Best Piano Manufacturers for 2024

Music is a tender delight to our ears. Someone likes to listen to someone else's music reproduction, while someone loves the pleasant sounding of notes at home, emanating from under their own fingers or the fingers of a household. Our article will tell you about the best piano manufacturers for 2024.

History of appearance

The very first piano appeared in Florence, when it was 1709. Italian Bartolomeo Cristofori decided to improve the primitive harpsichords and create a much wider dynamic range. During his life, the master produced about 20 keyboards, providing a dramatic breakthrough in music. The basis of the object he created was the harpsichord and clavichord. And the name was chosen based on two simple words "forte" and "piano". Loud and quiet. Perhaps the discovery would have lasted a long time without resonant coverage, but one journalist published a long article in the newspaper, where he posted the diagrams of the instrument. Various masters immediately rushed to embody the drawings in reality, gradually improving the invention.

What makes a piano different from a grand piano

What is the difference between a piano and a grand piano, or what is the difference between a piano and a piano? If a person is far from the world of music, then it seems to him that the piano, the grand piano and the piano are different instruments. Imagine the surprise of a person when they explain to him that the piano is called a whole group of musical instruments, which includes a grand piano, a piano and a pianola. The whole difference between them lies in the volume of the music and the tuning. So, if someone decides to put you in a hole and tries to find out about the difference between the tools, feel free to say that the question is incorrect.

But, you can tell what is the difference between a grand piano and a piano. First, the differences in size. The piano itself is more compact. Secondly, in the number of pedals. The piano has three, the piano has two. Thirdly, it's about the sound itself, as a grand piano produces powerful music, while a piano is much more delicate. Well, and fourthly, the layout of the keys will be different.

Beginners easily confuse names, but over time, the deeper the music penetrates into your soul, the more you do it, the more accessible and understandable the world of sounds, notes and instruments becomes.

How to choose

Many people cannot just purchase a product, they want to know as much as possible about it, and this requires building selection criteria. To begin with, such a moment is important as the purpose for which the purchase will be made. For example, for teaching a child music, for their amateur music-making or for serious training. An acoustic piano is ideal for effective child learning, as electronic pianos are more suitable for entertainment purposes. By the way, speaking of entertainment, you can choose digital analogs or synthesizers. For professionals, the ideal is to play the piano.

The next selection criterion is the size of the piano or your living space.After all, somewhere you will have to put the instrument and this moment must be considered. If there is not enough space, then the choice is in favor of a compact piano, if there is a lot of space, then you can look for a large instrument or take a grand piano.

Another important point when choosing is the amount that you are willing to spend on the purchase. To do this, you need to immediately determine the maximum limit and add to this a certain amount for the transportation of goods to your home.

New or used?

There are pluses and minuses here. On the one hand, a new one is great, since the possibility of marriage is practically reduced to a minimum, besides, the device will not be injured by the previous owners and will serve for many years. But there is also a downside to the coin, because you will not be able to hear the beauty of the sound of the instrument, because they play out for a long time. It happens that manufacturers do the wrong thing and the whole truth will come out some time after the purchase.

When you buy a used piano, you save money and can immediately appreciate the full power and depth of sound. But you need to be extremely careful, otherwise you can buy a thing that does not hold the line. For such cases, if you yourself are poorly versed in the instrument, it is better to take a specialist with you who will lift the lid and examine the jacks with the tuning pegs. In addition, the specialist will more easily orient you and the seller on the price, since sellers often overcharge the price of a used item.

Best Piano Manufacturers for 2024

C. Bechstein

The German company C. Bechstein dates back to 1853 and today it is included in any rating of quality manufacturers. The brand creates products for beginners and premium products for professionals. Famous Franz Liszt and Claude Debussy preferred models exclusively from this brand, claiming that they are so good that music should be written only for their sake. In pre-revolutionary Russia, the expression “to play the Bechsteins” was in use, which meant playing music on keyboard instruments. The company has an elite line of fully handcrafted C. Bechstein Concert. It is distinguished by its charming, wonderful sound and highly professional playing mechanism. If there is no money for an elite line, but you want the highest quality, then there is an inexpensive Zimmermann line. By the way, it is noteworthy that the pianos created by C. Bechstein have compact dimensions and this does not affect the sound quality.

Karl Bechstein created instruments perfectly suited for concert activity, and this ensured him the respect of the most famous composers, the devoted love of pianists and the awe of the audience. Since then, many years have passed, and the glory is still ahead of the company.

Prices for pianos from C. Bechstein are very high. If you look at the price tags on Yandex Market, then they start at one million rubles. It is better to contact authorized dealers for information.

• Great sounding;
• Suitable for professional musicians;
• Material - high quality wood;
• First-class speaker system;
• A variety of models with a predominance of strict design;
• Innovative sound muting system;
• Unique range of sound;
• Sensitive keys.

• High price.

Steinway & Sons

The American-German company Steinway & Sons has become famous since 1853, and since then they have consistently opened the ratings of quality premium pianos. The company's elegant products often adorn the world's most luxurious stages, from the Mariinsky Theater to the famous La Scala. All of their Steinway & Sons instruments are crafted with high quality materials and the best specialists. The brand's masters are distinguished by their scrupulousness and dedication, their professionalism helps to create standards of musical instruments from year to year. As early as 120 years ago, Steinway & Sons patented a method in which the side walls of the case are connected in such a way that they become a single one-piece structure. The method provides a powerful sound palette.The brand's grand pianos impress with their soft sound, tremendous richness and high-quality keyboard resistance. The prices for Steinway & Sons products are very high and not everyone can afford to play the "wallways", but many musicians have the desire.

The manufacturer decided to make concessions and began producing two relatively budget lines: Boston and Essex. The lines are detailed by the brand, but are made in other factories. Boston is made in Japan and is perfect for professional and semi-professional use. Essex is made in a Korean factory and is considered the most humane at Stenway for the price. Still, many musicians will have to take out a loan to afford the brand's products.

Approximate prices: Essex piano - from 432,000 rubles, Boston piano - from 1,100,000.

The brand also manufactures Roland digital pianos. Their cost is from 85,000 rubles.

• The brand has proven itself since 1853;
• Quality materials;
• Premium suite tools;
• There are two budget lines;
• Digital pianos produced
• Ideal for professional musicians;
• You can buy it in the online store;
• Unique range of sound;
• According to buyers, the best manufacturer.

• High price.

Yamaha

The Japanese monopoly Yamaha is known to every musician. The company's assortment includes consumer-grade tools and premium products. The company created its very first piano in 1900, seeing the success of the manufactured product, Yamaha set up production of grand pianos after a couple of years. Natural materials are used to create the products, which are able to preserve the sound quality in harsh weather conditions. Today Yamaha produces acoustic and digital pianos. New standards have been set for harmonious sound and elegant design. High-quality Japanese music production is popular all over the world. Yamaha concert grand pianos can be found in many concert halls or educational institutions. The company also launched the production of the so-called hybrid pianos, which include Disklaviers (instruments that combine the functions of an acoustic piano and the capabilities of digital technology).

Digital pianos are most commonly recommended for beginners, and Yamaha offers the CSP series. The features of the series are that there are LED lights that clearly demonstrate which keys you need to press. As a result, it is easy to learn your favorite melody with a minimal investment of time to study, as the step-by-step instructions are before your eyes.

The cost of digital tools starts at 15,000 rubles.

• A wide range of;
• High-quality product performance;
• Suitable for any level;
• You can order online;
• With a wide range of dynamics;
• Many models are equipped with a reinforced foot;
• Sensitive keys.

• Bulky, poorly suited for a small room.

Petrof

The Czech manufacturer Petrof has established itself as a brand specializing in handcrafted and unique designs. Russian musicians fell in love with the brand for its noble and juicy sound and design reliability. Educational institutions also often prefer to buy Petrof, most often giving their liking to the P 118 S1 model. If you have just set foot on the musical path and are looking for a compact piano with a beautiful sound and affordable price, then we advise you to pay attention to the popular model P 118 M1. It perfectly combines sound quality and cost. Speaking of price, it is worth noting that Petrof creates three series of pianos: premium, high and mid-range. With their deep and velvety sound, Petrof instruments are good for classical and jazz reproduction.

Approximate cost: the Petrof P 118 S1 piano costs 560,000 - 628,000 rubles, the Petrof P 118 P1 piano costs 640,000 - 680,000 rubles.

• Well-known and time-tested manufacturer;
• Handmade and unique design;
• Three series of instruments;
• Deep and velvety sound;
• You can play at home.

• They are inferior in quality to Steinway & Sons products.

W.Hoffmann

The Czech-German manufacturer W.Hoffmann is very popular among middle-class pianos. Now there are three lines of the brand: Professional, Tradition and Vision. In fact, the middle class is Vision, all models are mid-range pianos. The Tradition line is suitable for professional use, while the Professional line is for the high level of concert instruments. The products are manufactured in the Czech town of Hradec Kralove. It is commendable that every detail is handcrafted. True, high quality also affects the price. W.Hoffmann masters pass on the secrets of their skills from generation to generation, which is probably why the phrase "European quality" has such an essential meaning.

The W.Hoffmann V-112 PE piano stands out from the models at affordable prices. Its cost is 442 thousand rubles. The instrument attracts with its spectacular design, high precision of the playing mechanism and an exclusive sound damping system. If you want an expensive salon grand piano, we advise you to pay attention to the W.Hoffmann T-186 PE. Its cost is 1,642,000 rubles. The desk instrument is ideal for discerning performers who value the very best. The sound muting system will allow you to rehearse at any time of the day.

• Handmade parts;
• Great sound power;
• Responsive keyboard;
• Sound muting system;
• Elegant model design;
• With a wide range of dynamics.

• High price.

Weber

If you are looking for an amateur and at the same time high quality piano, then pay attention to the Chinese company Weber. The brand was originally considered American and began its existence in 1851, but the company went bankrupt. After 1998, tool production resumed, but the Chinese branch of Young Chan took over. The brand's specialists have made many changes to the products, but left the same quality and melody of sound. The manufacturer produces two lines: entry-level and mid-range pianos and the excellent line of Albert Weber pianos. While the first line is produced in China, the second is created in South Korea.

Consider one of the most budgetary models (280,000 rubles) - the Weber W 114 piano. The height of the piano: 114 cm, the dimensions are quite compact, the exquisite design will easily fit into the interior of any room. Thanks to its low key weight and elasticity, the touch is incredibly smooth and extremely precise.

• Refined models at an adequate cost;
• High quality material;
• Smooth lid closure;
• Warm sound with many shades;
• Compact size suitable for apartments.
• Impeccable value for money.

• It may seem expensive to some.

Conclusion

Germany has long been the best piano producing country, but Japan, the USA and China are not lagging behind and are trying to bring their first-class percussion and keyboard product to the market. If you can't imagine yourself without playing the keys, then you need to buy an instrument. But the expensive to take or the budget option will depend on your material capabilities. If you thoroughly prepare for the purchase, then mistakes in choosing will bypass you.