Designer Pianos

October 21 2020

Comparing 10 Luxury Pianos To Get Most For Your Money

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The adage of you get what you pay for couldn’t be truer than when purchasing a piano. The difference between mass produced, cheap instruments versus artisan hand-made luxury pianos is as distinct as fast food versus gourmet cuisine.

Auction at Sotheby’s, a gilt-bronze and porcelain mounted tulipwood marquetry handmade French piano. (Marshall B. Coyne collection)

Money isn’t usually the biggest issue when buying a designer, luxury piano. The emphasis, depending on the client, is usually on style, décor and function. Because the piano industry has exploded with new technology, materials and fantastic designers, more and more purchasers are looking for high end, designer pianos.

But let’s face it, most people are not averse to saving a little money and still getting a top quality, luxury instrument. Musika, a piano-lessons website, addresses prices but includes non-luxury brands to give an idea of mass-produced piano prices versus luxury designs. There is always the Piano Buyer website to get pricing on dozens and dozens of manufacturers. But we are sellers of luxury designs and want to compare a few of those.

In a crowded market of quality piano makers, it’s hard to know which luxury pianos are giving you the most for your money. We thought it would be useful to compare the more expensive models to some similar models at lower prices, while staying with top brands and luxury instruments.

The old saw that “Steinway is the Best” has all but disappeared as the general public has learned more and more brand awareness in recent decades. (The Hamburg made Steinways are still considered top pianos, but are no longer distributed to the U.S.) Little known European piano builders who have been absolute leaders in quality since the 17th Century have finally moved into the limelight and are getting the recognition they deserve. In return, these manufacturers have taken courageous leaps in design and performance to appease a growing clientele.

Euro Pianos Naples has many blog articles available on each of the best pianos at the “Under the Lid” blog, but we thought it would be interesting to look at luxury pianos with an eye to price.

Modern Luxury Piano Styles

In contemporary homes, modern designs have become very popular in keeping with the sleek lines and clean colors of the 21st Century architecture. Many of today’s new pianos reflect the forward thinking of the modern look with innovative shapes and materials not used in the past.

FUTURISTIC PIANO SHAPES

The Boganyi Grand by Gergely Boganyi

One of the most expensive grand pianos (apart from the famously expensive Fazioli brand) in a modern, dramatic design would be the Boganyi which carries a price tag of over $225,000. This is no ordinary grand piano. Designed by a Hungarian concert pianist, his Boganyi boasts new performance technology and high-quality materials with carbon fiber automotive elements. There are only three Boganyis that exist to date, and one of them resides at the Aria Hotel in Budapest. This piano is a rare and costly treasure reserved for clients seeking the best.

But there are less expensive luxury pianos which have unique futuristic lines and design. For modernists seeking a bespoke piano with an extraordinary shape, the famous German piano builder, Bluthner, has many options.

The PH Grand by Bluthner

At about $170,000, Bluthner offers an iconic grand piano designed by Danish designer Paul Henningsen. This exquisite piano was actually created in 1931 and was the first model to depart from the traditional piano shape and carries the renowned Bluthner performance quality in a unique designer case.

Bluthner PH grand piano

ACRYLIC LUXURY PIANO DRAMA

As the crystalline quality of acrylic materials improved over the years, furniture makers developed modern pieces using Lucite and Plexiglas to make beautiful home furnishings—everything from tables and chairs to bedroom headboards and lamps. As quality acrylic that would never yellow was produced, a few forward-thinking piano makers decided to incorporate it into piano designs for the modern minded customers. It turned out to be a successful venture and luxury acrylic pianos are now in demand. Bluthner leads the industry with the most extensive array of acrylic models.

The Lucid Grand by Bluthner

The fully transparent Lucid Grand is an extraordinary focus piece in any room.

Bluthner Lucid iDyllic Excellence Rose Gold

There are several gorgeous Bluthner models to choose from ranging from $150,000 to over $300,000. And most can be customized with colors, LED lights, and a whole range of graphics, bells and whistles.

Euro Pianos Naples was approached time and again for a crystal piano model that was more affordable than the Bluthners. There was no other quality acrylic piano available. At this point, EPN decided to design and manufacture our own baby grand that is semi-transparent and has a $50,000 price tag to make it available to our budget conscious customers.

The Aire™ Baby Grand by Euro Pianos Naples

Aire™ acrylic baby grand piano

Traditional Luxury Piano Styles

Traditionalists are often unmoved by all the new designs and revere the shape and sounds of traditional pianos. Such instruments provide historical and soothing influences for those who treasure the classics, yesteryear and the pure beauty of the original piano silhouette.

THE LITTLE BLACK PIANO

Just as every woman knows she needs a little black dress; the traditionalist often seeks a little black piano. Polished ebony is easy on the eye.

Steingraeber & Sohne Baby Grand

One of the best kept secrets in the industry is the extraordinary excellence of the German piano maker, Steingraeber & Sohne. When it comes to tradition, since the 1820’s, their instruments have been making the finest music. Their A-170 is five feet seven inches of baby grand grandeur with a price range of $112,000 to $142,000. Their eight -foot grand is over $250,000.

Mason & Hamlin Model B Baby Grand

A more affordable little black baby grand can be had from an American piano builder, Mason & Hamlin, dating back to Boston, 1881. By 1910, they were considered Steinway’s chief competition. Work has continued over the decades on core designs, and the company emphasizes limited-quantity, hand-built production. The Model B baby grand can be purchased for a little over $75,000 to $80,000 depending on finishes.

NON-HECTIC & ECLECTIC PIANOS

Traditionalism is more than a preference for established styles and shapes. It’s a mental set the prefers things in their place, uncluttered simplicity and clean lines. Even if a room has eclectic leanings with some surprise colors or textures, it never goes overboard with a piano shaped like a dolphin or a crystal showpiece with LED lights.

Ambiente Grand by Sauter

Renowned for their full, lush singing tone, Sauter pianos have been built in Germany since 1819. The ebony Ambiente Grand is a spectacular example of a traditional piano that would lend itself to the most traditional or eclectic interior design. The seven-foot-seven-inch beauty is approximately $170,000.

Model 190 Classic White Grand by August Förster

Another esteemed German piano maker, August Förster, since 1859 have made a limited output of instruments by artisans using hand labor. If the traditionalist doesn’t necessarily want the ebony case, white is a wonderful choice, especially for the somewhat eclectic tastes. Förster’s classic white grand in the seven-foot-two-inch length runs a little over $100,000, but a classic white in the six-foot-four-inch length (pictured below) is available for $80,500.

Practical Pianos

Sometimes customers have other reasons for buying a new piano. There are many reasons, including lessons for the children, practice piano for the professional, entertainment center for guests, an investment, an art treasure, or needing something smaller or larger for a new space. We thought we’d address a couple of these issues here.

UPRIGHT LUXURY PIANOS

When there simply isn’t enough space for a grand piano, there is a delightful solution because today’s upright pianos are as exciting and beautifully designed as their larger cousins. Uprights have always been popular because they are smaller and less expensive than grand pianos. In the old days only the affluent had grand pianos. Upright pianos brought the middle classes Baldwins and Wurlitzers, and later Yamahas, and the rest is history. For kids’ lessons, for a small music room, for an apartment with floor limitations, the Vertical piano excels.

It’s only been recently that the style and quality of upright pianos have undergone major changes, and today’s new models are as exciting as the revolution of grand pianos. In the uber luxury category, Sauter makes some of the most elegant uprights on the planet. But the good news is that the best affordable luxury verticals are also made by Sauter. Most of them, regardless of price, were designed by renowned Peter Maly, you can’t go wrong with a Sauter upright.

Sauter model Artes upright piano

The beautiful art deco Artes upright is available in polished macassar ebony or white, and runs $53,500 in the high-end price. Each piece is signed by Peter Maly and comes with a matching bench. The famous Sauter grand singing sound is also duplicated in their vertical pianos.

The Concent runs $32,000 and is a beautiful Maly design with winged top.

Sauter Concent Upright Piano

Euro Pianos Naples designed our own upright because of the demand for Mid Century Modern design in a piano. Unable to find a piano builder who could provide such an instrument, we just built our own, calling the Echo™ ™. The price tag on this little treasure is under $15,000.

PLAYER PIANO SYSTEMS

People are usually surprised when we tell them how many pianos we sell to clients who do not play piano at all. Pianos have become art treasures, living room furniture, symbols of culture, and things of beauty – with their musical capability only a secondary consideration. But in addition, many clients do personal as well as business entertaining at home and require an entertainment center for guests.

Today’s state of the art player piano systems are installed out of sight and operated by an electronic device – an iPad, Alexa, or several other options. Any piano can become a self-playing “performer” with moving keys as the repertoire of thousands of artists from classic to country perform “live” in your living room.

Our “Under the Lid” blog has several articles regarding player systems, for example Pianodisc versus Pnomation brands and others.

About Euro Pianos Naples

Euro Pianos Naples is a respected distributor of European luxury musical instruments. The company’s origin dates back to 1965. Euro Pianos represents world renowned brands such as Sauter, and it has recently become a manufacturer of its own acrylic instrument – The Aire. Apart from being a successful retailer, consultant, and entrepreneur organization, Euro Pianos is actively engaged in the artistic and community life of Naples, Florida as an organizer and supporter of musical events throughout the years.

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October 21 2020

How To Decorate Around A Grand Piano

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Maybe we could entertain thoughts of a new way to how to decorate around a piano.

The usual chain of events is to try to fit a new piano into an existing space, a living room or music room already in use. This takes some planning and ingenuity of its own. Where Should We Put the Piano in the House? But what about the idea of decorating around a piano?

Buying a new designer piano is an investment and takes considerable thought. The homeowner wants an instrument that can serve a particular purpose–be it for practice, performance, or as an entertainment center. Perhaps all of that and more.

The decor imagination can soar if you consider a piano with the styling of the Bluthner PH. A grand piano is a large piece of furniture and a large addition to the family. But in some happy instances, the homeowner may be in a position to change the décor altogether. When building a new home, a piano can be worked right into the floor plans at the stage of the architect’s planning. Perhaps you are designing a piano room or in the living area, designing around a piano. Or if you are moving into an empty home, the planning can be similar—putting the piano as the focal point in the room before planning the rest of the furniture.

It could be a choice of doing a remodeling facelift to welcome the new piano and upgrade the beauty of the room. You can redecorate around the piano.

Photo: Courtesy of Estate Media Australia

The designer’s secret weapon – The Focal Point

Interior decorators and designers know the secrets of making a room spectacular. One of their first principles is the simple matter of finding a focal point in a room. Very often this can be part of the architecture, like a fireplace or a pillar, a glass wall or a beamed ceiling.

Coral Nafie, author and expert on interior design has an article on The Spruce website about focal points.

A focal point can dictate many of the other design choices in the space. A beautiful designer piano can be the perfect focal point for a room.

Today’s revolution in piano designs has created a marketplace of the most diverse and extraordinary pianos of all time. Modern materials like acrylic, fiberglass, carbon fiber with the addition of customizable colors, graphics, and personalized mementos all lend themselves to the most visual and beautiful pieces of furniture one could want.

So, this approach is to first buy it, then decorate around a piano of your dreams.

The Seven Elements to Decorate Around A Piano

Size

The piano itself dictates a certain amount of space in the room. Grand pianos are anywhere from 5-ft to 10 ft. long, and the larger the piano, the larger the sound. Besides size, there is a huge range of styles available, everything from futuristic and modern to the uber traditional, with many eclectics mixes in-between. A small living room would not accommodate a ten-foot grand piano, so the first consideration is having a balance between the size of the piano and the size of the room. Upright pianos, now available in designer styles, are perfect for smaller rooms. We have written an article on how to fit a small piano into a small home.

We would advise on measuring the living area and shopping for a piano based on a reasonable size to balance the space. In today’s modern structures, very often baby grand pianos (from 4’10’ to 5’ 5”) are the ideal size. But in luxury estates where space is no issue, a full grand piano can be ideal.

Space And Form

Since today’s designer pianos are available in dramatic shapes which are a departure from the old three-legged Steinway, some thought should be given to the artistic value and “showcase” value of the instrument. Not only a focal point but a prized treasure that is the shining heart of the home. This Boganyi is a perfect example of splendor extraordinaire in the home.

Designing Around the Focal Point – the Piano

Every room should have one (and only one) focal point. When one enters a room, the focal point is the first place that the eye lands. With a beautiful piano as your focal point, there are little tricks to making the instrument the ‘star’ of the room. Its size and shape are a pretty good start anyway, but you always want to draw the eye to the piano by adding extra design elements to enhance it. This could be a textile in a vibrant pattern on the bench; if the piano sits next to a wall, a grouping of eye-catching pictures on the wall would grab the eye. Every focal point should have its own lighting source, and a special light treatment on a piano can make it truly stand out, whether it’s recessed ceiling lights, a dramatic arc floor lamp or even a small chandelier, the options are many.

How to Choose the Rest of the Furniture

When you decorate around a piano, you must plan how to fill the space of your room, and there are a set number of things to consider:

Style

Most of us think we just lean one way or another. We are traditionalists or we are drawn to a modern style. But have you really considered all the styles there are?

Consider these, as delightfully outlined and pictured in House and Garden.

Art Deco
Arts & Craft
Asian
Bohemian
Coastal
Contemporary
Country
Eclectic
French Country
Industrial
Mediterranean
Mid Century Modern
Modern
Moroccan
Scandinavian
Shabby Chic
Southwestern
Traditional
Transitional
Tropical

Chances are the piano of your dreams lends itself perfectly to one or more of these motifs.

Function and Placement

When choosing furniture for your space, it helps to have an idea of what activities this room will be used for. Is it primarily for music and entertaining? Is it a welcome space for cozying into a reading chair or dozing on a sofa? Is it a lavish show room for guests and business? Your furniture will reflect your style but also your functions in the room. You will also want to consider placement in a way that supports your focal point. If the piano is the star of the room, the rest of the furniture should be supporting actors and positioned accordingly.

It helps to have a paper floor plan (like an architect’s blueprints) where ‘to scale’ pieces can be moved around until the ideal layout is achieved. As you search for the proper furnishings, keep the balanced plan of space and form in your sites, and expressly measure pieces to mock up for your design. Here’s a handy website with examples of how you might proceed with layout plans.

Omit Clutter

One of the most common mistakes made in interiors is having too much in a room. All those things you love and must have need to be seriously considered. (why not the bedroom, or the bath, or the family room?) More than one collection of anything in the same room, unless you have an estate with a football sized floor plan, is one too many.

Use Different Brands

If you fall in love with one furniture collection, and buy all the matchy-matchy pieces, chances are your living room will look like a showroom for than manufacturer rather than having you own individual stamp on things. Shop! Look at photos! Do the work and your living room will be a treasure.

Avoid Amateur Errors

Pictures hung too high. Throw rugs too small. (they should fit under the feet of all the furniture facing them). Trendy colors that will be outdated soon. (remember the avocado kitchen appliances and the bathroom fixtures of the 1960’s?) Stick to replaceable pillow covers and throws for that fuchsia you must have Now!

Decorating the Top of A Piano

Some people ask how to decorate a grand piano top in the living room. If the piano is used mainly as an entertainment center with the hidden player piano system, (thus the lid is not needed to be raised) the piano top can be treated as a showcase for a piece of art, a vase of fresh flowers or a beautiful lamp. But more often a lifted lid creates the elegant silhouette that a grand piano offers to a room, and it seems a shame to mar it. How to decorate a piano for Christmas falls under the same guidelines. One classic Christmas figurine atop the instrument might be charming, but don’t be tempted to string popcorn around the lid or hang stockings from it!

Do Add Odd and Unique Pieces

Don’t be afraid to use that heirloom clock, that old fashioned candy dish or Tiffany lampshade in your uber modern digs. A little personalized eclectic touch can bring a room to life.

Make Sure You Like It!

If you do it yourself or pay a decorator to do it, when the project is complete, make sure it’s a living room that gives you comfort and pleasure. It’s a place for living, not just for showing. But let’s move on to the rest of the elements.

Color

Color is one of the most exciting elements of design. Designers frequently use a soft palette of two or three colors. By using muted, natural colors in your walls, flooring and seating, your accessories and focal point can be a dynamic and bright medley of colors. Or one pop of color like red!

Imagine this fire engine red piano in a muted room such as this Kerimoglu House:

Ozhanhazilar.com Interior Architecture – (Istanbul Interior Design Project 2015)

Black and white is another combination that is easy to live with, and easy to brighten up with accessories. A white piano could be the perfect complement to this kind of low-key color choice.

Bluthner Lucid Hive Elegance grand piano

Picture a white piano in the beautiful black and white room put together below:

A nice article on basic color theory can be found at Fresh Home.

Texture and Pattern

For our purposes, we like to combine these two elements and they often go hand in hand. Often-overlooked designer elements, the huge choice of textures and patterns in all kinds of textiles, woods, wall treatments, and the thoughtful mix of them can create amazing results. No matter what the decorating budget, texture and pattern can add flair and individualism to any room, without taking attention away from the focal point of the room, your beautiful piano.

The room above might be designed around a black Euro Pianos AIRE™ baby grand.

Line

This element of design is perhaps the most elusive. It takes a trained eye to actually pre-plan line. Low, close to the floor furniture will carry the eye horizontally. Tall windows and bookcases will lead the eye to vertical lines. The desired effect of a room can be controlled by line, including diagonals, zigzags, and curves. Most designers are looking for balance in line, but it’s an element that should be studied. When you decorate around a piano, it opens up many choices. An article in Ace Interior Design in Britain addresses the possibilities: Intro to Line Interior Design.

Light

In our opinion, we saved the best for last. Lighting can make or break a beautiful room. Light obviously has a functional purpose (like the ability to read off the music stand of the piano!) This is called task lighting and can be done in many ways such as a gooseneck lamp or a floor lamp et al. The living room can be broken down into its uses, such as the reading chair, the entertainment center, the piano illumination. and the ideal light fixtures should be carefully considered for each use.

But beyond function, light is the best way to complement a room with mood and atmosphere. It also can be designed to ‘show off’ your piano, and punch up your accessories, color and textures.

Light fixtures can be works of art themselves, and should warrant high esteem in your decorating scheme.

Euro Piano Naples is available for free consultation on your dream piano, your dream interior designer, as well as answering any questions you might have about customization, player piano systems, and any other. We are pleased to be of service.

For more decorating/designing ideas, see more of our “Under the Lid” blog articles:

https://www.europianosnaples.com/interior-design-ideas-with-pianos/

https://www.europianosnaples.com/decorating-a-room-with-a-piano-in-mind/

About Euro Pianos Naples

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October 19 2020

How To Choose A Piano For The Living Room

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There are many different vantage points for the project of choosing the right piano for your living room.The interior designer and the client have both got their own ideas, and the piano itself has its own requirements. We wanted to touch on the points that might be helpful and considered before buying.

Some clients are building a home, starting from scratch, which gives them a much wider spectrum of choices. As an example, luxury home designer Flora Di Menna, plans down to the minutest detail whether it’s a palatial estate, a summer residence or even a commercial project. Her award winning luxury residences can accommodate whatever the client wants and needs with the most sublime results. This video is an entertaining look at one of her fabulous projects and how such planning can accomplish amazing beauty wedded to function.

But other people with already finished homes simply want to add a piano to the room. What do they need to know?

How To Choose A Piano For Your Living Room

So, focusing on an existing room, whether furnished or not, here are some of the points to consider.

It is no secret that the most beautiful luxury homes in the world are usually the result of extraordinary interior design. The art of making a room sumptuous and appealing must take the comfort and livability of its occupants into consideration. Truly exclusive homes manage to provide unique but comfortable seating, fabulous art and in the most elegant of homes, a designer piano. Even without pianists in the family, today’s pianos can incorporate state of the art player piano systems that turn any room into an entertainment center with highest quality musical output.

Pianos have undergone a revolution in recent years. The old brown Steinway upright is no longer the standard for even the most modest and budget conscious home. The industry has exploded with artistic and customizable instruments to beautify any style of design from the traditional to the uber futuristic.

Size Matters In Interiors

The Iconic Grand Piano

Grand pianos as well as uprights are available now in a myriad of different shapes, colors, and sizes. Even LED lights and crystal acrylic can be added for drama.

So what piano is right for your living room?

Most obviously, the larger the piano, the larger the sound–so it wouldn’t be advisable to put a 9-foot concert grand (whose volume can reach the balcony of a concert hall) into a small living room. But apart from that, what size should be purchased and why?

The first thing to consider, of course, is space. You need enough floor space for the instrument plus two feet more for a bench or stool. Since grand pianos range anywhere from just under 5-feet all the way up to 10-feet in length (with a fairly standard 5-foot width), some serious thought must go into the floor plan of the furniture and maximizing the effect of a piano as part of the décor. With a large room, often other focal points (like a fireplace) may dictate some of the layouts.

However, if space is an issue, sometimes a baby grand piano can be accommodated in a living room just by downsizing the seating pieces or by decluttering the amount of other furniture in the space. For more information on baby grand dimensions and how to fit a small piano in your home.

The New Upright Space Saver

When the floor space is simply not available, thankfully there are extraordinary upright designer pianos that can easily fit into an alcove, or against a wall in a living room, that have as much elegance and design quality as the grands.

Even the most glamorous acrylic materials are now used in uprights, like Lucid’s acrylic upright below.

For some of the most stylish uprights on the market, consider Sauter’s Peter Maly designs.

Style Matters

The surprising new designs of piano manufacturers have transformed the look of pianos. Whereas they were often either the high-end glossy black grand pianos for the concert stage or the mass-produced brown uprights for the middle-class parlor, with an eye to lessons for the kids, with today’s piano designs, the sky’s the limit.

Euro Pianos Naples has pianos made from acrylic, fiberglass, exotic woods, with inlays of jewels and mother of pearl, and customized with colors of every hue, graphic designs, replicas or original fine art (on the inside of lids), gilded, perched on pedestals, and shaped like space ships, race cars and dolphins in flight. The quality of sound also continues to improve with innovative technology as the piano cases have come into their own – no longer just a functional musical box with three legs, but pieces of visual art and incredible decorative assets—sometimes with no legs at all!

The futuristic and urban styled home might want to feature the uber-modern pianos available. Pegasus is only one of many superlative new shapes.

This fantastic 10-ft grand might be just what’s needed in the lavish estate that features Italian modern décor or rococo antiques. Pianos with this kind of extraordinary styling can serve as the focal point of a significant living room or foyer, making an unforgettable impact on visitors.

A Traditional décor might call for a traditionally styled piano – and there are exquisite instruments available. The detailed styling creates a 21st Century version of yesteryear’s proud tradition.

Piano Quality Matters

While the size and styling of the piano are the business of the interior designer’s eye, the quality of a piano ensures the client of its lasting and true value.

It is true that you can find used pianos and keyboards for very little money. But the old adage of getting what you pay for was never truer than with pianos. When you consider the thousands of parts assembled under the lid, it is not hard to imagine how things can go wrong with cheap labor and cheap materials. The important parts of the piano are explained in this article, How A Grand Piano Works.

The materials used in bespoke pianos are of the highest quality. The woods are chosen carefully, the acrylics won’t yellow, the warranties are honored. Handcrafted pianos have time honored reputations that go back through the centuries in the hands of the European piano builders who still excel today.

Steinway has been popularly considered the best piano for decades by hearsay. While Steinway originated in Europe along with all the other major quality brands, most people don’t know that Steinway, in the USA, went to mass-produced pianos right after the war, and flooded the market with affordable instruments. Today, used piano stores overflow with those old Steinways. Often buyers cannot see damages from moving and poor maintenance problems, hidden under misleading prices. This Washington Post article reflects on brands of quality.

Euro Pianos Naples has done extensive research on piano quality and you can find blog articles comparing, rating and explaining the whys and wherefores of buying quality. The 10 Best Piano Brands in the World.

Function Matters

You would be surprised by all the different reasons people buy pianos for their homes.

Obviously, if there is a pianist in the family, a piano is paramount for practice and pleasure. But you don’t need to be a musician to enjoy a beautiful piano in the living room.

Some people have children who are just learning to play and need to practice their lessons.

Today’s pianos can be art treasures and breathtaking pieces of furniture. Pianos are placed in some living rooms just to complete the luxury interior design look of the fine art and musical aesthetic.

By adding a state-of-the-art player piano system, hidden beneath the instrument, and operated with an iPad, an iPhone, or electronic gizmo, your house can be filled with music at the click of a switch. These amazing high tech players come with libraries of music by the top performers in classical, jazz, country, and pop. Something for everyone. For guests, parties, entertaining, the piano plays itself with superlative sound quality. Check out our blogs on this optional equipment for all the particulars.

These are four main reasons that matter when selecting a piano for your living room. Euro Pianos Naples is an expert in luxury and customized pianos. A free consultation is available for all your questions and any help you might need. We would be honored to serve you. Contact us for a free consultation.

About Euro Pianos Naples

September 15 2020

5 Top Reasons for Buying a New Luxury Baby Grand Piano

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New Or Used?

Sauter Model Ambiente grand piano — New Ambiente Baby Grand by Sauter

Pianos are purchased for many different reasons: childrens’ lessons; at-home practice; the décor of a luxury home; an entertainment center for family and guests; an instrument for a public venue—and more.

Whatever the reason, the first decision is whether to buy a new piano or a used piano.

There are people who never buy new cars, new houses, or even new clothes, just as a philosophy of life. They have accepted that buying ‘used’ invites the risk, of possibly taking on someone’s else’s problems. This article lays out the upside of paying more but reducing risk by buying a piano that is new.

The biggest downside of buying a used piano is that the piano may not have been regularly or properly maintained (how can you know?) with the instrument irreparably damaged by climate or neglect. An old, dull sounding piano unable to hold a tuning could be presented as valuable antique simply because it has an interesting case. Unless you have a technician to assess such instruments, you could be wasting your money.

A grand piano has over 10,000 moving parts, and like an automobile, the quality and maintenance of those parts is paramount. If people knew how many old pianos ended up in junk shops and in landfills, they would be very cautious indeed. And many that just “look” good (but are not) sit on the floor of your local piano shop.

A case in point is that once Steinway began mass-producing pianos, the used Steinway market was so flooded that they opened their own Used Steinway Piano stores, thus becoming the biggest competition against themselves. This is one example of the many dedicated used Steinway outlets: https://www.jacobsmusic.com/pianos/used-pianos-main/used-steinways

Luxury or Economy?

One might think that a luxury piano is only for the uber rich or for celebrities. But in truth, the very term “luxury” connotes far more than the price tag.

First of all, there are many price ranges within the luxury designation. Depending on the customization, brand names, the quality of the woods, hardware, strings, etc. used within and without, a new luxury piano can start under $50,000 and go as high as a $million. Rare, exotic woods, famous designers, innovative piano pedals, keys, actions and state of the art modern materials (like non yellowing acrylic) all contribute to higher value and prices.

Affordable semi-transparent “Aire” baby grand by Euro Pianos Naples

Pianos handcrafted in Europe by centuries’ old brand piano builders will have unmatched quality. If the prices are too high, you don’t have to jump to inferior brands however. The same builders sometime carry ‘economy’ lines and other builders using a mix of machine tooling combined with hand labor artisans plus excellent materials can compete as luxury instruments.

Lucid Elegance grand piano by Bluthner

But pricing is only one piece of the deliberation puzzle. There are many other things to consider. Here are our top five reasons for buying a new luxury baby grand piano.

Action /Performance Quality

The performance quality of a piano can be attributed to the piano builder’s attention to highly technical details when installing and setting the action of the instrument. This assembly of moving parts is known as the geometry of the action, and involves intricate settings of keys, hammers, dampers, strings, repetition levers and springs.

See “How Does a Piano Action Work?”

As the action parts move, these materials can slightly lose position over time/use and need to be brought back to their original by regular tunings. The tuner’s job in maintaining an action includes reducing any unwarranted friction/slippage by cleaning, balancing, regulating, and lubricating parts to keep things tip top. You can understand that a poorly constructed, cheap piano will not have the same geometry as a luxury piano. Not only will the parts be inferior, but the delicate balance in sound quality can be attributed to experienced knowledge and an artisan’s ear which is often missing in mass produced product manufacture.

5 Top Reasons for Buying a New Luxury Baby Grand Piano

Stress Free Maintenance

A good piano will hold its tuning longer than a bad piano. Some brands are more stable than others, but generally speaking the handmade instruments hold their settings so that annual or semi-annual tunings suffice unless the piano is heavily played.

For more information about tuning, read “What Is Piano Tuning and How Much Does It Cost?”

With inferior pianos, broken strings, out of tune keys, and actual damage (action needing to be repaired/rebuilt) can be expected, which adds costs to the original price.

Warranties and Support

Warranties are pretty standard with most new products, but with used pianos, they are usually sold “as is” without guarantees. In the case of restorations, a shop may offer a short warranty but you might want to read the fine print.

New luxury baby grand pianos come with full warranties, longer and more inclusive, varying by brand. The warranties of some new luxury baby grand pianos are even transferable to new owners, if the piano is sold. Euro Piano Naples offers a free professional tuning after the instrument has had time to “settle” after delivery at the client’s location in addition to its warranty.

But one of the most important things about buying a new luxury baby grand is that knowledgeable sellers of bespoke pianos can guide and direct you through the process. Clients often don’t realize the scope of choices offered by today’s piano industry. Gone are the days of the three-legged “cookie-cutter” silhouette of the brown parlor grand. Today’s luxury baby grands come in colors, materials and designs that could rival the top furniture makers in the world. With customization options, the sky’s the limit—but most clients need support to navigate the brands and options. Free consultation at Euro Pianos Naples is included in the price of their instruments.

Learning To Play With Quality

For beginning piano students, whether child or adult, the quality of the piano is not only important, but it can ‘make or break’ the learning experience –and the eventual success of becoming a pianist. To submit a beginner to a bad instrument is like learning to drive a car without all its parts. The sound, touch and beauty of the piano become part of the beginner’s experience. The quality registers on the student, whether consciously or unconsciously, and poor sound or touch will only discourage practice and interest.

Parents often think that buying an old upright, throwing it into the basement and hiring a teacher is the easy way for kids to learn. If there’s no respect for the piano or for the results produced from it, a child will have little interest in pursuing lessons.

If you search the internet, you will see all kinds of ads and recommendations for digital pianos and inexpensive keyboards as the quick fix for beginners. But don’t be fooled. Various statistics confirm that 80% of students who learn on new quality pianos continue with lessons. Used pianos and cheap keyboards reduce the beginner’s chances to 20% success. So not only does the quality of a new luxury baby grand enhance learning, but it’s also a visual and artistic addition to the home, thus improving the quality of life in many other ways for the whole family.

More reading is available in “Choosing A Piano for Your Child” and “The Multiple Mind-Blowing Benefits of Playing Piano” and “Effects of Music Learning and Piano Practice on Cognitive Function, Mood and Quality of Life in Older Adults”

Asset and Investment

Contrary to popular sales pitches, pianos are not an investment in the real sense of the word. Steinway has multiple lawsuits against them for assuring that the value of their pianos will increase with time, and can be resold with no losses. The truth is they depreciate, like furniture, with time and use.

The upside of buying well made furniture is that the wear and tear on it is minimal compared to cheap goods. This means that a fine piece of furniture can indeed increase in value if it gets to be an antique that is in demand. But the moving parts within a piano are a different matter. They may or may not be properly maintained, so used pianos, even those with antique cases, are always questionable.

New bespoke pianos are an investment and an asset only because they are going to last a lifetime and beyond, and are pieces of music-making art that will enhance the lives of all who live with them. A new luxury baby grand piano may not retain its same monetary value, but it will also not be regarded as disposable used furniture. It will provide unlimited opportunity and pleasure to those lucky enough to own one for generations to come.

Between1946 and 1965, in California, other homes were going up, more than 11,000 of them, all designed by modernists commissioned by builder Joseph Eichler. Eichler, a former dairyman, had been inspired by living briefly in a Frank Lloyd Wright home. (Wright, an architect who had earlier built over 500 iconic modern structures, believed in designing structures that were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture.) Eichler houses, found throughout Northern and Southern California (and even outside of New York City), are some of the most celebrated tract residences in the United States.

About Euro Pianos Naples

September 4 2020

Sauter Pure Cayenne Upright Piano

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Sauter Pure Cayenne Upright

Peter Maly’s piano designs seamlessly blending functionality and form, result in unusually elegant pianos, strong accent pieces, perfect for contemporary homes. Pure is available in a myriad of colors and wood veneers. We particularly like the drama of this Pure Noble Cayenne red piano.

Pure

Sauter Pure’s iconic architecture available in Basic or Noble versions (the latter with chrome plated metal strips imbedded in the corners) exemplifies perfectly a “less is more” esthetic.

The revolutionary double wing lid opening adds drama to the cubic design while enhancing the sound that now travels sideways in opposite directions only to blend perfectly in the room.

Dimensions:

H 123.5 cm x W 156 cm x D 59.5 cm

Optional Attachments:

PianoDisc Self-Playing Player System

Price: Please Inquire

Availability: Special Order

Pure in Custom Cayenne Finish

Perfect for a sleek modern interior Sauter Pure is an ideal instrument for a city music lover who appreciates modern design and technology and appreciates the quality of one of Europe’s oldest and most esteemed piano builders.

The butterfly lid, unique to Sauter pianos, serves two purposes. It adds a touch of elegance and grandeur and aids as well in the even distribution of the piano’s sound.

Peter Maly pianos by Sauter; winners of the 1999 Red Dot Design Award (Vivace), the 1999-2000 Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award (Pure), and the 2020 Focus Open Design Award (Rhapsody).

Quote by Peter Maly

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Sauter Rhapsody

Sauter Vitrea Upright with Glass Front Panel

A piano and stool are shown in this image.

Echo™ – Mid Century Modern Piano

A white wall mounted cabinet with a wooden drawer.

Sauter Pure White Upright Piano

Lucid Transparent Upright Piano

A black piano with two levels and a white handle.

Sauter Rondo Upright Piano

September 4 2020

Lucid Transparent Upright Piano

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Lucid Transparent Upright Piano

Honoring tradition as well as perfectly embodying modernity, a transparent vertical piano affords a view like no other. One hears what is being played whilst seeing the miracle of sound being created. Magic on all fronts!

Dimensions:

H 123.5 cm x W 152 cm x D 59.5 cm

Optional Attachments:

PianoDisc Self-Playing Player System

Price: Please Inquire

Availability: Special Order

Made of the clearest German acrylic, this customizable, transparent upright is perfectly suited for tight, bright spaces where traditional wooden pianos might be just a little too dark or too heavy. The piano shown features natural maple accents.

Lucid transparent upright pianos are customizable in the color or veneer and hardware of your choice. You may wish to explore further enhancing this modern upright piano with a wireless self playing system or LED illumination.