Why Slam Chinese Made Piano?

Originally you asked a rather general question. Why Slam Chinese-Made Pianos? There have been a number of excellent answers to your specific questions but I would like to add a general observation or two on the overall issue.

Some of us with long memories can remember when Japanese-built pianos began coming into the U.S. The early Japanese instruments were plagued with problems ranging from such minor details as soundboards coming loose and pinblocks coming apart to unstable actions to polyester finish problems. Not to mention the myriad ongoing tonal problems. It took about twenty years for them to get their product up to a minimally reasonable standard. In the meantime they were sold viable alternatives to the piano marques. Dealers and salespeople assured one and all that the Japanese pianos were just as good as the expensive U.S.- and European-built pianos, but because of the low cost of labor in Japan they were a real bargain. What problems? They were all built to the highest standards and used only “world class” components. And many U.S. consumers ended up paying the price.

Later on the Korean’s entered the fray. The early Korean instruments were plagued with problems ranging from minor details like soundboards coming loose and pinblocks coming apart to unstable actions to polyester finish problems. Not to mention the myriad ongoing tonal problems. It took about ten years for them to get their product up to a minimally reasonable standard. In the meantime they also were sold viable alternatives to the U.S.-, European- and Japanese-built pianos. Dealers and salespeople assured one and all that the Korean pianos were just as good as the more expensive U.S.-, European- and Japanese built pianos, but because of the low cost of labor in Korea they were a real bargain. What problems? They were all built to the highest standards and used only World Class components. And many U.S. consumers ended up paying the price.

And now the Chinese and Indonesian pianos are entering the fray. The early instruments coming from these countries have been plagued with problems ranging from minor details … well, you can probably guess where this is headed. It’s déjà vu all over again. And, once again, the U.S. consumer is taking it on the chin and in the wallet. It remains to be seen just when (or if?) the Chinese manufacturers will reach the level of the better Korean or Japanese manufacturers. Not to mention the better European builders. They probably will, given time. Anyone who has walked on the Great Wall can but admire the focus and tenacity of this culture. Still, I’ve been in several Chinese factories and, while there is certainly a will to achieve world-standard status, I'm not sure if there is yet a willingness to pay the full price of admission.

It takes more than a list of features to make a good piano. It also takes more than a collection of “world class” components gathered together and stuffed into a box. It takes more than a verbal assurance that wood is now, finally, being properly seasoned. I have stood in a Chinese factory being assured that the wood used for backposts in row after row of vertical piano back assemblies had all been “properly” dried and seasoned. And no one can explain the splits running two-thirds the way up several of these backposts. Just no idea how it could happen. As we went down the line I discovered this was not the only example of raw, green wood being used in these pianos. These things were twisting and warping and splitting all over the place. But it was all “properly” dried and seasoned.

Eventually they will figure all this stuff out. Some, perhaps, have already done so. At least they mostly seem to be working on their problems. This is of little consolation to those who purchased the earlier instruments, of course. The same was also true with the early purchasers of various Japanese and Korean pianos — but that was then and this is now. Both the Japanese and Korean builders are now more experienced and one thing you are going to get for your extra money with a more established maker is experience and knowledge. They have already had it, learned from it and have paid for it. And now you are being asked to pay your share in exchange for their higher level of competence. Their products will generally reflect that competence in terms of on-going performance and an extended useful life. It is one thing to get a piano sounding really nice on the showroom floor. It is quite another to keep it working well and sounding nice in your home for ten or twenty years.

In your favor, of course, is that by now most of the really bad pianos coming from China are gone. You are now much less likely to end up with an expensive pile of junk than you would have been just five years ago. Still, in exchange for the money you will be saving you will be given the opportunity to join an ever-growing group of guinea pigs (if you’ll please pardon the expression) who will be helping the Chinese piano industry achieve world standard status. With luck you’ll end up with a nicely satisfactory piano that, while it may never be a great piano, will still be serviceable. Without that luck…well, good luck.

(from pianoworld forum)