Rating: 
Summary: For JapanChina only; Not helpful for quality European pianos
Review: I own the first edition of this book and it has some advantages over the subsequent editions. In particular, he gives specific ratings for each brand of piano. As I understand it, some piano makers who felt offended by this (i.e. their piano's didn't rate as well as they wished) threatened to sue Mr. Fine, so the ratings were removed from subsequent editions.Ideally, if you really want the best reference, get the latest edition and supplement, but augment it with the first edition if you can find a copy (yellow cover).
Rating: 
Summary: Differences between editions...
Review: I own the first edition of this book and it has some advantages over the subsequent editions. In particular, he gives specific ratings for each brand of piano. As I understand it, some piano makers who felt offended by this (i.e. their piano's didn't rate as well as they wished) threatened to sue Mr. Fine, so the ratings were removed from subsequent editions. Ideally, if you really want the best reference, get the latest edition and supplement, but augment it with the first edition if you can find a copy (yellow cover).
Rating:
Summary: For JapanChina only; Not helpful for quality European pianos
Review: I purchased this book based on the glowing reviews on Amazon as well as on other piano related sites. The book IS a great concept and appears to be quite comprehensive on first glance. However, if you are shopping in Europe or are interested in including in your search quality European piano manufacturers (many of which have been around 100-150 years) the book is hopelessly incomplete and, more than once, severely out of date and inaccurate. On the entries for various German brands Mr. Fine keeps repeating phrases such as "no pianos appear in our survey", "I have heard that...", "I played on one once...", "it is difficult to make distinctions" or simply copies text from the advertising brochures of the manufacturers. The ratings and rankings in the summary section and classification of quality are clearly indicated to be the opinion of Mr. Fine, yet are based on only anecdotal evidence. Worse yet, information on changes in ownership or farming out of manufacturing which has taken place in some instances during the last years -- with an enormous impact on quality -- is not reflected in the rankings. In summary, this is a great book if you know nothing of pianos and are shopping in the States on the low end for cheap Chinese knockoffs or consumer products from the likes of Young Chang, Kawai, Yamaha, etc. If you are trying to sort out the middle/quality or top of the market, include European brands, or buy a traditional grand piano, the book is incomplete and based on heresay/opinion rather than research. It is not terribly useful and can be at times misleading.
Rating:
Summary: Most comprehensive piano book ever written
Review: I've read the third edition twice all the way through and have referred to it often since. Not only is it, as advertised, the indispensable guide or buying a piano, it contains well-written sections and diagrams on how a piano works, how to care for and maintain a piano and how to evaluate used pianos. I also recommend buying the supplement; it contains actual "street" prices for every make and model. Through this book I've learned such arcane facts as where to get optical midi readers for acoustic keyboards, where to get humidity controllers for the piano, the history and ups and downs of manufacturers through the decades, and how sound boards, stringing and parts of the action all affect the tone. I've played the piano my whole life and I considered myself a real piano snob, but this book educated me more about the instrument than my thirty years of experience. If you love the piano as much as I do but are slightly unsure of how all the parts work, or if you want to know exactly who all those bizarre manufacturers are you've never heard of before, or if you can't understand why Yamahas are everywhere when they sound so bad, then this book will explain it all to you. The book is obsessive, and it has a following (it also has a great web site). It's one long love-letter to the king of instruments, and I can't wait to read the fourth edition.
Rating: 
Summary: sehr gut
Review: Ich liebe auch PENTATONIC SCALES FOR THE JAZZ-ROCK KEYBOARDIST ("Die Tonleiter Pentatonic für der Jazz-Rock Klaviatur Musiker") von Jeff Burns. (Sieht amazon.com.)
Rating:
Summary: Buying a Piano?? Then you MUST buy this book!!!
Review: If you are buying either a new or used piano "with strings" (as opposed to a purely digital [no strings] piano), you MUST buy this book. If you are buying a NEW piano, you also need to buy the yearly "Supplement" book (Current version is "2001-2002 Annual Supplement to The Piano Book", also by Larry Fine). Together, these two books do not cost much. You WILL save hundreds and perhaps thousands of dollars. Here is what is covered in each book: THIS BOOK - "The Piano Book". This book has chapters on How a Piano Works, Buying a New Piano, Buying a Used Piano, Piano Moving, Piano Care, and a special chapter entitled "A Consumer Guide to New and Recently Made Pianos", which includes brand by brand listings and rankings in a number of categories. This book DOES NOT include price information. This book has 234 pages of content!! THE SUPPLEMENT - "2001-2002 Annual Supplement to The Piano Book". This book provides "suggested" list prices for almost every manufacturer and model, AND discusses % discounts you can expect. For example, did you know, that the average discount off of list price is between 15-25%? This book is published every year in August, based on data from that Spring. For example, this "2001-2002" was published in August 2001, based on data from June 2001. This means that the "2002-2003" version should be available in August 2002. This book has 98 pages of discount and list price information!! The author has his own website (pianobook.com) which is also listed in the book, and even offers private phone consulatations (for a fee, given your specific needs). BOTTOM LINE: Buy both of these books. Trust me, you will NOT be disappointed!!!
Rating:
Summary: Finally, a consumer guide for purchasing pianos!
Review: Just when I was wondering why a consumer guide did not exist for purchasing a piano, I stumbled upon this book. As a consumer, I was suddenly armed with information that made put me in control! I found it extremely interesting that sales staff suddenly had a marked change in attitude toward me when they found I had done some research on pianos. I also noticed a change in sales tactics when they found out my research included Mr. Fine's book. I love pianos in general and must admit that I was often guilty of falling in love with the packaging while ignoring the importance of the instrument itself. I am an adult just starting to take lessons and I was learning that a quality instrument is important regardless of skill levels. I applaude Mr. Fine because I've learned to 'slow down my search' and know that I will be much happier as a result of my eventual purchase. One caution - this book does contain technical information which may look a little overwhelming at first glance - it isn't! Give it a few pages and you will be surprised at how much you understand. If you are in the market for a piano - YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK
Rating:
Summary: Larry Fine's "Piano Book" is the weapon to get.
Review: Larry Fine does an outstanding job with explaining how to recognize quality in pianos and how to get the trade-off you are looking for. As I read the book, particularly the first edition, it came more obvious which choices for a piano I would like to consider or weed out. It told me many of the aspects of the various piano manufacturers as well as what kind of sales gimmicks to be alert for when I am shopping for anything. Since this book will do all of this explaining, it would definitely be useful to any piano shopper, whether you are looking for one to use or rebuild. It could be also useful for anyone who is studying the economics because it even shows examples of all the different trade-off combinations that a purchaser can run into while shopping for a piano. The Piano Book is also useful because it has information that would be essential to piano owners as well as piano technicians. It tells them everything one needs to know while moving, maintaining, cleaning, or whatever the case may be. Since this is the case, it could help just about anyone involved with the piano decide wisely what they want to do as far as their instruments are concerned. Since Larry Fine gives information on roughly what the piano market is like in his "Piano Book", he helps many purchasers come to a successful conclusion with their piano purchase or maintence, so definitely before you come to a decision about what you want to do about a piano, STOP! Read Larry Fine's book before making an expensive piano decision.
Rating:
Summary: Practical, informative, and enjoyable!
Review: Larry Fine's book is a practical, informative, and enoyable volume for anyone who plays, owns, or (especially!!) is thinking about purchasing a piano. I wish I had known about it before we bought ours... but still, I feel that I understand the instrument much better now, and if we decide to trade up at some point, I won't feel quite so uninformed. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: The Price References on the Pianos Are Questionable.
Review: Most information in the book is good information. However, the price references on the pianos in the book are questionable. The prices given in the book on many pianos are much much higher than reasonable prices. You could find much much better prices when you shop carefully from dealers. I think the dealers will like the book because they can make much much more money if people go with the reference prices in the book.
| 
