Piano Sound in Showroom vs Home

I actually disagree that pianos in a showroom are kept in the best condition possible. Due to the VERY tight margins in piano sales, most dealers do not have the money to employ a team of technicians to maintain the showroom instruments. I used to work at a large dealership in the early 2000s. They had about four technicians at any given time but the prep on any pianos rarely went beyond a quick tuning. Now that dealership has only one full-time technician and new pianos are usually just unpacked from their crates and that’s it unless they are grossly out of tune. I’ve been in stores where the humidity was either too high or too low without much being done by management. I’ve seen used instruments without hinges, covered in dust, and sticking keys. I’ve seen new instruments with improperly attached pedal lyres and separations in soundboards. Showrooms are just not a guarantee of perfect conditions. Of course, this changes a bit if you are shopping for REALLY high end instruments. The Fazioli dealer near me keeps all of the Fazioli grands in a separate temperature and humidity controlled room and all have padded covers on them until you ask to try one out. If you have genuine interest in a specific piano, the dealer will usually have the piano tuned for your visit. However, don’t expect voicing to be done before your purchase. This is tedious work that most dealerships are not willing to pay for and often make the excuse that the piano will sound SO different in your home so voicing shouldn’t be done before delivery anyway. This is kind of true, but in my experience, not exactly. Bright pianos are still bright even in the most padded rooms (soft surfaces, rugs, drapes, etc) and mellow pianos are still mellow in rooms with high ceilings and hardwood floors. The differences are really about volume and projection, not tonal character. So if a piano sounds much too bright or too mellow for your tastes, consider trying out a different one. Yes, technicians are capable of making improvements and changes in tone but you’ll never get say a Samick grand to sound like a Fazioli.  Pianos in big showrooms definitely project differently in your home and a large grand in a small room can sometimes sound way too loud. However, the overall tonal character- mellow/bright will not be drastically different in the showroom as compared to your home. Buy the piano with the most satisfying touch and tone as you can find at the store.

One more thing.  If you discover any mechanical issues, don't just fall for, "Oh, a technician can fix it easily."  Some problems could be chronic.  Be sure to pick the piano that is the best sounding and in the best condition.