- Steinway
- Bösendorfer
- Bechstein
- Fazioli
- Yamaha
- (Shigeru) Kawai
- Blüthner
- Mason & Hamlin
- Grotrian
- Petrof
- Othah (specify below)
0 voters
Zteinway iz da only way
Even tho I haf neva tried any ov da above 
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Young Chang, because the only one I’ve played was such a piece of shit that I could go full oragemofo on it and it wouldn’t make any difference.
The best 88 I’ve played on was a Hamburg D, absolutely no question.
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Steinway for me too, but only because I consider sound more important than action. More than often I wasn’t quite happy with the Hamburg Steinway touch/repetition.
I haff to showcase a Yammy S zeriez tomorrow. Hopefully should be good. I remember playing an s6 ages ago at Uni that was amazing until it fell victim to uni and ztudentz.
For all round, I haff to go with Zteinway. For zum specific bel canto rep (Scherbert, Chopin) the bezt I played was a Bozendorfer about 5 yearz ago. Really do not like Fasioliz. I tried a Shigeru 6 for dis few weeks ago and found it quite eh…never liked da Kawai action but this was definitely the best I’ve played. Apparently the 7 shits all over it, but they didn’t haff one.
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Pre-War Mason & Hamlins are my favourite, some of the Yamaha CFXs are pretty sweet, and of course, a couple Steinways (one owned by Cliburn).
On a more obscure note, as mentioned above, Grotrian is great as well as Falcone.
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Yep, same here.
The Hamburgah action inherently of a different design n needs very good maintenance.
I love da Yamaha CFX but it would be ideal be a huge 3,000 seat hall, fo a smaller rec studio or venue - it is too bright
Randomly, most of da smaller NY model B pianos, even da ones refurbished with all Steinway parts at da factory - sound really smooth n more pleasant den da D which also overpower smaller spaces.
In terms of maintenance, n regulation - nothing really matched da even touch n flawless action of da Yamaha CFX, even tho da tone by itself is a bit too bright fo my taste - too much “attack” n hammer in da tone
A very good NY model D is hard to find as well, but when you find one dat is EXPERTLY regulated - tiz pozz da perfect 88
Dat said, getting a decent tone n adjusting to any 88 is an essential skill.
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Rezpek
uh…the one in my living room (Knabe upright)…cause its the only one ive played 
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I’m on team Steinway as well, but that said I thought the winner of the recent Tchaikovsky competition, as it were, was Yamaha. Every time the piano drew attention to itself and I had to check which was being played it turned out to be the Yamaha, and I noted it appeared to be the most popular instrument with the pianists as well.
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I noticed Kantorow played da Shigeru Kawai in a couple rounds
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The pianos I played most regularly were Yams, Hamburg Steinways and my Estonia. The Steinways get my vote, but I love my Estonia too and it has a much heavier action, which meant that it was always a breeze to play the Steinways. Only other pianos I’ve played is the Shigeru Kawai and Grotrian Steinweg, but not enough to offer an opinion. In the hall I think I’ve heard most of these, and the Hamburg Steinway wins hands down.
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mozt zteinway modl D ive playd are truly magnificnt n tha bezt 
but tru, i votd fo tha legendary BOZENDORFAH becuz they iz pozzibly bettah n haff that wildcard factah: u dun really kno whut ur going to get 
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Does anyone has experience with playing a vintage Bechstein? Instruments like the ones Backhaus and Schnabel recorded on? They do have a lovely sound…
And what about the no more existing French ones?
I’ve played Pleyel and was surprised by the super-light touch and rather “thin” sound. Suddenly some of the 
pedal indications made sense.
digi !
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Do you actually prefer a digi more than an acoustic grand/upright (why?) or did you start playing digital ones out of necessity and now you’ve grown accustomed to them?
I played fantastic Pleyel from 1911. It’s owner is my friend from Zagreb and he is organising pianistic series on it. Many excellent pianists played and loved it - Giltburg, Demidenko, Indjic, Gugnin, Korobeinikov, Barnatan etc.
He also ownes big collection of historical pianos, many of those are Bechstein. One particular model is special because on the same model of piano Bullow performed Liszt Sonata for the first time.
If anyone is interested I can upload some performances on that Pleyel and Bechstein.
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I know I was the only one, but the most worthwhile competition I have ever followed was the Chopin on period instruments last year. I really enjoyed the instruments, and was baffled by how they invited the music to be played in a different way than it typically is today on a modern piano (except perhaps by the currently extinct branch of pianism you got from Goldsand, Cherkassky etc). Anyway, there I loved the Pleyel piano - whereas my least favourite was the Erard Liszt was associated with.
No personal experience with Bechsteins (and not a fan either), but they’re sometimes used today as well. Lifschitz has a wonderful recording of Kunst der Fuge on one for instance.
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Fatman is just being da fatman. 
He’ll soon show up and say marijuana is like a plant with leaves too.
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No I like older school Steinway with muted sound and light action.
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