Upright Grand Piano

The term "upright grand piano" might sound like a contradiction in terms, but it actually refers to pianos that are larger than the conventional upright, usually 50" and higher in height.

So it's basically a 'very tall' upright piano.

They can also be called a "Cabinet Grand" or "Inverted Grand".

These types of pianos tend to have longer strings and can claim to have capabilities exceeding a proper (baby) grand piano.

One thing is for certain - they are not a grand piano.

Personally, I have never seen nor played one myself. I know that you can find an antique upright piano of this type on ebay or craigslist sometimes. It might also be worth checking if you have a local antique piano or music store.

Some of the real vintage pianos come in one of four different 'shapes': pyramid, bookcase, giraffe and lyre.

You might see one in a music museum, like this one.

I'm not sure if there is any real advantage in having this kind of piano - at least for the purposes of playing - in comparison to a digital piano or standard upright. I would also wonder if there would be any added complications for service/repairs and replacement parts, as they are less common.