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The Piano Shopper's Guide: Acoustic vs Digital, or Both?

Writer's picture: Joshua TindallJoshua Tindall

This guide is designed for anyone in the market for a new piano, whether you’re a beginner just starting your musical journey or an experienced pianist looking to upgrade your instrument. It provides practical advice and recommendations for choosing between acoustic and digital pianos, with a focus on sound quality, budget, and fitting the instrument into your home. Whether you’re in search of a new or restored piano, or looking to add a digital option to your setup, this post will help you make an informed decision.

Elegant room with black grand piano, artwork, large potted plant, modern furniture, and a table displaying colorful glass figurines on a red rug.
A chill and classy living space featuring a grand piano, stylish seating, and a table decked out with cool glass figurines, all surrounded by modern art and lively plants.
Acoustic vs Digital pianos 

First you need to decide … 

  • Acoustic?

  • Digital?

  • Mix of both?


The main requirements of your search:

  1. MUST sound nice to you (and, if acoustic, whoever lives with you)

  2. Fit in your home (don’t forget to include an extra 1m for the bench)

  3. 88 keys* and three pedals** is recommended and considered modern.

  4. You DON’T NEED A STEINWAY

 

Acoustic Pianos

Mid-century room with a vintage piano, tan leather chair, and ottoman. A fan and potted plants nearby, over a red patterned rug.
A comfy and chic living room with a vintage upright piano decked out with a cool retro fan and some books. There's also a plush brown leather lounge chair, all sitting on a vibrant, patterned rug with some decorative plants bringing in a bit of green.

Specific requirements:

  • 88 keys*

  • Good feeling keys

  • Three pedals**


I can’t recommend any specific types, but you can see what is available on the following websites (the first two I personally recommend, the 3rd has a great reputation):

  1. Klaviersalon (Spandau) (Link) (my personal favorite)

  2. Klavier 24 (Köpenick) (Link)

  3. Pianohaus Stieler (Link)

  4. Any other piano shop in the city.

All of these piano shops are located in Berlin, Germany.

New acoustic piano, extremely expensive, Uprights starting around €10-15.000+ and Grands starting around €30.000. Anything from a reputable European maker will be substantially more. For €30.000 you will have plenty of choice to get something amazing with some history from the best European piano makers.  

Looking for an old, restored/refurbished piano. Under €2000, you will need to look but there are deals to be had. Up to €10,000 will buy a really nice Upright or smaller grand from a ‘lesser’ brand or model (usually the smaller ones). Grands will be more expensive anywhere between €10,000 and €50,000.  Decide on how much you’re happy to spend and go from there.

If you’ve decided to look for an upright piano, almost any size will fit as they are all very similar in size – the height is the only difference. The sweet spot to my ears is around 120cm, this gives enough bass without being overpowering and it is suitable for almost any room. 

If you’ve decided on a Flügel, make sure you know exactly what size you can fit. Add the measurement of the walls of the room and divide by 10, this gives you the ideal size for the piano. For example, a rectangular room 4m x 7m could fit a 220cm grand piano, (4 + 4 + 7 + 7) ÷ 10 = 2,2. Anything over this will be difficult to ‘sound’ in the room.

In regards to the pedals, some pianos will have 2x pedals while others will have 3. The 3rd pedal is nice to have but not necessary. On an upright piano, it’s known as the ‘practice pedal’ and it places a strip of felt between the hammers and the strings to dampen the sound) currently this is very popular in film music. On a grand piano, it moves the hammers to get a slightly different sound from the instrument. Grands will rarely have the ‘practice pedal’.

My personal favourite is Klaviersalon, the two acoustic pianos I've owned were both purchased from him. I've also taken my own students to him when shoping for their pianos and recommend him whenever a students or friends piano needs a tuning or some work. Always a good experience! Feel free to tell him I sent you :D

Man tuning an upright piano with its lid open, showing intricate inner workings. He wears a green shirt. Background is dimly lit.
A talented tech carefully tweaks an upright piano, fine-tuning its complex insides to make sure it sounds just right and stays in harmony.

Other things to consider, tuning should be done at least once per year - this costs around €100-150 with piano tuners/technicians. Tuning a piano is not like tuning a guitar, violin or other instruments, there's a reason people study for years to learn this skill. Having a technician tune your piano has multiple benefits such as a regular checkup on your instrument, early diagnoses of problems and the tuning will hold for quite some time. When should I get my piano tuned? Ideally whenever there's a big change in humidity, such as turning the heating onto winter or summer time - 2-4 weeks after this is recommended to give the piano time to get comfortablee with the climate.

Another thing to consider if buying a restored piano, what’s the guarantee? Most places will offer a 5-year guarantee.

 

* Some older pianos come with 85 keys, these are also ok.

** Many older pianos have 2, also ok

 

BRANDS TO LOOK FOR:

August Förster Made in Löbau, Germany. Newer models preferred (1990–now).

Bechstein Made in Berlin, Germany

Blüthner Made in Leipzig, Germany. Avoid the ‘patent action’

Bösendorfer Made in Vienna, Austria

Grotrian-Steinweg Made in Braunschweig, Germany

Schimmel Made in Braunschweig, Germany

Seiler Made in Kitzingen, Germany

Steingraeber Made in Bayreuth, Germany

Steinway Made in Hamburg (preferred) or New York, overpriced in most cases

Kawai Made in Japan, generally cheaper but also good. Affordable new models.

Yamaha Made in Japan, generally cheaper but also good. Affordable new models.


Generally any piano made in Germany is considered high quality and good value for money all around the world.

 

Digital Pianos

A person in a dark jacket plays a keyboard on stage, lit by vibrant orange and blue lights, creating a dynamic and musical atmosphere.
A musician rocks the keyboard like a pro under the bright stage lights at a live show.

Specific requirements:

  • 88 keys

  • Hammer weighted

  • Triple pedal connection

  • (Preferable) Ivory feel and wooden keys


Other notes:

  • You may need to get separate speakers, stands and other accessories


€750 + (might need accessories) (affiliate links)

  1. Casio PX-770 Privia (Link)

  2. Yamaha YDP-S55 Arius (Link)

  3. Roland FP-30X (Link

  4. Yamaha YDP-165 Arius (Link)

  5. Yamaha P-525 (Link)

  6. Kawai MP-7 SE (Link)*

  7. Kawai MP-11 SE (Link)*

  8. Nord Piano 5 (Link)*

*Needs speakers, stand, pedals, cables, etc. If you choose to go with this one, I’ll be happy to look into the accessories you would need.

My preference goes out to the Kawai MP11 or Nord Piano for flexibility.

 

Acoustic Pianos with Silent System

Top view of person playing a piano, with sheet music on a wooden stand. The scene has a focused, calm atmosphere.
A pianist focuses on playing a tune, hands smoothly gliding over the piano keys while keeping an eye on the sheet music.

It’s also possible to install a silent system for Acoustic pianos, it’s not cheap but it does give the best of both worlds. You are able to use the piano as a regular acoustic and as a digital piano. There are a few systems, plenty of new and used Yamaha, Kawai and Schimmel acoustic pianos come with these systems. The older the piano, the less likely it is to have one, also you need to confirm if the piano you’re looking at can fit a silent system or not. 


If there’s a ‘factory installed’ option then go with that one (especially if buying a new piano). If not, then AD-Silent 2 (Link) is a great system, it's installed in my piano. It will cost about €2.000+ to install one of these systems though. Sometimes these systems are already installed on the piano and usually add very little to the cost compared to installing one.


Ultimately, the decision of acoustic vs digital pianos comes down to your individual needs, preferences, and budget. Whether you opt for an acoustic, digital, or a hybrid with a silent system, each type offers its own unique advantages. Take the time to explore your options, try different models, and consult with reputable piano shops to find the perfect instrument for your needs. Remember, the right piano should not only fit your space and budget but also inspire you to play and progress in your musical journey.

Happy piano hunting, and don't hesitate to reach out for guidance!


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Lichtenrade (Tempelhof),

Berlin, Germany

joshua.tindall@jltstudio.com

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