Thomann Pianos

Léan

I'm purposely posting this here and not in the instruments forum as it seems to be mostly guitarists etc.. Think i'd get more a response here.

Has anyone bought or played a Thomann own-brand piano? I really need to buy a new piano, and although i'd love to buy a Yamaha one they're too expensive. The Thomann ones are considerably cheaper but just wondering are they a waste of money?
I was looking at this one
Thomann piano

rcaz

Léan wrote: »

I'm purposely posting this here and not in the instruments forum as it seems to be mostly guitarists etc..

It's not so bad! Maybe you could help turn the place around

Doshea3

I honestly have no idea. I have heard good things about Thomann, but nothing about their pianos. I wouldn't recommend buying a piano online that you haven't tried first. And I mean the exact piano. Pianos of the same age, make and model can be very drastically different. Look for dealers of reconditioned Yamahas and Petrofs (their new rosewood-coloured uprights are pretty good) like Tynan in Dublin.

The benefits of buying a brand new piano in the low price bracket are very few. Mostly they will be cheaply manufactured (and this is across the board in all makes), will sound pretty awful and will need more frequent repair and tuning. Look for a cheap reconditioned Yamaha, from the 70s or 80s. They're miles better than cheap new pianos, and the price difference is negligible.

Léan

Doshea3 wrote: »

I honestly have no idea. I have heard good things about Thomann, but nothing about their pianos. I wouldn't recommend buying a piano online that you haven't tried first. And I mean the exact piano. Pianos of the same age, make and model can be very drastically different. Look for dealers of reconditioned Yamahas and Petrofs (their new rosewood-coloured uprights are pretty good) like Tynan in Dublin.

The benefits of buying a brand new piano in the low price bracket are very few. Mostly they will be cheaply manufactured (and this is across the board in all makes), will sound pretty awful and will need more frequent repair and tuning. Look for a cheap reconditioned Yamaha, from the 70s or 80s. They're miles better than cheap new pianos, and the price difference is negligible.

I understand it'd be way better to try it first etc.. and I've looked around for decently priced reconditioned yamahas but they seem to be non existent, most of them start at €2000 +. I'm in college so i'm not exactly flush with cash to spend that on a piano (as much as i'd like to).
The only reason i'm swayed towards Thomann atm is the price and the three year guarantee.

Doshea3

Yeah...it's very difficult to get anything very for under €4000 unfortunately. You may be better off buying a cheap reconditioned piano from somewhere like Thorntons (probably under €2000) and trading it in in a few years if you need a better one as opposed to buying a cheap new piano which will have no resale value in a few years...

Léan

Realllllly don't want to have to go down that route. The piano I have is about 100 years old plus, it's had all the work done to it, but just isn't up to scratch anymore.

I wish pianos weren't so damn expensive ugh.

Doshea3

Go and have a look in Thorntons' shop. You might be surprised at the quality of their pianos, which would surpass any cheap new piano. My advice: don't buy any new piano which is under €4000. It's a waste of money which will not last long and will have no resale value. Buy from somewhere like Thorntons who will trade your piano in for a decent price when you can afford to buy a dearer one.

meathwhiskey

Hi there,

I have been offered a Collard & Collard upright piano for free. I am been told it is from around 1855 - 1875. It needs re-tuning.

I am about to start lessons (complete beginner with no money) has anybody got advice, should i take it and get it re-tuned or should I hold out and try to bu one?

The girl who offered it to me said she got it for free but the teenager lost interest, and wants to pass it on to someone who will use and love it.

What do you think people? Do I take it or leave it? Am I trying to be lumbered with a non working beyond repair piano.

any advice please!

funky penguin

I suppose it depends on the condition. If it really only needs a re-tuning then its either been well looked after or heavily refurbished I'd imagine.

But best to leave this to dave, he knows far more than most on this forum.

Doshea3

Ah, Funky Penguin, you flatter me!

Collards are really good pianos. I had an 1860s grand a few years back, and only reason I got rid of it was because it was huge and took over my entire dining room and also because I didn't have the money to restore it to concert standard (I needed something more than just a 'playable' piano). However, it had a wonderful sound despite the unreliability of its action (and the fact that my banging away kept breaking its already very fragile strings).

Best advice is to get a technician (I highly recommend Jack O'Byrne—01 847 4215) to look at it and simply ask is it in a playable state. Unfortunately there are some incredible antique uprights which have suffered years of neglect and which cannot be repaired (a friend's Bechstein comes to mind, which despite €2000 of refurbishment work still won't stay in tune for more than a week). However, if you are only beginning and he says that for under €200 he can tune it and bring it back into a playable state, then yes, take it straight away—it sounds like a great offer!

Dr Gradus

I was gonna buy a keyboard off thomann, but i wouldn't buy a piano without having a decent play of it first, everyone has a different touch and knows what they want hear from a piano so i'd say No don't.

As others have said, get on down to thorntons, they have a nice selection and that.

Léan

Thanks for all the advice guys!

I'm glad i've held off now and not gotten a Thomann piano, i've shopped around a lot (reconditioned and second hand pianos). As a result I've now come into the possession of a beautiful baby grand

Doshea3

Fantastic, congratulations! Would love to see pictures if possible.