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buying guide 1 page |
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Affordable Excellence Inspired by Family Tradition |
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905.855.1030 |
1.877.482.6037 |
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Visit our location @ 2359 Royal Windsor Drive, Mississauga ON (South of QEW 1 km West of Southdown Road) |
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Few notes ...
You've been looking forward to having a piano in your home and making music a part of your life. You're ready to buy a piano. How will you decide which instrument is best for you? |
| A piano is many things - an instrument, a fine piece of furniture, an object of sentimental value and a long-term investment that yields musical dividends. Keep in mind that you'll be listening to and looking at your piano for a long time. The average lifetime of a good piano spans decades, and you will probably own it long after you've sold many of your present belongings, including the furniture, or a car. | |
| I advice you - buy the best piano you can afford. Don't economize on a piano, especially for a child who's starting lessons. Making music on a quality instrument is one of the best ways to keep your young pianist interested. It does make a sense. | |
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Boris |
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Did You Know? |
| Good quality acoustic piano is considered to be a lasting investment. The piano represents one of very few purchases that offer years, rather decades of usage and enjoyment with minimal maintenance. Pianos last for a long time and hold their value. Many of our customers have pianos they purchased years ago from us - today those instruments look and perform well, in most cases they are just like new pianos. Eight, ten even fifteen years-old piano of good quality is just about to start its prime life. |
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| ► Piano- major components | ► Should I buy a grand or an upright piano | ► Buying guide 2 | ||
| ► How the piano works | ► Should I buy a new or a used piano | ► Buying guide 3 | ||
| ► Upright pianos - sizes | ► What size piano should I buy | ► Buying guide 4 | ||
| ► Grand pianos - sizes | ► About a digital piano option | ► Our NEW PIANOS | ||
| ► Buying a piano- initial considerations | ► What type of piano is best for me | ► Our USED PIANOS | ||
| ► A note on used piano option | ► Cost of pianos | ► Our DIGITAL PIANOS | ||
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| Briefly about the piano: MAJOR COMPONENTS |
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In creating the
content of the following pages: Buying guide
1, 2, 3 & 4 as well as through some other
pages of this web-site,
www.pianoteam.com
and Clarkson Piano Centre Ltd. used the
materials published by the world-renowned
expert Mr. Larry Fine, the author of "The
Piano Book". Materials used with permission
of Mr. Larry Fine and Brookside Press.
Clarkson Piano Centre Ltd. and Boris V. Hrovat wish to express sincere thanks to Mr. Larry Fine for his generous assistance and is pleased to suggest to our site visitors Mr.Fine's web-site: www.pianobook.com |
| How the piano works? |
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A piano ...not only serves the art of music, it is a work of art itself. A wonderfully complex machine, it has thousands of moving parts, a framework and soundboard supporting tremendous string tension, and beautifully finished cabinetry. |
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Piano strings are made of high grade steel drawn to exact sizes. The bass strings are wound with copper or copper-clad wire to add mass for lower tones. The plate is made of cast iron and is bolted to the frame. It anchors most of the 20 tons of pull exerted by the tight strings. At the top of the plate, the strings are wound through and around tuning pins. These are set into the pin block, constructed of layers of carefully seasoned hard wood which grips the pins in place for better tuning stability. |
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pin-block |
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The soundboard ("sounding-board")amplifies the vibrations of the strings. It is made of fine, straight grain spruce in many top-quality instruments. The hard maple treble and bass bridges transfer the vibrations of the strings to the soundboard. These assembled components are called the strung back, or the back-structure. |
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The playing mechanism of the piano is called the action. As many as 9,000 parts play a role in sending the hammers against the strings when the keys are struck. Grand pianos have horizontal actions, and upright pianos have vertical actions. There are two kinds of vertical actions: "direct blow" which pushes the mechanism that controls the hammer, found in most consoles, studio pianos and professional uprights; and "indirect blow" or "drop-action", which pulls the mechanism in spinets and some consoles. |
grand piano action |
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Piano hammers are made from sheets of felt molded around a wooden hammer under tremendous pressure. A 12-pound hammer refers to the weight of a sheet of felt used to make the hammer, not the weight of the hammer itself. Today, piano keys are almost never made from ivory. Instead, piano manufacturers us a fine molded resin that won't crack or turn yellow. The black keys are made of a similar material. Each key is balanced by a center pin, and "bushed" with fine wool for proper clearance and quiet operation. Quality upright pianos and most grands do have individually led-weighted keys. |
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Pianos may have two or three pedals. The one that is used most is a sustaining, or damper pedal on the far right lifts the dampers away from the strings so that the notes will continue to sound after the keys are released. The pedal on the left, the "una-corda" or "soft" pedal, reduces the tone by shortening the distance the hammers travel. In grands, the action shifts slightly so fewer strings are struck. Some pianos have a third pedal for sustaining bass notes only. On most grand pianos and some verticals, the third pedal is called a "sostenuto". It sustains selected notes at the pianist's discretion. Some pianos use the middle pedal for sustaining bass notes only or for activating a practice mute ("practice pedal") by positioning the sheet of felt between strings and hammers. |
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Finally, there's the cabinet, that handsome piece of furniture that will take
a prominent place in your decor. Sadly, some modern piano makers use plastics
and other man-made, low-cost materials in constructing a pianos, however cabinets
(and inside) of the pianos we carry are made of hardwood (solid, laminated or
combination) overlaid with thin veneers of fine furniture wood. Many grains and
finishes are available and modern finishing techniques assure excellent
appearance and easy care for years. But, the exquisite, massive beauty of the piano - just like one pictured on the left (circa 1889) ...is what we won't find in new pianos...One more reason to consider our selection of used pianos, too! |
| Types & sizes of pianos: UPRIGHT or VERTICAL PIANOS - What type is best for me? |
| A brief review of your options: |
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| New or used upright pianos - come in various sizes, cabinet styles and finishes. The elegant and sophisticated look of grand piano makes it a desirable option - grand pianos, too come in many different sizes as well as case-designs and finishes. You may chose a digital piano - typically not attractive looking, however you may be pleasantly surprised - some makes come with great looking cabinet styles. |
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The spinet piano was first produced in 1935. Its low cost and reduced height, between 35" and 39", made it a popular choice after World War II. Console pianos are 40" to 43" tail. This means longer strings and a larger soundboard that improves the tone. Generally, the larger the piano, the better the tone. Studio pianos from 45" to 47" tall are often found in schools, studios and, increasingly, living rooms. The string lengths and soundboard size are comparable to those of small grands. Professional upright pianos are those ranging in height from 48" to 52" and offer the most power and tone in a vertical piano . |
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Spinet Piano- 36" to 38" in Height, approximately 58" wide. Often called "the space-saver", the small size makes this piano a popular choice. Wide variety of furniture styles and finishes. Note: Diagram on the left describes the FLOOR SPACE needed for a particular piano size. |
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Console Piano- 40" to 43" in height, approximately 58" wide. Has a direct action for balanced, better feel and easier maintenance. Longer strings and larger soundboard give this piano better tone. |
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Studio Piano- 45" to 48" in height approximately 58" wide. Even longer strings and larger soundboard. This is the choice for educated buyer, teachers, professionals and institutions that look for excellent tone quality, durability. Taller piano is always a longer term solution and is a better investment. |
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Modern FULL UPRIGHTS are 48-52" tall. Older Upright piano, often called ("Upright Grand"; "Vertical Grand"; "Concert Upright" etc.) can be up to 60" tall. In the period 1890's to 1930's tall upright was at the peak of its popularity. Regrettably, many old uprights are in very bad condition, neglected over the years, however some when properly restored can offer years of good performance and warm appearance. |
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| GRAND PIANOS - sizes & description: |
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| Grand pianos designed for home use have enjoyed an increase in popularity in recent years. Today, market offers grand pianos 4' 7" and up. Most Grand Pianos we carry are 5-foot long (and up) - those added extra inches provide better tone and better, stronger construction. | |
| if space is a major consideration, we can offer you a paper pattern ('template") on the floor to measure - you may be pleasantly surprised to find you have room for a grand piano! 4'11" to 5'3" Grand Pianos (Baby - Grand or Music Room Grand Pianos) have a pleasant tone, and are the most popular sizes for most homes today. | |
| 5' 5" - 5" 8" are considered as Medium Grand Pianos or Lounge Grand Pianos and offer pleasant, richer tone. Six foot Grand Pianos often called Recital Grand Pianos offer great tone, full and rich, and are the popular choice for piano teachers and serious players. The largest grands in the seven to nine foot category are used primarily by a serious pianist or for public performance, and are found in concert halls, churches and auditoriums. | |
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Grand Piano- Comes in varying lengths, from 4'5" - 4'10" (petite), 4'11" - 5'4" (baby), 5'4" - 5'7" (medium), 5'9" - 6'1" (living room, lounge), 7' (ballroom or semi-concert grand), and 9' (concert). Distinctive shape and design make grand piano the most prized piano of all. May be placed anywhere in a room. Grand piano equally enriches the room if placed alone or complementing the existing furniture. Grand pianos come in a wide variety of styles and finishes. Good Grand pianos have the best tone projection and more responsive key action, as the action on grand pianos works with the force of gravity.
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| Small "Petite"-grand (4' 7") |
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