I am looking at buying my first piano. For about the same price i can purchase either a second hand Kawai or branch new Alex Steinbach Windsor. As far as a piece of furniture goes, I love the Steinbach.

We Love Acoustic Pianos Alex.Steinbach JS125SMD (Recital) $8,495.00 – $18,995.00. Alex.Steinbach WSU132MD (Millennia II) $14,995.00 $12,745.00. Alex Steinbach is a name that Samick uses for marketing pianos in. As far as age goes, the serial number inside the piano will allow you to.

There have been mixed reviews on Steinbach, I'd like to be able to decifer between the sales pitch and reality. Anyone own a Steinbach and can provide feedback? Any professional input on the quality of the Steinbach? I am a piano novice. Thanks in advance for any advice. Piano & Music Gifts & Accessories (570) Re: Opinion on Alex Steinbach pianos 06/25/08 02:21 PM 06/25/08 02:21 PM Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9.

Alex Steinbach is a name that Samick uses for marketing pianos in Australia. Samick is a multi-line manufacturer and I don't know where Steinbach fits into their lineup. Ron Overs occasionally posts here. He's a tech who manufactures/rebuilds pianos. I think that he used a Steinbach as the basis for one of his first pianos. Veselie zadaniya dlya predmetnoj nedeli anglijskom yazike.

His contact info in Sydney is 339 Concord Rd, Concord W, NSW 2138 Phone (local) 02 9736 2332, Fax (local) 02 9743 6563. More info is available in kellytw's thread. Click (The envelope-shaped icon at the top of the post window is for sending PM's, if you want to use it.) Re: Opinion on Alex Steinbach pianos 06/25/08 03:33 PM 06/25/08 03:33 PM Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9. Hi Libby, I'll be interested to know how you go, as I'm in exactly the same boat.

Currently looking at purchasing first piano and also a novice. Still have a fair bit of looking, but so far in our price range the choices seem to be Yamaha T121, Alex Steinbach Romance (or Studio maybe), or Kawai K3. The Melbourne piano showrooms certainly seem to favour the Steinbach's. I'd be interested to know how you go with contacting Ron Overs. You mention mixed reviews on the Steinbachs - what have you heard? Thanks and good luck with your purchase. Balf Re: Opinion on Alex Steinbach pianos 06/26/08 01:24 PM 06/26/08 01:24 PM Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 4,683.

Did some web searching. Steinbachs appear to be simply re-badged Samicks. This opinion is based on their using laminated soundboards.(All soundboards are glued together in sections.

For standard soundboards, think loaves of bread set side by side. For laminated soundboards, think layer cake.) Laminated 'boards are associated with less expensive instruments.

There's actually nothing wrong with that way of constructing 'boards. The problem is that the earliest ones were constructed out of cheap materials, such as plywood, rather than spruce. Del Fandrich, the designer of the Charles Walter grands, has posted that laminated 'boards may have greater tuning stability. Laminated 'boards are also less expensive to construct, because it's easier to get a good grain match when you can work with thinner slices.

Libby, your tech not liking to tune them probably results from their having overly tight tuning pins. That's a hassle for techs. Re: Opinion on Alex Steinbach pianos 06/29/08 04:08 AM 06/29/08 04:08 AM Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9. I hope you have not purchased yet. I have been on an intense piano search that has a happy ending. Spoke to Ron, who was very helpful.

Gave me some practical advice: go and actually play the pianos, which I did. Did not like the Kawai nor the Steinbach. Found a 1979 U1 Yamaha from The Piano Shop in Brisbane, run by a lovely, trustworthy couple, Alison and Jason Boyd. As soon as I played the Yamaha I knew it was what I was after. They also had a student Victor which was nice but thought I'd pay a bit extra for the Yamaha.

Just for your info, the Yamaha T121, although say 'Made in Japan' are actually made in China. It is the last bit that is assembled in Japan that allows them to put that badge on. I actually tried out a Yamaha U3 which, though taller than U1,sounded tubby in the bass. While I am a piano novice, my observation was vindicated by conversations I had with tuners who said that was a quirk of the U3. My piano buying experience has been an enlightening one.

Respectfully, I found piano dealers to be less trustworthy than I would have expected. My advice is to go and actually play the piano. I am happy to chat to you over the phone and provide further insight if you like. I get my Yamaha this week and cannot wait. Re: Opinion on Alex Steinbach pianos 06/29/08 06:06 AM 06/29/08 06:06 AM Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 64.

Thanks a lot Libby, no I haven't purchased yet. I'm actually off to a couple of shops tomorrow. Funny you should mention the Yamaha U1, I saw a couple advertised at stores within my price range, but the ads didn't say how old, so I'll find that out tomorrow. I was considering whether this would be the way to go, buying a used U1 or U2, or even a U3E, as opposed to buying a new Steinbach or Kawai.