After playing every premium piano currently manufactured, the choice was simple: Boesendorfer Imperial
Written: Jul 09 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Incredible action, exquisite tone, unparalleled "fit and finish", quiet and smooth damper action, perfect voicing
Cons: Few authorized Boesendorfer dealers. Expensive, but it's worth every penny.
The Bottom Line: If you can afford it, buy it. The quality and precision with which this piano is made will reward you for years.
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| thefinerthings's Full Review: Bosendorfer Model 290 Imperial |
I have always liked the sound of Boesendorfer pianos but was never in the position to afford one until recently. So when it came time to shop, I wanted to make very sure that whatever piano I purchased was the best piano money could buy. I played them all: Fazioli, Grotrian, Bluthner, Steingraeber, Bechstein, Baldwin, Steinway, etc... While these are all nice pianos, none of them have the silky smooth action of the Boesendorfer, or the sweet, beautiful and unmistakable Boesendorfer sound. When I sat down at what was to become my piano, the piano and I became one. It instinctively knew what I wanted to do and responded to the subtlest input from my finger tips.
One thing lacking from some of the pianos mentioned above was the ability to play them softly. Boesendorfer can be played at a whisper. And, when called upon, shake the paint off the walls. The power that comes from the instrument is incredible and without any distortion. The sound of the bass notes of the other pianos, when pushed to the limit, always distorted or sounded "wirey". The 9 extra bass notes on the Imperial are probably partially responsible for the incredible bass as is the size of the soundboard. The Imperial has the largest soundboard area of any piano currently in production.
While a Steinway or Fazioli may project more, their sound is anything but delicate. In addition, the damper pedal on the Steinway leaves quite a bit to be desired as it emits a loud thud when released quickly. It also requires a lot of pressure to get it to move.
All of the European pianos had very good actions, some were more to my preference than others. When playing a Boesendorfer, my fingers glide up and down the keyboard like a hot knife thru butter. Every hammer hits the strings with exactly the same force which probably accounts for the incredibly consistent voicing - not something I can say of all the pianos I tried. Moreover, the breaks between tri-chords, bi-chords and copper-wound strings cannot be heard on the Imperial. Everything is perfectly even.
The level of detail that goes into making Boesendorfer is incredible; the deep, perfectly smooth finish, piano strings perfectly wrapped around tuning pins and terminated at hitch pins, copper-wound bass strings double-wound near the termination point. From hand-selected wood that is left to dry for 5 years, to the craftsman who must apprentice at Boesendorfer for 12 years, it's all reflected in every aspect of the piano.
Play a Boesendorfer Imperial, and no other piano will compare.
Recommended:
Yes
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thefinerthings
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