# Best upright piano 6000- 8500 USD..?



## OleJoergensen (Dec 12, 2018)

hello Forum.

Anyone who can give advice concerning a good New uprigth piano, good sound and capeable of being used many hours each day. Price range 6000-85000 USD...?

Ole.

Edit December 2020: Piano bought .


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## BubbaMc (Dec 13, 2018)

Yamaha U3, (or YUS5 if you can stretch your budget, maybe negotiate on an ex demo).


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## OleJoergensen (Dec 13, 2018)

Thank you BubbaMc.
I search for it on youtube. On this video it sounds quite good!


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## CGR (Dec 13, 2018)

It's hard to go past a Yamaha U3 for a new Japanese piano in that price bracket (although probably at the upper end of your budget). Also, I wouldn't dismiss a fully restored German or American upright from the 1920-1930s. These were some of the finest upright pianos ever made (considered to be the 'Golden Era' of piano manufacturing). It would need to be from a reputable restorer/workshop. Brands to look for are Bechstein (Berlin Germany) Richard Lipp (Stuttgart Germany), Mason & Hamlin (USA), Baldwin (USA), Ronisch (German).

I sold my 4 year old Yamaha U3 in 1990 and bought a large 1928 Richard Lipp & Sohns upright piano from a piano tuner. Never regretted it. The Lipp is an incredible piano (still has the original Ebony & Ivory keys in perfect condition) with a depth of tone I could never achieve with my Yamaha U3 (even after tuning & extensive voicing).


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## N.Caffrey (Dec 13, 2018)

I'm on the hunt for an upright piano as well (although with a more limited budget). I remembered about C. Henson's Schimmel so I went to watch some videos. Man, no comparison with what I heard so far, they are absolutely incredible!


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## OleJoergensen (Dec 13, 2018)

CGR said:


> It's hard to go past a Yamaha U3 for a new Japanese piano in that price bracket (although probably at the upper end of your budget). Also, I wouldn't dismiss a fully restored German or American upright from the 1920-1930s. These were some of the finest upright pianos ever made (considered to be the 'Golden Era' of piano manufacturing). It would need to be from a reputable restorer/workshop. Brands to look for are Bechstein (Berlin Germany) Richard Lipp (Stuttgart Germany), Mason & Hamlin (USA), Baldwin (USA), Ronisch (German).
> 
> I sold my 4 year old Yamaha U3 in 1990 and bought a large 1928 Richard Lipp & Sohns upright piano from a piano tuner. Never regretted it. The Lipp is an incredible piano (still has the original Ebony & Ivory keys in perfect condition) with a depth of tone I could never achieve with my Yamaha U3 (even after tuning & extensive voicing).


Thank you for the detailed post, I will remember that.


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## OleJoergensen (Dec 13, 2018)

N.Caffrey said:


> I'm on the hunt for an upright piano as well (although with a more limited budget). I remembered about C. Henson's Schimmel so I went to watch some videos. Man, no comparison with what I heard so far, they are absolutely incredible!


Do you lnow what model it is?


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## OleJoergensen (Dec 13, 2018)

There is also Feurich 122, it sounds also good, better then Yamaha U3 ....I think, but it is also more expensive.


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## N.Caffrey (Dec 13, 2018)

OleJoergensen said:


> Do you lnow what model it is?


C130


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## OleJoergensen (Dec 13, 2018)

N.Caffrey said:


> C130


Thank you .


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## Gerbil (Dec 13, 2018)

I'd advocate you go to a showroom and play a few.


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## ag75 (Dec 13, 2018)

I also think what type of music you will be playing will factor in greatly. If you lean more towards pop you are gonna want a Yamaha.


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## OleJoergensen (Dec 13, 2018)

It is actually for teaching purpose. So both pop, classical, film music etc. + it has to be an instrument there can handle many hours of playing each day.
Of course I must try out the different brands. If a didn’t have a limited budget it would be easy (and a concert hall) .
For privat use, Im happy with a powerful computer, midi controller, Embertone Steinway and a good reverb .

Im quite suprise to discover Bechstein top end upright piano cost 40.000 USD (at least in Denmark).


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## chimuelo (Dec 20, 2018)

No better place than Craigslist for that.
There’s 9 excellent ones this week there.
I’ve already got one from last year.
Spent about 1200 bucks restoring it, 500 buying it.

I don’t care much for the feel or sound of new Pianos.
Or the price even though craftsmen deserve money.
I have my restorer go with me.
Also got an ancient 48 track recording console for 40 bucks.
Matching tape decks, Otari and Teac were 650.

CList is a onestop shop.
Check it out first.


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## OleJoergensen (Dec 20, 2018)

Thank you Chimuelo.


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## chimuelo (Dec 20, 2018)

Here’s a nice one my bro is picking up today it seems.
But no mention on how it sounds.
This guy is into aesthetics first, but what a beauty this is.


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## OleJoergensen (Dec 20, 2018)

It is beautiful. There must be a lot of sound, it is huge.


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## OleJoergensen (Mar 16, 2019)

I had the pleassure to visit 3 pianoshops and try many wonderful piano and grand piano. I din’t know there were so many wonderful brands.
Particular Wilhelm Steinberg. I tried a grand B model (212 cm). It has such a wonderful and musical tone and timbre, also a beautiful instrument. I tried a piano W. Steinberg model 125, which also is wonderful. Both comes in 2 version. 1. Build in Asia and adjusted in Leipzig- Germany.
2. 100% build in Leipzig. The German version cost 2 times the price for the piano and 1.5 the price for the grand piano.
I also had the plesseaure to try the top grand piano of Steinway, Bechstein and Fazioli. Oh mine!
Boston, Kawai, Hoffmann, Yamaha.
It was a great day.


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## OleJoergensen (Sep 12, 2019)

Finally the musicschool I teach at, recieved the new pianos 
I made a short video, showing Wilhelm Steinberg upright piano, German model s125.
It has similar mechanical and keyboard as used in Steinway and Fazioli.
It is a quite exspensive piano. In Denmark it cost app. 12500 Euro.
I dont have the best hardware to do recording but I think it can be used.

It is new to me to record "live" audio and film, so any inspiration will be appreciated


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## OleJoergensen (Sep 23, 2019)

A demo of the Chinese/ German model- Wilhelm Steinberg P128.
This model is half the price compared to S128.
It does not have the same advanced mechanical as S128, and it is build in China, imported in Germany and regulated. 
It has a wonderful bass and soft tone.
Here recorded audio and picture with Osmo action cam...


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## chimuelo (Sep 23, 2019)

I bet you can sfz that lovely piece of craftsmenship too.
For an Upright it has less decay than most newer models.
Good for you...


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## sostenuto (Sep 23, 2019)

After decades of top technician tuning + regulating expense for Mason & Hamlin - then - Grotrian Steinweg grands ....... luv all these suggestions, but future is only: top VSTi, top Kybd, darn'd good audio amp /spkr system. Can do helluva setup for $7K- $8K ! 

Sorry .... couldn't hold back.  _ No more worries now 'bout those storms rollin' thru and tuning own the drain. _


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## OleJoergensen (Sep 23, 2019)

Thank you Chimuelo.
Yes, the piano can also play loud.

It is true, you can get a good vst + hardware that sounds great too. But the playing experience, playing on a physical instrument is quite different, for me more pleasing.


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## CGR (Sep 23, 2019)

OleJoergensen said:


> Finally the musicschool I teach at, recieved the new pianos
> I made a short video, showing Wilhelm Steinberg upright piano, German model s125.
> It has similar mechanical and keyboard as used in Steinway and Fazioli.
> It is a quite exspensive piano. In Denmark it cost app. 12500 Euro.
> ...



Thanks for posting this. Probably a combination of the acoustically reflective room and a new piano but some acoustic treatment and hammer voicing would really help take the edge off the harsh tone and warm it up. Lovely playing - very lyrical phrasing.


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## CGR (Sep 23, 2019)

OleJoergensen said:


> A demo of the Chinese/ German model- Wilhelm Steinberg P128.
> It has a wonderful bass and soft tone.
> Here recorded audio and picture with Osmo action cam...



Really like the full warm tone here. Impressive bass. I'd be interested to hear the piano again once it's played in and 'opened up' a bit.


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## OleJoergensen (Sep 24, 2019)

CGR said:


> Thanks for posting this. Probably a combination of the acoustically reflective room and a new piano but some acoustic treatment and hammer voicing would really help take the edge off the harsh tone and warm it up. Lovely playing - very lyrical phrasing.


You are right about the room has a hard acoustic. And I probably exagerated the use of E.Q. and a bad choise for reverb. But the room will be acoustic treated within 3-4 weeks, then I will try a new recording. 
I have a set of cheap stereo mics 5-600 USD I will try. But Im not sure where or how to place them...?
Ive seen several youtube videos but no one record from the pianos soundboard (behind the piano).


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## OleJoergensen (Sep 24, 2019)

CGR said:


> Really like the full warm tone here. Impressive bass. I'd be interested to hear the piano again once it's played in and 'opened up' a bit.


Yes, I used the una corda pedal. One day I will try some other recording.
It is quite a learning curve .


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## OleJoergensen (Nov 20, 2019)




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## Auddict (Nov 23, 2019)

I'm a Steinway guy, but if it's uprights we're talking, Bosendorfer hands down, if you can find a good one of those within the price range. I'm in the UK, and seem to remember seeing some new ones at the dealer for just above this, so an almost new could be on the cards?


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## OleJoergensen (Jan 19, 2020)

A little waltz. I think it is a mix with a classical touch...


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## gst98 (Jan 19, 2020)

Has anyone played the new Kawai K series? K-600 and 800? They are hybrids with speakers that play on the acoustic soundboard. You can play the acoustic piano, and have the digtial samples playing along with it, or a rhodes sample etc and its sounds amazing. All the elctronics is hidden too. Then you can disable the hammers and practice with headphones.


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## Mark Schmieder (Jan 22, 2020)

Yes, but not yet side-by-side with Yamaha. I have tried both independently and have been too busy to go to the one store that carries both. So my memories are non-contiguous, but after more rumination once home, I suspected after my Yamaha trials a few months back that I would prefer the Kawai action and sound.

They're both in heavy direct competition, which is great, as both keep improving. I'd take a Boesendorfer Upright if I could, but otherwise, considering the state of affairs for some of the other manufacturers mentioned here (I'm not even sure they are all still making new uprights?), I'd say Yamaha and Kawai are the two games in town, but also you can get good deals on nice older refurbished ones.

I personally have decided to go digital though, in order to get true escapement in the VERY latest models, as traditional uprights don't really have the ability to support that in the way that a grand piano can. Also, acoustic upright pianos are WAY more maintenance overall than grand pianos, so the cost savings may disappear over time. Of course, not everyone has room for a grand.


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## OleJoergensen (Dec 17, 2020)

The German model S128 Wilhelm Steinberg with felt pedal on.
Recorded with Iphone and external mic Shure MV 88 and in a bigger room then Oscar Peterson Love Ballade.


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## CGR (Dec 17, 2020)

OleJoergensen said:


> The German model S128 Wilhelm Steinberg with felt pedal on.
> Recorded with Iphone and external mic Shure MV 88 and in a bigger room then Oscar Peterson Love Ballade.



Nice playing - that's a very warm tone - the tenor area sounds particularly good. Lovely piano. It would be interesting to remove the front panel and put up some close mics in an XY setup in addition to the room mics, and experiment with a mix of both.


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## OleJoergensen (Dec 17, 2020)

CGR said:


> Nice playing - that's a very warm tone - the tenor area sounds particularly good. Lovely piano. It would be interesting to remove the front panel and put up some close mics in an XY setup in addition to the room mics, and experiment with a mix of both.


Thank you.
How close will you place the mics to the strings?


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## CGR (Dec 17, 2020)

OleJoergensen said:


> Thank you.
> How close will you place the mics to the strings?


I've found a pair of small diaphragm condenser mics in an XY setup around 10-12" from the strings in a central position works well. Something like the Rode NT5 (or Neumann KM184s if you have 4 times the budget!) work well at capturing the transients and clarity of the note attacks. The room mics can be mixed in to give it some more dimension/depth if required.


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## CGR (Dec 17, 2020)

Rode make a dedicated XY stereo mic called the NT4. I've owned one for a few years and have used it on acoustic piano and guitar, and have worked in a few studios which have them in their mic cupboard as a high quality, low noise and reliable 'workhorse' mic for various applications (the performance to price ratio is excellent, and it's built like a tank).


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## OleJoergensen (Dec 17, 2020)

CGR said:


> I've found an pair of small diaphragm condenser mics in an XY setup around 10-12" from the strings in a central position works well. Something like the Rode NT5 (or Neumann KM184s if you have 4 times the budget!) work well at capturing the transients and clarity of the note attacks. The room mics can be mixed in to give it some more dimension/depth if required.


Thank you for help and inspiration, I will try it out.


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## Anders Wall (Dec 18, 2020)

OleJoergensen said:


> There is also Feurich 122, it sounds also good, better then Yamaha U3 ....I think, but it is also more expensive.



Yeah, I got one of those Feurich. Was put off with all the plastic in the U3. Got mine for roughly 6k including the MIDI thing. Came from a showroom hence the price.

Have it at home, can’t really say how it records but it’s a great sounding upright. I don’t have the expertise to say that it’s better not worse than a U3. Similar sounding (ie big focused bass, controlled mids and sparking/biting highs) when I compared the Feurich suited my style more than the Yamaha. I’m saying that I’ve played U3’s that felt and sounded amazing. But those where older ones. You should be able to find a used for less than 6k.

Best,
/Anders


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## AudioLoco (Dec 18, 2020)

Schimmel.
Eats alive any Yamaha upright, unless you really like bright.


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## OleJoergensen (Dec 18, 2020)

Anders Wall said:


> Yeah, I got one of those Feurich. Was put off with all the plastic in the U3. Got mine for roughly 6k including the MIDI thing. Came from a showroom hence the price.
> 
> Have it at home, can’t really say how it records but it’s a great sounding upright. I don’t have the expertise to say that it’s better not worse than a U3. Similar sounding (ie big focused bass, controlled mids and sparking/biting highs) when I compared the Feurich suited my style more than the Yamaha. I’m saying that I’ve played U3’s that felt and sounded amazing. But those where older ones. You should be able to find a used for less than 6k.
> 
> ...


Hello Anders.

It would be great with a short video, if you have time for that...
The music school I work at bought the Wilhelm Steinberg pianos and I love them


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## Michael Carnes (Dec 18, 2020)

This is a long shot, but it might be worth talking to universities and music schools near you. There are many schools who've had to move to online instrument instruction, and that's going to be with us for many more months. Neither teachers nor students like it, but that's the way it is. What this means is that each school has many rehearsal rooms that are completely unused. If you can figure out who to speak with, they might consider selling off a piano. Good luck. That Steinberg does sound nice though...


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## Anders Wall (Dec 18, 2020)

OleJoergensen said:


> Hello Anders.
> 
> It would be great with a short video, if you have time for that...
> The music school I work at bought the Wilhelm Steinberg pianos and I love them


Sure, I don't really have recording gear (part from the iPhone) at home.
A disclaimer, I'm a lousy pianist, digital editing has made my "career" 
I went for the feeling and sound. And liked this more than the Yamaha.
Should probably be able to do something after Christmas.
Working on the last episode of a show and there's 24min of music to compose and record before Christmas. :O

Cheers,
Anders


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## OleJoergensen (Dec 18, 2020)

Anders Wall said:


> Sure, I don't really have recording gear (part from the iPhone) at home.
> A disclaimer, I'm a lousy pianist, digital editing has made my "career"
> I went for the feeling and sound. And liked this more than the Yamaha.
> Should probably be able to do something after Christmas.
> ...


Wov, you are busy! I will look in the new year


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## OleJoergensen (Jan 12, 2022)

I bought a pair of Audix 25 and recorded the Wilhelm Steinberg. 
The mics are placed in ortf, behind the soundboard. Ive forgot the distance but something like 1,5 meter from the piano 1,5 meter up.
Added a little E.Q and reverb. Will experiment much more….


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## Dirtgrain (Jan 12, 2022)

Anybody know how Boston pianos compare?


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## CGR (Jan 12, 2022)

OleJoergensen said:


> I bought a pair of Audix 25 and recorded the Wilhelm Steinberg.
> The mics are placed in ortf, behind the soundboard. Ive forgot the distance but something like 1,5 meter from the piano 1,5 meter up.
> Added a little E.Q and reverb. Will experiment much more….



Just listening on Mac laptop speakers, but I'm liking the sound you've captured. Nice clean hammer attacks with good definition. 

Would be worth bringing the mics closer to the soundboard (say 12-18") to reduce the room reflections and capture the piano with minimal early reflections for more flexibility when adding reverb afterwards.


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## OleJoergensen (Jan 13, 2022)

CGR said:


> Just listening on Mac laptop speakers, but I'm liking the sound you've captured. Nice clean hammer attacks with good definition.
> 
> Would be worth bringing the mics closer to the soundboard (say 12-18") to reduce the room reflections and capture the piano with minimal early reflections for more flexibility when adding reverb afterwards.


Thank you.

Ive tried place the mics 0,5 meter from the soundboard but didn’t like the sound.
I will try as you suggest, I think 12” is 0,3 meter, so its closer then what I tried.


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## CGR (Jan 13, 2022)

OleJoergensen said:


> Thank you.
> 
> Ive tried place the mics 0,5 meter from the soundboard but didn’t like the sound.
> I will try as you suggest, I think 12” is 0,3 meter, so its closer then what I tried.


I think to a certain degree, trial & error is a valid way forward given the multiple factors at play when micing a piano.


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