The piano world is strewn with misconceptions - bigger is better, grands are better than uprights, re-conditioned Yamahas are better than new ones etc.  If I listed them all, we would be here all day.  So many people start by basing their piano search on one or more of these misconceptions and it is a risky path to take.  The problem is they are all generalisations, and miss out important details, ignoring other factors which have a significant impact.  Let's address just three of them, ones which we hear over and over again.Bigger is better. If everything else is equal then yes, a bigger piano will generally have more to give.  However it is all too easy to end up buying a piano just because of it's size and missing out on a smaller but better quality instrument.  Of course size is important, as it effects the string length and the size of the soundboard.  However, the quality of design, parts and build is even more important.  Time and time again we have compared a 114cm model and a 130cm model at a similar price for the customer to be shocked at smaller piano having greater tonal depth.Grands are better than uprights. Not always.  If you are looking to play advanced repertoire and you have £8,000 to spend, you will get a much better piano in terms of quality of sound and action in an upright.  Our notional £8,000 budget buys only an entry level grand whereas at this price point you can start to consider some seriously impressive upright pianos, often with longer strings as well as higher quality.  Of course, these small grands are great examples of what is possible at their size and price and will suit some people perfectly but if it is ultimate musical performance you are looking for, the upright option should be given serious consideration.  Move a bit further up the tree financially and, if you have the space, the grand becomes a much more enticing option and the benefits of having a grand piano really start to come into play.Re-conditioned Yamahas are better than new ones. No, they aren't.  Many of them are tired and the re-conditioning is often only skin deep.  It might seem a bargain when you see a re-conditioned U1 or U3 for circa £3,000, especially when a new one is £7,000 or more but all is not what it seems.  A company like Yamaha doesn't just stand still making the same instrument for 30+ years.  They are constantly looking for ways to develop the capabilities of the design, and a modern Yamaha benefits from so many improvements in manufacturing and design, not forgetting how much more precise and responsive a new piano can feel.   Very often a new B3 (built around the same frame as a new U1) can feel and sound much more fulfilling than a re-conditioned U1.  We usually have both so why not put this to the test?The key thing to remember is that you should always buy the individual piano based on understanding all of its merits and compromises, rather than falling into the trap of buying a check list skewed by generalisations and misconceptions.Not convinced?  Visit us in the Piano Department here at Forsyths and we will happily demonstrate.