Pianos

I have a Samick upright.  My teacher has a Grand by the same manufacturer and when I start my lesson I’m always startled at the difference.

  Steinways are my favorite, the best combination of gorgeous midrange, deep but not overpowering bass, and beautiful treble.  Bechstein impresses with its deep bass and solidity, particularly with late German Romantic composers such as Brahms, but they aren’t particularly well suited for French music, imo.  Yamaha are bright and nimble but a little to fast for me

Fazioli is a good choice.  Angela Hewitt used to travel with her own and it was famously destroyed by New York dockworkers a few years ago

I first learned on one of those converted Player Pianos 

Our converted player piano never sounded like a real piano even after a visit from the tuner.  It always sounded like the piano in Rocky Raccoon .  After practicing I would always be checking the room for a copy of Gideons Bible