Piano Questions

“Old piano in need of TLC”

Dear Sir/Madam,

I live in Herne Hill (SE24) and recently acquired a somewhat out-of-shape
upright piano

– I rescued it from the street where it was dumped but it badly needs tuned!

It probably needs more than a tune (some of the lower keys play two notes at
once…!) but I was hoping just to get it to a standard where I can just play
around on it.

Can you give me an idea of how much it would cost to have it tuned, and whether
you might be able to help?

Thanks in advance.

Best wishes,

Lucy

Reply/ Hi Lucy

It sounds like the piano may be in trouble…

Keys stuck together could mean that water
has got inside. This could be a major issue
if it’s got onto the strings.

If you open the lid you’ll be able to see
if there is any rust.

If you would like us to send a piano tuner
then give me a call on 020 8367 2080.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

 

“Is my old piano worth anything? It has ivory keys”

Hello Graham  – please can you confirm what I have been told over and over by a number of tuners and others
in the piano business  – that our old upright (circa 1921) is worth practically nothing.

I accept that it can’t be tuned properly any more, that the action is looser than the village whore, that
all the hammers want attention etc etc and that the cost of righting all these wrongs would be prohibitive.

I had more or less decided on a digital after reading your excellent book, but this morning a friend raised
the question of whether the keys (presumably ivory in a piano of that age) could be worth something.

Again referring to something you say on your web site, having been brought up playing uprights, I am beginning
to wonder whether a digital piano, however advanced, is the right answer for me after all.  I am reasonably
competent – (ALCM standard when 19 though most certainly not now!) and love to play Debussy, Chopin and on a
good day the odd Rachmaninov prelude – and which I’ve not been able to enjoy doing for a long time on my old
clapped out upright.

Unfortunately, times is hard  – and there is no way I can afford the £2,500 you say would be the cost of a
replacement upright – unless ivory really is worth something.

I plan to visit your place in Enfield in the near future and have a good look at what you have. In the mean
time is it worth trying to get something for this one or should I just get rid?

Thanks again for your comprehensive guide,

Best wishes Rose.

Reply/ Hi Rose

From reading what you said, I doubt your piano is
worth anything at all. Ivory piano keys aren’t
worth anything.

You might consider giving it away or selling it
for a nominal amount. At least you won’t have the
expense of trying to dispose of it.

The ukpianos.co.uk ‘Market Place’ would be the best
place to do this.

Some pianos have sold in 1-2 days… and most within
2 weeks. It’s a very busy place.

Here’s the link: marketplace.ukpianos.co.uk

If you decide to go the digital piano route then
you might consider the Classenti range of pianos.

Classenti digital pianos have heavy-weighted keys,
so they play very much like acoustic pianos.

If you come to our store then I can show you our
range of digital and upright pianos. Our digital pianos
start from £450 and upright pianos from £900.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

 

“I’m looking for a decent secondhand piano for my 12 year old grand daughter”

Hope you do not think I have too much of a cheek but my grand daughter aged 12 has just passed her class ! and is looking for a decent secondhand piano.  A very good friend has offered me a 1940 Bentley in good condition and has no idea how much to charge me.  Could you be very kind and give me some idea how much it is valued and what I should pay him

Maurice

Reply/ Hi Maurice

A Bentley piano from the 1940’s might be OK.

It really depends on the piano’s inner working parts.
The best thing to do is ask a local piano tuner to come
and look it over for you.

You can find one here: www.ukpianos.co.uk/piano-tuners

He will also be able to give you an idea of how much
it is worth.

‘If’ it is in good condition, then a rough price would be
£300 – £400.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

 

“Have you heard of Lyric pianos?”

Hello Graham,

I recently saw a movie called the Bucket List, and two blokes made a list of things they would have liked to have done before they ‘kick the bucket’.  All of my life I have wanted to play the piano, and after seeing this movie and deciding to make my own list, I bought a piano.

It is a fine looking piano, with the name Lyric and a number on the inside  78988  O16

I was interested in finding out some history on it when I came across your site with a person with a similar question to mine.

I have no idea how to play the piano either, my journey begins.  My goal is to play “The Heart Asks Pleasure First” by Christmas.

whatdoyoureckonaboutthatthen.

I am 55 and Australian living in Perth.

How hard do you think it will be for me to learn to read music and apply that knowledge to a keyboard.

kind regards

Sandy Foster

Reply/ Hi Sandy

Lyric pianos were made by Wurlitzer in Cincinnati, Ohio.

I believe anyone can learn to play piano. It all depends on
how much you practice and, of course, what you practice.

You might want to start out with my free 5-part piano course.
Check it out here:
https://www.ukpianos.co.uk/free-online-piano-lessons.html

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

 

“Can you please provide me with some information on my piano?”

All I know is that it is an upright piano under the lid is the name D HAMMOND & CO London I am unable to find any information about this piano.I wolud say it would need work done to it to restore it & has been in in my house for over 60 years.

Thanks, Martin Sharkey

Reply/ Hi Martin

D Hammond & Co is not a name I recognise.

It is more than likely that a London piano shop bought
this piano from a London factory and put the name of
their shop (or the owners name) on the piano.

It is unlikely to be worth anything at all.

To get a proper valuation you need to call in a local
piano tuner.

You can find one here: www.ukpianos.co.uk/piano-tuners

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

 

“We have just acquired from next door a piano (upright) with the name Sterndale”

Do you know anything about this particular make?

Hi Simon

I have not heard of this make. It is possible that the name Sterndale was added to the piano at a later date or it is the name of the piano shop that used to sell these pianos as new years ago.

Regards,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

 

Question/ I have recently been given a Gebr Niendorf piano

I have been told it has been looked after externally but hasn’t been tuned for a number of years. As I have no piano knowledge please could you tell me what I need to do to get it tuned to allow my two children and myself to learn to play on this piano? Is it ecenomical to refurbish it?

Best regards, Darren

Answer/ Hi Darren
Gebr. Niendorf pianos where made in Luckenwalde, Germany. Production began around the year 1896.Your piano is not as old as that though.

Looking at the picture you sent me, I can see that your piano has some lovely ornate carvings and stylish legs. It is hard to put an exact date on this piano without checking the inside. I recommend to find a local piano tuner to come around and check it out. He/she will advise of the current condition and how much it will cost to have it tuned or refurbished. You can find a list of piano tuners here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/piano-tuners

 

Axtens piano

Question/ Greetings from Canada.

I recently was given an upright piano by my parents. I am trying to find a history of it and so far have had no luck.
The piano is oak. Its measurements are 58″L, 50″H, 26″W. The name on it is AXTENS and there is an address
14 Carlingford Street, Liverpool. I think it was built in the early 1900s. Any information you could pass on would be appreciated.
Thank you
David Van Manen

Answer/ Hi David
Axtens is a name I have never heard of before. I have just done a few searches on the internet and NOTHING comings up.
It is highly likely that Axtens was the name of the piano shop in Liverpool and they had that name put on some of their pianos.

Does anyone else own an Axtens piano, or know anything more about them. Please share your knowledge with us.

 

“Have you heard of Eastleigh pianos?”

Question/ Hi there

I just bought a flat and included in the sale was a piano. I am not looking to get rid of it as I love pianos and can play, but it is a brand called Eastleigh and I have never heard of this brand before. I live in Southampton and there is a place called Eastleigh near us I wondered if the piano could of been locally made. A search of the internet has not yelded any results. Can you shed any light on the make of this piano.

Many thanks, Miss Tiffanie Wells

Answer/ Hi Miss Wells

I have never heard of an Eastleigh piano. It is more than likely that this is an old piano and was made in London (as most pianos around 80-120 years old where).

What used to happen was a piano shop would buy a piano from a local factory and have the name of their shop (which could have been Eastleigh pianos?) printed on the piano.Obviously Eastleigh Pianos do not exist anymore. This is most likely where this name comes from.

Regards, Graham Howard, UK Pianos

Further Comments/

I think you are right, on closer inspection I found there is another name
and it would appear the whole name of the Piano is

W.C Hedges “Eastleigh”

Thanks for putting my question up.

Tiffanie

 

Question/ Hello,

My name is Milan Gucic, I am from Belgrade, Serbia…

I would like to ask for a estimation of my family Hofmann Pianino from around 1920s

Can you tell me anything about this pianino or send me any useful links?
Thank you very much in advance!

Milan Gucic

Answer/ Hi Milan

Your piano doesn’t seem to be an original Hoffmann (yours is spelt ‘Hofmann’. So I am not entirely sure where it comes from or how much it’s worth.

If you can find a local piano tuner to come and take a look at it, you will probably be able to get a more accurate estimation of its value.

Regards,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

Further comments/ Hello Mr. Graham,

I would like to thank you for a kind and detailed reply! This pianino was bought by my grandmother from a director of Singer machines for a Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians after the 1.W.W.

Thanks again!!!

Milan Gucic

 

“I took a piano out of the trash last week and can’t find any information on it…”

The name inside is Benj. Curtaz & Sons….it has two numbers inside…11149 and 17807. I’d like to know how old it is and where it came from if possible. I’m going to try to restore it….it was painted bright blue with faces drawn all over it and writing done in markers.

I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for any help you can give me.

Cathy Klein

Reply/ Hi Cathy

Benj Curtaz Pianos are no longer produced and in their day where not a popular piano.

A Curtaz piano – because of its age – today is unlikely to be worth anything at all, perhaps only retaining a sentimental value. I can’t find any listings of Curtaz piano serial numbers, so I am unable to tell you the age or where it comes from.

Unlike other antiques, pianos do not appreciate in value unless they are a famous brand and extremely well maintained (i.e. tuned regularly, kept in ideal constant temperatures, or fully restored).

You say that you picked the piano out of the trash?

You need to make sure that it hasn’t got wet on the inside, look out for rust on the strings and
tuning pins. Also check the keys, if they press down easily and you can repeat the note quickly
then it is a good sign that water has not got into the working parts of the piano.

If water has got in, I wouldn’t attempt to restore it – you are taking on a huge amount of work
that – when completed – will probably not be satisfactory for you.

Assuming the piano is fine. You say that it is painted blue. From my experience, you will have a
big job on your hands trying to remove the paint. I have restored many painted pianos and
removing that paint can take several coats of Nitromorse and A LOT OF PATIENCE.

Good luck with your restoration and let me know if you need any advice.

Regards,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

 

Grand piano part exchange

Question/ Hello,

I have just come across your website as I currently have a baby grand piano
which is too big to take with me to my new home. I am reluctant to let it go
but have decided that I will change it for an upright. I have had it for 20
years and it’s walnut, 5ft and the make is Kemble, although that’s been
changed at some point as there is a name underneath which you can just make
out and that’s Carlberg.

I have recently had it valued but the values range between £600-£900. For
ease, it would be great to arrange some sort of part exchange. Is this
something you can offer? I would prefer to buy an upright of the same sort
of colour/wood and looking for a traditional upright.

I look forward to hearing from you if you feel you can be of assistance.

Kind regards, Claire

Answer/ Hi Claire

We may be able to part exchange it for you.

When you have time, pop in to our piano showroom in Enfield
(83 Southbury Road) and take a look at the range of upright
pianos we have on offer.

If we have the type of piano you’re looking for then we should be
able to come to an agreeable arrangement.

Otherwise…

You may want to just sell your piano in the ukpianos.co.uk
‘Piano Market’. It’s free to list your piano.

Here is the link:
https://www.ukpianos.co.uk/piano-market-buy-or-sell-used-pianos.html

Regards,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

 

 

Neufeld piano

Question/ I am enquiring about a piano and wonder if you may be able to provide me with some more information.
The piano has the name L.Neufeld and is an over strung, iron frame, upright grand piano. With #10096 stamped next to the name.

The piano was ‘manufactured expressly for’ Jens.V.Hoffmann – sole agent. (1 Glovers Terrace and 1 + 2 Woodbine Street. South Shields)

The plate above the Keys states L.Neufeld, Berlin and has 4 exhibition medals. The medals are written in what appear to be German and have a few different years printed on them, 1879, 1880, 1881.

I believe the piano is made from walnut or is walnut veneered. I can provide photos if this would help.
The piano needs some restoration work/minor repairs and I am interested to find out if it holds any value.

Thanks for your time, any information you can provide me with would be greatly appreciated.

Regards
Sarah Moss

Answer/ Hi Sarah. The piano sounds like it is quite old (around 1885) so it probably isn’t
worth much.Generally the older the piano the less it is worth. This is
because pianos rarely have an antique value – unless they are one
of a kind and over 150 years old.

The only way to get a proper valuation would be to ask a local piano
tuner to come and take a look at it.

The value of the piano depends on the condition of the parts inside.

 

Question/ Hi!! I have a piano “Adolf Neuburger” and would like to sell it.

Unfortunately I have no idea what I could ask for it as I can hardly find any information about it. Could you help me??

Answer/ All I can tell you about this piano is that it was made in Vienna, Austria. It was not one of the
popular pianos and not many of them were produced.

As far as the value goes, I recommend to get a piano tuner come and give it a valuation.
You can find a list here: https://www.ukpianos.co.uk/piano-tuners.html

Regards,
Graham Howard

Hi Graham,

thank you for the guide for piano buying which is very helpful and certainly detailed;

We are looking for a baby grand for our children 11 & 14 who currently are learning enthusiastically on an old upright. Unfortunately it doesn’t stay in tune long due to us living in a 17c wooden barn where we are told the temperature changes are too great for it – we don’t notice it but the piano seems to! we’ve been advised therefore to get a digital.
We’ve looked at an Orla which seemed very good, tried a Yamaha but seems VERY expensive for not a lot of kit and we have seen the alternatives that you offer on your website. Our problem is that we have also seen the Suzuki Grande Reposte II on offer from Suzuki which at a special offer price of £1,699 seems to be very good; problem being we have not touched it or played it and have nothing to go by other than the glowing reports from those that have purchased one.
Do you have any knowledge of these? We don’t want to waste money on something that isn’t up to the job of say the Orla or your alternatives but there is such a big difference in price I have to be a little cheeky and ask your thoughts.

Grateful for your advice and I think we perhaps should come and see your pianos, we are not too far as we live near Brentwood.

Kind regards,

Mike

Reply/ Hi Mike

I’m not keen on the Suzuki.
Although it looks very nice, I’ don’t like the key touch.
It feels too lightweight under the fingers.

The Orla grand has a better key touch. I would
recommend this over the Suzuki any day.

Better still, if your budget allows, the Broadway BG2
Is the piano I recommend for your children to learn
and progress on.

The Broadway has a fully-weighted key touch that
feels like a real grand piano. It also has a natural
piano sound that’s full of vibrancy (its large stereo
speaker system is similar to the more expensive
pianos from Roland and Yamaha).

It’s certainly worth the extra cost.

You can see it here:
https://www.ukpianos.co.uk/broadway-bg2

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

Graham Howard, Piano Adviser

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

“Which upright piano would be best to learn on?”

Dear Graham,

Thank you very much for your article, I now feel much more competent to tackle the daunting task of getting a piano for my son to practise on. He has only just started and I have no knowledge whatsoever. Thanks to your article I found your website and now I know that we could rent before we buy.

As we have enough room for a traditional piano, don’t need silent practising or for it to be portable, and we could afford to rent and buy over a period of time, I’m wondering which would be best to learn on.

I had assumed we would buy digital because they are cheaper, but now it seems a traditional piano is affordable, what I would like is to get the best experience for Jonathon. I assume once you have mastered the piano, you can easily adjust to digital, but it might be harder the other way round. Also, I prefer the idea of a nice piece of furniture compared to a keyboard that is plugged in, but what do I know.

Please advise,

Steffi Molyneux

 

Reply/ Hi Steffi

It’s best to get an upright piano for your son
to learn and progress on.

Nothing beats the sound of a real piano.

But, to get a decent brand new one, you would
be looking in the region of £2,500 – £3,000.

A reconditioned piano would be worth considering.
You can get a 20-30 year old piano in excellent
condition for around £1,500 – £1,800.

Both new and second hand pianos are available
on the Rent-to-Own programme.

You can read more about the rental here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/piano-rental

Digital pianos have many advantages over upright
pianos. But it’s crucial that you get one with
a similar weight of key touch.

Broadway digital pianos are the ones I recommend.
These digitals have a similar feel to the keys as
an upright piano.

You can read more about Classenti pianos here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/broadway-digital-pianos

Let me know if you need more information. You can
call me on 020 8367 2080 anytime.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

 

Graham Howard, Piano Adviser

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

 

“I am extremely torn as to what to do”

Hi Graham

Thank you very much for your offer to help. I found the guide you published
very helpful and had actually already decided on a piano (the Yamaha CLP
320) and found a good deal for GBP 780.

I took piano classes as a child and now, in my 30’s and having a son of my
own, I would like to get back to playing. I therefore started taking some
lessons at a local piano studio.

The studio actually offered to match the Yamaha deal, but also suggested
that it may be a better idea to get a real piano, since it can be rented at
an affordable rate and any money spent on the rental could be put towards
the purchase 1 to 1. Since I live in an apartment, I would only consider a
piano that had a silent feature. It turns out that they have a very nice
Schimmel Twin Tone that is almost new, they had rented it to one of their
students. The piano is discounted to GBP 6,600 from GBP 11,800 and I could
rent it for GBP 60 per month. The rental payments would go towards the
purchase, or I could also use the money to buy a different piano or e-piano
(lets say I thought later I did not want to spend that much money).

So right now I am extremely torn as to what to do. It does seem like a good
deal and playing and learning on a real piano may be a better idea. Another
argument they mentioned is, that the Schimmel will keep its value much more
than any e-piano that will pretty much be written off in 2 years. On the other
hand, I am only starting again and don’t even know if I need such a high
quality instrument as a beginner. Since I know virtually nothing about Pianos,

I would be glad for your thoughts.

Best regards,
Roman

 

Reply/ Hi Roman

It is always best to learn to play on a real,
acoustic piano…

The best digital pianos are pretty good, and
the manufacturers do a marvelous job in
replicating the touch of a real piano, but…

The sound of a digital piano, no matter how
expensive it is, just doesn’t have the resonance
of an acoustic piano.

A silent acoustic piano would be an excellent
option for you.

But I certainly don’t advise spending over £6,000
on one!

You can get a decent silent acoustic piano for
about £3,500 – £4,000 these days.

One in particular I recommend is the Broadway
BU-109 Silent piano.

It has a beautiful sound; a rich tone in the bass
and warm in the middle. The treble is crisp and
bright, but not overly bright like most pianos
from Japan and the Far East.

The Broadway is also a piano that will take
your children up to grade 8 and beyond.

The most important parts of the mechanism are
produced in Germany and other parts of Europe…

The Broadway is certainly the best value for
money in its price bracket.

You can read more about it here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/broadway-bu-109-silent-piano

Let me know if you need more help choosing your piano.

Oh, and one more thing, a digital piano doesn’t lose
its value after two years. In fact, they can retain
at least half their value for up to 10 years.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

 

“Good upright or cheap portable piano?”

Hi Graham,

I’ve just spent some time browsing your website and you seem to be a man of sage advice.
Here’s my dilemma – I’ve just returned a Yamaha Upright to the music shop I was renting
it from after 2 years of fantastic use. I loved it, but at £40 a month felt like throwing
money down the drain when I could be saving for one of my own. Then I remembered that
when I was living in London and moving around a lot, I owned a Yamaha P70 and was
astonished at the realistic feel and sound (especially through headphones) and it served
me adequately for years. Now, from your site, I see that digital pianos have come on
quite a bit and I find myself tempted by them again – the compact size is a bonus, but
the pricetag is what’s really luring me in.

I’m more settled now, so don’t need something quite as portable as the Yamaha P series.
The Yamaha YDP140 looks good to me, as does the Classenti CDP2. What would you do in my
position? 1) Put all my savings towards an eventual quality upright and go pianoless for
a couple of years 2) buy a cheap, old P70 to see me through and save the rest or 3)
forget about owning an upright for now and buy a quality digital ?

I know the answer to this question probably comes down to a matter of personal
preference. If it helps, I use the piano for recreational use only. I haven’t taken any
grades, but have played for years and like to think I’m able to tackle things like Liszt
and Brahms – so I need something pretty sturdy and a sound that doesn’t turn to mush on
those big chords.

Any advice you may have would be greatly appreciated.

All the best,
Andrew

 

Reply/ Hi Andrew

If you’ve been used to playing on an upright piano
then you’d probably regret going for a digital.

You just can’t compare digital pianos with upright
pianos. Especially if you’re playing Liszt and Brahms!

To me, playing on a good upright piano is just so
much more enjoyable than a digital…

You get a natural sound; resonating from the soundboard
right through to the whole body (cabinet).

No matter how good (or expensive) a digital piano is,
you just don’t get the same, live sound or feel.

My advice is to go for an upright piano. If you
have the space.

You can get a really good, brand new one for about
£3,000. These are also available on an interest
free, hire purchase plan.

I recommend the Classenti UP-112 or Broadway BU-109.

If you do decide to go the digital route then it
would be a choice between the Classenti CDP2 and
Yamaha CLP330.

They’re both really nice pianos.

The Yamaha has the better sound, and more features.

The Classenti has a heavier key touch – it
feels closer to playing a real piano.

The price is also less for the Classenti.

You can read more about them here:

www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-clp330

www.ukpianos.co.uk/classenti-cdp2

If you would like a piano that looks like a real upright
then the Kurzweil CUP1 is worth considering. It also
has a superb sound.

To find out more, you can call me on 020 8367 2080.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

 

“Should I keep my piano or bite the bullet and get a decent digital piano?”

Hello, Graham,

I have spent a long time on your very useful website and wonder if you could help me with the following dilemma.

I have an old Monington and Weston piano which in its day (c 1950!) was a quality bit of kit and has given many years of pleasure. My tuner tells me that he cannot tune it up so that we can play it with the other instruments (cello, flute and clarinet) in the house and this is now beginning to cause a problem. Is this likely to be right or should I find another tuner?!

Added to this I have a teenager who though a clarinet player and a Grade 7 singer has no keyboard experience but is about to start GCSE Music. To my surprise and delight he has at last expressed an interest in the piano and I think would have a lot of fun with a keyboard with added buttons.

What would you advise? Should I keep my piano but invest in a keyboard to encourage my children knowing that we can play on the old Joanna if we want to? Or should I bite the bullet and get a decent digital piano ? What is the difference between a keyboard with weighted keys (eg DGX620) and a digital piano anyway?

Thanks

Andrea

Reply/ Hi Andrea

Lots of really good questions you have.

Your tuner is probably correct in saying that your piano is
not tunable to concert pitch (A440).

My advice is to buy a new upright piano if you have the space
and can afford to spend around £2500 – £3000 for a decent one.

If this is not feasible then go for a decent digital piano. Not a
keyboard (like the Yamaha DGX620). Keyboards have what’s
called a ‘weighted action’. This is not the same as a digital piano.
The keys are still to light and it does not feel like playing a real
piano at all.

Digital pianos usually have what’s called a ‘progressive hammer
action’ and fully weighted keys. This replicates the feel of a real piano.

The best digital piano at the moment is the Yamaha CLP220. You can
read more about it here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-clp220

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

 

“Is a keyboard good enough?”

Hello, my name is Anderson, I’m 27 years old and I’ve always loved piano but I have never had an opportunity to learn this wonderful instrument.

Now I want to start studying Piano and I found in your webpage a school address in Enfield, near me Walthamstow, but I have lots of questions and I would love if you can help me a bit.

Is the keyboard good enough and if I learn in a piano can I play in a keyboard or vice-verse?

Is it better to start the course before to buy anything or you should have your own “keyboard” or “piano” before start the classes?

On your webpage we can find all sorts of instruments (keyboard, digital piano, grand piano and loads of brands) and I would like to know what is the best that I can get for me, as I don’t know anything about that, I’m a total beginner and I can only affort to spend around £300? Please can you help me?

Anderson

 

Reply/ Hi Anderson

I recommend you start learning on a piano, not a keyboard. The keyboard’s keys
are way too light and if you do your practicing on a keyboard it will be difficult
for you to play the piano at a later date.

You needn’t buy a piano right away. UK Pianos offer a ‘rent to buy’ option
on most of the pianos they have on display in the showroom. Just go to our shop
at 83 Southbury Road Enfield and take a look. You can choose from upright, grand
or digital pianos. Anyone of these will be fine.

In answer to your question about whether you should get an instrument before
you have lessons so you have something to practice on. Don’t worry about this
too much when you are just starting. The important thing is to see how you
get on first before deciding on renting or buying an instrument.

Regards
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

 

Further Comments/ Hi Graham,

Thank you very much for your attention and help. It was very helpuful to get answer for my questions. Thanks.

Thanks for all.

Anderson

 

“I wanted a small, narrow acoustic piano”

Dear Graham,

Last night I downloaded your excellent guide on buying a digital piano. I’ve
read it in detail and it’s very informative and helpful. Many thanks!

I want to buy a piano for my wife on our wedding anniversary next week.
She’s an experienced pianist who has played a lot in the past. We were
aiming to get an acoustic upright piano but it appears that we can’t fit it
because the space is only about 1340 mm wide and I can’t seem to find any
pianos less than 1400 mm wide. I’ve started looking at digital pianos as a
compromise but it appears that they are generally as wide as the acoustic
ones. However I happened to come across a digital piano keyboard, Yamaha
P-155, which would just about fit. Whilst it obviously doesn’t look like a
standard piano it might be a good compromise so long as it feels and sounds
like a real piano.

So, since you’re obviously very knowledgeable about what’s out there I
thought I’d email you and ask a few questions, hoping that you could point
me in the right direction. But please don’t feel obliged to reply – I fully
appreciate that you can’t answer every question that comes in from random
people!

My questions are:

Is the Yamaha P-155 good enough for a reasonably serious piano
player (it’s not on your top 10 list), or are there better alternatives,
given the size constraints?

The room is reasonably large (7 x 5 meters) so I’m concerned that
12 watts probably won’t be enough. I could possibly plug it in to the 5+1
surround sound TV equipment but I don’t know if that would do the piano
justice or if it would be odd to have piano sound coming out of every corner
of the room (I haven’t found any helpful articles on this on the internet).

Would you happen to know of or be able to recommend any “real”
digital pianos (which look like pianos) or indeed acoustic pianos which are
slightly narrower than the standard width, or could you suggest who to
contact or where to look to find them (if they exist)?

I hope that you’ll be able to find the time to give me some advice

Many thanks and best wishes,

Johan (Kent, just south of London)

 

Reply/ Hi Johan

The P155 is a portable piano. It’s designed to be
carried around, put in the back of the car, taken
to and from gigs. It’s ideal use is really for
musicians on-the-go, not for home use…

To get something with richer, more resonant piano
sound and a heavier weighted touch you should
look at digital pianos with a fixed wooden base.

If you want something that’s less than 134cm,
has a good sound, and a heavy-weighted touch,
then the piano I recommend is the Classenti CDP1.

The Classenti CDP1 feels very much like you’re
playing on an upright piano.

The voices and functions (gadgets) are limited,
so you’re not paying unnecessary extra money
for this.

The Classenti CDP1 is excellent value for money,
and I confidently recommend it to you.

You can read more about it here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/classenti-cdp1

If you prefer to have an acoustic piano then
a 6-octave one could be the answer…

We have a Zender, and a Kemble available at
the moment. They’re both decent pianos. The
Kemble has a superior touch and sound.

Their width is just 113cm. This might be
the ideal solution for you.

You can read more about these pianos here:

www.ukpianos.co.uk/used-upright-pianos

Another option is the Classenti CDP3. This is
a digital piano that’s been designed to look,
Feel and sound just like the real thing.

You can read more about this piano here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/classenti-cdp3

Let me know if you’d like more help choosing
your piano. Here’s my number: 020 8367 2080.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

 

“My wife says we MUST buy a traditional acoustic piano”

Dear Graham,

Thanks for the great information. I can see relate those info and come to a conclusion that Yamaha Clavinova CLP330 is the
right choice for my son…. But my wife is still a firm beliver that a piano MUST be a traditional/acoustic one and a
digital piano can never be as good as a traditional/acoustic piano… She particularly likes the Yamaha JU109PE which
seems to be a great buy.

Perhaps you can share your view abt these two pianos ie Yamaha Clavinova CLP330 vs Yamaha JU109PE.

Thanks!!!!

Cirere

Reply/

Hi Cirere

The Yamaha JU109PE certainly has a better sound
than the CLP330. Acoustic pianos will always
beat digital pianos on sound.

If you have the space for an upright piano then
this is the best thing to buy.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

Further Question/

Thanks Graham for that comforting advice!!!

On the sound produced by CLP330, I have done more research and understand that it produces the Grand Piano quality sound
and with the Yamaha GH3 technology, wudnt it be a better choice compared to Yamaha JU109 which appears to be just an
entry level acoustic piano?

Also, does an acoustic piano really have better secondhand value compared to a digital piano?

Assuming the pianos are well maintained, how much I can expect to sell a used digital piano compared to a used acoustic
piano after 5, 10 or 15 years?

Wud greatly appreciate your advice on this.

Reply/ Hi Cirere

A Yamaha upright piano still has a better sound than
any digital piano.

You really can’t beat the natural sound of an
acoustic piano.

With regards to resale value it really depends on
a number of things: How much you paid for the piano,
how well known the brand is, what similar pianos
of a similar age are selling for, what the state
of the financial climate is, and on…

You would lose LESS money if you were to sell on a
Yamaha CLP330 digital piano as opposed to a Yamaha
acoustic piano in 5 years time.

As an example: in 5 years time, your CLP330 should
fetch about 1/2 to 2/3 its value.

An upright would fetch 1/2 or just over 1/2 its value.

So, as you see, the resale value of a digital piano
(taking all factors into consideration) should be
slightly more than an acoustic piano.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

 

“Upright Piano or Digital Piano?”

Hi Graham,

I am a father looking for piano for my beloved daughter. I am shopping for a
piano.

Not sure if I should get an Upright Piano or Digital Piano.

I heard many comments suggesting only 121cm Upright Piano can see my
daughter through grade 8. I like to know if a reasonable digital piano will
be able to see her through grade 8.

If yes, what is your recommendation.

Thank you very much.

With regards,

Chua from Singapore

 

Reply/ Hi Chua

There’s always lots of conflicting advice about whether
a digital piano is good enough for the higher piano
grades…

My take is this:

Digital pianos that have a fully-weighted or heavy-
weighted key touch are OK up to grade 8…

Yamaha and Classenti are two brands that offer this
key touch.

Of course, if your daughter reaches grade 8 then
that’s the time you might consider getting her an
acoustic piano.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

 

 

 

“Dear Mr. Howard: Are Valdesta digital pianos made by Yamaha?”

I have been told they have Yamaha components.

Miriam

Reply/

Hi Miriam. Valdesta digital pianos are made in Asia and sold exclusively in the US by a small group of piano retailers.
As far as I know they are nothing to do with Yamaha.

If you are thinking of buying a digital piano then I recommend either a Yamaha, Roland, Kurzweil or Broadway.

If you want to read more about digital pianos, check out an article I wrote here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/digital-pianos-which-brand-should-i-buy

Regards,
Graham Howard

Further comments/ Thank you for your prompt response. Your article was very helpful!

Miriam

 

Graham Howard, Piano Adviser

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

“Is the Thomann DP30 any good?”

Hi Graham

I am looking to buy a digital piano for my son who has just passed his grade 2. I found the Thomann DP30 on their site for £347.96. I know this is really cheap but i am on a very tight budget. Do you know if this is any good. There is a sound sample which sounds ok to me. It is just for him to practice on really so it doesn’t have to be the best one around  but i do want something that feels and sounds like a real piano.I would really like to get the Yamaha YDP 141 but it is out of my price range.

Many thanks, Lorraine

Reply/ Hi Lorraine

I’m not a fan of Thomann digital pianos.
They’re cheap, I know, but your son really needs
something that will take him through all the
piano grades…

The sound quality is important, but not as
important as the key touch.

The key touch weight, and response, should be
as close to a real piano as possible.

My recommendation is the Broadway B1.

You can read more about it here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/broadway B1

The B1 will be good enough to take your
son up to the higher grades.

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard

P.S. You can read a view I wrote on the Thomann DP-40 here: Thomann DP-40 Review

 

Graham Howard, Piano Adviser

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

 

Question/
I’m looking for a piano for my children to use, if you have a bit of time to help that would be great as I’m looking for advice really, there is a Technics SX-PR54 on marketplace for £200, a Technics SX-PR170 on eBay for £250 but I can’t see anything online to help tell me which one is newer or better than the other, would you know?

Also seen a Thomann DP30 for £90.

Any advice or anything you have available?

I bought my ex a Yamaha one years ago for about £650 and people are selling the same ones used now about 10 years old for £400-£500, seems like madness.

Please Advise.

Reply/ Hi Jason

I would steer clear of any Technics piano, as they
are so old now. Also, Technics is no longer in
business and parts are almost impossible to obtain.

The Thomann is very basic and only has weighted keys.
This is not a piano I advise learning on.

You can see a list of second hand digital pianos for
sale on our website here.

But I don’t think we have anything in your intended
price range.

There is a second hand Yamaha YDP161 for sale
in our marketplace, from a private seller.
You can see it here:

The YDP161 is a good piano at a fair price.
I recommend this as a good piano to learn and progress on.

Kind regards
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

—

“I am thinking about a 15 year old technics dig. piano Model SX-PR100 on eBay”

Hi Graham,

Perhaps you could help me get some info as to which might be suitable. I
want to play piano (my mum was a piano teacher) rather than keyboard but I
am thinking about a technics dig. piano. Model SX-PR100 on eBay. It is 15 yrs
old and in good cond.
Do you think this might suit me to start on and do for a while?
I am now 61 so I won’t be racing to play like Billy Joel, but I do want to
play properly.
Thanks
Peter

Reply/ Hi Peter

To be completely honest, I wouldn’t touch it with
a ten foot pole.

Not that Technics isn’t a good make or anything, any
digital piano that is 15 years old is ANCIENT and
you will likely have untold problems with it:
sticking notes, rattling sounds etc.

eBay can be a good place to buy secondhand digital
pianos, but I wouldn’t look at anything older than
5 years.

My advice to you is to carry on looking for bargains on
eBay or treat yourself (if you can afford it of course) to
a brand new digital piano.

My recommendation is the Yamaha CLP220 (around £700)
or if this is over your budget, the Yamaha YDP131 (£510).

You can read more about them here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-clp220
www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-ydp131

Regards,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

 

Graham Howard, Piano Adviser

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

 

“Technics have stopped making pianos”

Dear Graham

I’d discovered that Technics have stopped making pianos and there are a lot of disgruntled people on forums who can’t get theirs repaired, so I’ve decided against it when put along with your advice.

Regards

Lucy

“I need a short piano”

I am looking for a digital piano with a maximum length of between 48 and 50 inches.
Are there any on the market, or are they all larger than this? Any help you can provide
me with would be most appreciated.” Maria Hankins

Reply/ Hi Maria, 88 note digital pianos are all around 51-57 inches long. Because
piano keys are a standard width, the length of the piano’s keyboard is always the same. Some digital pianos
have thicker ends and wider key blocks, this explains the differences in length.

To get a digital piano with a maximum length of 50 inches, you will have to
consider buying a 76 key piano. All the 76 key digital pianos I have seen have semi-weighted keys so they are
nothing like playing a real piano or a weighted key digital piano.

The Kawai CL25 is very compact and has a length of 50.8 cm. This is the one I
suggest you buy. Best regards, Graham Howard.

 

Graham Howard, Piano Adviser

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

“Teacher recommended a Gem piano”

Hi, my 10 year old daughter has had 4 lessons and taught herself to play a few tunes. She is very keen as is her teacher and we need a piano Teacher recommended a Gem but what would you think quite like to rent for a few months before buying NEED TO GET ONE FAST! I live in Bucks.

Thanks, Jenny.

Reply/ Hi Jenny

Your daughter sounds quite talented to have taught herself to play tunes!
Personally, I don’t like Gem pianos.

When buying a digital piano the two most important things are the touch,
and the sound. If the piano has lots of different instrument sounds, looks
really nice, is compact, etc. then these are nice added bonuses.

Gem, in my opinion, doesn’t have a nice enough sound and the touch is
not nearly as good as a Yamaha or a Roland.

I know Yamaha and Roland digital pianos are more expensive than Gem,
but paying a little extra is well worth it.

If you need to sell your digital piano later on, then the Yamaha or Roland
would have a much better re-sale value than the Gem.

You can read an article I wrote about digital pianos and what I think
about them here: www.ukpianos.co.uk/digital-pianos-which-brand-should-i-buy

We do offer a rent to buy programme – if you have time, you may want
to come down to our shop in Enfield – otherwise, there are quite a few
used digital pianos on sale in our ‘Piano Market’. You can check them
out here: www.ukpianos.co.uk/digital-pianos-for-sale

Regards,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

 

Graham Howard, Piano Adviser

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

“What brand is this?”

I am looking for a piano for my son and have found a reasonable priced one however it has no make.

The shop assistant told me that it was almost a Bentley and that you just pay for the name of a Yamaha.
The make or number on the piano is Digital Piano IM8815 Digital Piano TG8815
Can you shed any light on if it’s a good buy?

Kind regards, Amrit

Reply/ Hi Amrit

The piano in question is the Diginova brand (a variation of
Yamaha’s brand name ‘Clavinova’.

Diginova no longer offer the budget model pianos, in fact, they
only have a small range of mid-priced range models.

The price is certainly cheap, but you might also consider
looking at a Casio digital piano.

The Casio CDP100 is less than £400. Here is the link for the Casio:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/casio-cdp100

There are not many digital pianos selling for this low price,
so if you are on a budget then by all means go ahead,
but bare in mind that you will have to change it
if your piano playing progresses to a higher level.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard
UK Pianos

Further comments/
That’s Brilliant, you’ve really helped, I’m sure there are a lot of parent’s out there who get so confused and angry when trying to look for pianos their children when they first begin playing, bearing in mind it may only be a fad!

I wouldn’t mind paying a bit more as I do want my son to learn so what do you recommend? I’ve seen lots of second hand clavinova’s – would you recommend me buying one of those? Or should I just stick to a new one as I see no point in buying another one if he does progress.
Many thanks for your help!

kind regards, Amrit

Further comments/
Buying a second hand Yamaha Clavinova will certainly
save you money, but you won’t get a guarantee with
it and if anything were to go wrong, it may cost you an
arm and a leg to repair.

It is better to buy a new one. You get a 3 year guarantee
and peace of mind.

I recommend the Yamaha CLP320. This is the most popular
digital piano on the market – You can check it out here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-clp320

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard
UK Pianos

 

Graham Howard, Piano Adviser

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107

 

“Thank you for Graham Howard’s article on choosing brands”

Have you come across the Diginova range?? Some web forum claims it is made in the far East by Roland and branded cheaper but still good.  I am wary, but the prices are much lower. David McGahie

Reply/

Hi David, The Diginova is definitely not made by Roland. It is produced in China.

Info On Daewoo Digital Pianos

Dear Graham,
I was wondering if you had any information on Daewoo digital pianos?  I am considering buying a full size, second hand one that is 5 years old in good condition as a starter instrument for someone who has done grade 1 piano so is still a relative beginner.
Many thanks
Victoria

Reply/ Hi Victoria

As far as I know, Daewoo digital pianos are not sold
in the UK.

The secondhand one you found is probably quite rare.

I haven’t personally tried out Daewoo digital pianos, so
I cannot comment on their quality. But my advice is to
not buy one…

Seeing as there are no UK distributors, if something were
to go wrong with the piano, you will probably have trouble
finding someone that can get parts or is even willing to repair
it for you.

It is far better to go for a new Yamaha, Roland, Casio or Classenti.

If you budget is very tight thne take a look at the Yamaha YDP140
or the Classenti CDP1.

You can read more about them here:
www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-ydp140

www.ukpianos.co.uk/classenti-cdp1

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

 

Graham Howard, Piano Adviser

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call 020 8367 5107