If you’re considering a premium upright piano from Germany in the $20,000-$30,000 USD range, it’s quite likely that you’ve come across the C Bechstein A124, and for good reason – from the material selection to the precision of the craftsmanship, the A124 is without question one of the top upright pianos available in its class, and more than holds it’s own against the truly elite uprights from the C Bechstein Concert class.
In this article, we’re going to do a deep dive into what makes this piano of high technological expertise so special, covering the design, sound, touch, and why C. Bechstein are one of the foremost piano makers operating today.
One of my Personal Favorites
Before we do an overview of the C. Bechstein A 124, I’d like to share why I feel a particular connection to it, and why it’s definitely one of my favorite upright pianos in the entire world. Not to say that I necessarily think it’s the absolute best since there are instruments that are two and three times the price that on an analytical objective level outperform it.
But something about this instrument holds a special place in my heart, which comes from my first experience with the instrument several years ago.
Stu’s First Time Playing the A124
The first time I played the A124 was about 5 years ago, and prior to that experience, I wasn’t overly familiar with Bechstein pianos in general other than playing on my friend and superb pianist Adrean Farrugia’s Bechstein Academy upright, which was very nice.
The first time I played the redesigned A124 was at Bechstein’s NAMM booth several years ago. I sat down at the A124 and instantly had a super connective, incredible musical experience. The bass response was so well balanced, I felt like I was sitting in front of a 6-foot grand, and clearly, the scale design had ideal proportions. It made such an impression on me that day, and it’s what ultimately led to us making the A124 a staple at our showrooms (when they’re in stock that is.)
C Bechstein A124 Overview
Here’s some general background information on this piano; the A124 is of course 124 cm tall, which is just shy of 49”, and is 100% made in Germany by C. Bechstein – a company with more than 160 years of piano-making experience, and one of the leaders in piano manufacturing today.
C Bechstein A124 – Academy Line
The A124 is part of Bechstein’s Academy line, meaning it’s part of the second highest quality line of pianos they produce, under only the top-quality C. Bechstein Masterpiece line, and was designed by the top C. Bechstein engineers and sound specialists at the C. Bechstein R&D department. The rich Bechstein heritage is known today for the blending of traditional craftsmanship with high technology.
Some of the material and design costs are reduced with the Academy series, but they are built to the same quality standard, on the same production site and by the same craftsmen schooled in the Bechstein tradition as the Concert line. Bechstein makes their own hammers, one of the few piano manufacturers still doing this, and every single model has its own hammer made specifically for that piano. This goes a long in helping to achieve the distinct character each C. Bechstein piano displays, and the A124 is no exception to this.
Piano Sound
If I had to use one word to describe the overall sound of the A124 it would be a balance – everything about this piano is incredibly balanced, and it doesn’t require much effort on the part of the player to achieve this.
Soundboard
The response is amazing, and one of the main reasons for this is how picky Bechstein is with the mountain Spruce they select for the soundboards in their instruments. In every Academy upright, Bechstein uses Alpine Spruce exclusively grown at a minimum of 800 meters, which means the wood is going to be incredibly consistent and have very little moisture. Spruce grown at these altitudes is consistent with what you’ll find in other pianos at the very top of the market.
Hand Wound Bass Strings
Another contributor to the tone, especially with regard to the bass, has to do with the fact that the bass strings are hand-wound, and sourced extremely selectively. There are no fall beats, and the bass is super clear, as is the treble. There’s not a ton of complexity to the mid-range and treble, but its select sound is laser-focused in its clarity and boasts impressive sound volume.
C Bechstein A124 – Piano Action
Bechstein’s always been well known by piano players for their action assembly in their acoustic pianos, especially with regards to the lever ratio, accuracy and how well-regulated they are. The overall control and repetition speed here is super impressive.
The resistance is closer to a grand piano, which is a huge plus since this is a typical drawback of upright piano actions – a lack of resistance which can make playing classical music a challenge.
Bechstein’s Silver Line Action
The action assembly is specifically referred to as Bechstein’s Silver Line Action. This is the second-best action Bechstein makes, bested only by the Gold Line Actions that are used exclusively in the Concert series uprights and grands.
What separates the Silver from the Gold? Simply, tolerances. While the Silver Line Actions are built to very high tolerances, the Gold Line Actions take this a step further, with fanatical level tolerances.
Cabinet
The A124 is available in two cabinet styles of timeless design, the A 124 Imposant (featured in the accompanying video) and A 124 Style. It’s also available by special order in a variety of finishes.
Conclusions
The type of person I think will be most intrigued by this piano is not only someone not constrained by budget, but someone who had no idea an upright piano could provide the musical experience of a premium piano. Also, if you’re already looking at a grand piano with a $30,000 budget, such as a Yamaha or W. Hoffmann, you should definitely consider the C Bechstein A124 as an alternative with an equally voluminous sound.
For some, making that jump from a mid-range grand to a premium instrument in the form of an upright is worth it. Ultimately, the A124 is going to meet the requirements of both professional pianists, and those seeking a top-class instrument, for a relatively affordable price when everything is considered.