 Long awaited, and just as indispensable, update of the classic Piano Book |
| Review Date: November 13, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Monica J. Kern, Lexington, KY United States |
People who don't have a piano would probably be surprised to learn that buying a piano is as treacherous and intimidating an undertaking as buying a car--with many of the same perils: the expectation that negotiating a final purchase price is routine; a lack of clear data on the "real" wholesale or retail prices of pianos; and sales tactics that would make a used car salesman blush. For years, the major purchasing guide for consumers was Larry Fine's "Piano Book." But while annual price guide supplements for that volume were published yearly, the main text had not revised in many years.
The "Acoustic and Digital Piano Buyer" is thus a long-awaited and much needed update. The content of the book has been radically revised, and in my opinion, for the better. Much of the original Piano Book was devoted to rather dense and technical discussion of piano construction, understandable given Fine's background as a piano technician, but often more confusing or irrelevant than helpful. The Piano Buyer gives just the right amount of detail so that readers can understand the difference between the actions of an upright and a grand piano, say, or understand what a salesperson is saying to them about laminated vs. solid wood soundboards, but not so much detail that it is overwhelming.
Other changes to the Piano Buyer that are highly welcome include a chapter on considerations of how to situate your piano in your room for the best acoustic qualities, and a greatly enlarged section on digital pianos and computer models of piano sounds. This emphasis is much needed, as sales for digital pianos have increased greatly over the past few years, whereas acoustic piano sales have declined sharply. The Piano Buyer retains, however, many of the still-relevant sections of the Piano Book; for example, the chapters on dealing with salespeak and buying a used piano. And, of course, the Piano Buyer still includes the absolutely essential pricing guide for all new pianos sold in the U.S. at this time. Having this guide by your side while you are negotiating to purchase a piano will save you many times over the purchase price of this book.
Which raises a relevant question: As pointed out in other reviews, the Piano Buyer is available online. Why, then, should anybody buy this book? I can think of a couple of compelling reasons. First, and maybe it's just me, but I find navigating online books to be quite cumbersome. Flipping through pages and finding what you want takes a lot longer with an online version than a hard copy, and it's MUCH harder to simply leaf through pages to pick out interesting tidbits. Second, unless you want to be hauling a laptop with you to various piano stores, and/or you want to be able to stare at a larger reading space than what you get with a Blackberry, the hard copy version will be infinitely easier to cart around with you while you're piano shopping, and--trust me on this--you *will* want to have this with you while you're shopping.
People shopping for a piano for the first time often voice the shell-shocked sentiment that they had no idea that it would be so difficult to sort through the various sales pitches and hard-sell pressure they encounter to find the right piano for them at the right price. The "Piano Buyer" is one of the best resources out there to help you make an educated decision and arrive at a fair price.
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Indispensable for the Serious Buyer
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| Review Date: October 31, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Cynthia Grillot, Calgary, AB Canada |
This supplement to The Piano Book is indispensable for the serious buyer. I had no idea a book like this even existed until recently. I am currently shopping for a piano, my second piano after 40 years with the first one, and I have read and reread this several times. There is technical information, ratings, and reviews of all the piano brands I have ever heard and some I had never heard of. There is information about both acoustic and digital pianos. There is everything from buying old ones, buying new ones, buying high-end ones, and a model and pricing guide, although guides like this have to be used cautiously because dollar exchange rates (for imported pianos) and a myriad of other things may affect pricing.
Whenever someone rates products there is bound to be some subjectivity. But I believe that the experts would agree with Larry Fine's big picture even if they might quibble about some small points. I didn't realize how much I didn't know until I read this book, and frankly, I don't know how anyone can buy a piano without it.
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Simply the best
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| Review Date: November 9, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Larry, NYC |
The Piano Buyer is the new name for Larry Fine's annual Supplement to the Piano Book which has been published for around the last 20 years. The Piano Buyer includes many new topics not previously covered in the older supplements. Among these are a lengthy section on digital pianos and hybrid pianos (which I did not read since I'm not interested in them) and many separate articles of great interest to pianophiles that will change each time the Piano Buyer is published. This edition included articles on room acoustics, differences in tonal quality among top tier pianos, thoughts of a master rebuilder, increasing quality of Chinese pianos, among others.
For many people, I think the most important sections of the book are the price lists, rankings, and specific manufacturer news. Fine calculates an SMP(suggested maximum price) based on a uniform markup from the dealer wholesale cost. This is much more useful than the MSRP, which is determined by the manufacturer and is essentially meaningless. And I think they are the only up to date (revised every 6 months) lists of their kind anywhere.
The rankings by tiers are always controversial (pianists tend to defend their own choices with their lives) but IMHO they are the fairest, most evenly balanced and thoughtful rankings anywhere. They are not based only on Fine's opinions but include opinions of many techs, pianists, and other industry people. Whether you're looking to spend 2K or 200K, you'll find useful advice. Fine is particularly careful to explain his methodology and terminology.
Simply the best book of its kind by far.
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A MUST HAVE!
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| Review Date: November 9, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Ken Knapp, Herrick Center, Pa. |
If you're in the market for a piano then this book is a must have.
Several years ago I purchased my first piano. But I didn't have the benefit of the advice of this book or its predecessor, The Piano Book. Big mistake. I ended up buying a piano with some big problems and before I got rid of it and got a decent piano in its place I ended up spending a couple thousand more than I should have - all because I was an uneducated consumer.
Since then, I've read The Piano Book and this new publication. Now I have the benefit of knowing what to look for and an idea of what various pianos, both new and used, should sell for.
A welcome addition is the guide to digitals. I am a digital piano and organ tech and I can tell you that there is a difference in quality and support between the various brands out there, so even if you're considering a digital you need to know what is contained in this book. |
great resource for any piano shopper
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| Review Date: October 31, 2009 |
| Reviewer: William, California |
Larry Fine is well known in the world of pianos for his four editions of the Piano Book. Even though the information in Piano Buyer is not as exhaustive as his work in the Piano Book, it is more than enough for prospective piano purchasers. Mr. Fine is painstakingly fair in his commentary. Wherever he senses that there are alternative views to his own that have merit, he cites them. With his comprehensive pricing guide, he advances the cause of the consumer beyond misleading MSRP information to an awareness of actual costs borne by piano retailers and a formula for calculating fair selling prices.
The inclusion of digital pianos in this book is a welcome addition. Alden Skinner navigates the complicated and confusing world of digital specs and feature sets to give the novice buyer a sense of what might be useful and not useful to individual users.
This guide will more than pay for itself for anyone purchasing a digital or acoustic piano for the first time. For experienced piano shoppers, it is invaluable for the comprehensive information on current models and prices. Finally, it is great background information for any piano enthusiast.
One caveat: this is not a Consumer Reports type of guide. There are general ratings based on input from many sources, but there are no specific buyer recommendations. Instead, the authors provide the reader with a basis to make an informed choice and negotiate a fair price. In the long run this approach is more useful than specific recommendations since there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to musical instruments.
For shoppers who do not need or want a hard copy, a free edition of Piano Buyer is available online.
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such a wonderful resource for the piano shopper
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| Review Date: November 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: M. Stevermer, Shawnee, KS USA |
When making a large purchase, one wants to be informed. Here is a book for for all those who may shop for pianos, as well as those who are interested or obsessed with those glorious instruments.... the pianophiles as they say.
This book is money well spent when making a huge purchase such as a piano. Every brand imaginable is described. i find it absolutely fascinating as well.
..definitely 5 stars! |
Great guide to piano
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| Review Date: January 24, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Michael Matwyuk, Michigan |
| Purchased this for information about piano's and the piano purchasing process. Very informative in this and other areas pertaining to piano's. A great guide for both the piano enthusiast and new purchasers. A "must read" if you are new to piano's and the buying process. |
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