Ratings are very subjective. There are many different answers and in many cases they are all correct answers. The piano industry is a very fast paced quickly changing industry that does not lend itself well to generalizations. Such generalizations I hear on almost a daily bases, like, Pianos made in Japan are better than pianos made in China or Indonesia and the like... while this may have been true 10 to 15 years ago. It is definitely no longer true. Quality control from a good quality piano factory in China will match the best Japanese piano factories, and depending on the models, they will sometimes exceed them.
The materials and design specifications that pianos are made of produce the tone and touch of any given piano. Therefore, a NAME brand (or more advertised piano name) doesn't necessarily make for a better piano. If they designed a better piano with better parts than it does! Also a smaller piano company (ie: lesser advertised piano) could produce a superior product in design and materials yet save great quantities of money not paying to advertise their products.
In this day and age of pianos and technical advancement many lower priced pianos will perform within the realm of some of the most expensive pianos. A select few pianists will really be able to notice the small performance gains that come at an enormous increase in pricing that a true high end piano will provide.
Any piano rating system will not be definitive and agreed upon by all pianists. I have my favorite pianos and someone else with the same credentials may like something else! It is to this end that it is important for you, the consumer, to trust your ears, hands, and eyes. It is important to note however, that some of the more expensive consumer grade pianos will try to convince you that their lowest priced entry level pianos are somehow superior because the name on the front is the same name that is on stage in "XYZ" concert hall, or that famous pianist "XYZ" plays on that very same NAME BRAND piano.
I look forward to hearing from anyone who loves pianos or who are looking for a piano. You can e-mail me at
pianoguide@gmail.com .
In the near future, we will be adapting this website into an open chat-room on all things pianos.
