Finding the Right Grand Piano in 2026: Quality, Craft, and Long-Term Value
If you’re shopping for a grand piano in 2026, you’re entering one of the most complex and mystifying markets the piano industry has ever seen. While most of today’s piano builders offer better consistency and value than in years past, recent global changes have dramatically reshaped how—and where—many grand pianos are built.
Now owned by Pearl River (a state-run Chinese piano builder), Schimmel makes pianos in Germany, Poland and China.
Over the last several years, international tariffs, rising manufacturing costs, and shifting ownership have forced major changes across the piano industry. Many long-standing manufacturers have downsized, relocated production, or exited the entry-level market altogether. As a result, some well-known “starter” grands that were widely available just a decade ago are no longer being produced.
To remain competitive, many companies now manufacture instruments at multiple price points using hybrid production models. A piano marketed as a “German” or “European” instrument may be assembled in Asia, built using imported components, or finished overseas under the supervision of the original brand. This does not automatically mean the piano is low quality—many modern factories produce excellent instruments—but it does mean buyers should look beyond branding and understand how a piano is actually made.
How to Keep Your Grand Piano Sounding Good for Decades
Selecting a grand piano for your home, school or church is a big decision that requires a significant investment in time and resources. That’s why it’s so important to ensure that the piano you select will perform as intended for as long as possible – especially if it’s a key component of your performance or worship space. So – with that in mind – here are ten ways you can keep your grand piano sounding good for decades to come:
Yamaha Offers FREE Music Notation Software for Schools
Whether you’re a seasoned songwriter or a first-timer looking for an easy way to create sheet music for your school or church music program, Yamaha has an incredible solution for you! Dorico music notation software, which gives you the ability to compose, play, and print your own sheet music! This is a simplified version of the SAME software used by professional film and video game composers… and – even better – Yamaha is making it available to you at NO CHARGE! That’s right! You can get FREE music notation software from Yamaha!
Phoenix College Receives 19 Yamaha Pianos
Ever since he began teaching at Phoenix College over 21 years ago, Dr. Karl Schindler, has been thinking about replacing the college’s piano inventory with institution-grade equipment. As Chair of the College’s Visual and Performing Arts Department, he knew that this would help reduce his department’s operating costs and attract more students to his program. As a composer, he had always been a fan of Yamaha pianos and was eager to work with both their acoustic and technology-infused equipment. Unfortunately, Dr. Schindler’s predecessor had purchased several Petrof Pianos just before passing the torch. While they were nice home pianos, the Petrofs were not well suited to the daily rigors endemic to a university music school. So, as Dr. Schindler worked with these deteriorating instruments, he noticed an increase in his service costs corresponding to increased problems with the pianos themselves – a common problem when universities use “home pianos” in an institutional setting. Eventually, Dr. Schindler began a detailed and arduous process to find funding for new institution-grade Yamaha pianos at Phoenix College.
New Adult Piano Class Starting Up in Scottsdale
Have you always wanted to play the piano but, for whatever the reason, never got the chance? If so, you won’t want to miss our new adult piano class! Learn to play piano the FUN and EASY way! …but hurry! So we can give each student the personal attention (s)he needs, we are limiting class size to just eight per session! Availability is limited!
Sign Up Now!
How Will Tariffs Impact Pianos?
The recent tariffs imposed by the United States government have already begun to impact the piano business. Yamaha has announced a price increase on all their products, Roland announced that they will no longer include a bench with their pianos and companies like Casio (who build nearly everything they sell in China and are currently facing a disastrous 145% tariff) have fallen silent. Even American piano makers are being affected!
…but how long will these tariffs last? How will they affect piano prices? Which piano builders are well-positioned to “weather the storm” and which companies could be facing oblivion?
Let’s take a detailed look at what may happen as the trade war rages on and what you can do to protect yourself and your musical family.
Riverton Opens New Scottsdale Piano Store
If you’ve been to our former Scottsdale piano store (across from Fashion Square Mall), you’ve seen how inadequate it was for our needs. The location was good and we definitely packed every piano into that 2200 square foot space that we could fit, but we didn’t have any breathing room. The store felt cramped when we took it over from the Steinway Showroom folks, but – as our business grew – it became more and more inadequate. We simply had to find a bigger space. That’s why – after an extensive search – we are happy to announce our new Scottsdale piano store location!
The Best Way to Play Piano in 2025
Growing up, I always wanted to be in a band. I started piano lessons when I was 6 and, by 10 years old, I was getting pretty darn good! I used to turn up the stereo and try to play along with my favorite songs, but it was really hard because I usually couldn’t keep up (or the song was in a difficult key). I got better at it over time, but it was a slow process. Thankfully, it’s MUCH easier for kids today to “play with a band” whenever they want – thanks to some cool new technology from Hal-Leonard!
The Incredible Story of Yamaha
Mr. Torakusu Yamaha
Today, the word “Yamaha” is a household name around the World. The largest musical instrument company on the planet, Yamaha instruments now account for 25% of the world’s music-making tools. That’s right. One in every four musical instruments on Earth is made by Yamaha. When considering a company of such size and scope, it’s often hard to imagine a time when nobody knew the name “Yamaha.” Granted, today, Yamaha is a music industry icon, but it wasn’t always so. In fact, the name “Yamaha” is the company’s second name – given in honor of it’s visionary founder, Mr. Torakusu Yamaha. A humble watch and medical instrument repair technician from Kii Province, Mr. Yamaha came to the aid of a local elementary school when they asked him to fix their broken reed organ. He identified the problem, made the necessary repairs, and began a journey that would quite literally change the entire world. This is The Incredible Story of Yamaha.
Which Pianos Hold Their Value?
This image is from Page 7 of the former “Steinway Investment Brochure,” which claims Steinway pianos go up in value over time. Click the image to see the entire brochure (PDF). The claims made in this brochure have been heavily disputed by The Hatch Institute’s investigative journalists and past Steinway piano owners.
In 2019, a number of piano buyers sued Steinway & Sons for actively marketing their pianos as “investments” that would increase in value over time. Steinway owners claimed they were shown graphs and factory-authorized marketing literature that indicated Steinway pianos have appreciated consistently over decades when, in reality, most new Steinway & Sons pianos depreciate significantly – some as much as 50% – in the first day of ownership.
Even here in Phoenix, we’ve seen piano salespeople claim that “German Pianos go up in value over time.”
…but do they?
Are pianos a good investment? Do they go up or even hold their value over time? What factors go into determining a piano’s value and how can you know what to expect when you buy one?
With more than 50 years of piano selling experience, we are uniquely qualified to bring you the truth about this hotly-debated topic. We’ll give you the facts and help you set your expectations so you don’t find yourself in the position these Steinway owners did. Let’s get started!
