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What are the basic styles of piano?
There are two basic styles. Grand pianos are horizontal, meaning the strings are laid out parallel to the ground, using gravity to pull the hammers back down to the resting point. Upright or vertical pianos are built so that the strings are stretched out vertical to the ground.
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| Grand Piano | | Upright Piano |
What are the different piano sizes?
Grand pianos range in size from 4'7" to 9'6 " in length. The small size is called a baby grand (4'7" to 5'5"), the largest size is called a concert grand.
Upright pianos are categorized by height. (They all take up about the same floor space.)
- The smallest vertical piano is a spinet, which is 36-39" high. Spinet pianos are no longer in production due to the repair restraints when working on the action, which is essentially "dropped" into the piano behind the keys
- Console pianos are 39-42". These are the most common decorative home pianos.
- Studio pianos are 42" or higher. Often call the "institutional" piano, studios are higher and less decorative than consoles - generally found in schools and churches because of the longer string length, giving a more "grand piano" sound.
How many different brands of pianos are there?
There are more than 50 brands of pianos in production today, even more when looking at used pianos. Not only brand, but where and how a piano is made will tell you a great deal about the quality of the instrument.
Acoustic pianos are split into 2 basic groups: factory made & hand crafted. Hand crafted manufacturers include Schimmel, Vogel, Mason & Hamlin, Steinway, and Baldwin grand pianos. The majority of these companies originate and produce pianos in Europe. Factory made pianos include Kawai & Yamaha (the 2 top-of-the-line manufacturers, differing mainly in touch and tone as a result of the materials used in the action parts), Kohler & Campbell, Hazelton, Story & Clark, Samick, among others.
If I buy a new piano, what should I keep in mind?
Be sure to ask us about:
- The warranty. It should be for at least 10 years on a new piano. A common warranty does not cover tuning.
- Delivery price.
- Bench. We include a matching bench with all of the pianos we sell.
- We have both repair and maintenance technicians and facilities on hand, so you don't have to go looking by yourself.
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