looking to replace my upright...

[Stephen Airy]

I did a little bit of thinking the last couple days on this subject.  I'm
thinking that maybe I should use my current upright to learn how to hang
hammers and regulate an action  (and maybe also replace whippens, hammer
butts, or a few other things, but I haven't decided yet).  So... I'm
temporarily taking myself off the market for a piano, at least for the
time being.  However,  I am thinking about waiting a while, and saving up
some money.  

I suppose I could plod along with my current piano, but when I am ready
to upgrade, does anyone have any suggestions on what to get?  I'm
thinking I would be open to either an upright or a grand, although if I
got a grand it would have to wait a while before I get one, as I am
living with my parents at this time and they don't have room for another
grand.  Also, what would be a good price range to look at?  I don't need
any fancy "furniture", but I do want a good responsive action, that
allows for fairly fast playing, and good dynamic control, and a good,
full, rich, brilliant tone, abundant in higher harmonics, all the way
from A0 to C8, especially on FF passages, but not harsh.  If I go for a
grand, I'm thinking at least 6 to 7 foot, but I don't want to spend a lot
of dinero on a piano, so for me, a new piano from a dealer is out of the
question, unless I wait a really long time and have >$50,000 to spend on
a piano.  What do you think I should be able to get for, say,  $2,500? 
$5,000?  $10,000?  $20,000?  any other price tiers you might suggest
looking at?  Like I said above, I've been thinking that I should probably
learn some more technical things on my current piano, then after a couple
years or so, start looking at getting another one.   Ultimately, I'd like
to get a Bosendorfer Imperial, but I would have to save for a
LLLLOOOOONNNNNGGGGG tttiiimmmeee...  and I wouldn't want to stick with my
current piano for all that time.  I would want to have at least one or
two steps between an old klunker upright and a halfway decent 8-octave
9'6" grand. :)  Depending on available space and the price, I would be
willing to get an older rebuilt 9 foot piano, even if it was not a
Steinway.  I played a Knabe 9' grand recently that someone had advertised
for $8,000, but I don't have the money for that right now, but if I did
have the money and the space, I'd consider buying it.  Unfortunately,
it's a limited time deal (private seller though) so when I AM able to buy
something that size for that price, it probably won't be available. :(
-- 
  Stephen Airy
  stephenairy@fastmail.fm