Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum MY NEW PIANO or KEYBOARD! - Share Your Story! Do German Pianos smell better???

I know this sounds like a ridiculous question... but, I recently purchased a bechstein upright piano. Both my husband and I noticed that it has a very pleasant smell, I am not sure how to describe it... but maybe a bit like a christmas tree... We also noticed it when we saw it in the store when we lifted the top to look at the hammers/action... We lifted the tops off of the yamahas and they had a chemical/paint smell... all of the pianos were glossy black so i am not sure why the significant difference... In any case, it makes our living room smell amazing!

My piano used to have a cedar-ish or Christmas tree smell once a year for a few weeks.

**Sarcasm Warning** Probably some sort of inferior wood not seasoned to destination.

according to some who've had the opportunity to compare the two, for many years of their quasi-shared histories, the hamburg and NY steinway grands did not use the same surface finish on the interior of their rims, and there probably were differences in the wood used to make the rims. the steinways of different geographic origin could be differentiated by their 'smell' when they were new, as a result.

the bechstein and yamaha uprights probably have very different finishing treatments done to their interiors and would not have the same smell.

I don't know what wood they use or where they get it, but Bösendorfer wood is a special spruce from the Austrian Alps. It is cured for two years before it is used in production. That may affect smell. Beckstein's probably have their own big process. Mass produced pianos probably wouldn't.

All the best / Steve
Bösendorfer 170

I like the nice old woody smell that wafts out of my piano when I have the fallboard off, but it's less Christmas tree and more "Grandmas attic". It's an old Lyon & Healy - maybe 1929, and made in Chicago. Makes me wonder where it's been.

Inferior wood in a Bechstein? Hardly.

My new Bluthner Model 2 smells incredible. I like to open the lid and get down and smell the fragrance. There is nothing like it that I have found doing that with any other Asian, Korean or other piano. It is the real deal by the handmade Germans. Enjoy. Cheers!

This maybe a business opportunity for someone. Invent a spray or one of those paper tree looking thingies that hang from your car mirror. When the scent of your new piano fades you can refresh it or if you have a non-nice smelling piano you can fix that with the spray. You can even offer different scents, Bechstein, Steinway, Mason and Hamlin, etc. Yep, this is a business opportunity if I ever saw one.

Sounds like its already been invented .

You bought a new model 2? Lucky person!

I once sniffed a piano -- but I didn't inhale.

I am going right now to smell my Sauter 130 .,Its soundboard also came from the Alps!, Oh Christmas Tree ,Oh Tree !, How Lovely are the ??? Was that the smell of mothballs ?

Yes I agree that Blüthner pianos smell wonderful, but for those a little jealous here is something for your piano:

https://www.brambleberry.com/santas-spruce-fragrance-oil-p3867.aspx

Ian

Are moth balls supposed to be used in pianos ? They are in bags, anyone know if they are unhealthy or bad for any part of the piano ?

Post a picture of your new piano .Would love to see it .

I was hoping my used Grotrian would smell like a Bavarian forest, but alas it is basically odorless. On the bright side, it doesn't smell like cigarettes and stale beer.

Highly confirm that a Yamaha doesn't smell good. Sour and chemical.

But the smell of a new german Steinway or another european piano is just wonderful!

Moth balls are probably good for pianos if they keep the moths away. But less good for people, it seems. They are banned in the EU due to health risks.

I was so excited when I first got my Sauter piano I did not notice much except the sound .I had the moth balls ready because we have
a few moths in the one bedroom. I hung the moth balls above the
hammers below the lid in bags .,so moth balls smells dominate .
The other day I opened the lower panel just to look inside and yes there the smell hit me .Fresh cut Christmas tree ! This was rather nice discovering this at Christmas.
So I apologize about my sarcasm the other day.
Beamer this Sauterine does not need any Christmas spray ,she already has it.
Now I have worry about the mothballs! Thank you for answering David G .

Nothing like that new piano smell!