Hi, I'm reading your post now..(maybe it's too late!)
Honestly, I am not an expert, but during this period, having to purchase an upright, I have been looking around quite a bit... and thanks to the availability of some dealers (others, on the other hand, almost make it seem like they are doing you a favor, oh well!), and thanks to the precious information found in this forum, as well as the advice from the very kind Maestro Ferrarelli, whom I thank with great gratitude and esteem....I have formed an idea.
Moreover, even though I am interested in an upright, when I am in shops I also try out grand pianos....I will tell you, in my opinion, Kawais have good mechanics, fast and precise...it might be because of the ABS Carbon that replaces wood in the action...In the uprights, I was able to notice how easy it is to play trills and repeated notes at speed and they never missed a beat. The keyboard is very well-balanced; in short, I find them very pleasant to play....although the models whose sound I liked most are the K5 and the K8, which also have ivory keys and felt very good to the touch as well. However, it is always an oriental sound...and personally, I prefer the European sound and am more oriented towards the classical repertoire.
That being said, I also tried a Schimmel grand piano and we are on another planet. I tried a Bösendorfer and the sound is stupendous. As for mechanics, however, I felt better with the Schimmel.
It's a pity that these pianos cost much more (the Bösendorfer baby grand is around 70 thousand!)
So, having the economic availability, I would go for Schimmel, Bösendorfer, Bechstein....or Steinway (perhaps excellent used ones can be found)...Then it depends on the sound you like most....
For example, for an upright, I am leaning towards a Yamaha P121 (which has a more European sound)....although I fell in love with a Schimmel which, however, costs about 12 thousand new...
By getting a Yamaha now, I will still have a good piano (even if it's not the best) with the advantage of being able to resell it in the future more easily (Yamahas, and I think Kawais too, have a good market; they depreciate less and can be resold without being sold for a loss!)...with the goal perhaps of getting a higher quality piano...I repeat, for me, a new Schimmel was the best upright I have tried. Maestro Ferrarelli had recommended it to me...then I tried it and I can only say he was right....It's a pity that the wallet is in command, having other expenses to deal with during this period, among other things.
So, I advise you what they advised me: get a piano that fits within the budget you have set for yourself (if you cannot increase it)...get a Yamaha or Kawai (easier to resell) and if in the future you get the chance to make a leap in quality...do not hesitate!
This is what I will do!
Good luck!
