Johannes Seiler GS186 Grand Piano

Johannes Seiler GS186 Product Overview

The Johannes Seiler GS186 grand piano is a very popular model in the Johannes Seiler lineup, for among other factors, the fact that it’s 6’1” long, or 175 cm. Six feet is considered a professional size piano for home or small studio use, and many teachers say that it gives you a sufficient string length and soundboard size to train on. This line of Seiler pianos particularly intersects price pointwise with the Kawai GL or Yamaha GC series grand pianos and offers piano shoppers a musical experience which they won’t find in a Kawai or Yamaha.

The Johannes Seiler GS186 is packed with premium design and material features, some of which include: High-Quality AA spruce Soundboards, a 10-ply Hard Rock Maple Pin Block, a vertically laminated beech bridge with a beech/maple bridge cap, Samick’s Premium Action, Abel Hammers and German Roslau Strings.

Apart from the country of manufacturer, on paper, the GS186 looks exactly like a premium 6’ European grand, but for a fraction of the price. The quality control in the Samick factory is excellent, and the pianos get their hammers voiced, aligned and the keys weighted at the company’s Tennessee facility prior to shipping to retailers. If you’re looking for a ‘six footer’ with a wonderfully clear and pure tone without breaking the bank, then do yourself a favor and put the Johannes Seiler GS186 on your list.

Seiler pianos originally began being produced in small quantities in Eastern Europe around 1849. In less than a century, the company had become the largest piano maker in Europe and became famous for the consistency of tone from piano to piano. The company continues to produce Seiler pianos in Kitzingen, Germany today as they have for a very long time, but today also work with Samick to make their incredible instrument designs and piano building ‘know-how’ accessible at lower price points. The Johannes Seiler pianos represent the most affordable line of Seilers, and have been completely designed and perfected by the master piano craftsmen at Seiler, Germany, and get manufactured in Samick’s state-of-the-art modern piano factory in Indonesia. Apart from extensive prep at the factory, Johannes Seiler pianos also get another prep in their Tennessee facility to ensure top quality control before shipping to North American dealers.

Samick’s ‘Premium Action’

The GS186 Johannes Seiler is equipped with Samick’s ‘Premium Action’ which is the best action that Samick makes. This action is of medium weight, is very reliable, and very easy to play on. The actions get regulated and aligned meticulously both at the Samick factory as well as in their Tennessee facility prior to North American distribution. The wood used for the action is winter cut maple, and the action is installed onto an aluminum action rail.

Consistent Tone

Of the many things that have made Seiler a ‘go to’ piano brand for almost 200 years is their consistency in tone from one piano to the next. They’re able to achieve this with high tension scale designs and the very specific design and material decisions. The GS186 like other Seiler pianos has a beautiful clear tone that is super pure and focuses on the fundamental overtones in the sound; this is actually a company-wide tonal philosophy with Seiler.

Premium Abel Hammers

The GS186 has premium Abel Hammers inside. The felt is premium German felt and the hammers are ‘T-stapled’ for durability. These hammers get voiced extensively at the Samick factory where the pianos are made, as well as again at the company’s Tennessee facility prior to distribution to North American retailers.

AA Solid Spruce Soundboard

The Johannes Seiler GS186 is equipped with a high-quality AA Solid Spruce Soundboard with white Spruce ribs. The soundboard is strategically positioned into the piano to minimize energy loss, and the total surface area of the soundboard in the GS186 is 2135 square inches.

Stunning Cabinet

Cabinetry-wise, the GS186 is stunning, and it’s very difficult to tell the finish quality apart from its more expensive siblings. The cabinet itself features some traditional European curves, the option of brass or chrome hardware as well as the ‘Designed by Seiler’ emblem on the right side of the key slip