The following edited article appeared in the Style Section of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette on Thursday, June 16th, 2005
Piano Primer
Grand or upright?
Acoustic or digital?
Arkansas dealer offers a
tutorial on keyboard choices.
There are 88 keys on a piano, but, fortunately, a lot fewer keys to buying a good one.
Piano dealers agree you should choose a piano in much the same way you would choose a car — carefully —
based on what you plan to do with it, where you’re going to put it and how much you’re prepared to spend.
Do you just want a modestly priced upright piano, something on which a child can plunk out "Mary Had a Little
Lamb" and "Chopsticks," or does your budding Mozart need a 9-foot concert grand at the price of a ranch house?
"Obviously you’re not just buying a desk," says Gil Colaianni, who with his wife, Teri, owns Colaianni Piano &
Organ, Arkansas’ only Steinway dealer, in Little Rock’s Pulaski Heights. "Even the poorest quality grand piano —
the family is going to have that piano for 10-12 years."
The first question dealer and buyer should ask when it comes to buying a piano? "What are you going to use it
for? Who’s going to be playing it?""Who’s the musician?" says Colaianni. "How long have you been taking
lessons? What are you using now? How well do you play?"
"Take your time," Colaianni says. "Do your homework. Get reputable advice — with the Internet now, there’s no
excuse. The least expensive piano new grand piano I sell is $4,900. That’s a lot of money. Before I spend $4,000
on a baby grand or a snowmobile, I’m going to do some research."
QUICK LESSON
"Grand pianos are horizontal, meaning the strings are laid out parallel to the ground. Upright or vertical pianos are
built so that the strings are stretched out vertical to the ground. "Grand pianos range in size from 5 feet to 10 feet,
1 inch in length. The small size is called a baby grand, the largest size is called a concert grand. Upright pianos
are categorized by height. (They all take up about the same floor space.) The smallest vertical piano is a spinet,
which is 36-39 inches high. Console pianos are 39-42 inches. Studio pianos are 42 inches or higher.
"Be sure to ask the seller about: "1. The warranty. It should be for at least five years. A common warranty does not
cover tuning. It may or may not cover the finish. "2. Delivery. Find out if that’s covered in the price. "3. Bench.
Make sure you’re also getting the bench when you purchase the piano. "4. Ask if the seller has both repair and
maintenance technicians and facilities on hand, or you may have to go looking by yourself. "5. If you buy a
showroom model, tell the dealer you want it tuned and cleaned before it’s delivered.’’
And a check of Colaianni’s Web site, www.pianosinarkansas.com, turns up a "How to Buy a Piano" primer, which
reminds buyers: "Pianos often cost more than initially expected. "An inexpensive inferior piano can prove more
costly than a higher-priced quality instrument in the long run. "Tuning stability is an essential attribute to look for in
pianos."
ON THE GROUND FLOOR
Assembly-line mass production of pianos in factories in China, Japan, Korea and Indonesia, where labor costs
are low and they don’t always use top-quality parts (some pianos are made out of plastic-sprayed particle board
with polystyrene cores) have reduced the price of entry-level pianos.
"Steinway makes and sells 2,500 grand pianos a year in this country," Colaianni says. Meanwhile, The Pearl River
Piano Group in Guangzhou, China, now the world’s top piano producer, makes 3,500 pianos in less than a week
(six days).
People tend to equate price with quality, but that isn’t always the case, says Colaianni. "Is a $10,000 piano better
than a $5,000 piano? Not necessarily," he says.
Colaianni sells his lowest price model, a Pearl River-factory Yamaha made with hardwood cores, for about
$4,900. (He sells entry-level pianos and used instruments out of his Riverwood Piano Warehouse in Maumelle.)
He also touts the advantage of buying from a company that exclusively makes pianos. Korean manufacturer
Hyundai also builds trucks, cars and huge oil tankers. Yamaha, also noted for its guitars, may be better known as
a manufacturer of motorcycles and outboard motors.
Little Rock piano shoppers have an unusually large number of stores from which to choose, each of which is the
exclusive dealer for one of the major "brands." In addition to Steinway, Colaianni sells its subsidiary lines, Boston
and Essex.
"Little Rock has way too many piano dealers," says Colaianni, whose family has been selling pianos for four
generations. "Fifty years ago there were only two or three."
SIZE MATTERS
Colaianni calls "baby grand" a "consumer term" with no real agreement among piano dealers as to what it means;
it’s frequently used to refer to a grand piano 6 feet or shorter.
Colaianni has a 9-foot (actually 8 feet, 11 3/4 inches) Steinway Model D concert grand, frequently rented as a
concert instrument, especially when "Steinway artists" perform at Robinson Center Music Hall. Steinway retains
ownership, but Colaianni will sell you one. The price: $99,900.
Steinway’s "Crown Jewel" collection features a dozen specialty woods from African cherry to Macassar Ebony.
DIGITAL MUSIC
Colaianni has been selling a lot of instruments enhanced by digital equipment made by QRS Pianomation that use
computer discs, CDs and Internet connections to turn your baby grand into the 21 st century version of the player
piano. It can be used to actually play the piano, or to let you add an "orchestra" while you play along. A DVD
edition is on the horizon that will let you watch pianists like Elton John and Billy Joel on a screen while you play
along on the piano — or the piano plays along without you. It’s a sort of hybrid between a traditional piano — itself
a hybrid between a string and a percussion instrument — and an electronic or digital piano, which produces
sounds through computer chips and speakers.
"If you were to assemble 100 qualified, credentialed, responsible piano teachers, and asked them ‘acoustic’ or
‘digital,’ 95 will say ‘acoustic’," Colaianni says. "With the digital keyboard, there’s no bonding, no variance — it’s
sterile."
He acknowledges that parents might not want to invest in a good instrument for a youngster who may or may not
continue with lessons. Rather than buying a cheap electronic or digital keyboard, Colaianni recommends renting
a piano instead. Rental fees usually can be applied to the purchase price and delivery charge if you eventually
decide to buy.
RECYCLING IN ACTION
If your budget won’t stretch to buying a new piano, consider buying a good used or "re-manufactured" one.
Colaianni, who sells used pianos, recommends first checking with a reputable dealer. If you’re buying from an
individual, "spend $25 or $30 to have a piano technician check it out," he says.
A rebuilt instrument also is an option. "For a third of the cost of a new Steinway, you can have Grandma’s 100-
year-old Steinway re-manufactured, and it could be good for another 100 years," Colaianni says.
STANDARD MAINTENANCE
There’s one more key to consider in making your musical and financial investment: No piano will maintain its pitch
control if you don’t maintain the piano. That means having a piano technician do regular tunings, pitch-raisings and
checkups, and keeping the case presentable, as you would any fine piece of furniture.
Most professionals suggest tuning a piano every time it’s moved, but Colaianni says it’s not the move that may put
the piano out of tune, but the change in temperature and humidity between the instrument’s original location and
its new one.
As a rule, says Colaianni, "Tune it every six months. If it’s a nice home, climate controlled, tune it every six months
for the first three years; then you can probably let it slip back to once a year thereafter."
Piano Primer
Grand or upright?
Acoustic or digital?
Arkansas dealer offers a
tutorial on keyboard choices.
There are 88 keys on a piano, but, fortunately, a lot fewer keys to buying a good one.
Piano dealers agree you should choose a piano in much the same way you would choose a car — carefully —
based on what you plan to do with it, where you’re going to put it and how much you’re prepared to spend.
Do you just want a modestly priced upright piano, something on which a child can plunk out "Mary Had a Little
Lamb" and "Chopsticks," or does your budding Mozart need a 9-foot concert grand at the price of a ranch house?
"Obviously you’re not just buying a desk," says Gil Colaianni, who with his wife, Teri, owns Colaianni Piano &
Organ, Arkansas’ only Steinway dealer, in Little Rock’s Pulaski Heights. "Even the poorest quality grand piano —
the family is going to have that piano for 10-12 years."
The first question dealer and buyer should ask when it comes to buying a piano? "What are you going to use it
for? Who’s going to be playing it?""Who’s the musician?" says Colaianni. "How long have you been taking
lessons? What are you using now? How well do you play?"
"Take your time," Colaianni says. "Do your homework. Get reputable advice — with the Internet now, there’s no
excuse. The least expensive piano new grand piano I sell is $4,900. That’s a lot of money. Before I spend $4,000
on a baby grand or a snowmobile, I’m going to do some research."
QUICK LESSON
"Grand pianos are horizontal, meaning the strings are laid out parallel to the ground. Upright or vertical pianos are
built so that the strings are stretched out vertical to the ground. "Grand pianos range in size from 5 feet to 10 feet,
1 inch in length. The small size is called a baby grand, the largest size is called a concert grand. Upright pianos
are categorized by height. (They all take up about the same floor space.) The smallest vertical piano is a spinet,
which is 36-39 inches high. Console pianos are 39-42 inches. Studio pianos are 42 inches or higher.
"Be sure to ask the seller about: "1. The warranty. It should be for at least five years. A common warranty does not
cover tuning. It may or may not cover the finish. "2. Delivery. Find out if that’s covered in the price. "3. Bench.
Make sure you’re also getting the bench when you purchase the piano. "4. Ask if the seller has both repair and
maintenance technicians and facilities on hand, or you may have to go looking by yourself. "5. If you buy a
showroom model, tell the dealer you want it tuned and cleaned before it’s delivered.’’
And a check of Colaianni’s Web site, www.pianosinarkansas.com, turns up a "How to Buy a Piano" primer, which
reminds buyers: "Pianos often cost more than initially expected. "An inexpensive inferior piano can prove more
costly than a higher-priced quality instrument in the long run. "Tuning stability is an essential attribute to look for in
pianos."
ON THE GROUND FLOOR
Assembly-line mass production of pianos in factories in China, Japan, Korea and Indonesia, where labor costs
are low and they don’t always use top-quality parts (some pianos are made out of plastic-sprayed particle board
with polystyrene cores) have reduced the price of entry-level pianos.
"Steinway makes and sells 2,500 grand pianos a year in this country," Colaianni says. Meanwhile, The Pearl River
Piano Group in Guangzhou, China, now the world’s top piano producer, makes 3,500 pianos in less than a week
(six days).
People tend to equate price with quality, but that isn’t always the case, says Colaianni. "Is a $10,000 piano better
than a $5,000 piano? Not necessarily," he says.
Colaianni sells his lowest price model, a Pearl River-factory Yamaha made with hardwood cores, for about
$4,900. (He sells entry-level pianos and used instruments out of his Riverwood Piano Warehouse in Maumelle.)
He also touts the advantage of buying from a company that exclusively makes pianos. Korean manufacturer
Hyundai also builds trucks, cars and huge oil tankers. Yamaha, also noted for its guitars, may be better known as
a manufacturer of motorcycles and outboard motors.
Little Rock piano shoppers have an unusually large number of stores from which to choose, each of which is the
exclusive dealer for one of the major "brands." In addition to Steinway, Colaianni sells its subsidiary lines, Boston
and Essex.
"Little Rock has way too many piano dealers," says Colaianni, whose family has been selling pianos for four
generations. "Fifty years ago there were only two or three."
SIZE MATTERS
Colaianni calls "baby grand" a "consumer term" with no real agreement among piano dealers as to what it means;
it’s frequently used to refer to a grand piano 6 feet or shorter.
Colaianni has a 9-foot (actually 8 feet, 11 3/4 inches) Steinway Model D concert grand, frequently rented as a
concert instrument, especially when "Steinway artists" perform at Robinson Center Music Hall. Steinway retains
ownership, but Colaianni will sell you one. The price: $99,900.
Steinway’s "Crown Jewel" collection features a dozen specialty woods from African cherry to Macassar Ebony.
DIGITAL MUSIC
Colaianni has been selling a lot of instruments enhanced by digital equipment made by QRS Pianomation that use
computer discs, CDs and Internet connections to turn your baby grand into the 21 st century version of the player
piano. It can be used to actually play the piano, or to let you add an "orchestra" while you play along. A DVD
edition is on the horizon that will let you watch pianists like Elton John and Billy Joel on a screen while you play
along on the piano — or the piano plays along without you. It’s a sort of hybrid between a traditional piano — itself
a hybrid between a string and a percussion instrument — and an electronic or digital piano, which produces
sounds through computer chips and speakers.
"If you were to assemble 100 qualified, credentialed, responsible piano teachers, and asked them ‘acoustic’ or
‘digital,’ 95 will say ‘acoustic’," Colaianni says. "With the digital keyboard, there’s no bonding, no variance — it’s
sterile."
He acknowledges that parents might not want to invest in a good instrument for a youngster who may or may not
continue with lessons. Rather than buying a cheap electronic or digital keyboard, Colaianni recommends renting
a piano instead. Rental fees usually can be applied to the purchase price and delivery charge if you eventually
decide to buy.
RECYCLING IN ACTION
If your budget won’t stretch to buying a new piano, consider buying a good used or "re-manufactured" one.
Colaianni, who sells used pianos, recommends first checking with a reputable dealer. If you’re buying from an
individual, "spend $25 or $30 to have a piano technician check it out," he says.
A rebuilt instrument also is an option. "For a third of the cost of a new Steinway, you can have Grandma’s 100-
year-old Steinway re-manufactured, and it could be good for another 100 years," Colaianni says.
STANDARD MAINTENANCE
There’s one more key to consider in making your musical and financial investment: No piano will maintain its pitch
control if you don’t maintain the piano. That means having a piano technician do regular tunings, pitch-raisings and
checkups, and keeping the case presentable, as you would any fine piece of furniture.
Most professionals suggest tuning a piano every time it’s moved, but Colaianni says it’s not the move that may put
the piano out of tune, but the change in temperature and humidity between the instrument’s original location and
its new one.
As a rule, says Colaianni, "Tune it every six months. If it’s a nice home, climate controlled, tune it every six months
for the first three years; then you can probably let it slip back to once a year thereafter."
| Steinway Pianos | Boston Pianos | Essex Pianos | Roland | | A Sound Investment | Eight Keys to Remember | Request Literature | FREE Buying Guide Offer |
"Sometimes a Steinway plays better
than the pianist, and it is then a
marvelous surprise." Martha Argerich
than the pianist, and it is then a
marvelous surprise." Martha Argerich