🎹 German Pianos | Bechstein, Steinway, Schimmel & more | Pianos of the World Mini-Series

🎹 German Pianos | Bechstein, Steinway, Schimmel & more | Pianos of the World Mini-Series - EP. 01 🎹

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1:08 - Opening Playing Demos
1:50 - Video Overview
3:50 - German Musicality
5:31 - German Piano Momentum Effect
7:21 - Traditional German Piano Design
10:33 - German Piano Reputations
13:41 - German Pianos Attention To Detail
17:56 - Present Day German Pianos
Welcome to the Merriam Pianos KZfaq channel! Today, we’re not going to look at one specific piano, but rather take a larger, overall look at the German piano industry as a whole.
For hundreds of years, Germany has consistently been the country producing the world’s finest pianos, and that remains the case today.
What defines a German Piano?
From a labelling or definition standpoint, those that bear the mark “MADE IN GERMANY” is still the best way to confidently purchase instruments and know their origin. Though there are many industry self-generated labels and designations, none are air-tight or regulated…so nationally-legislated labelling is the best way to tell that the majority of value-added content, whether labour or parts, is German.
From a tonal or musical perspective, German pianos are remarkably diverse - which runs contrary to popular opinion. You’ll often hear people discussing the “sound of a German piano”, but the reality is that the range of timbres on German pianos is more disparate than probably any other piano producing region. If there is a point of commonality, it’s the clarity or ‘transparency’ that most German pianos have, which could be said does give them a ‘sound’...though for audiophiles, the presence of detail isn’t what produces a timbre…it’s simply an absence of imperfection or limitations in the sound.
Why German Pianos Tend to be Superior
There are several factors that contribute to this. For starters, the labour involved in the making of German pianos consists of a level of specialization that has been passed down from generation to generation since about the 1830s. No other country has this rich history and tradition of piano building that directly manifests in their workforce.
Secondly, because their reputation allows German piano companies to charge what they need to charge for their pianos to pay for the highly specialized labour, they are able in turn to invest more production time into each piano.
Why do these things really matter at the end of the day? Even if you have a perfect design and perfect materials, if the execution is not also perfect, the piano won’t come anywhere close to fulfilling its potential. The tolerances that separate a good piano from a great one are extremely small.
We’re talking fractions of a millimetre when it comes to fitting a pin block or soundboard, and extremely precise carpentry to ensure maximum cabinet resonance.
The State of the German Piano Industry Today
The German piano industry is in an interesting state of flux today with a number of manufacturers now finding a new place as part of multi-national corporations or bought by new external investment. Though we’ve lost several manufacturers (though in some cases not the brands) over the last decades - Ibach, Zimmermann, Sohmer as examples - we have retained many others, including August Forster, Bluthner, C. Bechstein, Sauter, Seiler, Steingraeber, Grotrian, Schimmel, and Steingraeber.
All have either scaled back or retained production levels, with the exception of C. Bechstein, which has been able to scale up its operation and remain German-owned and operated, primarily by diversifying its product offerings and bringing back in-house the manufacturing of many individual components, such as their hammers and actions, which are outsourced by most piano companies.
What to Expect from a German Piano
German pianos tend to have several characteristics, even if there is a massive range of tonal pallets available across manufacturers. What is common across the top-tier manufacturers however is the lack of imperfections and a commitment to quality.
Some manufacturers are really pushing the envelope in terms of design, such as C. Bechstein and Schimmel, while others such as August Forester and Grotrian are committed to traditional approaches. This results in a wide variety of musical options, far more varied than what was the case in the past.
What this means is that you can expect an extremely well-built piano, void of imperfections and full of musical potential when considering a German piano. Just keep in mind that if you are exploring German pianos, be sure to try several as the range of musical possibilities is very wide.
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Пікірлер: 171

@victorvalentino5872 2 жыл бұрын

Don’t forget Bluthner Pianos. Beautiful German Pianos and still family owned!!!

@MerriamPianos 2 жыл бұрын

For sure! An unintended omission, thanks for mentioning!

@gatesurfer 2 жыл бұрын

It made me cringe when they destroyed one in “Ironman.”

@michelprimeau4531 2 жыл бұрын

And August Forster

@studiosnch 2 жыл бұрын

Steingraeber is also family-owned too

@watthaile2053 2 жыл бұрын

@@MerriamPianos Forgetting Bluthner is a very serious omission indeed. Bluthner and old Bechsteins are my favorite pianos of all.

@buckachiddy 2 жыл бұрын

I bought a new piano recently. My default was the premium end of the famous names (Steinway B, Bosendorfer, C Bechstein) and honestly the quality of the new instruments was so hit and miss it put me right off. Ended up trying a Sauter 185 grand which is a boutique mfr and it blew me away so I bought that instead. I think Steinway is basically a marketing racket who can get away with putting out average stuff at extortionate prices because of the brand recognition.

@bhaveshmistry3255 5 ай бұрын

Steinway is all about marketing otherwise there some same level of companies but not so popular like Steinway. If you see there’s only one or two models that is majorities use in most of the classical music concerts, No other companies are near by rest. I think Steinway is more suitable for classical music and less versatile. Fazioli & C. Bechstien is world class piano makers too not very popular like Steinway and the only reason is marketing . In fact C. Bechstien has more choice the Steinway like Academy and R series which is theirs affordable top class pianos. In that segment Steinway doesn’t have options for customers. Bosto in still different then an actual Steinway and that doesn’t sound like a German but C.Bechstien Academy and R series has proper German sound character. In terms of marketing Steinway is king of piano makers & that’s is the reason why Steinway is successful. That give advantage them to sell the Boston and Essex. I believe Japanese piano makers did well study of the market and successfully set the platform for longer business. Japanese piano makers hit the top level German and now they are hitting Chinese makers too. Steinway is more than a Musician brand and brand status. Smart buyers can find some other options.

@johnschlesinger2009 Ай бұрын

Shame we didn't get to hear pianos from at least some of the manufacturers.

@pian1sticpeng_in 2 жыл бұрын

Its truly a feat to come out with interesting content like this even on a semi regular basis! Keep up the good work guys!

@user-sb7ns9ol7j 11 ай бұрын

Really excellent presentation about the German piano industry, congratulations to Merriam Music and specially to Stu Harrison, thank you

@MerriamPianos 11 ай бұрын

Thank you kindly! We really appreciate the kind words and feedback! :)

@liaoevelynwang5035 2 жыл бұрын

I wish we had a piano shop in Paris that has this level of knowledge on piano… they all go “what’s your budget” and “there you go, these fit your budget, pick one you like the most”…

@robertcook2572 2 жыл бұрын

Do you think you should pick one that someone else likes the most?

@stevenvanstadenvanstaden4317 2 жыл бұрын

What a pity Pleyel is no longer. They have beaututiful singing tone.

@liaoevelynwang5035 2 жыл бұрын

@@robertcook2572 of course not. But sometimes we need knowledge/information to determine what we like the most.

@robertcook2572 2 жыл бұрын

@@liaoevelynwang5035 Really?

@lokmanmerican6889 2 жыл бұрын

In Paris?! So disappointing. Here in Sydney the budget ring - around is almost to be expected. Sure $$ is important but these people don't seem to realise that buying piano is a luxury (setting aside the romanticised "I can't live without ...") so if a vendor can convince me of the value of a product I'll find some way to afford it. Heck, most of us *want* to to be talked into it. The rest don't even know their budget. Get creative on finance, build that relationship to know the customer and maintain amd preserve value in their investment. "So why do you want a piano? ..." One vendor I spoke to said "the price of wood is going up. Always, every year." Made me think of a new dining table.

@leongkokhoongstaff2301 2 жыл бұрын

I bought a German piano recently after trying around comparing with Japanese pianos. I bought a Wilh. Steinberg piano. I fall in love with its tonal qualities and touch that allows me to bring out different voices from the instrument. I couldn’t get these from those Japanese pianos I tried. And it’s true that German pianos aim at zero imperfections and the built quality is very impressive for me. Every small details are done well in German pianos. I am so happy and even my piano teacher said I bought a good quality piano.

@user-sb7ns9ol7j 11 ай бұрын

I heard that Wilh Steinberg are very good pianos

@MeteCanKarahasan 4 ай бұрын

Do they sound very close to Bechsteins because their video reviews are very stunningly clear toned?

@Petro00D 2 жыл бұрын

I enjoyed this video. Not often does one get a chance to understand the differences between pianos manufactured in different regions. I look forward to follow up videos.

@davidoneill913 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent content as usual.

@emilegregoire 2 жыл бұрын

Great vid, good work!

@mfurman 2 жыл бұрын

I am so much looking forward to this series of video! Thank you, Stu.

@747lch 2 жыл бұрын

Just bought my first digital piano after much binging of this incredible channel. Thank you so much and I'm excited to watch through this series!

@mariocg 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent Piano series !!!

@Svarthok 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for another interesting video Stu :)

@paulmcgrath2430 2 жыл бұрын

Fascinating information Stu. Thank you

@JoeLinux2000 2 жыл бұрын

I'm amazed that there can be so many different piano manufacturers.

@JoeLinux2000 2 жыл бұрын

@Konstantin Ridaya I own two Chickering Grands.

@SixStringViolence Жыл бұрын

To name some other german brands: August Förster est. 1859 Ibach est. 1794 (was the oldest manufacturer of pianos in the world) Rönisch est. 1845 Feurich est. 1851 Blüthner est. 1853 Roth & Junius est. 1889 (nowadays the name is used by the Chinese owner for their cheap pianos) Thürmer est. 1834 Pfeiffer est. 1862 Renner est. 1882 Sauter est. 1819 Steinberg est. 1877 Steingraeber & Söhne est. 1852 Seiler est. 1849 J.C. Neupert est. 1869 Niendorf est. 1896 Ritmüller & Sohn est. 1795 (now owned by Pearl River - China) Schiedmayer est. 1711 (organ and celesta manufacturer - since 1845 piano manufacturer)

@MerriamPianos Жыл бұрын

There are certainly a lot of other German brands. Thanks for sharing this list! Naturally, it is difficult to cover them all, so we focused in on some of the most popular brands for this particular video. :)

@AlfredoMinetti Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for this! Very informative...really enjoyed it and looking forward to watching the others in the series 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

@MerriamPianos Жыл бұрын

You're very welcome! Thank you for tuning in! We're really happy to hear that you enjoyed the video! :)

@_RabbitLeader 4 ай бұрын

Another great video Stu. Thanks for sharing your knowledge of pianos and impact on sound

@MerriamPianos 4 ай бұрын

Thanks for checking out the video! We're glad that you enjoyed it! :)

@KatarzynaWojciechowska1 2 жыл бұрын

I'm a proud owner of small Bluthner 10 (model designed in 1920's), built in Germany in 1968 (when the company was still privately owned and the quality was supervised by Bluthner family) and I have to say this is truly wonderfull piano, way better in tone, sound and key touch than most of modern pianos designed to be most of all loud and sweet-sounding. Only old german pianos! Two days ago I tried some brand new Bechsteins and they were just awfull - dull and gummy in touch, trying to sound like Steinways.

@cioccolateriaveneziana 5 ай бұрын

"trying to sound like Steinway" :-)) Well, were they successful?

@wendynb100 2 жыл бұрын

I think the piano tradition in German is so deep and refined that there is a different accumulation of sound knowledge according to where in Germany the piano was manufactured. When I play my Bluthner, I feel I am taking part in a clear Leipsig sound. I once played an old Steingraber which had a colourful Munich sound. I loved your vid although you did not mention Bluthner 😔and can’t wait to hear how you assess Japanese pianos especially the Kawai Sheguru. I noted a Kawai in the background to this video!

@okhayyam516 2 жыл бұрын

Try a GX Blak series Kawai with the same scaling. Compare it to a 'golden age' German piano. You'll be astonished.

@wendynb100 2 жыл бұрын

@@okhayyam516 👍 Will do. Thanks.

@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 2 жыл бұрын

@@wendynb100 as far as I know Merriam Music is a Kawai dealer🎹🎶

@cioccolateriaveneziana 5 ай бұрын

I suppose then that Bösendorfer has a Viennese sound and Pleyel has a Paris sound and Petrof has a Prague sound... I wonder how that might be ;-)

@alexthompson6529 2 жыл бұрын

This was great, I’m looking forward to the next ones! I haven’t played many German pianos, now I feel like I’m missing out!

@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 2 жыл бұрын

I haven't played any🎹🎶

@watthaile2053 2 жыл бұрын

Play a fine older Bechstein.

@HS-wp5vb 2 жыл бұрын

I would point out the key differences between German and Japanese pianos: (1) Small-scale tradecraft manufacturing vs. industrial-style manufacturing, (2) choice of high to highest quality of woods vs. more price-sensitive choice of woods, (3) focus on tonal complexity and overall quality (perfection) vs. focus on robustness and tonal coherence. What speaks for the Japanese pianos is their price-quality-ratio. Both Yamaha and Kawai have a vertical integration of almost 100 % by producing exclusively in-house in their Japanese an Inodonesian factories. Also the sheer number of pianos that both companies churn out every year significantly reduces the production costs. In the end, this results in well-made, sturdy and reliable instruments. What speaks for the German pianos is their individuality. No instrument is like another. I think for schools, educational facilities, churches and practice instruments, Japanese instruments are the better bargain for the money. For audience performances and - if you can afford- home entertainment, I would always prefer the complexity of the German sound experience.

@illusionyx907 2 жыл бұрын

Toyota or Mercedes is eternal question /// people in global economy under pressure of brand-names

@kristinaskeys Жыл бұрын

But don't forget the Shigeru Kawai! They have definitely proven they have the expertise to make a top-tier performance piano that meets all the German criteria you mentioned.

@HS-wp5vb Жыл бұрын

@@kristinaskeys The Shigeru series has an amazing sound. There is a good comparison here kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bdeAo5Ofz9S7mJ8.html That said, Shigeru Kawais still benefit commercially from having a big company in the back with massive economies of scale, something that cannot be said of all the small-scale German manufacturers.

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

At 5:46, "There is this transparency to the tone that a lot of people sometimes confuse for something that is really bright or sharp, but really is a transparency, it's a clarity." I think Stu recognizes the need to stop using the word "bright" to qualify clear tones, such as those in Yamaha pianos. If you perform a frequency spectrum analysis of any piano tone by any brand, they are all very similar, and typically decay at the same rate and around the same frequency threshold (by 10 kHz, you have almost no content). Soundboards are made of wood, and wood stops high frequencies, resulting in an inherently "warm" sound for any piano from any brand. I was recently in a Kawai store, and the owner showed me 4 generations of Kawai pianos, from the current ones to some pretty old ones. He asked me too play each one, and compare their brightness: as I moved from piano to piano, their tone became brittle, metallic and thin. He said it was due to the hammer felt becoming harder over time. In another store, I played a Kawai GL-10 and several other models, and the GL-10 sounded very muted/felted, whereas the rest of the (current) Kawai pianos sounded much clearer. So, it was obvious that the voicing of the piano plays a big role in how clear or felted the sound is. But the word "bright" should be replaced with "clear", at least in new pianos. And people should stop saying that Yamaha is "bright", and Kawai is "warm", because there are better words to describe a soundboard/hammer voicing/rim resonance combination than "bright" and "warm". In the world of digital pianos, Yamaha knows how to provide a clear tone, but Kawai doesn't. I have tested their recent models, such as the KDP75, ES920, CN29, and CA49, and they all have the same sound profile: muddy/blurred samples. That should not be confused with "warm" and "rich". That is a blurred/muddy sample. Real Kawai pianos can be called warm and rich, but not their digital pianos. In testing the KDP75, I noticed the sound didn't change in color from pianissimo to fortissimo: it just remained the same muddy tone color, just changing in volume. To use Stu's example at 5:56 with the headphones: a better quality and resolution in the sound (such as what you hear in a Yamaha digital piano) does not mean "bright", and less resolution in the sample (such as what Kawai seems to be doing in their digital pianos) does not make them "warm" and "rich". They are just blurred/muddy samples. An example of a clear Kawai sample is heard in the "Kawai EX Pro" vst piano by Acoustic Samples: it is a 10 GB piano library with clarity, as opposed to Kawai digital pianos with their incorrectly labeled "warm" piano samples. If a sample cannot provide detail in the sound, as identified by a studio headphone, then it can't be called "rich" either. To be "rich", you need resolution and detail. So, a more accurate description of Kawai digital pianos is: low resolution samples, blurred, with little change in the richness of the tone from pianissimo to fortissimo. In that sense, it is closer to the felted Noire, that Yamaha CFX vst software piano that has 2 piano samples: one normal and one recorded with a long piece of felt running across the hammers to prevent a clear sound.

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

@Konstantin Ridaya The comparison in tone between one brand and another is always a subjective topic, so it would be better to say you have traditionally preferred a Kawai over a Yamaha. Other people may feel otherwise, so your statements are rather personal regarding the piano sound. But that aside, my comment is more along the lines of two topics: one is the proper use of the word "bright" in the acoustic piano context, and the other one is the recording technique used in producing a digital piano sample. As I mentioned, Kawai does not provide a sample with enough resolution in the recordings of their digital pianos. That is separate whether you like Kawai or not as an acoustic piano. Yamaha provides clearly recorded piano samples, and that is separate whether you like their acoustic piano tone or not. Obviously, analog synthesizers are not designed or used for piano tones.

@JoeLinux2000 2 жыл бұрын

Synthesizers are inherently "thin" sounding. The filters are added to thicken the tone as well as having the effect of adding more color and personality. I don't find it very realistic to compare a synthesizer to an acoustic piano. Personally I like acoustic pianos that do exhibit "clarity". A lot of it has a lot to do with what they call the "scaling" which refers to the diameter of the wire used on any given note. It's something I experimented with on Kawai K2 to not much final improvement in the inharmonicity of the instrument. That's why I prefer a really "good" digital piano. A lot of issues are improved with a top line digital. Of interest to Instrumental Covers is my latest modification to my speaker set-up on my Yamaha DGX-670 combined with Pianoteq Pro voices which does add more complexity to the DGX's CFX voice. Basically I pipe the Pianoteq into the Yamaha system, but then pipe both Pianoteq and Yamaha out to my Logitec speakers which play in tandem with the Yamaha's internal speakers. The end result is a digital piano tone that is very exquisite and satisfying, and the best I have come up with so far. Instrumental Covers has been talking about the need for a really well tuned speaker set up on digital pianos for quite some time now. He does know what he's talking about. It does make a difference.

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

@@JoeLinux2000 Thank you, I appreciate the support. The Kawai digital pianos that I have played lately using studio headphones have a muddy low resolution sample to my ears. I think they are trying to go for a "felted" piano tone in their digital pianos at the sample level, which I don't think it represents the true sound of their acoustic pianos. I would agree that synthesizers, especially old ones or cheap sounding ones, do sound thin. But more modern synthesizers like the Yamaha Montage/MODX will have thicker piano samples, as they use more memory. It is also very important to distinguish between digital synthesizers and analog synthesizers. Analog synthesizers are not for piano tones, but for electronic sounds. Think of Moog or Korg for analog synthesizers.

@JoeLinux2000 2 жыл бұрын

@@Instrumental-Covers When I think of a synthesizer, I don't think of a piano, but it is true that digital pianos are a form of synthesis. The Roland D-50 which is old now, used a sampled attack attached to a synthesized subsequent tone. I also had or have a Super JX-10 which was a digitally controlled analog synthesizer. I love the sound of some ot Yamaha's new top line synthesizers. The dealer I went to in Denver sells Kawai, Yamaha, and Casio. Aside from the DGX, I don't know what the better Yamaha digitals sound like. I'm really very happy with what I have as far as the acoustic piano sounds are concerned. There really isn't anything much better than what I have now. As for all the DGX automation that I thought I would enjoy, I haven't used it at all. While I think the Roland LX-706 is a very good digital, I would never spend the money on one. Both you and I made a very wise choice going for the DGX. We have a very good instrument at a bargain basement price point.

@OliverPianoman 6 ай бұрын

Hi Stu, I love your reviews, they are the best I know. I live in Germany and there is another superb German Brand, AUGUST FÖRSTER. These Uprights and Grands are amazing and handbuilt in Löbau, Saxony, Germany. Best wishes from Germany, Oliver

@MerriamPianos 6 ай бұрын

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! August Forster make wonderful pianos of course! We don't carry the line, but we have had a few pass through our showrooms on trade and consignment. There are no doubt many amazing piano brands that weren't covered in the video, but it is tough to tackle them all of course. :)

@studentjohn35 2 жыл бұрын

One of the worst losses was Feurich. A really excellent piano line made in Gunzenhausen, now just another Asian stencil brand.

@furioercolessi 2 жыл бұрын

I tried a number of german and japanese pianos in the "premium consumer" range last month, making a trip to Germany just for this purpose, in particular the Bechstein Academy series and the Schimmel Classic series against the Yamaha SX series and the Shigeru Kawais, with the intent of picking out one. It was hard because clearly they are all good. I came to the conclusion (which of course it is just my own personal conclusion and not an objective judgement!) that these two japanese series win over the germans in terms of the sheer emotion obtained from playing them, and the expressivity allowed by the action and the voicing, and the general action precision. I found that L167, B212 from Bechstein are on another level with respect to their A pianos and directly competing with SX's and SK's, but their price is higher and out of my budget. In all cases, respect for all of them! It has been an enlightening experience. Now waiting for the S3X delivery ...

@studentjohn35 2 жыл бұрын

Japanese pianos are utterly incredible when they are new. After 35 years, though, it's hit an miss.

@michelprimeau4531 2 жыл бұрын

Maybe for Kawai because they tried a couple different things, where I live there's no second hand german piano with less than 80years. And I would say that U1 and U3 deserve respect. No other brand did better in the 30 to 40 years mark.

@benjaminsmith2287 2 жыл бұрын

Glad to read someone say the Japanese pianos have a great range of emotion. I keep reading the opposite, that it is the German ones that have a "soul" and the Japanese are technically good. I agree that now the top Japanese pianos have emotion and both have great action. The tone/action combo is highly personal, both are brilliant IMO. I love the German pianos but I also think the Japanese are on their level, just different.

@studentjohn35 2 жыл бұрын

Case in point: In 1985, Yamaha brought out the CFIII model with great fanfare, and it became the "imposed piano" of the International Bach Competition. (Having won it, Angela Hewitt chose a Fazioli; go figure) But Yamaha proceeded to ship the bulk of un-sold CF2 grands out to Atlantic Canada, where the locals were assumed not to know the difference. Meanwhile, old pre-1940 Bosendorfer, bechstein, Hamburg Steinway concert grands get lovingly rebuilt and end up back on concert stages. Ever seen that happen to a pre-1960 Yamaha or Kawai?

@andrewdolphin344 2 жыл бұрын

Great idea

@HarryHipster 2 жыл бұрын

Besides adding another great video full of knowledge and attendance to detail, thank you very much for integrating some footage of my hometown in Düsseldorf (5:30 and 11:48), the capital of Northrhine-Westfalia. What we see here, is the old city part on the border of the river Rhine. The Kunstakademie is on the left - workplace and home for famous contemporary artists such as Joseph Beuys, Günther Uecker, Gerhard Richter and Andreas Gursky, followed by the church of St. Lambertus in the middle next to the place around the Schlossturm and the Rathausufer on the right. Very nice to take a stroll now when the temperatures are rising. When it comes to music, Düsseldorf was the birthplace of componist Norbert Burgmüller (1810-1836) and the popular electronic pioneers of Kraftwerk. I don't want to miss mentioning our friends, rivals and neighbors in the city of Cologne and their majestic Kölner Dom which is to be seen at 7:25. They also have a long musical tradition. And who could forget the world's best selling solo album in jazz history, the Köln Concert of Keith Jarrett from 1975...

@kristinaskeys Жыл бұрын

I was wondering what cities those were! Thank you

@HarryHipster Жыл бұрын

@@kristinaskeys You're welcome!

@studentjohn35 2 жыл бұрын

Bechstein's bad period was 1954-1964 (serial no.'s around 150,000). They were still rebulding their supply of seasoned wood. After no. 160,000 they regained their position

@user-wu5zi9sx2u Жыл бұрын

As always the comments of Stu Harrison are a very learning opportunity, instructive use full and entertaining, congratulations and thanks

@MerriamPianos Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for tuning in! We're glad you enjoyed the video! :)

@stevenvanstadenvanstaden4317 2 жыл бұрын

I agree with so much that's been said but among my very favourite pianos have been the NY Steinway model D. I have the impression that quality is more variable and that they are more inconsistent, but favourably less uniform, than with the Hamburg Steinway but I've been finding those for the past twenty-odd years to be very twangy, metallic in tone above, say, forte. They sing beautifully when playing softly and usually have a good sustain (a slow decay). I actually brought a NY model D into S Africa where the company policy has been to supply just the Hamburg version. I also had the opportunity to play the Horowitz piano (not the one used in his last years but the one used until I think the mid 80s, a NY model D from the early sixties, and that was the most fabulous piano I have ever played. It was about twenty years old when I played it. Someone mentioned Bluthner in the comments below. I played a new Bluthner concert grand which was lovely in every way except (and this is an exception to the rule mentioned in the talk) the action regulation was bad. I believe that since then great care has been taken to avoid such a minor lapse detracting from a magnificent piano. The new C Bechstein concert grands are also lovely. I found Fazioli a little raucous but it was an early instrument. Personal opinions these, of course, but it just goes to show that what we look for in pianos varies as much as the pianos themselves. And that comes back to my feeling about the NY Steinway D: you find exceptions on both ends of the scale; finding the special one is finding a special piano indeed.

@phoenixrising1576 2 жыл бұрын

Hi do you know much about the older Kaps Pianos made in Dresden? All my favourite pianos ive played have been German, Seiler, Hw Meyer and Kaps.

@VTownGregory 2 жыл бұрын

I own a Schiedmayer 7'4" grand made in the early 1980s, just before the Stuttgart company ended piano manufacturing. Now they make celestes. Schiedmayer claims to be the first manufacturer of pianos in Germany. They are popular in Europe/UK but almost unknown in the US. I was turned on to them because a piano store in San Francisco (near where I live) started importing them in the 1960s. Coincidentally, the church where I am the organist has a reed organ made by Schiedmayer purchased by the first pastor of the church in 1867! That organ made quite a journey to get from Germany to California!

@davew786 2 жыл бұрын

They’ve certainly been around a long time. I have an 1870s upright Schiedmayer. Lovely walnut cabinet and still plays well , although my piano tuner thinks it should be in a museum by now. I’ve been watching Stu’s videos for the last couple of years to help choose a replacement. It’s a great channel.

@tomyvrosales3535 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Stu…thanks for the great video. I really enjoy coming to learn from your videos. Two comments if you allow me: Bluthner is as far as I know a German made piano, any reason not to mention it? And two Since you mentioned Bosendorfer a couple of times, are you still going to make a video of Austrian pianos? Looking forward to watch your videos and thanks again Stu. Greetings from Brussels.

@sensoeirensen 2 жыл бұрын

I've got one of the best small upright pianos on the market: Bechstein Milleium 116. It sounds even better than big uprights from other brands...

@judsonmusick3177 10 ай бұрын

You failed to mention Bluthner - one of the most prestigious German piano manufacturers.

@MerriamPianos 10 ай бұрын

Bluthner is certainly worthy of mention as the company makes wonderful pianos! :)

@gustavogo2915 8 ай бұрын

@@MerriamPianosyou failed 😞

@Emslandkopfnuss Ай бұрын

Blüthner 🎶🎹🎵🤩

@stefansipl6736 2 жыл бұрын

Very informative again. Thank you. Do you see chances to review on of the very highly claimed Pfeiffer uprights in the future? I would love to hear your take on it. They have a fabulous reputation here in Germany and are considered to be the best uprights.

@stefansipl6736 2 жыл бұрын

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/b7d-pdZ-t82rloU.html

@alex_jpeg 2 жыл бұрын

Could you do a Essex vs Boston vs Kawai video? I know kawai manufactures bostons to “Steinway specifications” An in detail video about this would be interesting. Does this really change anything or is it just slapping Steinway on it for sake of branding and $?

@Li-yt7zh 2 жыл бұрын

Great video :) really gets down to the factors that attribute for the highest quality and highest priced instruments coming out of Germany, due to the labour force expertise & long-built momentum, where cnc machining + computer-aided design alone cannot account for choices & handling of natural material differences. To be fair there is still quite a bit of that snob factor contributing to the retail pricing gap, esp. outside of Europe, and in particular with one Hamburg brand ;)

@Li-yt7zh Жыл бұрын

Is this a scam? Wait, don't answer lol! I sure don't remember entering any giveaways tho.... ;P

@quuaaarrrk8056 Жыл бұрын

You mean one Hamburg brand that is at best half-German and only has half a German name? One brand, that really likes to make sure that everyone knows they must be the best?

@Li-yt7zh Жыл бұрын

@@quuaaarrrk8056 lol yes, the one that tries to devalue vintage "unofficially" restored instruments to their factory-new and refurbished pianos by an unusually wide margin through vague warnings and marketing tactics :D while dedicating less of their huge budget to quality control & prep, at least in the NA market.. that one

@renefellah299 2 жыл бұрын

Love the Shimmel. My next one will be a K213 :-)

@MerriamPianos 2 жыл бұрын

I couldn't agree more! Schimmels are among the very best pianos in the world! The K213 is a wonderful instrument that is worthy of being a lifelong musical companion. :)

@barkofink 2 жыл бұрын

@1:24 Falling Grace (ending)

@callington601 8 ай бұрын

Schimmel ❤️

@MerriamPianos 8 ай бұрын

Schimmel make wonderful pianos! I especially love their Konzert series! :)

@pianowhizz 2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic that manufacturers are finally turfing out the duplex scaling- that is the most annoying imperfection of them all!

@ronwalters636 2 жыл бұрын

I have a 1937 Julius Bauer upright. Julius Bauer was an American company that was bought out by Wurlitzer in the 30s did that improve the quality? This one sounds amazing for an upright.

@JoeLinux2000 2 жыл бұрын

If it sounds good, it is good.

@ronwalters636 2 жыл бұрын

@@JoeLinux2000 looks pretty good too

@Em_Dee_Aitch 2 жыл бұрын

We plan to purchase a brand/model from Eastern Europe when we are ready. Somewhere in the lower moderately priced category. Perhaps a Schimmel, perhaps a W. Hoffmann.

@G91YS 2 жыл бұрын

I've ordered the Schimmel C121, coming this month hopefully! :-) From Germany to Belgium, kinda close

@michelprimeau4531 2 жыл бұрын

For a grand, Estonia would also be my first pick.

@dkinney1000 3 ай бұрын

Level of refinement might be a better way to describe “a lack of imperfection”. On refinement, the introduction of CNC machining, technical education and sharing of information and ideas have all contributed to a raised level of refinement seen in piano manufacturing in all regions. Tone character is more difficult to explain and it helps to dive into the world of physics and engineering to help make sense of less tangible ideas.

@MerriamPianos 3 ай бұрын

"Level of refinement" is an excellent term to describe the various quality tiers and levels of craftsmanship that exist in the piano industry. :)

@Customsoftwarebyprestoninc 8 ай бұрын

What is your opinion of the P Series of Wilh Steinberg upright pianos?

@MerriamPianos 8 ай бұрын

Hi! Brent here! I am not particularly familiar with that line. With that said, I will happily add it to the list of potential pianos to review. We are not dealers of the Steinberg line, but, if we do happen to get one come in used at one of our showrooms, we will certainly do our best to tackle a review/comparison. :)

@philosophicallyspeaking6463 Жыл бұрын

If you are a performer, you do yourself no good service by being too particular about the way an instrument 'sounds' (how it 'plays' is a different matter), because each 'performance' is typically on a different instrument. Some concert pianists I know practice on awful sounding instruments at home, the better to advise humility when they are in the field. I heard Cziffra play Liszt on an out-of-tune Heintzman in my mother-in-law's restaurant. Magical! Part of the gig is realizing music on whatever instrument you have on hand. That's being professional! For the rest of us, those consigned by lack of a 'willing' audience to a single 'domestic' instrument, 'particularity' of sound is a luxury of the residential cloister that has nothing to do with making or realizing a given composer's music. In time, your ear will come to...'prefer' whatever peculiar sound you are grown habituated to by relatively short association.

@MerriamPianos Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insights! I definitely resonate with that notion. I think there is a beauty and magic to embracing the situation (and instruments) on hand sometimes. Even "sub-optimal" pianos can provide some beautiful moments. :)

@_RabbitLeader 4 ай бұрын

The UK had many piano manufacturers, notable names such as John Broadwood, Welmar and Knight and now all gone although there is a small piano manufacturer, Cavendish near Harrogate, North Yorkshire making grands and uprights. Obviously could not compete on cost from the far east or on quality with say some German brands?

@MerriamPianos 4 ай бұрын

Hi! Brent here! There have been some very well-known UK made pianos over the years. While there have been some quality instruments, the German-made pianos tend to be revered as being superior within most piano circles. However, as is always the case with these types of topics, it is a matter of subjectivity and personal preference. Beauty is in the ear of the beholder when it comes to pianos!

@jpdj2715 2 жыл бұрын

Growing up in a country next to Germany, there were loads of German uprights around me and a few grands. At home, we had an English upright and that thing had a really pure and sweet sound, with some of the midrange character you look for in a Steinway. It would be tuned twice annually and kept tune well for decades. The teacher who came to our house had two Hamburg Steinway D pianos opposite each other in his home and he had traveled the continent to find these "individuals" that sounded (had been voiced) to his liking. Because of the Americanized name, "Steinway" never felt German to me. As those German uprights around us weren't played well, they hardly got tuned, or got tuned by incompetent tuners. And most of them must have been old, loosing tune quickly. They all sounded a bit like your typical Hollywood and spaghetti Western movie upright. And that installed a big prejudice about Germanic pianos, especially knowing at the time that the likes of Van Beethoven and Chopin would play English and French pianos (too). Good to set the record straight.

@sanyihegedu 5 ай бұрын

Perhaps not in the US market, the French piano manufacturer Pleyel might be worth a future video. "When I feel in good form and strong enough to find my own sound, I need a Pleyel piano”, Chopin liked to repeat.

@MerriamPianos 5 ай бұрын

Hi there! Thanks for the suggestion! We are not Pleyel dealers and their pianos do not tend to come through our inventory on trade. We will do our best to tackle a review video if we ever have one land in our inventory though. :)

@kschuman1152 2 жыл бұрын

I think Steinway has an advantage insofar as it's instruments have been so dominant as far as famous concert pianists use in performance and in recordings. This has led to the Steinway sound becoming closely associated with the 'sound of a piano'... it has defined the way a piano 'should' sound as a kind of 'de facto' result of it's products being so frequently presented as the piano used so frequently throughout the classical music concert scene and recording industry. This induces a certain logic that the further a piano gets from the signature sound of a well made Steinway model D, the further it gets from sounding like a proper piano should! I must admit to having this prejudice, but at least I know to attribute it my listening experience having become habituated to Steinway pianos.

@MerriamPianos 2 жыл бұрын

This a very insightful point! A similar point can be made in regard to pop and rock music in which the Yamaha U3 and Yamaha C series grands have been longstanding "go to" pianos for recording studios. This has led many listeners to associate the sound of a piano with the tonal profile of those particular instruments. Either way, the piano industry is very large and there are a plethora of amazing piano makers out there that are worth exploring when deciding to purchase a piano. The playing experience is highly-emotional and you never know which piano you truly connect with emotionally until you've had a chance to sit down and play it. That is why spending some time to visit showrooms and play a variety of models is always encouraged. :)

@rando17th 2 жыл бұрын

Will Australian pianos on your list?

@Charles-kq3ce Жыл бұрын

Talking about German pianos of which only a handful are really known to most but I think Schiedmayer is completely under rated. If you should come across one, it would be well worth doing a video of a Schiedmayer grand and if possible to discuss the tonal qualities and differences as you have done with other manufacturers . I find it far superior to Schimmel and possibly on par with Bechstein but your opinion of this would be very much appreciated.

@MerriamPianos Жыл бұрын

The Schiedmayer pianos are very excellent instruments. We have had a few come through our showrooms on trade. I believe in the mid 80s, manufacturing was completed by Kawai in Japan. I will add Schiedmayer to our list of potential pianos to cover in upcoming review/comparison videos, but it may be difficult to tackle given that we are no Schiedmayer dealers and they are not a piano we commonly see come through our used inventory. Thanks for tuning in and all the best!

@Charles-kq3ce Жыл бұрын

@@MerriamPianos thanks Stuart that would be fantastic. I am principally referring to Schiedmayer that were built before the eighties. In the early 1900s they they still had a very special character. I am not sure of their production quality post war and I think it is a very different instrument again following the the mid eighties when it went or partly went to Kawai. I suggest the differences are as great as Baldwin i.e. post production line moving away from USA. However whatever you have at your disposal is always very much appreciated as your comparisons are always most informative and the very best available.

@JoeLinux2000 2 жыл бұрын

Regulating a grand's action: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eKuZmrtqp6vTcZs.html I think he may be using Protek CPL lubricant on some sluggish balance rail bushings. If you take your grand's action out, be extremely careful not to push down on any keys when you are sliding it out or in, because you can easily snap the hammer ends off. It's happened to the best of technicians. Protek CPL is an amazing lubricant for felt bushings and other moving parts of a piano, but never used it on the tuning pins. Protek is not greasy or oily and is very thin. Whatever it is, it works like magic on "sticktion."

@arteguey Жыл бұрын

The real quality of a piano is by far much more appreciated under classical music, not under jazz

@MerriamPianos Жыл бұрын

That is a highly-subjective matter. Every player finds beauty in different styles and genres of music.

@arteguey Жыл бұрын

@@MerriamPianos If so, please don't play only one of different styles and genres of music. Should try others... And I suggest Classic...

@arteguey Жыл бұрын

@@MerriamPianos Or is this program restricted to only Jazz music lovers?

@gaeleus 6 ай бұрын

Interesting concept .. what makes a German piano a German piano. Reminds me of the Swiss watch industry …. It is a nebulous concept in this day and age

@MerriamPianos 6 ай бұрын

For sure! It is an interesting topic to explore. Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts! :)

@kenb3552 2 жыл бұрын

I own a Schimmel upright that I love - and it get lots of compliments. BTW - Germany is in Central Europe - not Western Europe.

@gaeleus 6 ай бұрын

A German or Austrian piano is a work of art . Unfortunately, cost prohibitive for most of us . Therefore , we would have to settle for a close second Japanese piano

@MerriamPianos 6 ай бұрын

European made instruments often come at a premium, but, thanks to some compelling offerings like the Eduard Seiler ED series pianos, "German" tone has become a bit more accessible via Asian-produced replicas. :)

@jpdurr Ай бұрын

was this video shot at home?

@MerriamPianos Ай бұрын

Yup! It was shot at Stu's home. :)

@johnbrereton5229 Жыл бұрын

Steinway are an American company founded in New York in 1853.

@MerriamPianos Жыл бұрын

Steinway are a German-American company. In addition to their New York made Steinways, there is also a German Steinway factory located in Hamburg.

@johnbrereton5229 Жыл бұрын

@@MerriamPianos Steinway are an American company they were founded in New York in 1853. In 1875 they open a London branch and their German subsidiary didn't open until 1904. The reason Steinways became so famous was because the USA was a melting pot of new ideas and Steinways genius was in adopting many of these new ideas in one piano. Its very doubtful he could have been aware of these new ideas in Germany, or been able to developed them in a country where revolution and the Hungry Forties were raging.

@GodBimmer Жыл бұрын

@@johnbrereton5229 American claimed again, American developed by german people.

@elmarhinze7899 Жыл бұрын

@@johnbrereton5229Lesen Sie ruhig mal die Firmengeschichte Steinways. Ich wüsste nicht , dass die Familie Steinweg , aus Amerika kam. Auch weiss ich nicht was eine Hungersnot mit dem Klavierbau zu tun hat.

@subbbass 6 ай бұрын

the difference between german and american systems is inch vs cm accuracy ;-)

@MerriamPianos 6 ай бұрын

For sure! That is certainly a striking difference in convention. :)

@sli6541 2 жыл бұрын

August Förster !

@cioccolateriaveneziana 5 ай бұрын

Definitely!

@barkofink 2 жыл бұрын

C.Bechtein upright is the best of the best for me (as a jazzman), steinway overrated and too expensive for what you get, as upright i mean. German are the best for (modern)Jazz to tbh.

@quickref 6 ай бұрын

Whatever Piano you buy, you need to find the right local dealer/tuner. Without him even the best Instrument will sound horrible, since he is the one to do the finetuning after shipment.

@MerriamPianos 6 ай бұрын

That is a very good point. A skilled technician that can help bring a piano to its musical apex is one of the ways to extract the most value and musicality out of your instrument. :)

@aurelbetz2172 2 жыл бұрын

Did you forget Steingraeber?

@studentjohn35 2 жыл бұрын

Merriam doesn't carry their line, so it is overlooked.

@cioccolateriaveneziana 5 ай бұрын

Isn't the brand a bit overrated?

@robflores5172 2 жыл бұрын

How much was your personal piano you have at home?

@mrk131324 Жыл бұрын

I wonder. Does he even know that Steinway is a German company and nobody outside of the US would ever buy a US build Steinway piano? And let me guess, he retails Beckstein und Schimmer and has never played a Grotian, a Blüthner or an August Förster (properly the darkest grands on the market). I know that is mean, but some video simply do not appear to very well researched.

@MerriamPianos Жыл бұрын

Brent from Merriam Music here! As you can see from the title of this video, it is acknowledged that Steinway is a German company and that German-built Steinway pianos are widely-considered to be of a higher-tier than their US-built counterparts, which are also excellent instruments in their own regard. Also, it should be noted that prior to making the change to a hybrid piano for more volume flexibility, Stu played a Grotrian Compose Exclusif. So, from that perspective, you can be that he is extremely well-versed in the world of all German-made piano lines.

@mauriceschmidt2550 2 жыл бұрын

Some of what he suggests is so untrue it should be reported as false advertising.

@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 2 жыл бұрын

What is untrue on what he said?🎹🎶

@cioccolateriaveneziana 5 ай бұрын

Yeah, I'd like to know too. @@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12

@cioccolateriaveneziana 5 ай бұрын

It's quite cheap to suggest something vague and then not say anything specific.

@mauriceschmidt2550 2 жыл бұрын

He sells C Bechstein that is clear.He uses these other German companies negatively to suit his marketing.Please remember the C Bechstein Academy models use an action made by Czeck Republic, China, other companies to simulate a Renner action.The close ties of CBECHSTEIN to Hailun pianos in China are well known.The Schimmel Konzert models use a full Renner action.They have a clarity that is typical of Germany.Both the Classic and the higher end Konzert models of Schimmel are totally made in Germany.The Fridolen models are designed by Schimmel and made I China.He will constantly show off the Fridolen to "prove his point" He is a dealer of course he will promote his products.

@jayl9127 2 жыл бұрын

I tried out most of the C Bechstein pianos, they are well made but I much prefer the new Yamaha CFX or Hamburg Steinway, German made Grotrian is still fantastic. 👍

@kristinaskeys Жыл бұрын

With Steinway's acquisition of Renner, it is good business sense for C.Bechstein to manufacture their own actions and they do a superb job. Merriam does an excellent job of explaining the German piano industry here, and is certainly complementary to Schimmel's bridge design and innovation. He has put the work into the video and should promote his products, while providing fair and balanced information for the wiser market as a resource. He does a good job.

@cioccolateriaveneziana 5 ай бұрын

I still consider Bechstein one of the 2-3 best companies. (What are YOUR ties with Schimmel, hm? ;-)

@sanchopansa1950 Жыл бұрын

You sound very appreciative of German pianos. I like to hear that. But I remain a little wary, because I don't think your claims are unbiased.

@MerriamPianos Жыл бұрын

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! There are many incredible German pianos and we are fortunate to be able to carry some of those lines including Bechstein, Schimmel, and Seiler. :) Every player will have their own tonal preferences, so it is impossible to be totally objective when speaking about pianos (especially because playing piano is such a personal and emotional experience).

@michaelblaney4461 2 жыл бұрын

Ah, the problems of the rich.

@cor3944 2 жыл бұрын

The thrive for perfection is not linked to rich people but to good craftmanship, and therefore excellent work should be valorated.

@cioccolateriaveneziana 5 ай бұрын

Sorry that if one buys a piano (for oneself, and one's children, and their children...) one would like to buy something worthwhile. If it was cheap and easy to replace a piano for another one, just like people do with t-shirts, these videos wouldn't be so needed.

@murraym8826 Жыл бұрын

Still owned by the same (German) family, had own patented action, aliquot stringing - You MAJORLY screwed up by forgetting Bluthner pianos. For lack of knowledge, you lost my respect to the point that I can no longer watch your videos. No subscription either. Suggestion - do your homework before putting out a video!

@MerriamPianos Жыл бұрын

Hi Murray! Brent from Merriam Music here! Bluthner unquestionably has their seat at the table of the finest German piano manufacturers of all-time. We do our best to tackle as many brands and models in our various video series, but, as you can imagine, it is difficult to cover every single corner of the German piano industry in a 20 minute video. With that said, we appreciate the feedback and always strive to be as comprehensive as possible. Thanks again and all the best!

@murraym8826 Жыл бұрын

@@MerriamPianos I guess it is a matter of degree. While Bluthners are quite rare in our country, a video by a piano store on German pianos overlooking it in favour of lesser known examples (Schimmels) is like a music educator introducing the three B's of music as Bach, Beethoven, and Berlioz!

@cioccolateriaveneziana 5 ай бұрын

That's a little harsh, isn't it? You like comparizons so it's a bit like going to a library, not finding one book that YOU consider of vital importance and then tearing up the library card.