Can you ask this to a private seller?

Josephine · 2025-09-20T13:35:37+00:00

I'm going to look for a grand piano next week!! Or for two different grands actually. But I'm so nervous for playing. I only know one complete piece which...

MRC

Last year I sold my Yamaha upright. I always asked the prospective buyers - all three of them - if they wanted to have some time alone to play the piano. Two did, one didn't: he preferred to listen to me play because he said he wasn't good enough and he was buying it for his kids to learn on anyway.

If the seller doesn't spontaneously offer to go to another room, I'd just ask nicely: say you feel self-conscious when people are listening.

Josephine

MRC

Yes, that's a good way of saying it, thanks! I completely explained why, and that I can't play very well, but I don't have to tell that.

Simonb

Hi Josephine

My Piano Teacher's husband (Jerome) recommends Yamaha and Kawai as a general rule of thumb. That's not to say that other makes aren't good. In fact I used to play a Bluthner a lot (until about 2019), as my parents owned an early 20th century Bluthner Pianola. Sadly that had to be sold after my Mum could no longer manage at home on her own.

The Kawai GL10 is a baby grand and generally has good reviews. It's around £10,000 in the UK.

At my lessons I play on my Teacher's Yamaha CX3, which is a marvellous 6' 1" Grand Piano, but out of my price range (even 2nd hand) and simply too big for the room I have.

Unlike you I don't have the ability to restore anything (!) so it's either a new one or a 2nd hand one recommended by Jerome.

I hope you find what you want.

Cheers

Simon

Josephine

Simonb

I don't know what the size in feet is, but I'm looking for a piano between 180cm and 200cm.

I don't have room for a huge grand either. What would 180cm be, 5'11? I have no idea. The two pianos I'm going to try are 190cm and 180cm.

I hope you will find a nice grand piano soon!

Josephine

HeartKeys Also, if they say something like, "someone is thinking about purchasing it" you can be confident it's their attempt to increase the perceived demand/scarcity, and make you feel the urgency and FOMO 🙂

Yes, I'm glad I'm also curious about other pianos, so I can't make a decision before I tried all of them, and I have to sell my upright too, to make room. There was this Bechstein, restored in 2001. It's a bit above budget so I was thinking, should I try it or not. I waited too long, and then it was reserved for another buyer. But apparently they didn't buy it because it's for sale again.

Simonb

Hi Josephine

Yes 180cm is about 5' 11".
200cm is about 6' 6"

5' 11" I could fit in the room, but it would take up more space than I want it to, so I think the largest I'll go for is 5' 8" (172cm), and more likely smaller than that.

Good luck!

Josephine

Simonb

Thanks, good luck to you as well!!

Josephine

Simonb

If you are going for completely restored small grands, I read that the old Blüthners and Gaveau baby grands sound fantastic. There are those Gaveau baby grands with sunburst veneer, they are stunning. In Paris they were very popular as a salon piano in those days, the Blüthner and Gaveau baby grands.

Edit:

I was looking at Roberts pianos in the UK for fun, to see what they have within your budget. And I saw this Richard Lipp piano in their stock list. I think I might look if there are similar pianos here. I like this one.

https://youtu.be/NgC0AOD0XQo?si=PV4izkxGumYMticH

ShiroKuro

Simonb btw I have a Yamaha C2, which is 5’8”. It’s a great size for a home piano where there’s not a ton of space.

My piano was made in 2000, so it was 20 years old when I got it. I absolutely love it.

🙂

keff

Josephine I was looking at a 20 year Kawai grand piano last week and the sales person and I engaged in a short conversation as to whether notes 86, 87 and 88 were actually useful. I mention this because Marcus Roberts points out that the Richard Lipp has 88 notes. The sales person surprised me by saying that some people after purchasing an 88 note piano report it faulty because notes 87 and 88 will not sound for them. It then turns out that their high frequency hearing has deteriorated so they just can't hear them.

Simonb

Thanks Josephine

I'm committed to visiting one shop at present. I won't necessarily buy there, but my guide/mentor has booked to do a Park Run there and then is meeting me afterwards. I'll certainly keep that dealer in mind, as at a push I could drive there in a few hours. Looks like a nice Bluthner there as well.

Cheers

Simon

Josephine

keff

I never thought of that. I don't even know how many keys the pianos have that I'm going to try. 😅 Good that you mention it!

I have it more with the lowest bass notes, I do hear them very well but they sound like ugly noise to me (on my yamaha upright). I can hear that the pitch goes lower, but I can't tell the exact pitch I think. I have trouble tuning those lowest bass notes.

Josephine

keff

I checked the pictures, the Schiedmayer has 85 keys and the Blüthner has 88.

The Bechstein also has 85 keys.

keff

Josephine Note 1 on my little British upright is muddy but everything else is fine.

keff

Josephine In about thirty five years of playing piano I have never needed any note above 85. Grieg's piano concerto uses note 85 but I have only played piano solo versions of this and simplified ones at that.

Josephine

keff

I wonder if it would make me disoriented at where the notes are on the keyboard. Because it looks different. I will find out Wednesday!

Josephine

Simonb

Yes, they often have Blüthners. I like to watch their videos. They often post an evaluation of a piano that just arrived, and then later after restoring they post another video.

I think they have more than one location, but I don't know where exactly.

keff

Josephine I think they have more than one location, but I don't know where exactly.

Roberts pianos are not far from Magdalen bridge in Oxford. They also had a shop in Sevenoaks but I believe it was closed some years ago. Marcus Roberts' sons have their own piano businesses, one in France and the other USA.

Simonb

Hi ShiroKuro

A C2 is on my list of possibles!

Cheers

Josephine

ShiroKuro

Your Yamaha sounds really great, I always think that when I listen to your recordings. Sometimes I find the sound of Yamaha pianos a bit harsh but your piano doesn't have that at all.

ShiroKuro

Josephine thank you!!!

When I bought my Yamaha, I had it regulated and voiced (by an extremely competent technician I might add) and that really mellowed it out a bit.

I think people sometimes don’t realize the big difference these maintenance things can have. The line between sounding good and sounding overly bright is quite subtle and a little tweaking (voicing etc) goes a long way!

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