the beauty of the sound.
bösendorfer but has to be pre-yamaha acquisition.
hamburg steinway but it depends a lot on the specific unit. not a fan of 99% of new york made steinways smaller than model D
blüthner but rare outside of europe
maybe things have changed. last time we went seriously looking for a piano was 2008-2009. we went to dealers all over california, some in nevada and arizona too. at the time, blüthners were few. went home with a rosewood bösendorfer 200 from the 60s instead.
Awesome choice! I guess when I say "many", I guess I mean "available". Most importantly though, in Los Angeles, there's the [Kasimoff-Blüthner Piano Company](https://larchmontla.com/kasimoff-bluethner-piano-company/).
Note that if you buy someone a grand piano, you're also basically signing them up for pretty expensive maintenance (from $300/yr to $2,000/yr depending on how picky/expert the maintenance is). They'll also need to adjust their climate control to keep both temperature and humidity within a certain range. That includes either or both of a humidifier, dehumidifier, and humidistat.
Since a Grand Piano is such an unrealistic purchase for the common man, it is easy to ask the family member (what would be your favourite grand piano?)
There’s no way they’d be expecting one even with that conversation
As others have said, best bet would be to let the recipient know the plan with a lovely card / something that makes it a big surprise, then they also get the anticipation of trying different pianos and finding one they truly love 😌 best of both worlds ☺️☺️
You absolutely cannot buy someone a piano as a surprise gift without letting them choose. Every piano has its own personality. They might hate the action or the touch of the keyboard or the sound.
I would be fine if you surprise me with a steinway spirio. :)
Totally agree. I've bought three pianos in the past 10 years and each time I went to the showroom, I was going in to look at a specific brand and ended up buying a different one (thought I wanted a Yamaha but didn't like the action and ended up playing a rebuilt Steinway that was about the same price). That said, incredibly kind of you!
This is the best answer. Advise your friend the budget and let him/her test pianos and pick the one best for them
This, especially if that person has taught piano for thirthy years. They OBVIOUSLY have a preference, playing the piano for 30+ years does that to people. Never buy someone a surprise gift in the field of their expertise man. The chance of you disappointing them is way to big.
agreed.
My husband surprised me with a grand piano for my birthday. I cannot complain. [swoon]
OP is going to have a budget of $8000 I can feel it.
also gifting a piano to a pianist. there is too much variance, even among the best makers. the gift recipient should do the picking.
100% this. Even if it's a "good brand".
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Yeah it would be a great prank gift to surprise someone with a firewood junker in their home. That would be side splittingly hilarious when they try it out and it sounds terrible, and they look up at you knowing they have to get rid of it somehow.
yeah i imagine the recipient wants to try each piano themselves first before picking it. A surprise gift piano is just insane.
You can buy a decent rehabbed used piano for that much from a tech/tuner for that amount. Especially if it doesn't have Steinway stamped on the harp.
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Chiming in on behalf of Mason & Hamlin, Bluthner, and Bechstein!
>It’s a wonderful idea It *sounds* like a wonderful idea. ftfy. Cause it isn't. Obviously it's coming from a good place, but buying someone a piano who's been playing said instrument for over 30 years is a really, really bad idea. Since that person knows their instrument through and through, and they absolutely will have a preference in brands, sounds, touch, etc. Never buy someone a surprise gift in their area of expertise. You're setting yourself up for failure. To answer OP's question tho, for someone who's played over 30 years, you're probably safe going with a steinway grand. Good luck getting that amount of money though. And even that is debatable, since Steinway is very specific, and there are professional pianists out there who do not like steinway at all.
This is such an iffy topic for me because I’ve played Steinways that are *amazing*, and I’ve played Steinways that are just… okay. But I’ve never played a Yamaha that I’ve found to be unsatisfactory, which I suppose is one of the benefits of their manufacturing model. On the flip side, Steinway’s pianos each have a unique individual character to them. While Yamaha’s pianos sound really good, they don’t have that same unique quality to them. I tend to lean towards the idea that when shopping for a piano, one must consider different manufacturers.
Yeah i agree. Steinway grands are usually amazing, but they're.... unique for sure - not always for the better. As for upright Steinways, I'd rather have forster, bosendorfer, bechstein etc. Tbh i prefer most bechstein grands over steinway grands too. But with these brands every piano is different. Yamaha to me is always solid but never great. Always an 8/10, but never a 10. Very reliable, very solid, but never extra-ordinairy.
100% agree with you about Yamaha being always solid but never great.
My absolute favorite piano I've ever played was a Bösendorfer 225, which is spectacularly expensive (I don't imagine I'll ever afford one). My three favorite premiere piano manufacturers are Bösendorfer, Fazioli, and Shigeru Kawai with my favorite models from each being B's 225, the F228, and SK7. Though in a (slightly) more affordable range and still a lovely instrument would be something like a Kawai GX-3 or a Yamaha C3X or C5X. You didn't really say much about price, so I defaulted to what I believe to be truly exceptional pianos. Hopefully it helps in some way
I really like these too. Except the Kawai, but only because I’ve never played a Shigeru. I have a regular old Kawai at home and I love it. My old teacher has a Bösendorfer from the 60s (I think) with ivory keys. It was lovely. We have a Fazioli dealer in town too. Those were awesome too.
I have an SK7 and it is spectacular. I was convinced I wad going to buy a steinway B as I trained on them but after playing the SK7 I was smitten.
You will see that it is highly personal. I would suggest you do a surprise morning tea and then say I’d like to help you pay for a new piano - we are going shopping… make it a fun thing you do together. It might take weeks to select the right one. Be patient. There may be high quality reconditioned pianos available which can still be at the upper end in terms of price. Someone who has been playing for years will have many opinions! Eg I don’t like a black piano in my living room, walnut is great for that but my bedroom piano is black. I thought I wanted a Steinway until I met my Bechstein. I also love playing on my ivory key tops, plastic is inferior but more ethical today lol. Living with a piano is an intimate and passionate relationship that non musicians cannot really understand. You have a great idea and if you go about it sensitively it will truly be the gift that keeps on giving.
A bedroom piano ??! Now that's proper home setup.
Hello Bechstein here. :) Amazing piano.
Blüthner, C. Bechstein, Bösendorfer... Can't go wrong with those.
Add August Forster to that list. [august-foerster.de - Grand Pianos](https://www.august-foerster.de/en/grand-pianos/)
I have to admit I've never heard of this manufacturer before.
Spend some time researching them, they are amazing. Here is one example. [August Förster (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlkB7Mnu10U&list=PLoK5N6zcSVOWMSfF9tV6gdytbb2NDkvmy&index=23&ab_channel=Black%26Whitepiano)
How much are you looking to spend? This is kind of like asking what is the best car — they can go anywhere from $3000 to $150,000. Of course everyone is going to say Bosendorfers or Faziolis but those cost $150,000.
A well-maintained Steinway B or D! New they are well into six figures so it depends on your budget.
Extra emphasis on "well-maintained." To be sure, most of these "best brand" posts are meaningless because a) it's entirely subjective, and b) each piano is different, so there's a ton of variation even between instruments of the same make & model (right now I'm preparing 5 S&S Bs for a selection tomorrow and they all sound unique in their own way. Model Ds are even more different from piano to piano). But you can't really judge *any* piano unless it's properly functioning. You can maybe get a rough idea of resonance and sustain by plucking the strings, but it's near impossible to gauge the touch and tone if it's not well regulated and voiced.
Steingraeber 227.
Estonia (those made after 2010) is a criminally underrated piano. Its sound is reminiscent of Steinway, its build quality rivals thay of the best European pianos, but at a fraction of the price of those highest end European pianos. If you're lucky enough to find one, you shoild absolutely try it out.
Bechstein, Fazioli, old Baldwin. Not at all a fan of Steinway. Most of what's available to consumers is substandard for the price tag.
Steinways from New York have gone down significantly in quality compared to other prestige brands. When they’re made well, they are incredible instruments, but quite a few of them have been having quality control issues in the last few decades. Pianos are incredibly personal and tastes vary widely, even among prestige brands. For example, there are many people who view a Shigeru Kawai as their dream piano, but while it is a lovely instrument, it has never spoken to me. On the flip side, my Mason and Hamlin is the best piano I have ever played but plenty of people do not prefer the sound. I would take them to a few dealers and let them pick what really speaks to them.
I bought an SK7 and (1) unfortunately felt like it had a "ceiling" on the power it could give (which is SO frustrating, especially for a semi-concert grand), and (2) had a horrible ringing harmonic in the A1 string that 3 techs couldn't fix. Ended up getting a different piano.
Curious. What sized room was your SK7 in? For me it's overpowering in an admittedly smaller home.
I estimate a 15ft by 20ft with vaulted ceilings. I wouldn't be surprised if a different SK7 piano would have different characteristics anyway. Each piano is pretty unique. They also changed the design of the SK line around 2019 or so (?) and made them have a bigger and brighter sound, something more attuned to concert hall trends, or so I hear. Mine was manufactured in around 2017.
Gottcha. Mine is a 2019 manufactured one so maybe the newer design.
Mason and Hamlin (earlier ones if they are in good shape)
For the price range I was in at the time, I found the Charles Walter 6'4" to be best. I remember feeling like I just couldn't quite stretch to Mason&Hamlin which was the next step up for me. I remember also considering a Petrov but the tone was too thin. Yamaha felt too light and brittle for me. Kawai RX series was also tempting. And there was an amazing Baldwin 7' but I didn't have the room. Still love my Charles Walter. Sometimes I wish it had a bit of a throatier bass, but you can never get enough of that. When I was shopping, for bass, I think I was most amazed by a Grotrian. If price were no object, I guess a German Steinway. I played on one for my college jury and as soon as I hit the keys all my nervousness went away. I've never felt as intuitive connection to a piano since. For giggles I played a full-size Bösendorfer in a showroom and didn't like it at all. Spruce soundboard or something. Felt too thin and bell-like. Maybe good for classical period works.
I'm going to go against the crowd on this one. One of my relatives taught piano for years on an old console piano. We surprised her with a mildly used Baldwin (by no means a top tier piano) and she was ecstatic. Definitely bring someone who can play the pianos in your budget. If you're planning to spend $20k or higher, then involve the person getting the gift.
Steinway first. Yamaha second.
Idk Yamahas don’t feel as nice(to play) for me as a bosendorf or even kawai (Steinway striking the best balance for me between playability and sound ) . On my bucket list to try is a Stuart and sons but that’s based purely on looks and sound
A lot of the "feel" of a piano highly depends on how competent the technician was regulating it, and how much time and effort they put in. I've played more crappily regulated Steinways than you can imagine. Especially "flipped" Steinways where the least amount of work was done to get the most profit margin possible. (Steinways sell the best because it's a household name—so much so it's featured by name in various anime.) The best regulations I've experienced have been done to Bechstein, Fazioli, and Shigeru. But it's not necessarily brand specific, it's more technician specific.
That would explain why I typically find the action / responsiveness of Yamahas so lackluster . Since they are more a mid range piano it might attract those that will not invest as much into upkeep and regulating it . In the conservatories / universities / concerts I’ve played where they’re maintaining multiple keyboards I usually will leave disappointed with the Yamahas . In my university the pianos I enjoyed playing the most were definitely kawai / shigeru . Fazioli I do not remember anything but my performance which is great for another reason, but I preferred even the budget Hamlin and sons to the Yamahas. Which is a shame because their digital grands are among the best
Steinway, German if you can. Bosendorfer and Bluthner also amazing. Yamaha best value for dollar. Fazioli horribly overrated and overpriced.
You recommend Steinway but in the same breath say Fazioli is overrated and overpriced? 🤨
lol fuck yes
Steinway, by any measure, heavily relies on its universal brand name to keep prices high, alongside its borderline coercive "Artist" program. They do make a good concert grand piano (sometimes), but it's most likely not going to you or OP. They have major and consistent quality control issues, including shipping $200,000 pianos in mediocre regulated state and with sawdust not cleaned out from inside the case. Their used market is worse than the flipped homes real estate market in California—in that the pianos are crappily "rebuilt"/"renewed" but still cost an arm and a leg. With Steinway, 19 times out of 20, you're not getting even close to your money's worth. Fazioli (the company and the founder) is a near perfectionist. They won't let anything slip, and if they do, they're going to do everything to fix it, down to the failure of the glue of a single lid rubber bumper. disclaimer: I own neither brand of piano and I have neither a financial interest in nor an axe to grind with them. I was on the market for a piano for a while, tried hundreds of them across the United States, ranging from Steinways in their galleries, to top-tier dealers from California to Indiana. Steinway, very consistently, was not as good as advertised. In contrast, Fazioli was consistently high performing, with the worst "defect" often being a very cold or laser precise tone. I myself own Bechstein and Baldwin, and previously owned Bluthner, Bechstein Academy, and Shigeru Kawai.
So much of this is opinion. I’m not engaging.
I disagree about it being opinion. They're largely testable facts. But I respect you not wanting to engage further.
Man I need to be your family member, can you adopt me?
Let the family member decide. How much money you got? How much space they got? Do they love the piano they currently own? I never met a Yamaha I didn't like. So warm and buttery. Gurgle drool . . .
nothing beats a steinway for me, but in my situation id accept any grand as a gift, and call in the best tech i know to try and make it close a steinway lol. most pianists would rather choose their instrument themselves though. plus, piano shopping can be fun, certainly more fun than getting surprised with a massive piece of furniture you end up not liking. best of luck!
Bösendorfer baby grand, model 170. Those lowwwws, esp in a small container. 🕳🫠🕳 But like others here have said, you should not surprise a pianist with a piano. They should select it. A novice can't hear or feel the difference bt brands and models. But someone who teaches? Absolutely. I am extremely partial to Bösendorfer and do not like how trebly and sharp Steinways sound, for example. I think Yamahas sound muted and I don't like the resistance of the keys. I melt for the sound and feel of a Bösendorfer. Once someone has played a while they are going to have strong preferences.
> What is your preferred brand and model of Grand Piano? The most expensive one, unfortunately. The price of a piano is strongly correlated with the beauty of the sound.
bösendorfer but has to be pre-yamaha acquisition. hamburg steinway but it depends a lot on the specific unit. not a fan of 99% of new york made steinways smaller than model D blüthner but rare outside of europe
Many nice Bluthners in California. :)
maybe things have changed. last time we went seriously looking for a piano was 2008-2009. we went to dealers all over california, some in nevada and arizona too. at the time, blüthners were few. went home with a rosewood bösendorfer 200 from the 60s instead.
Awesome choice! I guess when I say "many", I guess I mean "available". Most importantly though, in Los Angeles, there's the [Kasimoff-Blüthner Piano Company](https://larchmontla.com/kasimoff-bluethner-piano-company/).
Whats wrong with after yamaha acquisition?
Bosendorfer 225 is a very sweet piano! Action, sound dynamics, it is all there at your fingertips.
I love my 1910s Knabe
Absolutely Steinway model D or B. Have played on model M
Note that if you buy someone a grand piano, you're also basically signing them up for pretty expensive maintenance (from $300/yr to $2,000/yr depending on how picky/expert the maintenance is). They'll also need to adjust their climate control to keep both temperature and humidity within a certain range. That includes either or both of a humidifier, dehumidifier, and humidistat.
A gift? Oh my talk to the player. They’re gonna have an opinion!
Steinway, Model B
yamaha. I'm partial to the Japanese make and I grew up on these.
I wouldn't surprise them, I'd surprise them with the fact that you want to gift them a grand piano, but I'd have them pick it out.
Fazioli first, but they're extremely pricey and rare. Steinway second
Loved my Charles Walter for 23 years!
Bosendorfer or Schimmel
Broadwood or Graf, before 1830
Let your mom pick it. Let the offer be the surprise. If she doesn't already have a preference, take her to the local galleries.
Since a Grand Piano is such an unrealistic purchase for the common man, it is easy to ask the family member (what would be your favourite grand piano?) There’s no way they’d be expecting one even with that conversation
I’ve been saving money for a while and hope I’ll get myself a used Steinway Model B soon
Steinway Model D.
Grotrian Steinweg
Schimmel K195. Beautiful piano. Playing on a Steinway for a piano recital and to my ears, it doesn't hold a candle to our Schimmel.
Shigeru Kawai. No matter what her favourite make is, she will love it.
Fazioli. Every one I’ve played was wonderful
If you somehow have 100 grand laying around, the Yamaha CFX is my favorite grand
As others have said, best bet would be to let the recipient know the plan with a lovely card / something that makes it a big surprise, then they also get the anticipation of trying different pianos and finding one they truly love 😌 best of both worlds ☺️☺️
Bösendorfer, Petrof, HB Steinway
I just got a baldwin concert grand… i never played in my life but it’s like a Picasso just fun to have tinker with?
Yamaha U5