Rating: 
Summary: The best protection against the Sales department!
Review: This is the best protection for the buyer against sweet-talking salespeople! Great breakdowns of piano design and history as well as detailed description and general recommendations to match you up with your perfect piano. This book has saved my home from being filled and my pocketbook from being emptied by an inappropriate purchase, providing sufficient background to allow me to make informed decisions.I disagree with the reviewer warning against the price lists. The efficacy of haggling over the price will vary from location to location and dealer to dealer, especially when you are buying used, but it is always useful to know the *range* so you don't start at an immediate disadvantage. The book is dense with information, but it's worth spending the time reading it through and gaining a better understanding of the instrument in which you're interested. The diagrams are clear and instructive, and the history behind piano design is fascinating. (Terry Pratchett fans will immediately recognize the history of "B.S. Johnson" creations!)
Rating:
Summary: A Must Have for Piano Shoppers
Review: To paraphrase a great line from The Untouchables, a piano buyer (especially a novice) shopping for a piano without this book is like bringing a knife to a gunfight. Even if you know very little about pianos, this book will make you a well-informed shopper, able to avoid being ripped-off. It is well written and very readable. Although it is four years old, it contains sections on shopping for a piano over the internet, researching pianos on electronic bulletin boards, etc. Despite one of the reviews below, this book DOES contain ratings of most piano brands; Larry Fine gives 1 through 5 stars to the major brands, and even breaks down the ratings by the various piano series offered by some of the majors. VERY HELPFUL.
The only significant drawback (and certainly not the fault of Larry Fine) is the fact that lots of "house brands" are made by other major manufacturers. It is difficult to know what you are getting with these house brands. Other than general quality comparisons based on the parent manufacturer, the book is really not useful in evaluating these pianos.
This book is highly recommended. You MUST also get the most current annual supplement to have current model numbers and pricing. Money well spent.
Rating:
Summary: Indispensible!
Review: Well worth it! If you are even considering buying a piano, buy this book first. Get the supplement too -- it has excellent price guidelines. How can you buy a piano if you don't even know whether it should cost $10,000 or $30,000? Between this book and the supplement, you will be armed with knowledge of what to look for, and how much it should really cost. Worth every penny!
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