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Post by OtisGreying on Apr 30, 2021 13:28:05 GMT -6
Looking for an upright primarily for a male pop/singer-songwriter recordings.
If you could spend up to let’s say 3k-7k perhaps a bit more if really necessary, what are the great options you would entertain?
Id also appreciate any go to mic set ups for an upright piano, I’ve seen dual C414s before.. etc.
Thanks guys.
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Post by drumsound on Apr 30, 2021 14:06:11 GMT -6
The Yamahas are all pretty nice.
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Post by notneeson on Apr 30, 2021 14:20:26 GMT -6
Looking for an upright primarily for a male pop/singer-songwriter recordings. If you could spend up to let’s say 3k-7k perhaps a bit more if really necessary, what are the great options you would entertain? Id also appreciate any go to mic set ups for an upright piano, I’ve seen dual C414s before.. etc. Thanks guys. I like a pair of KM84s with a room mic. The uprights I see in music oriented recording facilities are seldom fancy. I think the grand at Hyde Street A is a Steinway but I have only recorded the beater upright upstairs in C and it sounds really great for what I've needed. A lot of times I have noticed the player (especially on a dense rock track etc.) really only covering the middle octaves of the keyboard. When that's happening I like to center the pair more tightly on the area that's getting the action. Then, you have to pay attention for when they change their parts! (Hasn't been issue for me though).
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Post by popmann on Apr 30, 2021 14:49:31 GMT -6
Get the new U3s because they have MIDI out stock . I dunno--you're getting it to RECORD? I mean I play my U3 through the production process, but I have never loved the tones I've gotten from it recorded. I'd love to be able to play it....and then when I want to record, hit the mute pedal and just have TAHT feel with a nice grand piano sample. Oh wait...I saw the budget....I mean a U1 isn't crap. I have few regrets in the gear world--taht was one. I could've bought a vintage M269c for the same price in the day....would've served me better as the years move....but, you know--I thought I would play it more than I do.... Wanna buy a U3 for the price of a new U1?
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Post by mcirish on Apr 30, 2021 15:25:21 GMT -6
No question at all. If you want an upright, buy a Yamaha U3. You can get a grey market one that is completely refurbished for around $5k. The U3 is large enough that you can absolute get it to sound like a grand with the covers off. Let me know if you want more info.
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Post by johneppstein on Apr 30, 2021 20:31:04 GMT -6
There are lots of uprights available for free. Some of the old ones are real steals if you're willing to spend on restoration what you would have otherwise spent on purchase.
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grantb
Junior Member
Posts: 97
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Post by grantb on Apr 30, 2021 21:14:05 GMT -6
If you're thinking used, ask your local piano tuner.
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Post by lando on Apr 30, 2021 22:44:23 GMT -6
An old Steinway in good condition usually sounds great and with lots of character. A Yamaha is generally much cleaner, even if it’s 20 years old. Can sound great, but not with as much character, and chances are you rather want a grand if you are going for clean and pristine. Then there’s all kind of vintage pianos for free or cheap that all sound different.
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Post by forgotteng on Apr 30, 2021 23:09:48 GMT -6
There are a ton of free pianos out there if you are looking for character. If you are looking at modern pop type, for new, it is hard to beat the new Yamaha's. I had an upright in the studio for a while that held tuning really well and sounded full and clear with not a lot of playing around. I rairly used EQ.
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Post by OtisGreying on May 1, 2021 0:25:17 GMT -6
I mean I play my U3 through the production process, but I have never loved the tones I've gotten from it recorded. I'd love to be able to play it....and then when I want to record, hit the mute pedal and just have TAHT feel with a nice grand piano sample. Why don't you prefer the sound of the U3 recorded? I'm curious, the priority is by far a RECORDING piano.
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Post by OtisGreying on May 1, 2021 0:28:23 GMT -6
An old Steinway in good condition usually sounds great and with lots of character. A Yamaha is generally much cleaner, even if it’s 20 years old. Can sound great, but not with as much character, and chances are you rather want a grand if you are going for clean and pristine. Then there’s all kind of vintage pianos for free or cheap that all sound different. Yeah, I don't really desire a clean and pristine sound. I do love Imagine by John Lennon or Hey jude, Scientist by Coldplay... Video tape Radiohead..
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Post by lando on May 1, 2021 0:43:16 GMT -6
An old Steinway in good condition usually sounds great and with lots of character. A Yamaha is generally much cleaner, even if it’s 20 years old. Can sound great, but not with as much character, and chances are you rather want a grand if you are going for clean and pristine. Then there’s all kind of vintage pianos for free or cheap that all sound different. Yeah, I don't really desire a clean and pristine sound. I do love Imagine by John Lennon or Hey jude, Scientist by Coldplay... Video tape Radiohead.. Then I think a good but old, larger piano is what you’re looking for. Steinways are best but quite a bit more expensive than the rest so if I were you I would try every used piano of that type that comes up in your area, you might find a bargain. Or go for a Steinway, they will keep their value extremely well, so you might sell it for more than you bought it for in 10+ years.
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Post by OtisGreying on May 1, 2021 0:49:47 GMT -6
Yeah, I don't really desire a clean and pristine sound. I do love Imagine by John Lennon or Hey jude, Scientist by Coldplay... Video tape Radiohead.. Then I think a good but old, larger piano is what you’re looking for. Steinways are best but quite a bit more expensive than the rest so if I were you I would try every used piano of that type that comes up in your area, you might find a bargain. Or go for a Steinway, they will keep their value extremely well, so you might sell it for more than you bought it for in 10+ years. I do have a shafer and sons old baby grand. Perhaps what I'm looking for is sitting in my parents living room? It's tuning is quite a mess and its got one or two shifty keys but maybe theres hope there?
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Post by stormymondays on May 1, 2021 3:04:57 GMT -6
I have a Yamaha U1, refurbished by a specialist company here in Spain. It’s as good as new. It records exceedingly well. I’ve never heard an U3 but I’ve recorded some other U1s and they’ve always worked for me.
Panels open for a grand-like sound. Ribbon mics at the bottom (below the keyboard) is my preference. Pair of SDC omnis at the hammers if you want that attack or “E-Street Band” jangly thing. Panels closed and mute pedal if you want indie/lo-fi. Etc!
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Post by mhbunch on May 1, 2021 9:36:55 GMT -6
I love our Yamaha m460 with the panels off. Sounds so much more open and huge than you’d expect from an smallish upright.
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Post by Martin John Butler on May 1, 2021 10:44:19 GMT -6
Yamaha.
If you need a great piano at a bargain price, look for a Young Chang.
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Post by M57 on May 1, 2021 11:07:17 GMT -6
I recommend treating the process like you're buying a guitar. Don't go in thinking "models." Throw out any preconceptions and play them ..or have someone play them while you listen, and buy the exact piano that makes your ears happy - it might even be used. I bought my baby grand twenty years ago that way, and I still feel great about the decision because it sounded just as good as a number of pianos that were close to twice the price.
..and don't shy away from asking for it to be tuned if you're at all considering buying it. Any good sales person will oblige if they smell a sale.
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Post by woofhead on May 1, 2021 11:22:05 GMT -6
Mason and Hamlin are great pianos, and are hand built like a steinway as opposed to semi production built like yamaha.Masons tend to have a very big sound relative to their size and are the heaviest relative to their size.I have a 7 foor grand BB model that is 1000 pounds which compares to a steinway b which weighs around 700.The sound has more low end maybe because of the mass and is evident across the entire range resulting in a "warm" sound.They make a 5 f00t 8 inch model A that might work well for you and it's their mostly produced model so possibly easier to find. They also make an upright grand as well but I don't know much about it. Try to talk to some piano techs in your area to learn more and they often try to find homes for pianos so you might get a great lead.Many piano techs are very passionate about their work and Ive learned a lot from letting them talk my ear off.Great to know how to properly perform some maintenance tasks yourself.One more thing about Mason Hamlins they tend to hold tuning extremely well assuming the pinblock is healthy and I find that to be a big plus in terms of cost and time saving.
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Post by popmann on May 1, 2021 13:47:02 GMT -6
An old Steinway in good condition usually sounds great and with lots of character. A Yamaha is generally much cleaner, even if it’s 20 years old. Can sound great, but not with as much character, and chances are you rather want a grand if you are going for clean and pristine. Then there’s all kind of vintage pianos for free or cheap that all sound different. Yeah, I don't really desire a clean and pristine sound. I do love Imagine by John Lennon or Hey jude, Scientist by Coldplay... Video tape Radiohead.. Then you'll likely love the U3. The reason I don't record it is that 's what it sounds like...in combination with how far I have to go to make it work for me. I DO desire a pretty clean precise sound where the low strings actually speak as a bottom octave note instead of exciting all of the strings. As to the difference, a U3 is the deeper richer sounding of the U series. Where the U1 is brighter and "pingy yamaha" sounding...the U3 is what gets used in conservatory practice rooms. The U5 that Synthology sampled is a "pimped cosmetics" version of the U3. Or was a decade ago(ish) when I bought it. At that point, stateside those were the three in the U series...like there was no U4 or U2...maybe as an Irish import.
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Post by oliviadolphinjohn on May 1, 2021 21:24:20 GMT -6
I think pre-1980 Baldwins are worthy alternatives to spending lots of money on a Steinway, if you want that looser rock sound. Steinway K52 would have been my preference but people want too much money for them, so I have two Baldwins. I found the U3s to be a bit tight and bright for my taste.
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Post by Mister Chase on May 1, 2021 21:34:05 GMT -6
My friend/musical partner landed on a Yamaha U1. He is more into the felt/leather sounds. I do like the sound of the piano, though it's much better for the felted sounds, IMO. There are indeed free uprights out there.
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Post by professorplum on May 1, 2021 22:20:58 GMT -6
Anyone have any recommendations for cheap character models/brands that aren't too "character-y"? I'd love to find something for $500 or less that has some vibe but not completely garage sale/throwaway sounding if you know what I mean....
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Post by javamad on May 2, 2021 1:24:34 GMT -6
I have a YUS series on perma loan from a friend in my studio and I do a lot of recording with it.
For pop rock stuff its great and I have also done some jazz … live off the floor where I put a pair of Oktava 012 inside in x y and it sounded pretty good but with drums in the room I was struggling between spill and the x y position moving on me by trying to close the lid on the mic stand and blankets ….
So I got a Lewitt 640 TS (dual outputs) and the phase off the two sides of one capsule is so good its like sticking your head inside the piano (and won’t shift during the session if the mic stand gets a push) and if you want to change to mono for mix reasons there is the free polarizer plugin which is great.
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Post by svart on May 2, 2021 10:49:55 GMT -6
Upright pianos come up on the free classifieds all the time because they're too heavy to move without paying someone $$$$..
If you look around there's usually a few in good shape out of the pile of junked ones.
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Post by robschnapf on May 2, 2021 12:44:38 GMT -6
I love my old Baldwin. It’s not too bright and it’s not sloppy on the low end.
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