What is a console piano? Typically it’s a piano shorter than 45″ in height (115cm). Historically, there have been pianos made that are even shorter (36″ tall) called spinets but in modern manufacturing, none of these are being made today. Console pianos have distinct advantages of fitting comfortably into any environment. They are unobtrusive and aren’t particularly loud or considered powerful because the amplifying soundboard of the piano has less square inches of resonating surface area. Being the smallest size category of any piano, they are also the most cost effective. The taller the piano, the more the piano must be reinforced to handle great string tension and generally, the higher the cost. Make no mistake about the fact that console pianos are an excellent choice for beginner pianists, hobbyists and fitting into smaller spaces. The console size is often considered as a far superior option to a digital piano as the footprint in the room can be similar and yet musically they are far superior to anything electronic (Article on Why Upgrade from a Digital Piano). They are also manufactured often with furniture design elements in mind such as French Provincial legs and cabinets in walnut, cherry or mahogany.
Are there disadvantages of console pianos? When shopping for a piano for those involved in education, console pianos are adequate for several years but as the music gets more demanding, generally professional level pianos are preferred with regards to touch and tone response. Below is a compilation of console pianos from the brands featured on Piano Price Point.

For more information on piano sizes, please refer to the Piano Price Point article Piano Sizes ~ What Should I Buy?

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There are 4 common sizes of upright pianos and 6 categories of grand sizes available. For a detailed description of each size, click on the desired size of piano. Upright pianos are qualified by height and grand pianos are measured by length. Assuming that most pianos have 88 standard-sized keys, piano width is similar. Depth of upright pianos range from 21″ to 27″ (52cm-67cm).