Acoustic OR Digital ???

Acoustic or Digital ?? "Traditional" or "Electric" ??
 Let me just say the gap is narrowing by the minute.
 My advice? Ask yourself two questions:

 1) What do I want to play on this piano? 
 2) How long do I want to keep this piano? 

 If you said, "I want to play the piano and feel like I am really playing a large resounding instrument," or "I want to enjoy music on a piano just like when I was younger--on a piano that looks like I used to have"; or "I want to buy a piano that will be a family legacy of music and an investment with just as much value in the future as it has right now"; as in "I want a piano to pass on to my family for a few generations"; or even "I want a piano that is made much better than the piano I played on as a kid."

Well then, you will be most happy with a beautiful acoustic piano. If grand, buy the highest quality build in the longest model you can afford. If only enough space for a vertical, buy the highest quality build in the tallest model you can afford.  I firmly believe, bigger is better in pianos.

Now, what if your thinking more like...
"I move around a lot and want something stable but easier to move myself";
or "I don't like the thought of having to have a piano tuned every time I think it's out or every time I move";
maybe "I want to record my music and make my own CDs and share my music on the internet";
heck, you might be thinking "I could record my own accompaniment tracks and save on rehearsal time and expense";
or what about this "I just love those vintage sounding keyboards but I can't find any that work reliably or any at all";
what if you're thinking "I'd like to learn to play and a good computer program might help me excel at my own pace";
good to consider "I'll play it for while, but it's just for me to enjoy";
what if the teacher says "My kids needs a piano with a full keyboard, pedals, and ... what are weighted keys?"
and let's not leave out "I need a digital that feels as much like a grand as possible and carries tone qualities as close to a grand piano as possible".

I gotcha.  You need a Kawai Digital Piano.  If you ask me, I'd say, either way, you should buy a Kawai piano.  The Kawai family and factory family make one product: Pianos.  Acoustic and Digital and now Hybrid pianos will impress your senses as well as your budget.
There's nothing like owning an amazing, grandiose, well, grand piano.  Some even buy one of each.  They are just two different tools.  So you tell me what you want.  You might want one of each!

More next time on hybrid pianos and the parent who says, "My kid is just getting into this, and I don't want to spend a lot until I know they're serious."

Meanwhile, visit kawaius.com to be amazed.

jimspianos.com
850-205-5467
Tallahassee, FL

Find Pianos Pinterest-ing ?

For some of us, Pinterest has introduced us to obsessions with things we've never thought twice about. For others the intrigue was dormant until Pinterest introduced you to the level of obsession
For myself, I have ALWAYS been drawn to pianos.  And now that there is Pinterest, much like etsy.com, I could spend endless hours exploring all things pianos.

When you find yourself on other social sites, wanting to pin other people's pictures to your boards, but then remember you have to save the pic, then reopen Pinterest and then post it to your own board... is that what inconvenience is? Only, as you realize this #firstworldproblem (much like the added habit of hashtaging in other contexts besides such applicable sites) is actually about how many recipes can be reinvented with avocados, then you know... it's time to just search what you are really interested in:

pianos.

For all things pianos, our page is for you:

Visit Jims Pianos ~Piano Lady's profile on Pinterest.

Jim's Pianos is a local-owned piano sales and service store in Tallahassee, FL.  Owner Jim Sims has been in the piano business since the late 1950's.
GinaMarie has been managing the store for the last 4 1/2 years.
GinaMarie. Loves. Pianos.

www.jimspianos.com
      850. 205. 5467

How I Became the PianoLady

How does one get into the piano business...
Open doors.
Here's my brief story.

Craigslist. Friend or Foe?

5 Friendly tips we offer to make YOU the informed buyer.

• If a listing claims a piano was purchased new for $ X,XXX, then you should ask to see that invoice.  It is possible, the seller is inflating its value to make their selling price look better.
• Acoustic Pianos require maintenance.  Ask for these records (as you would oil changes, tires, and mechanic records for a used car.)  Pianos are the best thing a tree could hope to become, but there are some parts that are better off not made of wood. Ask any engineer.  Pianos have thousands of moving parts and hundreds of joints.  These things need regulating every now and then.  A responsible owner will have records of this maintenance with their piano.  Or ask to contact their technician for records.  (Jim's Pianos keeps great service records of pianos both purchased from us and/or serviced by us.)
• Ask "Where was this piano made?" It should be inside the lid, on the back of an upright, or behind the keybed on the treble end of a grand.  Foreign can be a good thing, if it is a reputable brand AND factory.  (For example, most newer Baldwins are NOT made in the US and quality control in recent years has not been consistent.  Used Baldwins should at least be "Made in the U.S.A." and will say so.  KAWAI was the first piano company to be awarded both the ISO9001 and ISO14001 recognizing their environmental responsibility. They were "green" before green was cool!)
• If you want a Steinway piano, then buy a Steinway.  "Steinway Designed" pianos are NOT made in the U.S.A. and they are NOT built with the same quality of engineering and materials found in Steinways.  Again, beware of inflated value on pianos that do not have the quality build that other brands do.
• Ask to see the INSIDE of the piano.  Under the hood, so to speak.  This is best done with a reputable technician there to point out things that their expert eyes will see. 

Want to know how Steinway, Yamaha, Pearl River and KAWAI all compare... in one place... come to Jim's Pianos and I will be happy, happy, happy to help you answer questions such as, 

          "If this piano doesn't have what the others do, why are they priced so high?"

If you don't want to pay full price for half the quality, call Jim's Pianos.

You 'll pay a fraction of the price for a TOP quality piano!

www.jimspianos.com
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Great parties start around a piano....

Take it from one who knows how cherished the memories are when people are gathered around a piano to belt a rousing Billy Joel number, dance to smooth jazzy piece, or even weep over beloved hymns.
It's the music life is made of.
But what if you haven't learned to play the piano?  What if you have a grand and had hopes of entertaining guests with your own song and dance?  Well, keep the dream alive, honey!  Upgrade your piano with a player system!
I'm sure you're thinking, do they still make those old paper rolls?? In fact "they" do.  And "they" are the same company that is now also making the most of advanced materials and technology that give you the ultimate player piano fun! QRS !

Whether your piano is an antique family heirloom or just purchased last year - whether 4 feet or 9 feet, I will tell you here is one way to make the most of your piano: PNOmation II.

Perhaps you've caught an episode of "How It's Made" and have seen how old paper-roll player pianos used to be made!  Well, just like that rockin' cell phone in your hand, player systems have come a LONG way!  Today, you can use that little wi-fi phone to tell your player piano to "Hit it!"  There's no extra box hanging from the side or fumbling with CDs.  You can now tap your finger to see the song list to Billy Joel, Taylor Swift, Harry Connick Jr., Miriah Carey, Journey, as well as the wealth of musical genres including  classical, jazz, oldies, nostalgic... just to name a few!

What if you don't have an iPhone? No problem! Android, Kindle Fire, iPad, or your wireless laptop can all connect to the wireless processor!

To see how the screen works, QRS provides you with a SIMULATOR experience on their website.

To take a glance at how it works at my store, visit Jim's Pianos Player Page.
Try it. I just KNOW you'll love it!

www.jimspianos.com
Like us on Facebook.com/JimsPiano
Follow on Twitter.com/JimsPianos

When storms come...

In Oklahoma, today, the resilient are rising above the dust and rubble yet again.  I wish I could be there in person to give a helping hand.  Resilience and optimism are two of my favorite and most valuable traits. Of course, there is only so much we can do from a distance, but no matter where we are, we can all be thankful--counting our blessings.

We usually begin with being grateful for surviving lives--our own and loved ones. Then a few things stand out as important to us: intrinsic values and intangible memories that are often captured in pictures and other treasured memorabilia. Some objects can even be carried to shelter, if there is time to do so. 

But then there are meaningful parts of our lives like the music we cherish and the instruments which ring with the songs we love. While love for music is priceless and intangible... our precious pianos would not be able to fit in our pockets or arms when preparing for such a disaster like massive storms, tornadoes, and in the case of Florida and neighboring Gulf Coast and Atlantic states... hurricanes. 

June 1 is the first day of hurricane season. I know records on your piano won't be and shouldn't be the first part of your preparedness plan.  But for as much as your piano might mean to you, this is your PianoLady's gentle nudge to know these things about your piano just in case something terrible should happen to it.

1. Brand, Model, Size, & Serial No. 
2. Color/Finish
3. Who last tuned it and might have an appraisal or idea to its value? ...As well as other records on its purchase and service or even restoration history?
4. Do you have replacement value insurance on your piano? Or depreciated value?
5. Do you have pictures of your piano?

If you need help with any of these records, I am glad to be of service. 

We are always on the spot for restoration and cleaning services after such occurrences as water or fire damage, but if your set of keys and strings can't be helped... We can still guide you through the search for the next musical love of your life.

The Beauty of Japan

There has to be a word for this in the Japanese language. You know the kind. It is the word that a local person tells you what it mostly means but that there isn't a term for it in the English language. There is more than manicured shrubs, vibrant rose gardens, undisturbed mountainsides, and meticulously arranged foods... which delight the senses at every turn. There has to be a word which includes but is not limited to the peoples' quietness, respect, humility, pride in excellence, dedication to one another, adherence to tradition, vision for the future... It's Japanese culture. It's the Japanese way. It's good and pleasant. All translating into the treasured music of the piano... patience and progress are shaping a company, a product, a business, a musician. Perhaps then, the word is the embodiment of a country's flagship piano: their biggest advocate and facilitator of music education and the maker of the first concert grand piano in Japan... KAWAI.

Thank you, Kawai, for a magnificent Japan Experience... that I will remember every time I play my own piano. 

Sincerely,

The Senters

 Beautiful Music Rack on the first concert grand built in Japan, by Mr. Koichi Kawai.