Reviews & Testimonials

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Jo Smith Downes to Stuart Jones Pianos 15 June

I visited Stuart Jones piano’s on Friday 7th June after much encouragment from my family, to take up playing again. We were given a “royal welcolm”, by Rhyan who showed us around and played piano himself so beautifully. The range of pianos will leave anyone breathless, from high end top Steinway grand concert pianos, to piano’s in great condition for everyone. I bought a beautiful , “Woodchester” secondhand piano. I have since stuided the history of this beautiful instrument, it is British made with many hand crafted parts. The end of our visit we were treated to a mini concert by Stuart on a £150,000 Steinway and on my “Woodchester”: ..My piano was delivered with great skill and care on Wednesday 12th June…I. can’t stop playing 🎵🎶🎼🎹😍 Thank you to Stuart and all staff…great experience all round lovely day with you 🎵🎶

Hannah Livsey Music 1st August 2017

Digital or acoustic?

It’s a question I’ve had to grapple with myself recently. Having always seen a keyboard as my ‘fun’ option and relying on an acoustic piano otherwise, I recently bought a Yamaha digital piano and have been very impressed with its versatility. The inbuilt recorder is great for practice, as is the option to use headphones.

Q Which should I buy, digital or acoustic?

A It is up to you. The technology has improved and these days a good digital piano will see a learner through most of their grades. Digital pianos are cheaper but a decent acoustic piano, properly looked after, will last a lifetime. Expect a lifespan of 10 years for a digital.

Q What is the difference between a piano and a keyboard?

Pianos (digital or acoustic) have 88 weighted keys. Keyboards often have fewer keys and at the cheaper end of the price range these won’t be weighted or touch sensitive – the note will sound the same however hard you hit it. Keyboards usually have a wide range of rhythm backing tracks, fill ins and auto chords.

Q Can I use a keyboard instead of a piano, they are cheaper?

A If you want to learn keyboard rather than piano, that’s fine. For a beginner on a tight budget wanting to learn piano a cheaper keyboard with weighted keys will give them a start, but will need replacing as they progress. A mid range option such as the Yamaha DGX would be the best of both worlds, allowing you to experiment with rhythm backings as well as providing the piano experience.

Q What are the advantages and disadvantages of a digital piano?

A Although digital pianos are now very good, they can never exactly replicate the sound or experience of a good acoustic piano. A digital piano has a shorter lifespan than an acoustic but will have cost less to buy and a good digital piano is better than a poor acoustic one! Digital pianos generally take up less room, are far easier to move and do not require tuning. Most digital pianos have built in metronomes and record functions which are useful for practice.

Q Where should I buy a piano?

A You may be lucky enough to be offered a piano by a friend or relative. Otherwise I’d suggest visiting Salop Sheet Music in Shrewsbury (go through the back of the sheet music section to find the pianos) or Stuart Jones Pianos in Newtown for an even larger selection. You’ll be able to try both new and second hand options. Don’t worry if you have little experience of playing, the staff will be used to explaining the pros and cons of each model.

“I visited Stuart in January 2016 to just look at piano’s. I hadn’t played for many years and didn’t know what to expect or what sort of piano to buy. Stuart made me feel at ease straight away and showed me round all the Piano’s, playing them for me, and explaining each one to me so that I could make an informed decision. He put me under no pressure to even buy at all and his love and passion for music and piano’s just shone through. I spent a couple of hours there and was made to feel completely at home. Stuart’s customer care and willingness to help his customers is second to none. If you are looking for a piano this is the place to go. He has every type of piano to suit every need and knows them all inside out. Even if it is far from you it is well worth the drive – you won’t do better than Stuart Jones.”

“Stuart Jones provides a first class sales service for new and second hand pianos. He will go out of his way to help you. I would highly recommend a visit to his showroom in Newtown.”