Advice - Piano Models to Purchase

cwc

New Member
Hi,
Would like to get an Exam Model Piano for my girl going for her Grade 1 Exams next year. Was told Yamaha is good enough for a beginner.

Any advice from experienced mothers on the models and price range? Actually, do not mind 2nd hand, but how do I check that it's in good condition?

Thanks
 


Hi

I just went through a piano hunt 3 mths back and I settled on a used Kawai imported from Japan. Personally I like the sound of Kawai pianos better cos I find the tone "warmer" whereas the Yahama ones are very "bright" (meaning sharper/glassy). U hv to try the piano yourself to see what type of sound u prefer.

I settled for a 2nd hand in the end cos I was buying it for my son who has just begun to learn (he's going to be 5 in Nov) and I am not very sure how long he can sustain. My kawai looks very new and the sounds are great. I bought it at a used piano dealer that offer a buy-back scheme (meaning they wld buy back ur piano at a certain % of the price they sold u within a no. of years with no qn asked).

I read up this thread that talks about Singapoeans buying the 1st piano for beginners, u may wanna take a look at it but it's a long thread with 60+ pages:

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/1/15626/63.html

Hope that helps and happy piano shopping!
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Hi 3bagsfull,
May I know where do you get the 2nd hand piano? Would you be able to share more on the model & cost etc that you bought on this kawai paino? It's not easy to choose the 'right' one unless you have someone to help you.
 
Got a 2nd hand Kawai in about 4 months back, from Century Piano @ Leisure Park. Cost me about S$4.5K.
The shop was recommended by my friend. Personally do not play any instrument, so just got my son to "choose" himself. He "decided" on the mini-grand which is way out of budget, so he picked his 2nd favourite, the one which I bought.
Till now, he's been enjoying playing it everyday, holding "mini-concert".
 
I bought from Asia Piano, u can look for Wee. He's very knowledgable and he's a piano technician himself.

I got my used Kawai BS-10, a 19yr old 121cm model, for 3.5K.

It looks very new on the outside. I dun really play piano (learned for a short while) so I got the lady there to try a few pianos for me and I choose the one that I like its sound most.

U can get a fren to tag along if u hv fren who plays piano.
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Hi SAHM, you can consider kawai or yamaha. If you are in no hurry, then can look around for a 2nd hand one. I just got a new yamaha U1 at $8600. There is another made in japan model YM5 at $6000+, that you can check out.
 
Hi wanwan, your boys learning piano? yah, it's a little like buying 2nd hand car, or more difficult! at least with a car, you can tell from the mileage. The piano technician I trust didn't know of any of his clients selling so just get a new one. My thinking is if it's tuned by him on a regular basis, he will know that it's well maintained and good condition.
 
<font color="aa00aa">hey mummies
i;ve a piano to let go interested pls pm or sms mi for faster responde 98533307</font>
 
Hi Jan,
Yeah my elder son has learnt piano for coming to 9mths. Thought of buying a brand new one for him but a good one like yours Yamaha costs so much! Are they having sales now? I'm waiting for piano sales hee hee...
 
Hi 3bagsfull,
Thks! A friend of mine also recom Asia Piano. I think I will go down &amp; take a look.

Hi Happy,
May I know how old is your 2nd hand piano?

Mummies,
Could you share where is your child learning piano now. In music sch or private tuition? Any recom at north area?

Thanks!

Jan,
What about your son?
 
Wan Wan,
the piano is abt 11 yrs old, but in very good condition.

initially wanted a brand new one as had the impression that 2nd hand ones are old. was wronged :)

my boy is having class at a music school in jurong west.
 
Hi wanwan, yep yamaha sales is now on. Go check it out and be tempted! heheehe... Instead of lump $$um, use citibank card for 24 months interest-free instalment. Works out $300+ pm, not so pain. There's resale value for the U1 so the sum comes up to almost there vs used piano of about half price with xx yrs use. If can trust source of 2nd hand or lucky enough, there are of course good buys for used pianos. My first intention was 2nd hand too.
 
Hi wanwan, both kids in yamaha jmc for more than a year. The first teacher was soso but after changing branch and teacher this year, much better. What motivated me to buy the piano is my ds enjoys playing the keyboard daily. Hope to encourage him and meimei too.
 
Hi Jan,
After checking so many 2nd hand pianos, my HB &amp; I also think we shd get a brand new one as there is resale value. But $8k++ is really heartache...my budget is only $5k...yesterday I saw one at one music sch selling $2.6k for a 2nd hand Yamaha non-exam model but the teacher there claimed that it can be used until grade 8, one 2nd hand Kawai is selling at $4.5k...like you say it's like buying 2nd hand car, you are not sure what is the condition of the car...unless you have an expert to check it for you.

Is your son grade 1 already? My son has learnt for abt 9 mths but not sure how much more does he need to progress to move on to grade 1. The teacher never say much...thot of switching to another sch where they encourage parents to sit in &amp; listen. My son practise his keyboard everyday but I can't tell if he is playing correctly.
 
Hi 3bagsfull,
Tks. I've read the thread &amp; jazzypiano i think she's your son's teacher has given me a lot of useful info when I checked with her. So how is your son's progress so far? Do you sit in with him when he learns during the lesson?
 
Hi Happy,
If your piano is in good condition, I think it's a gd bargain cos it's 4.5k for a 11-yrs old kawai it's relatively new yeah. Sigh. Looks like I have to scout more before deciding again. Think will try to make a trip to century park @ leisure park to check it out.
 
Wan Wan,
buying something at 4~5K definitely need more consideration now, esp given current economy, unless you've got lots of spare cash.

Happy shopping ...
 
Hi Happy,
You are definitely right. How is your son progressing in his piano lessons? Are the lessons good? How old is he?
 
Hi Wan,

My boy is 5+ and had learnt piano for around 1.5 years. The teacher just told me that she'll be preparing him for G1 exam in Jun/Jul'09.

The current teacher is better, more feedbacks on his progress.

Other than piano, is your son learning any other instrument? Mine taking violin lesson as well. He wanted drum, told him "out of qusetion" as can't stand the "noise".
 
Hi Wan Wan

Yes pianojazzy is my son's teacher. Very happy with the way she teaches him. She's very patient and a nice lady
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I actually sat in with him during all his lessons cos I myself dun really play piano tho I've learned it for a short while. I wanna be there so that I know what songs she teaches him and what are some of the things that I shld take note when playing the pieces, eg. finger movement, how to read the scores etc. And then when I am home and practice with him, I can "rectify" his mistakes if he plays wrongly.

So far, it works well. Actually everyday I wld sit down with him for practice for like 15-30 mins. When he first started learning, he cld only sit for 15 mins or so but slowly he can sit longer and longer and now he wld have abt 7-8 new pieces every week for practice which wld take abt 20-30 mins to practice depending on the difficulties.

I think parent support is very important. Not only the kid has to spend time practising, we as parents also have to be there, sit in with them, so that they knows that they are not dumped there to do something that they dun really wanna do.

Actually I think every night when he's practising, it's like a mini concert time. My hubby and my girl wld also be in the same room, sing and dance there. And apparently he enjoys the fact that he can play some songs that the baby sister enjoys and dances to.
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Hi all,

3bagsfull:-----
thanks for the website, sure has many pages, still browsing it
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Wow, I didn't know that a 19-year old piano can still cost $3.5K ....

Jan:-----
Thanks for the info. Will check out Yamaha sales, but seriously, it's kinda out of my budget. But with my girl taking her G1 in Mar'09, may not have the luxury to wait too long as need to start letting her practise on REAL hard piano keys instead of keyboard. Will see how......

WanWan:-----
Have yet to hunt for any piano yet...was hoping to find out more thru' others before heading down to shop.
Personally I prefer a brand new one but cost is the issue. But it's not easy to search for a good 2nd hand esp. when I have no music background....sigh. But I will probably head down to Asia Piano, PianoMan? (Bukit Timah Plaza), IMM in the next 1-2 weeks to look-see look-see.

Probably we can update each other again
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Hi mummies

If you're looking for a secondhand piano then you should find a reputable piano showroom. Rather not go to a specialised Yamaha or Kawai showroom whereby they'd be selling only their own brands and one or two others that they are sole-carrier for. Unless you've made up your mind to go for a specific brand, of course. Even then they tend to mark up the price a bit more than other 2ndhand showrooms.

I went to a 2ndhand showroom near Paya Lebar mrt with my friend a couple of months back. She wanted my opinion (I'm a Masters grad in music). I can't remember the name of the shop but it's located at the stretch of shops that are just next to the roadworks. It's on the 2nd floor. The guy there's very experienced and he has a good selection to suit all budgets. He has the China make pianos, Korean, German, Jap etc.
A piano's age doesn't necessarily mean it'll be cheaper as it really boils down to the materials used and the technical work that has been done, and of course branding.
And it is important to be playing on a piano rather than keyboard once things have stabilised - as in interest has set in and you're pretty sure he/she will continue for some time. More so if starting graded exams as piano and keyboard is very, very different.
Do feel free to PM me or leave messages here on this thread if there are any further questions you need answered. I'd be happy to help as much as poss cos buying a piano is a serious investment. Hope I won't loose this thread... haha!
 
Hi Mummies!
i'm glad there are many comments posted by mummies in this thread.

Hi Happy,
I've 2 boys and my elder son is 6 YO. My elder son has only started learning piano for barely 9 mths so i dun think we will start him on other musical instruments esp when he is starting P1 next yr. But my younger son (5 YO) wants to learn violin. i realised he is an auditory person so my friend who plays piano advised me to let him learn violin. Said both can play together like having a concert...

3bagsfull,
Good for you having free concert everyday! Agree with you that children do well when there is sufficient parental guidance. My son practise his songs with his keyboard everyday and we enjoy it when he plays the songs. Yeah, i like pianojazzy's method of teaching as described by her but I can't find time &amp; car to travel to the east. I like teachers who allow parents to sit in with the child when the child is learning. Sometimes I 'corrected' my son but I'm not sure if I'm right too cos I don't have music background.
 
SAHM,
I share the same views as you. Definitely a brand new piano is ideal but cost is my issue too. Yeah, I'm getting busy with my son's P1 preparation, orientation and now the piano...btw, how old is your son?

sure! will update you once I start to scout again.
 
Hi jce,
You mentioned that "a piano's age doesn't necessarily maen it'll be cheaper...". If a piano is relatively new like <10 yrs, how much would it costs on an average? If my budget does not permit, i may resort in getting a 2nd hand piano.

Perhaps you could share on some tips on what to look out when selecting a 2nd hand piano like what would be the best or good materials used in a good piano. What technical work should one look out for. And based on your experience as a music graduate, could you recommend which brand is good and reasonably priced.

Thanks!
 
Hi mummies

Let's see, where do I begin...Well, to put it in short, the few most important thing to bear in mind are the STRINGS, HAMMERS, SOUNDBOARD. Strings and hammers (and felt) must be in good condition, so any damages ought to have been repaired. Soundboard must be in good condition and preferably original, as this would have meant it has stood the test of time (if talking about 2ndhand). Chips on the exterior of the wood doesn't affect the sound so that's a personal thing. Do bear in mind that if the piano is of smooth surface ie lacquered, then chips and dents can't be repaired.
If you're talking about exam model, then the height of the piano should be at least 121cm.
A piano that's <10 years...would cost at least around 4-5k (if not more) for a good Jap brand (Yamaha, Kawai). It will depend on the model (so mainly the height and how well made the mechanisms) and the condition of the piano.
Pianos generally don't depreciate steeply in price esp if it's of a good make.
As for materials, it's basically the wood that will largely affect the sound. So generally better wood is selected for the more expensive models.
Not all Kawai or Yamaha pianos are made in Japan. Some are fully made there (which means assembled there as well), some are made there but assembled in Indonesia etc, some are made purely in Indo etc. The ones fully made in Jap will command a higher price and it is normally the higher models that are fully made there.
As for a good brand that's reasonably priced...Jap has Kawai and Yamaha which are both very popular. There are Korean brands Samick and Young Chang. China brand there's Pearl River. This is probably the one and only China brand that has stood the test of time as I remember it as my very first piano (that's back in the early 80s). I wouldn't suggest buying the Korean or China brands 1sthand cos the standard is not consistent (or at least that's my experience with them). With 2ndhand that's about 4-5 years, the tone/sound is set so that's what you'll hear for the next 10 years or so.
OK, I think generally that's about it. As I mentioned before just feel free to contact me or leave your messages here. I'll try my very best to answer them. By the way, I'm based in TPY so if anyone here wants to send their children here, by all means, do contact me. Or can try out group classes for young beginners as young kids enjoy one another's company. Many music schools conduct these classes but each have their own teaching method... That's another story...
Trust your ears. Even when one's not musically trained, you'd still know what's a pleasing sound and what's not.
 
Jce, thanks!
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WanWan,
I have 2 kids - P2 son &amp; P1 daughter. Son is a 'electronic geek', only interested in PSP, PS3, computer games etc. Girl started with Yamaha School in ~2006 till end 2007, but I feel that she didn't learn much during those 2 years and almost nil theory lesson.
So we switched to a home-based piano teacher in Feb'08 who taught her from ground 0. NOW I see improvement and greater interest level....will be taking G1 exams in Mar09.

BTW, have fun preparing your son for P1, he should be feeling excited
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Hi wanwan, SAHM,

yah when there's no available used piano from my trusted source, decided on new one. The extra $$ for peace of mind plus it can be offset as resale value - the exterior may look good but a piano has so many intricate interior parts - imagine the screws, strings and even the wood for xx years... Abit of fate too, had a funny experience at a warehouse sale when we nearly bot a 3 years old at $3k - tell you next time when got chance. The interest-free instalment inks the deal for me with yamaha. But I have reputation for impulsive purchases, esp for heavy weight items..oops! A classic example of penny wise, pound foolish aunty...haaha. Let me know if you wuold like my yamaha contact and details of my purchase.
 
Hi SAHM, was your gal with jmc? My kids too for a year. My son enjoys piano very much but getting abit bored as there are limited songs that he has learnt. Would like to sustain his interest but hesitate changing 1-to-1 incase too focused on playing piano and no music appreciation. Do you think it's too much to have 1-to-1 plus jmc? Also company for my younger gal actually, who can't catchup with jmc!
 
Hi SAHM,
Wow! Your gal is good! just learn in Feb 08 and taking G1 exam in Mar09. My boy started sometime in Mar08 and now no news from the teacher &amp; can't assess cos the teacher doesn't say much &amp; we can't sit it with him. Does your tutor go to your house or you visit her house for the 1-1 tutoring? may i know where is the location? Can PM me the details like charging, time &amp; location? Tks!

Jan,
I still think $8K++ is too high a budget for me. yeah I definitely prefer brand new one for my son but...

Since you can't make it for the dinner, we shall meet next time with our kids in Dec?
 
Hi Jce,
You don't accept PM...need to check if you give 1-1 lessons on piano &amp; the charges. Can PM me? Tks
 
I've had a few kids who attend JMC but yet come to me for 1-1 lesson. The main reason for that is JMC concentrates on solfege (do, re, mi etc) whereas you're required to read notes when you go for piano exam. And to learn the classical pieces you have to be able to read notes esp as you progress to higher grades. Traditional teaching methods will start off with notes but not the training of ears (which to be honest, is just as important). Constrain of time is one factor but also, not all traditional teachers will know how to teach ear training, or not knowing where to start.
So yup, not unusual for kids to be attending JMC as well as 1-1 trad teaching. It is a bit of a "kiasu" move. Do I recommend that? Well, depends on the kid. Kids may get rather confused from two schools of teaching. Others on the other hand benefit well from it and will have a lot less difficulties later.
 
I bought a brand new china-made piano for $3,500. The piano is by Wendl &amp; Lung, made/assembed in China. If you check international websites for reviews on Wendl &amp; Lung, it has pretty good reviews for a beginner piano.

I bought it because it is cheaper than a used Japanese piano. So far no regrets cos my son is not keen on his piano lessons. So I've not spent too much on a brand new.
 
Hi wanwan, have fun shopping round. Yep, we stay in touch!

Hi SAHM, thanks for your msg and sharing experience. You enjoy your shopping too!
 
Hi all,
I have bought my piano today. It's a 2nd hand Yamaha U3, approx 28 years old and cost $4.2K Got a piano teacher to test play for us and she likes the tone and recommended us to get it. Accordingly, if maintained properly, a good piano should be able to last for life.

Guess have to just trust and hope that it's a really good buy with no trouble
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Cheers....
For those interested to know where I got it from, it's Zadok Music Shoppe at Shaw Plaza (Balestier area). Owner is Eric and he's a pianist + tuner himself.
 
SAHM

Wah that's fast. U3 is another popular model but personally I prefer Kawai's sound.

Actually I was like u - i went, i saw, i heard it being played once, and then i decided to buy already.
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I was told by my piano tech that a piano can last like 40 to 60 years if we take good care of it, so ours still have a long way to go!

Congrats and have fun with it!
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Hi SAHM, congrats! YOur gal must be very excited. Me mummy was more excited than my kids in buying the piano and waiting for delivery...heheeh.
 
Hi Jan,
You are right. i think i m more excited than my son. I am still looking around...will be visiting some more shops this wkend
 
Ya ya same here. When the piano first arrived, it's me and my girl who were more excited than my boy. Hee hee

But now all my initial interest die down liao lah. ;)
 
Hi,
my piano has been delivered for ~1 week already, so far the 2 kids still ok to practise for ~15 mins twice a day......but can sense the excitement dwindling, even my own.

hopefully the purchase will not go to waste ;)
 
Hi mummies

I'm going to be "test-driving" a Yamaha L101 today for a friend. It's 20 years old, asking price 1k. Will let you all know how that goes. If not up to expectation then will go to a piano warehouse near Paya Lebar mrt on Sat afternoon, probably late afternoon. Anyone still wanting to get a piano? I can "test drive" for you if you want some advice. Can email me at [email protected]
 
<font color="aa00aa">3bagsfull:
thanks for the website.

yes, i browsed all 70 pages. phew! almost died.. hahaha
suffered a massive headache after that because i felt like a mossie in a nudist camp. too many choices already!! whahahha!

anyways, i have learnt a lot from the thread and got to make some friends there who were very nice and helpful.

and i bought a very well maintained starter piano from one of the recommendations. the piano will be delivered this afternoon..

my girl is thrilled!! actually so am i!
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pSi

That's good for you. Ha ha some of the folks there are really helpful and passionate about piano.

So in the end, what model u bot and how much u paid? Where did u get it from?

Now the piano should be at your place already rite? I'm sure everyone is excited.

Enjoy!
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