WHY THE DIFFERENCE IN PRICE

The most often asked question has a surprisingly simple answer - prestigious pianos are more expensive to make .Most products we buy and use in our homes today are derived from sophisticated manufacturing processes. They have benefited from advancements in technology to produce higher production runs at lower prices, and often incorporate synthetic materials. The same is not true of an acoustic piano. With more than 80% of a piano being made from wood, there is an art in identifying, selecting, matching, treating, finishing and crafting the wooden materials to ensure it will provide the best musical result possible when assembled into a piano. So, a quality piano requires a considerable amount of time and skill to build.

MATERIALS
When raw timber has been recently cut down, most of the weight of the wood is in the water content. Unless the majority of this water is removed, the wood will become subject to cracking and other structural defects. ‘Seasoning’ is the drying process that reduces water content from wood, and it occurs in a natural way. Wood is stored outdoors allowing the elements to have their effect on the cut wood over time, and then the wood is heated in moisture reducing kilns. Regulating the correct moisture contents in the different types of wood is a lengthy process, but adequate seasoning will provide a stable construction, allowing the piano to perform year after year at concert pitch with only routine maintenance. Once the wood has been properly treated, it can adapt to a range of climates. The choice of specific wood types for specific functions is also important. Different grades of timber, preparation methods and handling processes play an important role in determining the quality of the piano and the price. Even before the wood resembles anything like a piano, there has been considerable time and expertise involved.

SOUND / TONE
The quality of the materials used has a significant impact on a piano’s unique and distinctive sound. Often referred to as ‘tone’, this is a key area that separates manufacturers, with different brands having remarkably different tonal characteristics. Whilst there is no definitive ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ choice, even a beginner striking a couple of chords can quickly discern the tone of an inferior piano when comparing it to a quality instrument. Allans Music stocks most of the main piano brands available in Australia and invites you to try them out in a controlled environment, so you can find your own personal preference.

TOUCH & RESPONSE
Playing a piano is as much about the touch as it is the tone, because the touch actually determines the tone. A fine piano will feel comfortable to the performer and it should also be able to respond to their musical inflections.
A superior instrument will be capable of exact precision when producing dynamic musical responses. The ability to produce notes that are powerful, delicate, short, long, fast, slow and everything in between are part of the nuance characteristics that determine a piano’s quality.
Quality piano manufacturers have built their reputation on consistency of tone and response.

TUNING & STABILITY
Often overlooked, a grand piano must be able to support over twenty tons of string tension when tuned at concert pitch. The strength of a well-crafted instrument makes the piano one of the most impressive examples of engineering and craftsmanship available today. In years gone by, to keep the price down, some corners were cut in quality of materials and as a consequence, some of the older pianos will never be able to hold their tuning.

CRAFTSMANSHIP AND BEAUTY
There is no substitute for quality. With the right materials, an expert’s hands can produce an object of symmetry, grace, elegance and refinement – otherwise referred to as the piano. As Kawai says, “true craftsmanship labours diligently to the last detail”, and it is this attention to subtleties that separates ‘hand crafted’ prestige pianos from mass produced ones.

BRAND & REPUTATION
Before purchasing a piano, it is important to consider a brand’s reputation. A reputation is generally earned from a combination of the quality of the materials, sound/tone, touch and response, tuning and stability, craftsmanship and beauty, and the manufacturer’s warranty. Different brands often use different manufacturing techniques, which produce different results. Whilst some features are clearly preferable, sometimes it is a matter of personal taste or finding something that suits your individual requirements.