I'm not sure I agree with the notion of trying to come up with "the best" models/manufacturer. In my upright inventory, Yamaha U-1 and P-22 have plurality status, but I also have Kawai UST-8, UST-9, K2, K3, K400; Petrof 115, 118, 122; a couple Perzinas, a Pearl River, a Mason & Hamlin 50. And Yamaha T118, T121, YUS5.
There are positives and negatives for all of them. For instance, I like the Petrofs in general, but they do tend to move pitch in the usual places (low tenor, above treble break) a little faster than some others. I like the Kawai ABS parts: no flange screw tightening needed, less movement/flexing of parts. OTOH, I do have some issues with catcher dowels getting loose in joints with the butt and the catcher (plastic to wood) and clicking - easy to fix but annoying (note this may be a dry climate phenom, single digit RH for extended periods). I definitely prefer UST9 to UST8.
The Yamaha U1 music rack is quite annoying: not only does it tend to split, and screws get loose constantly, but it is nasty for placing xeroxed pages on (they bend and slip off). The split lid is a spill problem, and also in the newer ones they changed where it is split so that the back lid overhangs so much I need a longer tuning hammer tip - pretty annoying also. Plus tiny casters. Small annoyances, but significant. I find their tuning slightly less bad than other makes after a major RH change, but not all that much so.
All of the instruments benefit enormously from adequate prep, meaning a day or two of concentrated work. Why do German makes (Schimmel, Bechstein, Sauter) have such a high reputation (and cost)? They are meticulously prepped in the factory. I was about to teach a class on upright prep at a convention, checking out travel on the upright that had been provided (a Bechstein), and a German technical rep looked in. He said "You won't find anything." He was right, Absolutely meticulous travel (I found one hammer to quibble with). That's one example. When all the factors are refined, you end up with a very refined instrument. You can do the same to your Yamaha, Kawai, Petrof, etc. and they will stand comparison with anything in terms of being an excellent musical instrument.
My suggestion is not to put all your eggs in one basket. If the dealer is so anxious to sell you some Bostons, buy a couple, try them out. They will not be a disaster, and you will know more after you have them 2-5 years. Then you can make an educated decision on the next purchase. In general, IMO, you should be making minor purchases every few years, not a big purchase all at once. Pick a target maximum age of instrument, like 30 years, and replace instruments on that basis. Budget for it. That means total upright inventory replacement value divided by 30 for your annual replacement budget. Quite simple minded, exactly what most departments of higher education do with equipment from computers to automobiles. If you replace a bit at a time, you have a balanced inventory in terms of age and wear, and you can keep up with what is happening on the manufacturing scene over time.
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Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm@unm.eduhttp://fredsturm.nethttp://www.artoftuning.com"We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Casteneda
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-20-2017 18:19
From: Kevin Fortenberry
Subject: Advice needed re: piano purchase for school
Benjamin, perhaps one reason is (for us University Techs at least) - due to our rigorous requirements to "go to bid" and typically we must choose the absolute lowest bid of those minimum of 3, it CAN BE nearly impossible to justify more expensive pianos in the same catergory (comparable according to their regulations).
Another reason perhaps is lack of awareness and perhaps their..umm.. lack of effective marketing?? Not sure why exactly but I have personally never serviced a newer Mason vertical.
Best, Kevin
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[Kevin] [Fortenberry] [RPT]
[Staff Techician]
[Texas Tech Univ]
[Lubbock] [TX]
[8067783962]
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-20-2017 17:41
From: Benjamin Sloane
Subject: Advice needed re: piano purchase for school
Well, despite reluctance to chime in on particular products,
I don't believe reading mention of the Mason & Hamlin Model 50. New England, eh? As a technician and a player, this is troubling and unacceptable. There is no more ignored and underrated vertical.
As a lifetime aural tuner, at present, 100% of the time, it is hard to understand the general assessment of Yamaha as anything but a consistent experience of ETD tuning without the ability to accurately assess the condition of the tuning immediately prior to tuning. Yamaha verticals, U1 and P22, are some of the most unstable for tuning in the industry; not to deny these tune quickly and easily. But how do you concatenate that with how quickly these go out of tune? Not a question for ETD users. There has been recent improvement with the U1, but the ease of tuning goes away with the improvement.
The institutional Kawai is a challenge to tune, but far more stable than the Yamaha, if you can get it in tune. Not everybody can, it bears too tight at termination points. I would be reluctant to tune it with the right hand and/or time limits. But the Kawai proffers a more sophisticated sound in the institution than Yamaha. The feel is impeccable comparatively.
Action parts in the Kawai are proven to be less suseptible to climate change than any other vertical I know of. The new 50's are probably also like this, but I don't see enough to say.
Who's workin the M & H factory anyway? Anybody?
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Benjamin Sloane
Cincinnati OH
513-257-8480
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-20-2017 09:54
From: Zeno Wood
Subject: Advice needed re: piano purchase for school
As someone who got their certificate in piano technology at this particular prestigious school of music, I'm following this thread with interest. I've also recently made a recommendation for a package of new pianos and all these questions were in my mind. We ended up going for the Boston uprights. Why? A few reasons - we were also buying some S&S grands, the money wasn't coming directly out of our departmental budget, I wasn't happy with the newer (Chinese-made) P22s we had bought a few years earlier, and even though the few Boston 118s we already had, had some tuning issues, we went with the 126 and understand that the more recent models are better in this regard.
I've also found electricians standing on pianos. For a while I kept on adding more and more ridiculous prohibitions to my list of no-no's posted in the practice rooms, but after a while it became laughable and I went back to a smaller list that hopefully addressed more general concerns. I also think that a sign won't necessarily stop someone from using the piano as a ladder.
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Zeno Wood
Brooklyn, NY
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-20-2017 07:04
From: Lucille Rains
Subject: Advice needed re: piano purchase for school
In addition to NO DRINKS in practice rooms, there should be a sign that says, NO STANDING ON PIANOS.
I was mortified, once, when I saw a custodian stand on a brand new Bechstein to change a bulb.