Of the pianos made these days, which is the best?
Over-all, the answer is 'Yamaha' (Yamaha Website). Quality for the price, it can't be beat. I have tuned hundreds of pianos and the tone quality of a Yamaha grand is unsurpassed. Next is Kawai, Young Chang, maybe Samick (because of warranty), and then Baldwin (top of the line only). Petrof is a very good piano, but prices have gone very high in recent years. They are not cheap. Then of course Steinway. The legend of pianos is the Bösendorfer. If you can afford one.
Now, before you through away your old Winter, or some other generic piano, cheer up-- if you've been tuning the piano faithfully, and if it hasn't been stored in the barn, you probably have a pretty acceptable instrument anyway.
So go on home, call a tuner who has a positive attitude, and ask him to bring your old relic back as best he can. You will be surprised what can be done. If the tuner tells you to haul it to the dump, call or email me. I will try to help you find a fellow with a better attitude.
HERE IS A LIST OF PIANOS ACCORDING TO QUALITY
You need to understand that this list does not take into account the condition or care the piano has had over the years.
Exceptional quality
Christifori
Steinway & Sons
Boston
Grotrian-Steinweg
Bosendorfer
Bluthner
Bechstein
Yamaha
Erard
Falcone
Mason & Hamlin
Baldwin
Knabe
Gaveau
Chickering
Kurtzmann
Sohmer
Schimmel
Petrof
Better than average
1905 Story and Clark Upright Piano - serial number 18158 - Refurbished within last 15 years - Pictures upon request - Text messages, only - FREE! 1905 Story and Clark Upright Piano (Amherst) Earlier model, 1887, of which I have one, serial number is located inside back. Mine has hinged back, and model number is stamped in the wood, on the left. HOW OLD IS YOUR PIANO? - FIND THE AGE & SERIAL NUMBER OF YOUR PIANO. Some piano manufacturers place serial numbers in various places. The age of your piano is determined by the Serial Number. Pianos also have numbers other than serial numbers, such is the case with part or patent numbers.
Kawai
Samick
Feurich
Bauer
Acrosonic by Baldwin
Pearl River
Knight of the UK
Story & Clark
Broadwood
Krakauer
Behr
Brinkerhoff
Ibach
Labrousse
Broadman
George Steck
Sohmer
Schiller
Hardman
Hamilton
Haddorff
Mehler
Ivers and Pond
Henry Miller
Janssen
Weber
Playel
Brambach
Everett
Jesse French
Wegman
J & C Fischer
Useful though not exceptional
Weaver
Winter Musett
Wurlitzer
Hobart M. Cable
Lester
Gulbransen
Samick
Cornish
Wissner
Mehlin & Son
Kranich & Bach
Hackley
Laughead
Ackerman
Collard
Price and Teeple
Poole
Kimball
Hinze
Hall
Stetson
Stieff
Cable-Nelson
Kohler & Campbell
Huntington
Cable
Cable Nelson
Conover
Betsy Ross
Low Quality
Aeolian-
This company bought defunct piano companies, some in the above lists, and used the names on their pianos to hide their low quality pianos. Beware-- Check a piano atlas to see if Aeolian bought the piano name of something you are considering buying.
Winter- Not Musette
Grinnell
Conn
Lowrey
'Grand' ( Brand name on cheap upright company )
Any piano made in Utah
Any Bird Cage Action piano ( Exception- German )
Any piano with an aluminum harp (plate)
Shannon
Chancellor-- From Ireland-- Operated by hot air-- True!
Piano serial numbers identify the (1) age of your piano, the (2) piano's year of manufacture, as well as (3) the circumstances surrounding the production of your piano, including factory history, manufacturing processes, and company ownership and oversight.
You can look up a free piano serial number history search from this page (see list of manufacturers, below).
Piano Serial Numbers:
Location, location, location...
Piano serial numbers usually have five to seven digits, but may have fewer or more, depending on the manufacturer and age of your piano. Serial numbers may also include a letter as well.
Here are the TOP FIVE places to locate the serial number of your spinet, console, studio, or upright piano:
Piano Values By Serial Number
Serial number locations are found:
1) On the piano’s cast iron plate. After lifting up the lid, look along the top front area of the plate. The serial number may be to the right or the left, or in the middle.
2) Under the opened lid on the ledge, stamped on a little plaque, to the right or to the left.
3) Stamped on the back of the piano; near the top of the wood frame.
4) Printed on one of the hammers, found on either end of the piano (newer or imported pianos).
5) Printed on one the keys - behind the nameboard, inside the piano (newer or imported pianos).
If you cannot find the serial number in any of the locations listed on this page, please watch the video below, to help find more piano serial number locations.
Grand Piano Serial Numbers
Where Are They Found? ...
Here are the TOP FIVE places to locate the serial number of your BABY GRAND or GRAND piano:
(See this link for a detailed picture of where to look)
Note: You may have to remove the (1) music desk first and (2) gently clean out any dust from your piano's plate [using a soft dry cloth + vacuum hose] before you can find these numbers.
Serial number locations are found:
1) On the piano’s cast iron plate, near the tuning pins, as you face the keys. Look to the right or to the left.
2) The Capo d'astro bar. Located on the right, this acts as a 'bridge' to the 'beams' of the cast iron plate.
3) On the piano's soundboard (see link above for a diagram).
Story And Clark Piano Serial Number Lookup
4) On a metal plate underneath the piano's top lid, near the strings and soundboard.
5) Immediate interior [front]: On the back of the [a] keyslip (long wooden ledge, runs along the front/bottom of the piano's keys. The serial number is often hidden and stamped on the other side, facing the keys). On the front of the [b] action frame (after the keyslip is removed), or stamped on [c] one or both of the cheek blocks, viewed to the right and left of the piano's keyboard.
On older pianos, you may find 3-5 screws, underneath the keyslip, that will need to be removed (or, simply lift up, if no screws are present) to view the action frame. The serial number may be stamped on the front of the frame's wooden base, immediately under the keys.
To the right and left of the keys are two end cheek blocks, which are each secured down with a giant bolt or screw, which passes through the piano's keybed, both of which must be removed, to access the interior of the piano (see video, above).
Caution: When unscrewing and removing the cheek blocks, do not mistake the piano's leg screw/bolt, with the cheek block's screw/bolt.
Also, be careful not to drop the cheek blocks once they are removed, which can gouge and permanently damage the piano's case, and the block's delicate condition.
To recap: the piano's serial number may be hidden on the back of the piano'skeyslip (immediately in front of / below the keys), on the action's frontkeyframe, on the cheek blocks (each side), or within the action itself, once removed from the piano.
Scroll down below to find the (1) manufacturer of your piano, and then (2) click on the link to find the serial number.
(Please be patient as we are updating this page on a daily basis. We invite you to SUBSCRIBE to this page, and to use the search box above, as serial numbers are being updated and added on an ongoing basis.)
Baldwin | Sohmer
Yamaha
|
Thinking of purchasing a Yamaha Piano? Visit our Grey Market Pianos page to find out more before making that purchase!
The Pierce Piano Atlas, 12th Edition now in hardcover format, provides a wealth of information about the piano manufacturing industry. Over 12,000 piano names are included, some dating back to the early eighteen hundreds. This guide provides references to serial numbers, dates of manufacture, factory locations, a brief history of many manufacturers and other pertinent information.
The Piano Book is the bible of the piano marketplace. An indispensable resource to buyers and owners of pianos, amateur and professional pianists alike. This book evaluates and compares every brand and style of piano sold in the United States.
Information on how the piano works, ages, and the difference between different piano brands is discussed in great detail. There is also a wealth of diagrams of parts, information on manufacturing, maintenance, moving and storage, inspecting new and used pianos, the special market for Steinways, and sales gimmicks to watch out for.
Playing Piano for Pleasure is a practical guide to learning and playing the piano for fun! Includes material from the author's interviews with master pianists, artists, and writers. The result is a book that should be cherished for years to come.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE EZINE:
Story And Clark Piano Value
Support our site at no cost to you. Make your Amazon purchases by clicking through this link, here.