Best Pianos: Piano Brand Ranking To Help You Choose The Best Piano

The best piano brands in the world are characterized by unmatched quality and a unique, unmistakable sound. The best-known brands are centuries-old owner-run family businesses.

But the question of the best piano brand depends on criteria that are difficult to quantify, such as workmanship, tonality, timbre, playability, and company history. Therefore, the decision as to which manufacturer convinces you most is purely subjective and highly individual. This is because each brand offers its own unique combination of sound and style, and with several options.

Based on years and experience in manufacturing pianos, we have compiled a list of the best piano brands and a buying guide to guide you in this choice better. Read on!

best piano brand

But what exactly is a piano?

A piano is a big musical instrument that can be used in many different types of music, both solo, in an orchestra, combo, or band. The keyboard of a piano consists of white and black keys. The white keys produce the so-called ‘whole’ tones (ABCDEFG). and the black keys produce a sound that is a semitone higher or lower than the white key next to it.

Because of its keys, a piano is known to many people as a keyboard instrument. However, this is not entirely correct. Actually, a piano is a stringed instrument. It works like this: when you press a key on a piano, a kind of hammer comes down inside the piano and strikes a string. This string is ultimately the part of the piano that produces the sound.

The harder a key of a piano is struck, the harder the hammer hits the corresponding string and thus the louder the sound that is produced. Also, on a piano, several keys can be played simultaneously so that chords are created. Early piano predecessors, such as the harpsichord, could only produce one note at a time.

Best Piano Brands

To help you decide which brand is best for your needs and budget we’ve compiled our Top 5 Best Piano Brands.

1. Yamaha

A close up photography of a Yamaha grand piano
A close up photography of a Yamaha grand piano

Yamaha is the world’s largest piano manufacturer and ranks among the leading brands in the piano industry. This brand offers a wide variety of pianos with excellent quality, each of these comes equipped with a series of unique innovations and functionalities that other brands cannot offer.

Not only does Yamaha make a great range of digital pianos, but they are also responsible for creating several of the best acoustic pianos. For this reason, the designers of this prestigious brand do their best to make the sound of digital pianos have the same sound level as an acoustic one.

Among other of the most remarkable innovations of Yamaha is the hammer keyboards that every day increase their quality even more, as well as the technological level that is implemented during the wave sampling process, this in addition to some characteristics and adjustments that they only belong to Yamaha.


2. Steinway & Sons

A man playing a Steinway & Sons piano
A man playing a Steinway & Sons piano.

Steinways & Sons is a well-known piano brand founded in the United States in 1853. Without sparing the competition, Steinway & Sons builds the finest pianos of the highest quality. This brand has been ranked as one of the most recognizable, prestigious, and preferred brands among professional pianists around the world.

More than 90% of piano artists in the world use Steinway pianos in concerts. Of course, this is closely related to the large number of pianists signed by his family.

Their upright pianos are known from a specially designed soundboard, also known as a diaphragmatic soundboard. Its unique design allows the springs to vibrate freely, making the sound more balanced. One of the unique features of Steinway & Sons grand pianos is the so-called Hexagrip Pinblock.

This mechanism uses a hard American maple (rock maple) construction to hold the pegs in place, making the grand piano resistant to harsh weather conditions and changing temperatures.


3. Bosendorfer

Bösendorfer Imperial grand piano in the Music Hall
“Bösendorfer Imperial” grand piano in the Music Hall. (Image credit: reinhold möller on Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0)

This Viennese manufacturer has created one of the most famous piano brands in the world. Its origins date back to 1828 when the company was founded by Ignaz Bosendorfer. After its approval by the Austrian Empire, it quickly became a popular export company in that country. Their pianos feature many innovations that set the brand apart in the market.

Almost all materials used come from the untouched nature of the Austrian Alps. Soundboards are made exclusively from the wood of spruce that is harvested as high as possible on the edge of the tree line.

These trees are on the cold north side of the mountain, where the sun never shines. As a result, the tree grows minimally, and the wood gets a very nice dense structure ideal for soundboards or tops of cellos and violins.

The strict selection of materials in combination with the craftsmanship with which the instruments are designed and built also makes the difference at Bosendorfer.


4. The Bechstein

A pianist in a beichstein piano
A pianist in a Bechstein piano. (Image credit: “racconto cosmico” by Festival della Scienza on Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Bechstein brand is the work of a German entrepreneur who, thanks to his extraordinary talent, experience, and ability to manufacture excellent quality instruments, quickly conquered the piano market.

Bechstein pianos are available in two standard levels, the cheaper B series, and the more expensive C series. The difference between them comes down to the tonal philosophy and the furniture of the instrument, with a few exceptions.

The manufacturing quality of Bechstein pianos is unparalleled. They have a strong R&D team, mainly dedicated to piano consistency. Bechstein uses CAD software to actually draw their pianos, thus improving the body every year.

These pianos are known for their deep tone. They produce excellent tunes in the treble range and are well supported by well-tuned bass. Deeper notes always pass well, thereby reducing harmonic conflict. When the lid is opened, the midrange is also very balanced, and the sound resonates well.


5. KAWAI

A close up photography of a Kawai piano keys
A close up photography of a Kawai piano keys.

Each of the piano brands has characteristics that differentiate them from each other, and Kawai is not far behind. It is a fairly well-known brand thanks to its wide variety of designs and styles, as well as its great value for money.

Kawai produces tons of piano designs that are far superior in quality but are cheaper compared to other brands. This being one of the main reasons why Kawai pianos are among the most prominent brands today, especially for beginners who want to find an excellent piano at a price that is affordable enough.

However, this brand is not known only for its low prices, but also pays a lot of attention to each of the details of its pianos. Therefore, musicians can count on a unique and special design.


Buyers guide

From the first piano lessons, the acquisition of this musical instrument is essential if you want to progress quickly. Our buying guide for the best pianos aims to point you to the right model for your needs if you don’t yet know how to choose one. You should consider a few selection criteria that we will discuss below.

1. The budget you have

This is the first question you will be asked when you walk into a music store. How much are you willing to invest in acquiring your piano? This question is important because it is this which will guide your choice. Your answer will certainly be related to your future use of the piano.

If you are a beginner, you may prefer to wait and see if you really like playing the piano before considering an expensive purchase and falling back on a first-price piano.

On the other hand, if you have been studying music for a long time, perhaps you will want to indulge yourself by changing the piano for a higher model that is more in line with your practice.

2. The type of piano

In the market, you can find a digital piano, the upright one, and the grand model. The first type is the electronic type. It is powered by an electric current to operate. Compared to acoustic categories, this piano has the advantage of not going out of tune, and it is easy to move.

Types of Piano
Three types of piano: Digital piano, upright piano and grand piano.

It is ideal if you are new to using this kind of instrument. Then there is the upright model, whose main advantage lies in its ability to take up less space. It is complete on the sound side, and yet it is not expensive.

The grand piano is an art for pianists. The sound it offers is ideal, especially for a high-level concert. It is suitable for beginners as well as professionals who demand a lot in terms of sound quality. However, this device requires a lot of space and is expensive.

3. The keyboard

Even if you opt for a digital model, the ideal is to have an 88-note keyboard. Its heavy or weighted keys give you access to a hammer system allowing you to play classic repertoires in good condition. However, you can also have a semi-weighted keyboard that has 61 or 76 keys.

The sound offered is limited, but these devices are more suitable for mobile users. Either way. make sure you have a good balance between bass and treble and a touch that is neither hard nor soft.

4. Practicality

A man playing an electronic piano while recording
A man playing an electronic piano while recording.

Convenience is another feature that we have not overlooked in advising you on this product. In a price comparison, there are models that are to be preferred mainly because of their practicality.

The criteria which make this equipment practical exist in several numbers. We can count on the possibility of connection to a computer. To do this, you just need a USB port, and this is especially valid for digital models which allows you to develop your creative mind easily.

There are also devices that connect with headphones. This type of equipment ensures that you can easily work either day or night. There is no risk of disturbing your neighbors.

5. Brand

Do you know what kind of piano to buy? Then it’s time to check the models of each brand. The pianos will be similar, but each brand prioritizes a special feature in its product. That is why it is important to define what you are looking for. So prioritize the features you are looking for in the piano and see which brand can meet your requirements.

Also, let’s work with the idea that you are in doubt between two pianos of the same model but different brands.

So, get attached to the details of each piano and how it will work for you in every way. See which one you’ll be able to take care of. store, do the necessary maintenance, and which one you like the most (this is up to you, let your wish speak to).

Other considerations

A. First, determine the main purpose of the piano.

The piano you buy; is it used for concerts, school teaching, home playing, or production for beginners to practice the piano?

For concerts, players need to have a high-quality grand piano to fully reflect their musical talents and produce the best sound effects. So it is best to buy a grand piano.

A small upright piano is suitable for beginners to practice. Popular upright pianos are usually suitable for school use.

B. Before buying a piano, consider where the piano is placed.

If it is played in the living room, the sound quality of the piano should be magnificent. The color of the piano shell can be determined according to other furniture in the living room. Of course, the color should be coordinated, which will give people a sense of elegance.

If your piano is only used in a small room, it is better to choose softer sound quality so as not to make your neighbors uncomfortable with the loud sound of the piano when you play it.

C. Pay special attention to the piano’s sound quality and mechanical devices.

Whenever there is a chance. make a careful comparison of pianos in order to find a good sound quality, excellent performance, and long-lasting quality pianos.

The sound quality of the piano should not be harsh or muddy, nor too light or soft. If possible, try to compare the sound quality of a new premium piano with other types of piano.

The timbre should be clear and uniform, and there should be no abrupt difference in timbre at the junction of bass and midrange. The timbre should be rich in musical sound and be pleasant to the ears.

The tone of the piano should be harmonized and standardized so that when judging the sound quality, people will not confuse the dull trembling sound of an out-of-tune piano with the standard sound quality.

How to choose a piano? Compare other pianos before buying

You’ve already researched on pianos, defined what kind of piano you’re looking for, checked piano by piano, searched for brands, and even sought opinions from professionals. It’s time to use all this material.

Stop, sit down and compare all the data collected on each piano. Don’t miss anything! All information is valuable and will interfere when closing the purchase. Review the data laid out on each piano so that you don’t make any mistakes.

A woman inspects a piano before purchasing it
A woman inspects a piano before purchasing it.

Once that’s done, select the ones that really interested you. Make a filter. The more specific, the better for you when deciding which piano to buy.

But despite all of this, the piano should fit your own style. That means that your own playing style should not be changed, but the right piano brand should be selected according to your playing style.

Which brand of piano is the best quality?

Yamaha is a benchmark brand for the general public. It offers various quality models for a competitive price. The brands guarantee exclusive manufacturing quality compliance with the strictest ISO standards on working conditions. responsible management in terms of ecology and recycling while keeping an excellent price quality.

Top 5 Most Expensive Piano Brands

1. BÖSENDORFER

One of the most expensive piano brands in the world because of its craftsmanship. Founded in 1828 by Ignaz Bösendorfer.

This piano brand is built with skilled workers and so it has an expensive price depending on the material spent.

2. GROTIAN-STEINWEG

A German piano brand was established in 1835 by French Grotian, who ran a music business in Moskva. And later partnered with Heinrich Steinweg, the founder of Steinway sons.

3. FAZIOLI

Founded this piano brand by Paolo Fazioli in 1981. Fazioli pianos are the only ones in the world that produce a forte-sound (loud-soft) evenly.

Another most expensive piano brand in the world and has a price range of $150,000-to over a million. Expensive right?

4. STEINGRAEBER & SÖHNE

Owned by Klaviermanufaktur and Söhn and was established in the year 1852.

The best and most recognized piano brand in the world and has an example design of a classic timeless.

5. STEINWAY & SONS

Steinway and Sons piano brand is one of the finest pianos in the world. Founded in 1853 by German immigrant Henry Engelhard Steinway. The price range of stein way grand pianos is $63,000 to $2.6 million.

What is the most popular piano brand?

Steinway & Sons is the most recognized manufacturer in the world. They have the merit of having developed the modern piano, as we know it today.

Today, they remain faithful to the principles that differentiate them from other brands: artisan manufacturing with noble materials and R&D work. Thanks to which they have created more than 125 patents that give their pianos functionalities. benefits, and unique characteristics that no other manufacturer has been able to match up to now.

Overall winner: Yamaha

Available in several models intended for the general public concerned. Yamaha becomes the overall winner. The advanced models of this brand have advantages for professional pianists.

They are classy, elegant and prestigious. To the touch, the keyboards of these piano models allow the pianist to develop his ability to produce nothing but pleasant sounds.

This brand is not too expensive. With a bit of a reasonable amount of money, you can have it at home for free. Another advantage of this brand is that it allows the pianist to develop a harmonic tune with a strong tone. Thanks to this piano, average players manage to approach the premium ranges with dynamic ranges.

Conclusion

As can be seen from the above. budget is not the only determining factor in deciding on one brand or another. The choice of a piano will depend on the connection you have with the piano that you test.

So it is best to compare these brands personally to be able to decide with absolute criteria which piano is the ideal one for each one.

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About Jayden Buckley

Hi, my name is Jayden and I am author/editor for PlayTheTunes. I remember the first time I hopped on the drums, I was hooked. Music has played an enormous part of my life, and I'm honored I get to share my experiences with you!