The Bösendorfer 214 and 280 match up well with Steinway and Yamaha offerings
When starting your search for a new grand piano, you might not look past two of the biggest names behind such pianos, Steinway and Yamaha. Those brands indeed have much to recommend them; however, there is a risk of you unjustly overlooking competing pianos from the Austrian company Bösendorfer, which is actually among the world's oldest piano manufacturers.
Two of our favourite grand pianos from the Bösendorfer stable are the 214 and 280 models. Here is a run-down of how they compare to similar alternatives from Yamaha and Steinway.
Bösendorfer 214 vs. Steinway Model B vs. Yamaha CF6
The Bösendorfer 214 is delightfully versatile, and this extends to the choice of places in which it can be effectively played. Whether you want a piano for your conservatory, a music school, or a small or medium-sized venue, this grand - in more ways than one - offering can excel on many counts.
The strings are undoubtedly unique, with one or two copper layers wrapped around a steel core string. This greatly explains the piano's effectiveness in producing warm and sonorous bass. The Steinway Model B grand piano has a similar construction for its own strings.
A piano that can long hold precise tuning is undoubtedly invaluable. The Steinway product ensures this through its use of the patented Hexagrip Pinblock, the pin gripping of which is boosted by the uniform grain direction around the tuning pin's circumference.
The Bösendorfer 214 can also be stable in tuning, due to its individually-attached strings. Another useful feature of this piano is an open pinblock which helps in firmly securing the pins. Tone colours produced by this piano are rich, as sound formation is supported by more than just its soundboard.
The piano rim's structure enabling this is actually unique to Bösendorfer. Therefore, it does not feature in the Yamaha CF6, though that grand piano does have a soundboard shaped in such a way that it can freely vibrate and provide as much resonance as possible for a spacious sound. The tonal colours are also varied considering this piano's size.
That piano is 212cm long, 159cm wide and 102cm in height. That height is matched by the Bösendorfer 214, which is also 214cm long and 151cm in width for a very similar overall size. The Steinway Model B's length and width are, respectively, 211cm and 148cm.
Bösendorfer 280 vs. Steinway Model D vs. Yamaha CFX
The Bösendorfer 280 has many of the same advantages as its 214 counterpart - including unique bass strings, a firmly-settled pinblock, and strings that have been attached individually.
Another stunning feature which these two models have in common is Vienna Concert technology which enables excellent colours and energetic dynamics. Meanwhile, the Yamaha CFX makes a broad variety of tonal colours achievable and features a soundboard that can deliver amazing resonance.
The standard of the tuning in a piano can also affect - for better or worse - the sound that it can make. The arrangement of the strings in the Bösendorfer 280 can ease tuning stability over time, while the Steinway Model D has rust-resistant heads for pins with which the piano can be tuned.
The quality of a piano's bass should also be considered - and, while the standard on the Yamaha CFX is relatively good due to overhauled coils on the strings, there's something both distinctive and pleasant about the warm bass that the Bösendorfer 280 provides.
That piano is 280cm, 157cm and 102cm in, respectively, length, width and height. Meanwhile, the length and width numbers for the Yamaha CFX are 274cm and 156cm - similar to the Bösendorfer.
We want you to make a wise choice
As you can see, the Bösendorfer 214 and 280 are both fairly evenly-matched compared to rival grand pianos from the better-known Steinway and Yamaha. This highlights the need for you to research thoroughly before you decide which piano you should order.
Therefore, if you are considering using our services here at Coach House Pianos to order any of the six pianos mentioned above, please don't hesitate to contact us should you have unanswered questions about any of them. We can easily be reached by phone on 01792 584 584.
