Not what it should be
Written: Sep 30 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Looks fantastic, and has the name.....
Cons: Far more expensive than it is worth. High cost to maintain. Very, very finicky.
The Bottom Line: Buy a Petrof, a better piano, for a better price.
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| omne24's Full Review: Steinway Model D |
Steinway, what a name. Shrouded in mystic and held up as the standard in pianos today. But the truth is...that's just good marketing. When you sit down and compare the "D" to it's counterparts, Bosendorfer, Bechstein, Petrof, and yes, even Yamaha, you find the Steinway to be lacking. That is considering the hype, and the price.
First of all there is not a more finicky piano on the market. The average dealer has to spend $5000 after receiving a "D" to prep it for sale. Once it is bought the average owner spends $5-$7000 PER YEAR on tuning, regulation, voicing etc... But let's talk about specifics.
Tone
The tone of a "D" is about what you would expect, rich, mellow and warm. What is distressing is the utter lack of power in the bass. From a piano of this size you expect the roaring of a lion, what you get is the "meow" of a housecat.
Touch
In this area I can agree that Steinway almost lives up to its billing. The action is light and responsive. My only complaint is that when playing powerful passages you have to work really hard to get the instrument to respond.
Appearance
It's a grand piano, it's beautiful. I personally prefer the harder polyester finishes that other companies are going to. But it is kind of difficult to screw up the appearance of a 9' Grand piano.
Value
This is where Steinway and I really part ways. Steinway likes to market their piano as an investment. And they literally want you to think of it as a MONETARY investment. An investment in yourself, ok. An investment in your family, I can buy that. But a monetary investment. GIVE ME A BREAK. A general rule of thumb with grand pianos is that if you keep it at least ten years you should be able to sell it for at least what you paid for it. With Steinway you generally get around 80%. Which isn't bad until you compare it with others. Yamaha - 125% Petrof - 138% Bosendorfer - 110% etc... (These are just averages based on my experience, and Ancotts numbers)
Overall
When you buy a Steinway D you are buying a name. Plain and simple. Is it a good piano, absolutely. Is it a great piano, not really. Is it worth the money compared to other, truly great, pianos. Not at all.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
omne24
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Member: Chad
Location: Wilmington, NC
Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
MBA, Musician for 23 years, work in sales.
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