What type of piano should I choose?
Digital pianos
Available space is an increasingly important factor to be taken into account when deciding on the right instrument for you. Digital pianos are versatile instruments that are more compact than acoustic pianos; they are lighter in weight, making them easier to move; they are available in a wide range of styles and colours; the volume can be controlled; and you can plug in headphones to enable silent practice – and they don’t require tuning!
Prices range from less than £500 for a portable stage piano, which might have a handful of instrument sounds but will include a good piano voice, up to multiple thousands for a very substantial digital piano with a much improved action, hundreds of voices, accompaniment styles, effects and all housed in a wooden grand piano style cabinet. Some even have a genuine weighted piano action.
Our Haslemere showroom displays dozens of models including Yamaha P series portable digital pianos, YDP Arius models, and CLP, CVP and CSP Clavinovas. Roland instruments on display include models from the F and FP ranges of portable pianos, as well as RP, DP, LX and HP digital pianos. We also offer Kawai’s range of ES series portable pianos, along with their CN and CA series digital pianos and DG-30 digital grand piano.
Our knowledgeable team is on hand, always ready to help with any queries.
Upright pianos
If your preference is for an acoustic piano, we can help you find the perfect model. We keep in stock an enviable selection of uprights and grands - brand new, second-hand and refurbished. A small upright piano can be the perfect choice, ideal for the home, practice room or classroom. Choosing a second-hand acoustic piano can also provide you with a real bargain. If a piano has been well cared for throughout its life, then there is no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy many years of trouble-free playing. We have an ever-changing stock of interesting second-hand uprights in our showroom, and with prices often starting at under £1,500 there are superb deals available, from a variety of fine manufacturers such as Knight, Kemble, Welmar, Broadwood, Bechstein, Bluthner, Kawai, Yamaha and many more.
A new upright piano has the advantage of using the latest advancements in craftsmanship and technology. A new instrument will have a brand-new action, providing the player with superb touch and response.
Larger Premium uprights are usually similarly priced to the smallest baby grand models but might have superior quality components. These include better quality lambswool hammers with underfelt, a more mature spruce for the soundboard, and on some models hand-wound copper bass strings. A professional quality upright is sometimes considered a better buy than a small baby grand and will in many cases produce a better tone.
New upright pianos range in price from around £3,000 for a compact 109cm model right up to £20,000 for top of the range, professional instruments. There are lots of wonderful pianos that fall within this range, so whatever your requirement we will be able to help.
Grand pianos
A grand piano can offer a richer and more colourful tonal quality with a wider range of dynamics and a more responsive touch than an upright. Not to mention that grands are aesthetically very pleasing and provide a stunning focal point in your home or performance area. If space is ample and the room can comfortably accommodate its size, a larger grand piano is worth the investment for its more accurate and expressive musicality.
Our range of second-hand and refurbished grand pianos changes regularly and can run the gamut from small baby grand through to full-size concert instrument. When you see a listing for a second-hand piano on our website, the product image will be a photo of the actual instrument on offer. Prices and availability of our second-hand and refurbished instruments range hugely, and so it is worth checking the site regularly.
New grand pianos allow the player to enjoy high quality modern components in instruments which have been manufactured using latest technologies. Prices start from around £8,000 for a 4’11 baby grand, right up to £70,000 for a larger performance piano.
A grand piano is a wonderful instrument to own, and we are acutely aware that for most of us it can be a huge investment. There are lots of grand pianos on display in our showroom, all of which are ready for you to play. Advice and information is on offer when requested, with balanced, unbiased guidance when appropriate. We recognise how important it is to make the correct selection, and so there are no time constraints, and there is no ‘hard sell’.