What kind of Piano do you play?

Dominic Cheli We have a 1965 6'3" Baldwin L, a 2004 Schultze-Pollmann 126 Professional upright with Renner action (while they were still made in Italy from the ground up - still have the technicians final inspection book), and a Yamaha CSP 150 (For quiet practice and digital fun with studio kids).

When choosing the Baldwin Grand in 2015, I had the opportunity to get a pristine SF-10, but I was worried it would drown out my house and make my neighbors hate me. HOWEVER, hindsight, while  the L is righteous and I love it, it does not have Renner Action like the 7 foot. My upright does, and other than the slower repeat, the upright's touch definitely rivals the Baldwin. Jason, as you know my other half is a professional pianist, pushed me to the 7 ft, but honestly, the cost difference and my concerns about the size/volume concerned me, regrettably, but not too much!!

Tone? I have the best of all worlds. I have the American big bass sound on the Baldwin with the light bright treble in the upper register. But the European tone of my SP is amazing and I love it. It is the piano that carried me through undergrad. I was tempted to sell it, but the name is not well-known unless you are really into pianos. When I bought it, back in Virginia, I had come down to a Petrof and the SP. I chose the SP because the tone and the hand inlaid art case. It is simply stunning!! In fact one of my professors from university has a similar year and styling that he got second hand for his daughter a few years ago, and paid about what I paid for it new. So they do hold value - if you know about them. For now, I hold on to it, because I have the room. But one day, I may sell it. The Clavinova was a Pandemic purchase... to appease my now moved out adult son, so that our late night practice didn't bother him. I have to admit, the binaural sound through headphones is AMAZING!

What gets the most play time? The Baldwin, hands down. I am blessed to have three. It is also nice to show my students' parents the variety of pianos, talk about the pros and cons. Most are steering away from cheap digital pianos, going for better ones or at least decent acoustic uprights.

Jason says the Baldwin rivals most any Steinway he has played, the only notable piano that stands out ahead of it is the Baldwin SD that he plays at a Monastery when he visits his family in North Dakota... 

I do get to play on a Schimmel and a B at my teacher's loft. He just acquired a B and it is very stiff right now (newly rebuilt) but it should break in nicely. The tone is INCREDIBLE - of course. But I do love the feel of his Schimmel. OF course, my second choice in buying in 2015 was a nice sohimmel, but it was in the 5-6 ft range, and I wanted at least 6 feet. 

I am very blessed! Especially coming from a Kimball Spinet when I first learned in the 70s and 80s back in Buffalo, NY that I bought with my first communion money! :-) 

Thank you for reading!
 

Denise What a lovely studio. I dream achieved something relate of that richness of instruments. My best regards.

Denise I very much like the older Baldwin Grands. My friend has a model R (I think) he recently restrung it and it sound amazing.