Piano Quality Ratings
Reputation & History
The Reputation & History of a specific Brand is an integral part of a piano’s quality rating. Over time a manufacturer will be held to account by the opinions of professional musicians and experienced Piano Technicians. The History of a piano is a testament to it’s longevity and how a piano performs over time.
Design & Details
Design & Details are the difference between beautiful and bland. Approximately 75% of an average Upright Piano is designed identically, so the variations in quality are made up in the design and detail of the last 25%. High quality Manufacturers ensure every detail is considered and produced to be pleasing to the eyes, ears and to touch. Lesser Quality Pianos tend to be vague on detail and more mass produced.
Numbers & Stats
The amount of pianos made or sold by an individual company may be more relatable to it’s price point rather than it’s popularity or quality. With that in mind, the Piano Brand Quality Calculator does take into consideration the average retail price of the manufactures range of pianos. Generally speaking, better quality brands sell at higher price whereas the cheapest pianos (available within the retail sector) are those of lower quality.
Materials & Construction
The overall design of a piano has similarities from one piano to the next, however the quality of materials used and how they’re constructed can make a significant difference. With this in mind, it’s important to note that many Brands have various models which use differing quality of materials.
A Piano’s Quality is not easily defined by one particular aspect of a piano but rather several aspects combined. Individual pianos are commonly judged on their quality of tone, touch and visual appeal however these alone are variations between specific Models rather than Brands.
Understanding Piano Quality
LOWER QUALITY
LOWER QUALITY
Lower Quality pianos are commonly made in places like China, South Africa, Korea, Indonesia or France however even some of the lesser known brands made in the UK, Europe, Canada and USA may also fit in this category. Due to the vast numbers of pianos produced by small to medium size manufacturers it’s difficult to generalize quality ratings based on where a piano was made or its popularity.
AVERAGE QUALITY
AVERAGE QUALITY
This is the Standard Quality Rating attributed to the majority of pianos made throughout the USA, Canada, Germany, Japan and most of Europe. Major manufacturers producing large quantities of pianos over many years are commonly considered of reasonable quality and therefore fit into the “Average” Quality Rating.
BETTER QUALITY
BETTER QUALITY
This Quality Rating are for pianos which are better quality than the average piano but not considered among the very best in the world. This level of piano is most commonly built by large manufacturers over a long period of time with a great reputation of craftsmanship.
HIGHEST QUALITY
HIGHEST QUALITY
The Highest Quality Ratings are reserved for the Brands regarded among industry experts as some of the best in the world. These piano brands are designed and manufactured to the highest standards with an emphasis on performance, tone and longevity. These pianos generate a large demand from concert halls and professional performers.