All Dodge Rams are trucks, but not all trucks are Dodge Rams

On the subject of battles that I will never win AND pianos:

This week, I walked into The Antique Emporium on Manchester Ave. here in St. Louis.  This is a fantastic antique mall-type shop with exquisite and unique upscale antiques and other findings.

The Antique Emporium moved 'down the street' recently to another building.  When I visited this shop in it's previous location, the Emporium usually had 2 - 3 grand pianos for sale at any given time, offered for sale by different people who rented that particular booth.

A couple weeks back, I visited this shop in i's new location, and I immediately noted a beautiful 1970 Chickering grand piano in the room adjacent to the entrance of this shop.  At that particular time, I played that piano for probably a half an hour.  My dear readers that 'fiddle on the keys a bit' will know that both touch and tone are vital factors when selecting 'the right piano for you.'  I play a lot of Scott Joplin rag pieces.  If the piano's action is too loose (the touch is too light), it is almost impossible to play a heavy-handed piece on that piano.  Tone is important, too.  If you don't like the way the piano sounds or feels, it will be difficult to play music in a manner that is at once comfortable, familiar and satisfying.

Anywho.....  to continue, with some back story:

A couple years back, I started looking for an acoustic piano to add to my substantial collection of keyboard instruments.  I played a *LOT* of pianos at music shops, estate sales, etc, and I wasn't finding a good match.  In July 2010, I finally found the best match for me:  A 2010 Kawai 506N upright studio piano.  I couldn't ask for a better tone and the touch on the action feels GREAT.

HOWEVER...... (Don't you just love "Howevers"?)......

Owning a grand piano is on my 'bucket list', and I do really hate to be the bearer of bad news, but with each passing day that we are alive on this planet, our time remaining is getting shorter - not longer.  That 'bucket' will come quicker than most folk are expecting it to arrive.

When I sat down to this 1970 Chickering grand piano at the Antique Emporium, it's tone was WONDERFUL, and it's touch was PERFECT.  That piano and I became instant friends, and I played it for a half an hour before I reluctantly left the store.

A couple days ago, I visited his shop again. When I walked in the front door, the shop owner was at the counter.  During my previous visit, a friendly young lady was working, and the shop keep wasn't present.

I told the owner, "I want that piano in there!" (:::pointing into the adjacent room:::).

She answered me, "The baby grand?"

Instinctively, I quickly peeked around the corner into the room that should have contained the only piano that I had seen a couple weeks earlier.  I knew that in the past, this antique store often had several grand pianos in it's inventory, and I thought that I missed seeing one during my last visit.

When I looked back into the room, I noted the same 1970 Chickering classic Grand piano that I had played previously, and that was the only piano in the room.

I asked the shop owner, "Do you have a new baby grand in stock?  I didn't see one on my last visit a couple weeks ago."  In a near-tiff, and in a somewhat bothered tone, she said, as if I didn't know what I was talking about, "No - the only piano in there!" (:::she was pointing into the same room that I just peeked into:::)

Suddenly, I saw the situation a bit more clearer.  I answered her, "\Oh!  That fantastic Chickering is a 'classic grand', not a 'Baby grand' ! I thought I missed a piano on my last visit, and I was looking for a Baby Grand"

Can I confide in you, dear reader, and tell you that this woman looked at me as if I had just lost my damned mind!

She tried to re-educate me by telling me that "The only difference between pianos is the shape.  There is an upright piano and a Baby Grand!"

Uh.... no.  Most folk believe that all pianos that adding the "Baby" superlative to "Grand" makes the piano a bit 'fancier'.  hey need to learn to leave well enough alone.  That classic grand piano is fancy enough without adding a superlative that doesn't belong to it.

I TRIED to explain the difference to her in this manner:

"In much the same manner as 'All Dodge Rams are trucks, but not all trucks are Dodge Rams', all Baby Grand pianos are grand pianos - but not all grand pianos are Baby Grands!"

I continued by telling her that (depending on the piano maker), "Any grand piano under 6' in length is considered a Baby Grand.  Then, you have the 'regular or classic grand', and the REALLY long grand pianos are Concert Grands."

Even though the 5' 10 1/2" model (in this sample) is pushing the limits a bit, these sizes are usually considered "Baby Grands":



These sizes are usually considered "Regular or Classic" Grands:



These huge, fabulously thundering beasts are considered "Concert Grands":
 

(These particular measurements were taken from Steinway's production models, and may vary between other piano makers, however, the concept remains the same.)

After I tried to enlighten the shop-keep, she once again, she looked at me as if I lost my damned mind.

I truly hope that **I** never allow myself to reach the point where I never question a bit of information that I once considered to be true, but in fact, it is not.  Being flexible, and willing to view ANY subject from a different point of view is, indeed, a gift that I do not take for granted.

I know that "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink!" is true, but if he doesn't drink, can I then drown his ass in the pool of water?

I also know that "Never try to teach a pig to sing.  It will only waste your time, and annoy the pig!"

Moving on.....

From the information that I gathered, hat piano had been serviced about 3 months earlier.  The shop owner told me that the work "took 2 days", so I am assuming that it was not only tuned, but the action was possibly re-regulated.  I don't know the name of the piano technician that did the work, but I say, "Kudos to you! That lovely 1970 Chickering classic grand piano sounds and feels lovely!"  The piano's owner has marked the price down from $9,000 to $8,000, and even though that is the 2nd best piano that I have touched in a while (my Kawai being #1 !),. it's still a bit too rich for my blood.

- Michael