🎹 W. Schimmel W123 Upright Piano Demo & Review 🎹
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2024
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Introduction
The Schimmel W123 is a relatively new model and a close cousin to the C123, a recently discontinued model. The C123 production was moved to Poland and, with a few notable changes such as the reduction in price, became the W123.
We’ll be having a look at the changes that were introduced in the newer model.
Piano Tone
The tone of the W123 is rounder with more emphasis on the mid-range than a comparable German piano, due to the voicing, bridgework, and soundboard used. There is an exaggerated resonance and sustain that is typical of a Schimmel piano, as well as a more “wooly” tone around the centre of the attack. The soundboard creates a big impulse off of the attack.
Key Texture
Apart from the changes in labour and finishing techniques, there is a glossier, more conventional white key top than on other Schimmel pianos, metal versus wooden trap works for the pedals, and a matte texture on the black keys that is very noticeable when playing.
Action
As with all Schimmels, the action is very well-regulated and is designed using Schimmel’s CAPE (Computer Assisted Piano Engineering).
Other Features
Both the C123 and W123 have more cabinet resonance rather than string tone or soundboard tone in the lower octave which provides a warmer bass tone from a shorter piano. As well, the wheel castors are left off the W123 as they were from the C123 and C130.
The W123 has all the trappings of a mid-range European piano; double-felted hammers with maple cores making the hammers a bit heavier, a high-quality, tapered, spruce soundboard, and a characteristically, horizontally laminated bridge cap that contributes to the extra resonance.
Schimmel has always been well-known for the quality and durability of their cabinet work including the polyester and brass that adds to the extremely high quality finish.
Target Audience
The Schimmel W123 is a good choice for intermediate to advanced students who don’t have room for a grand piano but do have room for an upright. A German upright piano will provide an intensely nuanced and sophisticated partner to work with. Even though the W123 is built in Poland, it definitely has a German heritage.
It is also a great choice for hobbyists for the same reasons of space limitation, and who want to have an upgraded tonal and playing experience over some of the Japanese options. They also don’t want to invest in a top-level German piano that would be twice to three times the price depending on model and size. You would miss out on the bragging rights of saying that the piano is all German, or that it doesn’t have some of the ultra-finesse components or design aspects, but there is a leap up in what the W123 provides musically speaking, so a great value.
Final Thoughts
There is great cabinet resonance with a nice mid-range tone and good dynamic variability. The factory regulation and voicing are great; a German-level tight fit and finish. The finish on the back of the piano is designed in a way that makes the piano something to be both seen and heard.
If the piano is situated away from the wall or in the centre of the room, the back posts are finished in a matte black and the entirety of the back of the piano is immaculately finished. You would certainly be proud to show this to a friend or colleague interested in learning about the craftmanship or history of the instrument.
Sign Off
Thanks for watching. I hope you’ve enjoyed our look at the Wilhelm Schimmel W123, a relative newcomer to the industry.
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It has very sweet sound at middle and a sophisticated sound in lower range. I like it. And with 20,000 price range, it is definitely worth it.
Absolutely! It is an impressive piano in every regard. The cost-to-value ratio it presents is really quite spectacular. :)
Beautiful Piano.....of course, the player brings out that sound very well👏
I've always loved the sound of Schimmel pianos, only played my friend's grand back in the day and in my opinion....
One of the best
Thanks
Absolutely! Simply put: Schimmel makes excellent pianos. They have a very wonderful tone and musicality to them. :)
Beautiful playing as always.
Thanks for tuning in! I'll be sure to pass on the kind words to Stu! :)
Lovely... so beautifully played
Thanks so much for tuning in! :)
Lovely mellow tone.
For sure! The W123 is a really beautiful instrument. :)
what for a rich tone! + an excellent presentation!
The W123 is a fantastic sounding instrument - that is for sure! Thanks for tuning in! :)
Beautifully presented 🎶
Sharing some price estimates in these reviews would be also so helpful and much appreciated
Even a range, just to get an idea
Thank you so much! And thanks for the suggestion! The issue with sharing pricing is that the price points of certain models and manufacturers varies greatly in different regions/markets. Given that our audience is quite global, we try to avoid creating confusion or false expectations by focusing too much on price.
Eveytime in these videos we should also take into account the wondrous hands of the player
That is a good point! Stu is quite the talented pianist. With that said, it is helpful to hear a master-level player showcase the full musical potential of an instrument. :)
Beautiful tone, and the cabinet ascetics look very good,
I totally agree! It is a stunning piano on all accounts. :)
My parents have a Schimmel chamber grand and they love it. They built their house to fit two but never bought the 2nd one. The upright is beautiful sounding. Maybe they will add a W123. Thanks for the video and information.
Very cool! Schimmel make wonderful instruments - that is for sure. You're very welcome! Thank you for tuning in. :)
Thanks!
You're welcome! Thanks for tuning in! :)
Hi, Bret!
Have you done some review of bluthner and petrof pianos?
All acoustic, specially good, pianos are absolutly out of my capabilities, but I have many interest in those brand not always mentioned like yamaha, kawai, bechstein,...
Many, many thanks for your effort, always appreciated!
Y saluda a Stu de parte de este español desconocido :-)
Un abrazo para ti, que siempre nos atiendes desde la sombra mientras Stu se lleva todos los aplausos.
Hi there! Brent here! Thanks so much for the kind words! It's my pleasure to answer questions and help out whenever I can. :)
While we have had a few Bluthner and Petrof pianos come through our showrooms used, we are not currently Bluthner and Petrof dealers, which makes tackling reviews/comparisons on their pianos a bit tougher. With that said, our production team does keep a list of potential models to cover when we have the opportunity and, to that point, I will be happy to add both of these brands to the list. Thank you kindly for the suggestion! :)
Great suggestion. Interesting brands.
Hi Stu & Crew
Part I
To hear the satisfying thump of a pedal and a second of silence afterward brings to the review a more thoughtful vibe. I imagine that buying a classic instrument is not something that one does in a rush.
5:58 Let the sustain fade away, let me count the seconds.
Maybe not as long as this one
ruclips.net/video/Uqr00zhCA9w/видео.html
But I wouldn't mind :-)
(some count the polyphony numbers, others measure the sustain time, keep it as the last part of the video, just where the links and closing credits live. Actually... you should have end-credits, who presented, filmed, produced, edited, and so on)
---
Nice spot for filming, with an interesting background and lights, and acceptable sound treatment. The overall difference between W123 and C123 is well expressed by the nature of your reviews.
One is adequate, the other is exciting and inspiring.
The review of C123 was so special that I couldn't resist mashing it up as the first entry on my application channel :-)
Let's analyze it now, to see the differences.
---
"Schimmel C123 Upright Piano"
ruclips.net/video/PLY0jOKYEc0/видео.html
A good intro with an emotional touch - you've been surprised by its bass
then a crack appears "reminder" about subscribing (fortunately by now you have dropped this flaw)
(If you want more explicit XXX reasoning for any of my arguments just let me know, and I will send them in private)
First playing sample - the sound of a piano merges with talk -> feels rushed.
The spot looks okay-ish, but the sound treatment of the room is bad (concrete echo), so the whole recording suffers greatly.
Then presentation and comparison with competing uprights is good, the angle you are taking is a "musician for musicians"
A bit about the Mason & Hamlin factory visit - great. Personal bits create emotional depth and help to relate to the experience.
Fascination with the sound of the instrument makes you naturally fall into playing.
Stay there as long as you can, follow the vibe.
(You know that YT videos can be long, and with chapters on the timeline, viewers can navigate easily around it?
3 hours videos a pretty common here
ruclips.net/video/fUEjCXpOjPY/видео.html
Don't need to emulate TV restrictions)
More "nerdy" comparisons, were addressed to the pianists.
9:43 sustain.. and CUT (awful)
Keep the sustain till the end, let me count the seconds.
I would say that a bigger/greater instrument needs more time, and the whole presentation becomes more "dreamy". It's like a conversation, you don't interfere with each other's "words".
When the instrument "speaks", let it finish (fade gently)
When you talk, make a pause (breath) before playing.
Reverence.
16:00 "I would say late romantic music is going to be very satisfying"
A little dive into history
"Liszt, Brahms, Chopin"
Excellent, but PLAY, don't tell
Play an excerpt from each of them, and say how good it feels.
Imagine that your role is to educate and present this instrument to someone who is not an experienced pianist, to someone who just started, or even didn't started yet.
Convince the kids from the future that playing a piano i awesome.
Now when you took a role of the father, it should come more easily ;-)
Presume that most of your audience needs to be educated, only a very small fraction have your level of knowledge, and almost no one has your level of skills ;-) Address all the viewers that don't speak English.
The only thing that matters is the emotion and the music.
18:16 "An ode to sustain"
Pure feeling, personal, intimate, that is what makes me come back to this episode, with a satisfying thump of the pedal and a moment to take a breath.
Final words, when it's fair to sneak in a reminder about subscribing, you have earned it, but anyone who watched that far, most probably subscribed already ;-)
---
So there it is, a free-flow, with personal bits, presentation of the instrument, and its place among others - similar, a few educational moments, (missing) journey through the most satisfying genres applicable to the given instrument, and a part with the Muse taking you over.
30 - 40 minutes easily
If well prepared and conducted, can generate a Short as a preview/trailer presented on Thursday, a trimmed version on Saturday (aimed at the Pro Pianists who look for essential information about action and sound signature), and a full full-length episode for the Sunday afternoon.
More preparations, and more work, but it should generate far more views.
(Who is gonna pay for this?)
Anticipation is a powerful tool. A substantial part of the movie budget goes for the promotion, if done poorly, even a great movie can flop.
Stu, do you even watch your old entries to see the progress and where you are headed?
---
Let's analyze W123
0:00 Informative intro.
1:18 Playing sample (it's enjoyable to see the dancing hammers)
3:52 Comparison to C123 (differences) with some music puzzles :-)
7:06 Who is this instrument for? (convincing arguments)
9:23 Outro (with deserved and lightly presented subscription reminder)
---
Recording and editing are orderly, it is something that by now it's done on "autopilot".
---
Now let's analyze the biggest flop on the channel I've ever seen
"Steinway Hamburg Model A: The John Lennon Special Edition"
ruclips.net/video/CcGVJBSBHL4/видео.html
---
"So when you sell a few thousand pianos a year..." - this is BAD
Never EVER invoke sales numbers in your pitch.
Should be ~
"Today I'm excited to share with you a rare experience of playing on one of only 25 unique and bespoke instruments from Steinway"
---
"a few trade-ins and used instruments" NO!
Should be ~
"a few gems and special edition art pieces we in Merriam Pianos paying special attention to"
---
This is not a review, this is PRESENTATION, a special piece, special treatment, special price.
A potential buyer has to be bedazzled with this material.
What is your commission on this sale?
Do you want more rare, expensive, and unique instruments?
Do you want to capture the market of low-volume, high-price deals?
Say
"This is Steinway A, probably the best in its class, additionally enriched with beautiful art pieces"
As you have noticed in your "review" this piano wasn't used at all. It's not an instrument, it's a collectible, an art piece, or an investment, that the next 10-20 years will spend in some mansion or castle collecting dust.
This is the kind of client & this is the kind of piano you should aim at as an agent/dealer.
ruclips.net/video/VXOok5J_M3M/видео.html
Your client is a bored iPad kid from Rothschild or Rockefeller family (if you are lucky) or some Crazy Rich Asian family, that never played a piano, but is looking for something to impress friends and brag about.
ruclips.net/video/A7seExq02H8/видео.html
Part II
---
Scenario draft
1 Intro - "I feel blown away to play this gem... and so on"
2 John Lennon - Imagine (Stu cranked to ELEVEN - mindblowing piano cover that shreds this Steinway)
3 Every decal on the piano explained, when John Lennon made it, when, how, why, and how it relates to the history of music and other bulls#!t
Steinway i known for its excellence and this is the best they have in its class... and so on
4 John Lennon - TITLE (Stu cranked to ELEVEN - a mindblowing piano cover of the early Lennon's piece that shreds this Steinway)
5 History of The Beatles / John Lennon - the best boyband ever, the times of the cultural revolution, and their place In it, and radical change in their music after experiencing LSD (3-5 minutes)
6 John Lennon - TITLE (Stu cranked to ELEVEN - a mind-blowing piano cover of the acid period Lennon's piece that shreds this Steinway to pieces)
7 The break up of the band, Yoko Ono and the murder of John Lennon
8 John Lennon - TITLES (Stu's farewell jazz impression upon Lennon's work)
9 Final words, how great this piano is and how privileged will be a new owner
About 40-50 minutes recorded in 4K, the best camera work to date, something that Stu will gladly watch over and over and show as a pivotal point in his career and the history of the expansion of Merriam Music to the world markets.
This is something that the buyer of this piano will show to his friends over and over on his 120' TV
From this material cut a SHORT just with you raving about those decals and the uniqueness of this gem.
All songs are cut and presented without any talking (whatever message you want to pluck in, make it as on-screen text at the end)
with titles in format:
John Lennon - title (piano cover on Steinway A John Lennon special edition)
DO NOT use 🎹 or any special signs that do not appear on the keyboard
By the way, this 🎹 icon kills searchability, get rid of it in all your titles (I'm not gonna bother you with explanations about ASCII and UTF-8, just trust me)
If you want to increase the number of views on your channel, just change the titles of all your old piano covers to the format
Author - Title (piano cover Name of the Piano)
All of it should work as a pivotal point and show the world that you are ready to create a PRESENTATION for every occasion.
Stu, you are an honest and true musician, but those "instruments" are not meant for your friends. If Adrean Farrugia asks you for a robust and well-balanced piano that he could abuse daily, you will give him an earnest analysis of all available options. This is not it, this is THE ONE of 25 in the WHOLE WORLD!
This one is special in a special way, it has a mind-blowing 4K exquisite YT presentation that no other has.
It's a lot of work, and a lot of time, who's gonna pay for this?
The online presence is paramount, but Merriam suffers from Blockbuster syndrome so it's excluded.
ruclips.net/video/5sMXR7rK40U/видео.html
Can you get some coins from the RUclips monetization? I doubt that.
Sony Music Publishing is listed as the copyright owner for virtually all of the Lennon/McCartney, so all your playing will fill their pockets.
This presentation may generate delayed benefits, but only if it's the first of its kind (meaning - others will follow when >100k$ piano arrives)
Mr. Harrison, here are links to start preparations (if you decide to accept this challenge)
The Best Story Ever Told (as your entry point)
The greatest boy band ever, cultural revolution, drugs, altered states of mind, break of friendship, sex, and assassination.
John Lennon and The Beatles
ruclips.net/video/FZSHsJjsh-Y/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/UEmSjDuTxyc/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/QsFsnzbA3Bg/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/Auta2lagtw4/видео.html
I don't see it without a good script and a few takes
---
And something to cheer up
Alan Watts
ruclips.net/video/RsdoJ9x8IBs/видео.html
Bill Hicks
ruclips.net/video/KgzQuE1pR1w/видео.html
This expiriences are ineffable
ruclips.net/video/HGqFxjQI3is/видео.html
Thanks for taking the time to tune in and review our videos! We appreciate it. I will certainly pass on the feedback to our production team. All the best!
Money and space no object: German concert grand.
Either of the two constrained: German upright
Both constrained: Japanese upright
Not sure if you will love playing piano: A good digital piano with true weighted keys (Roland FP 30X)
Piano might be the only instrument on which you will truly find the difference the higher you go up in your budget (unless you are spending on aesthetics). Also, not even the best digitals can come close to a base level acoustic like Yamaha U3.
Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts! I think that is a pretty valid breakdown for many piano players.
Try Kawai GL40 grand I just got brand new to accompany my CasioGP510, Yamaha P515 and the basic RolandFP60X I got to take around. The next goal is a Bechstein A190 when I get a bigger place or Shigeru KawaiSK3
Another great choice from Stu. I now wonder how these former Eastern Bloc made pianos stack up against brands like Brodmann and Feurich, both with Austrian heritage?
Thanks for tuning in! We're glad you enjoyed Stu's review! We are not Brodmann or Feurich dealers, so, unfortunately, I don't personally have a ton of experience with their lines and models. If we do happen to get some come through our inventory on trade, we will certainly do our best to feature them on the channel. :)
Is it true that a grand is always a better choice over an upright? Say, it you have a space for a 5'10" Japanese grand that costs US$30,000, should you always choose a grand over a premium german upright that costs around the same amount of money?
That is not necessarily true. It comes down to a matter of personal preference. There are many players that prefer the musical experience of an upright piano. From the player's perspective, due to the proximity of the player to the soundboard, the sonic experience of an upright can provide more immediate musical feedback. :)
That's subjective. There are people who like the sound of a high quality upright piano. Me I prefer the grand for sound, and beter action. As long as it's made in Japan🎹🎶
Stu has said that in general, if you're talking equivalent price points, uprights will have a more refined sound than grands. The cabinetry isn't as tricky to make, and so more of the money is going into the critical components. That said, grand actions tend to be better, since they use gravity rather than springs, so there's still a trade-off.
I'd say go to your local piano store and try lots of pianos, both uprights and grands! See which you prefer.
My feeling is the action of an acoustic grand is superior and the tone is better. However a good sounding digital is the way to go nowadays.
Wonderful classical playing Stu. Love it
Hello ! 😊 Could you make a video on the Pleyel pianos ?
Pleyel was the favourite piano brand of Frédéric Chopin, and they are making actually a new piano serie for 2024-2025. But there are the P serie, in upright and grand piano.
You will enjoy it ! 🇫🇷
Thanks for the suggestion! We will do our best, but we are not Pleyel dealers and we have not had any Pleyel pianos come through our showrooms on trade-in. If we do, we will certainly tackle a review video on it! :)
Could you do a review of Feurich pianos ... Concert 133 or Feurich 123 Vienna or 122/125 ? That would be so awesome !!!
Hi there! Thanks for the suggestion! We are not Feurich dealers, so it may be quite difficult to tackle a review. With that said, if we do have one come through our inventory, we will do our best to tackle that for you. :)
Can you compare this piano to the kawai k500 or k600? What's the better deal if they are priced equaly. I do love the schimmel sound, the warm bass and broad midrange due to the scaling
We don't have access to the K600 pianos here in Canada, but we do carry the K500 of course. Technically, the W123 is a category higher in terms of quality, but these are both excellent instruments. The decision would come down to the musical preferences of the player ultimately.
@@MerriamPianos thanks a lot!!
nice 1
Thanks so much!
Would that compares to the W.Hoffmann upright?
The W123 model certainly compares in quality to the W. Hoffmann T122 model. However, they both possess a very different musical character (the W123 being a brighter sounding piano).
I've tried out both models. From my experience, the W123's tone is brighter and more saturated whereas the T122 is more mellow and round. In my opinion, the W123 suits romantic and nuanced play styles when playing Chopin and probably even Scriabin, while the T122 favors more of the constrained, introspective style of romance one can explore with the repertoires of say Schubert or Brahms.
In terms of the hardware, I would say the exterior design of the W123 is arguably more elegant than the T122, however the sand-cast plate, the mahogany core hammers, and the full range agraffes do grant the T122 more of a premium feel than the W123 (not sure if these actually translate into musical superiority though).
And not awfully sure how do these two compare in terms of longevity though. I played several of both models, and some of both models are in really bad shape due to not being cared for overtime, however it would seem that the T122s deteriorated less.
What is the music at minute 2?
I am not sure as to what piece Stu is playing at that moment unfortunately.
Schimmel. Clarion high luxurious low.
I don't understand what you mean by "luxurious low," but the W123 certainly has a wonderfully clear tone. :)
This is not related to the video, however can anyone tell me if it's ok for a digital piano with a screan to be used for 4 to 5 hours? I'm thinking if the screan gets too hot over time it may develop some problems. My digital piano is a Yamaha DGX670. The screan isn't that warm when I use it too long asking just inbcase🎹🎶
I have a Casio px 330 and I've never had any problems with it. You should not be worried if it's getting a little warm, but if you feel that the screen of your piano is getting really hot, it might be an issue. My guess is that your screen is fine, don't think about it, just enjoy your instrument for as long as you like, because in the end, everything breaks anyway.
If your screen is overheating, either something is shorting out or whoever designed the piano did a really lousy job.
I have a DGX670, and I have no concerns about the screen. It would probably be good if it could be blanked out when just playing a set tone for and extended period of time.
The electronics inside these instrument create hardly any heat at all, the hottest one would be the amp (as the DGX also has speakers) which is nowhere near the screen. You should have no trouble playing it all day long if you wish. In fact electronic components mostly hate the act of switching them off and on rather than stable operation in between.
Thanks for the question! We always recommend to turn a piano off when not in use, but, with that said, we keep some of our floor models on for many hours at a time and have never ran into any issues with the screen overheating or anything like that. I suppose it may be a possibility though depending on the model and circumstances.