Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Value-retaining vehicles: These are the 20 new mainstream cars that will depreciate slowest over three years

Cap hpi reveals which new models hold most of their value after 36 months

Depreciation calculated based on cars being driven on average 20k miles a year

Value retention is hugely important to anyone buying new vehicles outright and financing using PCP - we explain why

Buying the right car is about more than finding a model with the right engine type, performance, interior space and fuel economy - it also has to be financially efficient when the time comes to replace it.

In the current market, where around eight in 10 new cars are financed and monthly payments are impacted by the rate of depreciation, it's becoming more important than ever to find a model that holds its value well.

Exclusive data for This is Money provided by vehicle valuations experts cap hpi has identified which 20 new mainstream models - not including supercars and low-production exclusive models - retain most of their original price.

This is based on an average ownership period of three years with 60,000 miles on the clock.

20. Toyota C-HR petrol (2016-)

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The quirky looking Toyota CH-R, using a conventional petrol engine, will retain 48.1% of its value after the first 3 years of ownership from new

Average new price: £25,464

Average value retained after 3 years: 48.1%

Average loss in value after 3 years: -£13,218

Toyota's quirky looking C-HR SUV squeezes into the top 20 with petrol versions retaining just less than 50 per cent of their value after three years.

The compact size, unique styling and strong reliability record is making it desirable.

19. Seat Ateca (2016-)

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The Ateca is Seat's answer to a compact family SUV and is a cheaper alternative to a like-for-like Volkswagen model

Sleek 2016 TV advert for the Spanish brand Seat Ateca car

Average new price: £24,354

Average value retained after 3 years/60,000 miles: 48.1%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£12,661

Like the C-HR, the Ateca is another compact SUV.

Depreciation is slow due to the desirability of this type of car and also the fact it's a VW Group model, which tend to always hold value relatively strongly.

18. Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe diesel (2016-)

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The GLC Coupe's looks might not be for all but there's no denying the slow depreciation of Mercedes' classy large SUV

Average new price: £46,059

Average value retained after 3 years/60,000 miles: 48.3%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£23,815

It's hard to believe that a car hemorrhaging almost £24,000 of its original value in 36 months is among the slowest depreciating motors, but that's the case with the big - and in our opinion pretty hideous - GLC Coupe diesel.

17. Lexus RX hybrid (2015-)

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Lexus has for a long time been pioneering hybrid technology. The pay off is strong residual values today

Take a look at the brand new 2016 Lexus RX

Average new price: £54,588

Average value retained after 3 years/60,000 miles: 48.4%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£28,163

Another large SUV to make it into this list is the hybrid-powered Lexus RX450h.

Toyota's premium brand tends to retain value well, and the addition of hybrid power - offering a safety net against emission-related taxes - only helps to improve residuals.

16. Tesla Model X (2016- )

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The Tesla Model X will retain almost half of its value after the first 3 years, but owners will still lose out on over £50,000

The Tesla Model X and its falcon wing doors

Average new price: £100,667

Average value retained after 3 years/60,000 miles: 48.5%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£53,167

It's no surprise that electric cars hold their value well, especially as demand is on the up.

That said, Tesla Model X buyers - despite having the 16th slowest depreciating car - should expect to see their motors lose £53,000 of their value in three years.

15. Subaru Impreza (2014-)

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The Subaru Impreza is now a sensible family hatchback with a strong track record of reliability

Average new price: £30,240

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 49.1%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£15,390

The Subaru Impreza isn't the car it previously was. In the early '90s this was the choice model for rally fans and boy racers, but the current model is now a far more grown up family hatch.

It's super reliable as well as slow depreciating.

14. Jaguar F-Pace diesel (2015-)

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F-Pace values were strong when it originally went on sale in 2015 but diesel models have continued to depreciate slowly

The new Jaguar F-Pace Diesel R-Sport in Italian racing red

Average new price: £45,020

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 49.2%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£22,920

Proving how demand big SUVs are today, the F-Pace almost retains half of its original value after three years of ownership.

And this is for the diesel variants at a time when oil burners and widely being disregarded.

13. Volkswagen Tiguan (2016-)

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The Volkswagen Tiguan holds almost half of its value after 3 years and 60,000 miles says cap hpi

Ths is how the new Volkswagen Tiguan performs in great advert

Average new price: £33,260

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 49.8%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£16,710

Volkswagen's smart looking Tiguan is holding its value well, both petrol and diesel variants.

Buyers will get almost half their money back after three years and an average of 20,000 miles annually.

12. Bentley Bentayga (2015-)

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The Bentayga isn't what you call mainstream as such, but the volume of demand for Bentley's big SUV means it has a rightful place in this list

First look at the Bentley's part electric Bentayga Hybrid

Average new price: £162,700

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 50%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£81,400

Okay, the Bentayga's credentials as a 'mainstream' car, given its whopping price, is a bit of a stretch, but Bentley has been shifting them in big numbers for the last few years.

They retain half their value on average after 3 years - still losing over £80,000.

11. Lexus IS hybrid (2018-)

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Another Lexus hybrid to rank in the top 20 list of slow depreciating cars is the IS300h - a premium-feeling family saloon

Average new price: £36,810

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 51.2%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£17,960

Another hybrid Lexus to feature with the IS300h just missing out on the top 10.

The premium family saloon was only launched last year and is proving to have strong residuals at the moment, retaining more than half its value after 36 months.

Why car buyers (and financers) need to consider depreciation

Depreciation of a vehicle is important to consider for private car buyers, both those who purchase outright and the majority who acquire a car using finance.

For the former, a value-holding vehicle will get you more of your money back when it's time to sell.

And for the latter, it's just as imperative as monthly payments will be lower if you choose a car that depreciates slowly.

With Personal Contract Purchase - which is the most popular form of finance used for cars - the monthly installments paid are based on the vehicles loss of value over the duration of the contract.

Therefore, a slower depreciating car means lower monthly installments.

While this means the balloon payment required to buy the car outright at the end of the agreement will be higher, many choose to hand their motors back and take out a new finance contract on a new model.

10. Maserati Levante diesel (2016-)

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The Levante is Maserati's first attempt at big SUV - diesel models retain more than 50% of their value after the first 3 years

Average new price: £56,500

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 51.3%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£27,500

The Levante is arguably one of the best looking big SUVs on the market to date, which is no small feat considering it's Maserati's first attempt.

Diesel values are - in a difficult climate - remaining strong.

9. Kia Niro (2016-)

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Kia Niro SUV has placed in the top 10. It proves the incredible rise of the Korean brand in the last few years

Average new price: £24,320

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 51.4%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£11,820

Continuing the trend of SUVs, the Kia Niro has made it into the top 10 with an average value retention after three years of more than 51 per cent.

Not bad for an affordable family motor from a Korean brand that was previously often overlooked.

8. Mercedes-AMG GLC Coupe (2016-)

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AMG variants of the GLC Coupe are holding more value than the standard version, which featured earlier in this countdown

Average new price: £52,470

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 51.5%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£25,453

The GLC Coupe diesel has already featured in this list at number 18, but buyers with deeper pockets who can stretch to AMG performance models can expect slightly better value retention levels of 51.5 per cent after three years and 60,000 miles.

7. Mercedes-Benz V-Class (2014-)

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Yet another Mercedes, though this one is somewhat different. The V-Class is the vehicle of choice if you have a whopping family

Average new price: £51,535

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 51.9%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£24,814

If you have a large family and need something bigger than an SUV or traditional MPV, the small people carrier route might be your only choice.

The V-Class is one of the most premium models in this limited sector, which explains the slow depreciation.

6. Toyota CH-R hybrid (2016-)

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Toyota's CH-R SUV with the conventional petrol engine placed earlier in this list but the hybrid variants are even slower to depreciate, cap hpi records show

Average new price: £26,931

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 53.1%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£12,615

Toyota has for the last few years shifted away from diesel powertrains in favour of hybirds - a move that in hindsight has been positive and helped its models retain value well.

The hybrid CH-R just misses out on the top 5 slow depreciating models.

5. Volkswagen Caravelle diesel (2010-)

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Like the Mercedes V-Class featured earlier, the VW Caravelle is very much aimed at those with big families - or entire football teams - to transport

Average new price: £43,789

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 53.4%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£20,409

Like the Mercedes V-Class, the Caravelle is Volkswagen's answer to large family transportation.

Buy one new and three years later it will still have retained over 53 per cent of its original value, even after 60 miles of driving.

4. Mercedes-AMG GLC (2016-)

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Luxurious, large and likely to hold its value: The Mercedes-AMG GLC is super quick but slow to depreciate

Average new price: £50,113

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 53.4%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£23,363

Big dimension, big power and big value retention potential.

That's according to cap hpi, which says the Mercedes-AMG GLC SUV, on average, holds more than half its value after three years and 60,000 miles of ownership.

3. Peugeot 3008 (2016-)

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It's not all premium brands here: Peugeot's 3008 proves an affordable family car can hold its value well too

Feel the unique sensation of driving Peugeot's new 3008 SUV

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Average new price: £24,483

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 54.2%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£11,217

If you thought the top five slow depreciating cars would be dominated by premium brands, you'd be wrong.

Peugeot's popular 3008 - voted the 2017 European Car of the Year - is holding its value very well as demand remains high for the family SUV.

2. Mercedes-AMG CLA (2016-)

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Mercedes' high-performance small saloon holds 54.3% of its value after 3 years

Average new price: £45,653

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 54.3%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£20,887

The latest generation Mercedes A-Class has become a seriously popular car in the UK, and the CLA saloon version with AMG power under the bonnet holds an impressive amount of its original value after three years.

1. Volkswagen California (2010-)

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The VW California is an MPV and camper van rolled into one. With examples holding almost 61% of their new value after 3 years, it's by far and away the slowest depreciating mainstream model you can buy today

Average new price: £55,174

Average value retention after 3 years/60,000 miles: 60.9%

Average loss in value after 3 years/60,000 miles: -£21,564

The California is Volkswagen's modern day answer to the iconic Camper - a sort of compact mobile home with premium touches.

Incredibly, value retention is far and above any other mainstream model, though this might be due to the comparatively small production output and niche market.

You can read our full review of the California here.

cap hpi explains why the VW California depreciates so slowly

As summer arrives, owners of camper vans are sitting pretty after insight from cap hpi reveals that the vehicles are experiencing very little depreciation, making them much sought after for motorists who love life on the open road.

The valuations team believe the strong values are boosted by the increase in 'staycations' rather than overseas holidays coupled with the ongoing appeal of retro and vintage living.

Last year, many families chose to stay thanks mainly to a record summer and economic uncertainty. This summer expects to see similar levels of families opting to stay on home soil for holiday season. One increasingly popular trend in the camper van and motorhomes sector is for conversions.

Ken Brown, LCV valuations editor, said: 'In the medium van LCV sector we often see vehicles that are ideal for conversion into camper vans and VW T5s, in particular, make strong money if they are in a good colour with air conditioning.'

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The camper van converter market has taken off in the past few years with more and more of these specialist businesses now popping up across the country.

These vehicles are sourced initially from the used LCV market at three to five years old and purchased at competitive prices.

They then go through a full makeover, often incorporating brand new front swivel seats, pop top added (for children to sleep), kitchens units with sink and gas stove, rock and roll bed, new front grill and headlights plus full paint job and new wheels.

It transforms what was a standard workhorse into a fun, very cool and hugely desirable camping machine.

Prices do vary for these, but they can be found for £20k-plus, which is a just snip of the cost when compared to a factory-built VW California.

The most desirable model style Transporter for these converters is the long wheelbase with a tailgate and low roof (to fit in standard car parks), but there are increasingly more of the fully converted VW Crafter models appearing on the roads.

Jeremy Yea, senior valuations editor at cap hpi, added: 'The 'day van' or 'lifestyle' VW Transporter is very popular right now and most tend to be the ex-commercial use or LCV workhorses but with clean previous usage.

These are not generally converted into full campers as such (no pop roof) but do still tend just to have a bench seat or rock and roll bed in the back with a couple of kitchen units and gas stove, perfect for those day trips or weekends at the beach.

'For those looking for a vehicle to sleep children, a far cheaper option to the pop roof is a side awning or tent.

These can often be converted at home by the owner who is a handy and confident DIYer and at a fraction of the cost than if bought pre-converted.'

Friday, July 12, 2019

THE CONCERT GRAND PIANOS

The world's greatest concert grand pianos!

The Concert Grand is the ultimate and finest of any piano manufacturer's products. They are meant to be used at the great concert halls, symphonic stages, and opera houses of the world. They are often "too much piano" for an ordinary house, and can be overpowering in a small room (kind of like having a tiger for a pet). But in an auditorium, where their sound is allowed to properly unfold and resonate, they are the most magnificent products of the piano craftsmen's art.

Below are pictures of most of the world's great concert grands (plus a cool oddity, the red "Ferrari" model). Any manufacturer makes several sizes of grand pianos, with the measurement being determined by the length of the instrument from the keyboard to the end of the tail. Most concert grands are around nine feet long, though the Bösendorfer Imperial is 9½ feet and the Fazioli is 10 feet. (The Bösendorfer even has nine extra keys, making it overall the largest of them all.) The advantage of a longer piano is that the strings are also longer, and that is what produces the great power and richness of the concert grands, allowing them to be easily heard clear to the back of a concert hall, even when accompanied by a full symphonic orchestra, all playing at the same time. Concert grands are only produced by the finest and most experienced manufacturers, often in very small quantities such as only 10 a year from any particular brand. They can cost up to $300,000 for the normal black models, and much much more for those with special carving, elaborate wood-work, and fancy veneers. Manufacturers of mass-produced, lower-price pianos seldom make concert grands, because concert halls or professional pianists would be unwilling to buy such a piano with the reputation of a budget brand. The companies that make concert grands have a tradition of excellent hand-craftsmanship and many of them have been in existence for almost 200 years. Several of the companies have been owned and operated by the same families since they were started in the early 1800's, and have a very prestigious image in the piano world.

Whatever you do, don't insult these magnificent instruments by calling them "baby" grands! Most people inexplicably think that any horizontal piano is a baby grand -- but how can any species exist if it is composed entirely of babies? Where there are babies, there must obviously be grown-ups too -- and there are; besides the concert grands, there are parlor grands, studio grands, salon grands, and semi-concert grands, depending on the length. Baby grands are those models that are only 5 feet long or less, front-to-back. They are seldom meant to be serious, professional instruments (you can get longer stings even in some upright pianos), often being referred to by musicians as "piano-shaped objects", or "noisy furniture", and have the reputation of being bought mainly for decoration by society dowagers, to be parked in the bay windows of their elegant living rooms, which of course quickly destroys whatever musical ability the instrument ever had by exposing it to daily variations in sunlight and temperature. In spite of all this, there are a few baby grands (the most expensive ones of course) that are nice pianos. Most budget brands nowadays though are made in China or Indonesia.

Since it can be hard to know the proper term for any particular piano you see (whether it's a concert, studio, parlor, baby grand, or whatever) (and the manufacturers aren't even very consistent with the terminology either), just refer to any of them as a "grand piano". In German they are called "Flügel" pianos (wing-shaped), in French they are "pianos à queue" and in Italian "pianoforti a coda" (pianos with tails).

Japan started producing pianos over 100 years ago, and they (Kawai and Yamaha) have gone on to be known for excellent quality in their larger models. Korea got a later start (Samick, Young Chang, and Sejung), and make good instruments but have not yet achieved the reputation for finest quality, though they may get there. Both the Japanese and Korean companies have some factories in Indonesia, where they make their lower-priced pianos. However, China now makes more pianos than any other country in the world by far. Many are of just average quality, but all are vastly improved over their efforts from a generation ago, which were often quite dreadfully inferior products. Hailun, Pearl River, Dongbei, and Xinghai all make some nice pianos, but still suffer from their original bad reputation. Most of their products nowadays have European-sounding brand names, preferably German. If your new piano carries the name Ritmüller, Fandrich, Feurich, Brodmann, Perzina, May Berlin, Palatino, Kayserburg, Falcone, Cristofori, Heintzmann -- it's Chinese. This isn't necessarily bad; many Chinese companies have linked up with very reputable old European companies, who have helped the Chinese with their designs, specifications, and manufacturing techniques. Even Steinway of New York City has its Essex models made in China, to their own specific designs. And several good European brands have certain parts made in China or Indonesia, which are then shipped to Europe to be finished to their own stringent quality standards.

So, much like the auto industry, pianos nowadays can have parts from anywhere, assembled in any of several different countries. However, the great concert grands shown below are all still pure examples of excellent piano-making from skilled craftsmen at original, highly reputable manufacturers, many with a great history stretching back to the most famous composers and performers from centuries ago; Chopin had his Pleyel, Mahler his Blüthner, Brahms his Bösendorfer, and Liszt his Bechstein.

August Förster, Löbau, Germany

Model 275 "Super Mondial"

Length 275 cm. / 9' 1" --- Weight 550 kg. / 1210 lbs.

Grotrian -- Braunschweig, Germany

Concert Royal

277cm x 156cm x 100cm 550kg

Only about 20 Grotrian Concert Royals

are produced annually.

Each one requires 8 months of manufacture.

Model E-272

8‘11” / 272 cm

1010 lbs / 458 kgs

Steingraeber pianos, made in Wagner's town of Bayreuth,

are some of the rarest and most highly prized of all pianos,

because of the extremely small number produced each year.

STEINWAY & SONS

NEW YORK CITY and HAMBURG, GERMANY

Model D Concert Grand

9' 11 3/4" (274 cm) 990 pounds (450 kg)

Steinway has long been the most famous American brand of piano.

The main factory is located in New York City.

However, the pianos made at their other factory in Hamburg, Germany

are often considered of even finer quality.

BECHSTEIN PIANOS -- Seifhennersdorf, Germany

Founded by Carl Bechstein in 1853

The Bechstein D 282 Concert Grand

Width: 63 inches / 160 cm

Length: 9 feet 3 inches / 282 cm

Weight: 1190 lbs / 540 kg

Blüthner is the only manufacturer to use "aliquot strings" -- a fourth string, placed above the normal three strings of the upper keys. This string is not hit by the hammers, but it vibrates in tune with the strings immediately below it, for an added richness of sound.

Many concert grands can be ordered with more ornate woodwork, such as this one, the Julius Blüthner Supreme Edition:

The Fazioli 308 is the crown jewel of the Fazioli series of grand pianos. Made in Sacile, Italy, it is the longest regular production piano in the world.

308 centimeters (10 feet 1 inch) --- 690 kilograms (1545 pounds). Four pedals.

The soundboard is made entirely of red spruce from the Val di Fiemme in the Alps of northeastern Italy -- the same wood that was used by Stradivarius for his legendary violins over 300 years ago.

Fazioli is by far the newest of the great piano companies of Europe, being established in 1981. It very quickly went right to the top in terms of quality, reputation, and price.

Fazioli also makes the Model 278 Concert Grand.

Even though it is their second-longest model,

it is still longer than the largest concert grands

of many other manufacturers.

Model 308

10 feet 1 inch

Model 278

9 feet 1 inch

The four pedals of the Fazioli 308:

The one on the left raises all the hammers

closer to the strings, to provide a softer volume

without altering the basic sound of the piano

like the una corda pedal does.

You can get your Fazioli totaly covered in

24-carat gold if you wish!

The Imperial Grand has 97 keys -- 8 full octaves.

Bösendorfer, perhaps the world's most prestigious brand of all, is the only company to make two concert grands

with two completely different methods of construction.

The Model 280 (at 9' 2" or 280 centimeters) has the usual curved rim, made of many layers of thin veneers

bent around a form and laminated.

But the rim of the Imperial grand (9' 6", or 290 cm) is built quite differently from that of any other piano in the world,

being made in solid sections of wood that are then jointed together, producing angles instead of smooth curves.

It is also made of spruce instead of the usual maple or beech wood. The spruce is from the famous Val di Fiemme in Italy.

The Model 280 has the usual 88 keys, but the Imperial has 97. The nine extra keys are all on the bass end,

colored black so as not to disorient a player more accustomed to 88 keys.

The back of the Model 280,

showing the curved rim of the case.

CZECH REPUBLIC

P 284 Mistral grand piano 284 cm / 9 ft 3 in Weight – 560 kg / 1232 lb

Petrof, of Hradec Králové, Czech Republic, is one of the few piano companies from a former communist country to survive to the present. In fact, it is one of the largest piano companies in Europe, producing around 14,000 pianos a year, of which 1750 are grands of various sizes.

The company was established in 1864 by Antonín Petrof. In 1948, it was confiscated from the Petrof family by the government of Czechoslovakia. In 1991, it was finally returned to them, and now the fifth generation of the Petrof family is in control.

Ant. Petrof 275

Concert Grand piano

275 cm (9' 1") long

One of the world's newest models

of concert grand is the Ant. Petrof.

The founder of the company,

Antonín Petrof, used the same

abbreviation on his very first pianos.

Now, after 150 years,

the original brand has been reborn.

BRAUNSCHWEIG, GERMANY

Schimmel is the largest piano manufacturer in Germany.

K280T Concert Grand in Ebony High Gloss

    Length: 280 cm

   Weight: 490 kg

Unfortunately, the famous French piano company Pleyel, in business for over 200 years,

ceased all production in 2013.

Pleyels were the favorite pianos of the greatest of all piano composers, Frédéric Chopin.

278 cm /9 feet long --- 504 kg -- 1111 lbs.

The premier piano of Japan.

Speichingen, Germany

Sauter, established in 1819, has been in continuous production longer than any other piano company in the world.

Schulze Pollmann, in spite of the German name, is located in the tiny republic of San Marino, which is surrounded by Italy. They do not make concert grands, but they are famous for their innovative models such as the Ferrari Rosso pianos.

Ferrari contacted Schulze Pollmann to obtain a red piano matching the color of their racing cars; this piano was meant to be used at their most prestigious worldwide dealerships and auto shows.

Schulze Pollmann's technical experts in painting and master carpenters did their utmost to replicate on wooden surfaces the same visual result requested by Ferrari, which, until then, had been obtained only on metal surfaces.

The 197 “Rosso Formula” comes from this experience; it is now produced upon request, in limited quantities. In addition to the exclusive red color, which is warm and shining, this piano offers other unique features: a matching bench with velvety-leather red top, an iron frame cast in carbon-grey color (like the racing cars' engines), and the inner side of the rim in the same metallic grey.

The concert stage has a formidable new star in the CC-94, the first concert grand designed, built and introduced by an American piano manufacturer in half a century.

Handcrafted in limited numbers using only the world’s finest materials, the CC-94 epitomizes the piano maker's art. It is distinguished by a massive rim, wide body, and oversized soundboard, guaranteeing that the CC-94 will retain all of its brilliant tonal characteristics throughout the life of the instrument. The CC-94 is available in classic ebony satin, polished ebony, and rosewood.

As always, Mason & Hamlin pianos are Made in America.

SEILER -- Kitzingen, Germany

- Columbus Dispatch 07/13/08 "I just had to write you an email to tell you that I am completely, totally, head-over-heels in love with my Estonia studio grand piano. In 25 years of playing the piano, I have never had an experience even remotely similar to the Estonia. I have never heard a piano sound so clear, touched keys that literally form to my fingertips, had such an ability to control the high and low registers, or be able to play so soft and so loud and yet have the notes sound so very different. I am truly a better, more proficient and happier piano player with my Estonia. Growing up with a Kawai, I always assumed that I would purchase the same, or at the very least, a Yamaha. But as soon as I sat down at the 5 foot, 6 inch Estonia, I knew that this was my piano, my instrument. As a composer, one issue with all of the other piano's on which I created music was that my shoulders would be sore after an hour or so of playing. After playing my Estonia for 7 straight hours with absolutely no pain, it is clear that the Estonia experience is unique in so many, countless ways.

The Estonia Piano, Hot And In Demand

Estonia is arguably "the hottest European piano on the planet." Immaculately crafted, Estonia pianos have a history dating back to 1893, yet the Estonia piano had been an almost unknown member of the piano industry until about 1999/2000 when Estonia, a tiny country just across the Baltic Sea from Finland, gained its independence after the break-up of the Soviet Union.

After Estonia gained its freedom, the country's nationalized piano company was privatized in 1994 under the ownership of its managers and employees. At that time, Dr. Indrek Laul, an Estonian and renowned pianist was a PhD candidate in piano performance at the Julliard School of Music.

The rims are strong and thick, much thicker than most other pianos. Dense rims are important for a rich sound, plus solid beams support the overall tension of the piano structure, further adding to the balance and longevity of the instrument. Multiple layers of select North-European birch are glued together in a press where they dry over a long time; in addition, the outer frame is set aside to cure separately thereafter. After curing and testing, the wood is further shaped according to exact measurements to form the rim.

Probably a lot of you have, and on the other hand many others haven’t heard of the new kid on the block - The Estonia Piano.

According to the Columbus Dispatch, last year the Estonia Piano Factory in Tallinn exported 300 pianos both grands and baby grands, most of them to the United States. Chris Foley Points out that it would be interesting and important to know how these piano age. Sounding wonderful in a show room is one thing - sounding great after a few years is quite a different matter.

Dr. Indrek Laul Playing A Rachmaninoff Etude On His Estonia 210 Piano At The Factory

E S T O N I A P I A N O S

Tallinn, Estonia

Ebony Polish Estonia Concert Grand Model 274.

Length 9' 0"

Width 5' 2"

Weight 1213 lbs.

Over 7500 Concert Grand pianos have been made in Estonia, which is probably the largest number of concert grand made by any piano factory.Estonia Pianos is the only manufacturer from the former Soviet Union that has survived, and now has a reputation of excellent quality at a lower price than other European pianos. Estonia pianos have complete Renner actions made in Germany, the same as used by Fazioli, Hamburg Steinway, Bosendorfer and most other tier one pianos.”

The Flagship of the CF series, the CFX full concert grand piano represents the pinnacle of Yamaha's tradition of piano crafting.

Beautifully made and with an exquisite tone across the entire dynamic range, the CFX has the power to project its sound to the furthest reaches of any concert hall.

9 feet 1150 lbs

Pearl River of China is probably the only budget brand that makes a concert grand.

They are the largest piano manufacturer in the world, and sell most of their concert grands within China.

The Pearl River concert grand is also sold with the Ritmüller name:

The Brodmann 275, introduced in 2011, is partially made in China and then shipped to Austria,

where the strings and action are installed and all tuning, voicing, and regulation work is performed.

Phoenix, Arizona USA

Weight 560 kg (1,234.6 lbs)

Length 275 cm (9')

Height 104 cm (3' 5")

Width 159 cm (5' 3")

The frames for Ravenscroft pianos are made in Germany by Sauter, the oldest piano company in the world,

which are then shipped to Arizona where the piano is assembled.

Over 1000 hours of work is put into each piano, which is two or three times as much as most other companies.

These are the most expensive pianos made in America.

Newcastle, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA

Stuart & Sons Concert Grand -- 9 feet 6 inches long.

Stuart & Sons of Australia is the only company in the world to make a piano with 102 keys --an extra 9 in the bass, plus another 5 on the treble end. These cannot be considered as normal production pianos; only one or two are made a year, as special orders. They are often made with exotic Australian woods such as sassafras, sycamore or Tasmanian Huon pine. Each piano takes over a year to manufacture.

SO WHAT PIANOS DO I HAVE?

The 9' concert grand piano is perfectly located under a 30' ceiling of the family room. The acoustic is just right for the sound flows to the breakfast nook then to the adjacent open kitchen.

"Closely resembling the Hamburg Steinway in both sound and touch, the Estonia combines, in one instrument, some of the best qualities of the great American pianos with those of the high-end Europeans. Its rich, full-bodied, and three-dimensional sound is American-like, whereas its purity and clarity are European-like. Its most distinguishing feature is its wonderfully sustaining, lyrical tone. More than anything else, it is this quality of tone that defines the Estonia piano and gives it its own special place in the high-end market." -- Piano Buyer, Fall 2009

Estonia Concert Grand Model 274.

Length 9' 0"

Width 5' 2"

Estonia: 100% European hand made piano with clear, warm and notably resonant, singing tone qualities. Buyers: pianists & music lovers. With and without money..The action that Estonia is using does not contain just "Renner parts" that more then a few manufacturers try to pass as "Renner actions"...They also don't use Renner actions only on their top of the line concert grand models but other actions on almost all the other instrument they make, as some companies do.

The Estonia action is a FULL Renner action, which is being produced in Renner facilities in Germany, assembled in their Stuttgart, Germany factory, and sent to Estonia.
Each and every Estonia has a full Renner action, from the concert grand to the smallest 5'6 piano.
The full Renner action includes the rail, repetitions, flanges, shanks, damper undelever mechanism, damper heads, and of course the assembly. Estonia is also using the top of the line Renner Blue hammers. These are the same hammers used on Hamburg Steinway and Mason & Hamlin pianos (the density is a bit different as to the manufacturers specs, but quality and price are the same).
All full Renner actions use the SAME quality of moving parts, and there is no significant price difference between them although geometry may be different as to the manufacturer's specs.
Almost all High-end European manufacturers use full Renner actions in their pianos...at least in their concert grand pianos and largest models.

The Renner action has proven itself and it's long-term reliability in high performance pianos.
This is not cheap piano wire, but an expensive part with thousands of moving parts.

Iron plates come from Finland, and are made the old-fashioned, European way.

In order to guarantee the right quality, they are sand-cast, seasoned, and only the best plates pass the final selection. They have one year of iron plates in their inventory, and only the best would be selected. It takes modern machinery to make even the rough surfaces and prepare for their mirror-like polish finishes,, at which their craftsmen show their experience. They continue to test them, to make sure that they do not interfere with the piano sound but are there to support the structure. Shiny, smooth, and even, they have received a lot of praise at international music trade shows, and are considered among the best from Europe.

Is it any wonder that Estonia became rated by Piano Buyer in same class of quality as Steinway NY this, in record time?Weight 1213 lbs. I have been reading on this piano for several years, because of their reputation for their quality sound and probably the equal of a Steinway and the making of a stradivarius of pianos in the future. A very wise investment and a good family heirloom to pass down.

In the music room is a 7 and a half semi concert grand and an antique upright grand.

Piano #2. arrived July 30 a gift for my wife's birthday. When she played it, she said it is like a Yamaha and not a Steinway. For me I have one critical observation of this piano. the inner 2" rim on both of the Spine and Bentside –do not extend to the keys of the piano in full width.only a portion inner rim, potruded the bulkhead of the keybed where the braces/beams underneath meets. What is left is the outer 2" thick rim and a small portion of the inner rim that you see as the piano case. Unlike high end pianos, the key bed is inside the rims and not screwed to the bottom of the rim. This become the weakest point in the frame structure, as I say there is no continuity of the full width of the inner rims to the keybed.

The strings are held over the bridge (the thin long wood on top of the sound board) are usually made from several strips of beech or maple which are laminated on top of each other. The top of the bridge is capped with a thicker, solid strip of maple. The bridges are glued directly to the top of the soundboard, and the bottom edge of each bridge is designed to precisely fit the crown of the soundboard. Metal bridge pins are driven into the top of the bridge, and they serve to evenly space and align the strings as they pass over the bridge. There are over 220 strings on the grand piano - at two bridge pins per string, there are over 440 bridge pins driven into the bridges. Notches cut into the top of the bridge make its front end slightly higher than the path of the strings. This ensures a tight connection and optimal transmission of sound vibrations between the strings and the soundboard. The bridges define the exact speaking length of the strings on the far end of the piano

Here it is: “It is one of the best-kept secrets in piano making today.” The keybed on Estonia pianos is built into the rim. This unique feature - to have the piano components all connected and supportive - is an old tradition. How many other makers would spend the time to set the keybed into the piano rim? It is a lot more time consuming process, as compared to attaching the keybed separately under the rim. Estonia continues the old traditions of European piano making. The look of the ebony polish finish, made with the Euroepan, shiny polyester laquer, is classic - very elegant and very European. It protects the piano surface and lets minor scratches, if they were to come from using the instrument, to be polished out. Piano making in Estonia stretches back 200 years, but the company itself was founded in 1893 by Ernst Hiis, an Estonian master craftsman trained at Steinway-Hamburg. When the Soviets annexed the Baltic state in 1940, the conquered country was forced to give Joseph Stalin a gift, and the nation of 1.5 million gave a Hiis-made piano. Stalin apparently loved the handmade grand, and the Soviet commissars made sure Hiis was given a factory to consolidate all other Estonian piano workshops under him and a near-monopoly to supply the empire with grand pianos newly branded with the Estonia name.

Production peaked under the Soviets at 475 grand pianos a year, but, isolated from new techniques, the Estonia factory inevitably fell into decline after Hiis’ passing. The Berlin Wall fell, Estonia regained its national independence, and in 1993 the factory’s 130 employees took the piano maker private.

Price of Concert Grand Pianos

August Forster 275

MSRP $138,136

Bluthner 1

MSRP $175,185

Bosendorfer 280VC

MSRP $219,999

Bosendorfer 290

MSRP $249,999

C.Bechstein D282

MSRP $253,200

Estonia 274

MSRP $121,060

Fazioli F278

MSRP $214,000

Fazioli F308

MSRP $234,000

Grotrian Concert Royal

MSRP $164,921

Heintzman 277

MSRP $89,995

Kawai EX

MSRP $208,695

Knabe WKG90

MSRP $105,295

Mason & Hamlin CC94

MSRP $132,668

Pearl River GP275

MSRP $79,995

Petrof P284

MSRP $217,084

Pramberger JP280E

MSRP $127,895

Ravenscroft 275

MSRP $280,000

Ritmuller GH275R

MSRP $84,995

Sauter 275

MSRP $228,320

Schimmel K280

MSRP $149,750

Seiler SE278

MSRP $272,695

Shigeru Kawai SK-EX

MSRP $213,795

Steingraeber E272

MSRP $225,433

Steinway D

MSRP $160,900

Yamaha CFX

MSRP $179,999

At the factory in Austria --
-- in September 2013.

At my house:

Since the piano weighs 1250 lbs, I had to crawl on my stomach under the house and install a few large wooden supports under the floor. I wanted tile under the piano to reflect the sound, but I didn't dare lay the tile and then roll those brass wheels across it, the tile would have shattered instantly. So I put the piano in place, jacked up one leg with a jack from my pickup truck, laid some tile under it, and let it stand there with the leg in the air for a week till the glue dried, while laying some other tiles around it. Then I had to put in the grout, and let that sit for a week to dry too. I made the wooden wheel plates with a soft felt underside, and then finally let the wheel down on one of them. No cracks! So then I had to do the same thing with the other two legs. It took over two months to get all the tile laid under the piano, which was kind of hard on the head, too.

Yes, it may be too much piano for the room it's in, but isn't it better for it to be cared for, loved, and played daily in a small house,

than stuck forever on some cold concert stage, shoved around, and loved by nobody?

The special music stand is the "Johann Strauss" model. Notice the nine extra notes at the end.

It was autographed at the factory by the great French pianist, Philippe Entremont.

Strangely enough, the first piano record I ever got, way back when I was a kid, was by him.

I also have a Lyon & Healy grand, made in Chicago in 1923, which I restored. Lyon & Healy was a famous piano brand for decades, but they ceased production long ago.

However, they still manufacture fine concert harps -- they are the largest and most famous harp maker in the world, still in Chicago.

This piano was in such terrible shape that I got it for free, and hauled it from San Francisco to Oklahoma in the back of my truck.

I stripped off all the old scratched-up black lacquer, and found out to my surprise that there was mahogany veneer under it. I sanded it for hours, but the color could not be restored.

So I put on 2 coats of black wood dye and 2 coats of black wood stain. Finally I smeared on 3 layers of tung oil by hand.

It may well be the only piano you'll ever see that is solid gloss black, but clearly shows a wood-grain pattern instead of having the usual opaque black lacquer found on most pianos.

I put a lighter-colored veneer inside the grand curve and on the underside of the lid. Then I replaced all the bass strings, all the dampers, all the felts, and the name plate.

But in spite of all that work, it still sounds like some old honky-tonk ragtime piano!