If you were going to buy a piano for your home, what about something like this below. Versus buying a baby grand, which would need periodic maintenance. The baby grand is "real," looks a little better (because it has strings), yet, this sounds pretty good on the demo. Did I hear one of these guys say it has three "strings" per note?

Hungarian Rhapsody...
http://www.roland.com/video/page.cfm?vid=62081509

General info...
http://www.roland.com/video/page.cfm?vid=57801491

The digital grands are great products and sound very good. However the piano is a very complex instrument. It isn't just comprised of the sounds of the different notes, in a real piano you have all of the overlaying harmonics. IMO the harmonics are the part of the sound structure that the digital instruments haven quite captured yet. I love my digitals but nothing could ever replace my Yamaha C3 6 foot grand.

Joe

Bill, Joe is right about real pianos. That being said, I have a Yamaha Clavinova at home (good sound, piano action and low/no maintenance).

It looks great and sounds fine for practice and as a room addition.

Part of the contract I have with a local club was to provide a Yamaha digital for my use. I could not work with the wooden pianos they had (tuning problems).

Now, the old B-3 is another issue: major upkeep. the Nord sounds really good and is maintenance free.

But, it "ain't a B-3".


Good luck; whatever you get.


Russ

NOTHING beats the real thing! but given the choice I'd probably go with a good digital because I could take it out for gigs.

I would choose the Baby Grand if you have the space for it. The regular tune up's it requires are well worth the reward of playing the real thing. It is more than just harmonics, it is the temperament, hammer hardness, action, feel, resonance, and so on - even though the physical models and new high tech stuff that goes into the new TOTL Digital Pianos, they still cannot capture the true essence of the real thing.

But hey it's your home, and your choice.

DocZ