Side by Side Comparison of: CPS Imports vs Griffin Stands

High quality, heavy piano bench. From the looks and feel, it seems like it will last a long time.

Exactly as advertised. A cinch to assemble, zero wobble, looks great. The seat is quite firm but comfortable. Met my expectations and totally happy with my choice.

This bench is very good - for the price it serves exactly as a professional piano bench and is adjustable. The seat is very stable and it feels sturdy / made of good materials. I reccomend!

It's been a year of usage. I bought it when it was still $100 with minimal reviews. I use this bench everyday for myself and my students. I love the storage compartment because I can store stickers in it. This bench is well cushioned. At first the knobs were hard to turn, but became easy over time. I do recommend going in and tightening some screws over time because the knobs become loose. My only wish is for it to be a little longer so that my students have space to scoot when they need to reach for keys near the ends of the piano. Otherwise, this is a great bench and I'm really happy with it.

This is a very well made bench, and the service from seller is exemplary. I like the shiny black ebony finish, and the pattern on the leather. The storage is reasonable for a few books. I got this for my 6 year old, and he is finally able to sit properly without additional pillows, and other contraptions. The soft top open hinge is only on the left side, but it should suffice, since the top is not too heavy. I had received the bench with a minor cosmetic defect on one leg, but upon contact, CPS Imports shipped a new leg by express mail right away, and I couldn't be happier. I'd recommend this bench and the seller to anyone.

I was a bit worried about ordering this bench because I was afraid it would look cheap with our Yamaha grand piano. My son had been asking for a higher bench for quite a while because his wrists were starting to bother him as he grew and he was not maintaining the correct position. He is 6'2" tall. It is not as long as the the original bench he had but it looks just fine and has a good range of adjustment. He adjusted it when he put it together and he loves it. It has a little more cush than the regular bench. It is not as deep for storage but that is not necessary.

I looked for a long time for a piano bench to replace a bench that came with my piano that was flimsy, this one worked great and was longer then the other one

Sturdy and looks great. Had for only couple of weeks as only mod made was to put a felt bumper on bottom of front left leg due to initial wobbling, as once put into place, no wobbling. Now there were some reviewers who mentioned loose legs making it unstable, as only advice that I can offer is to tighten up legs real tight initially cause once you have any play it will progressively get worse (I'm a cabinetmaker). This is not a heavy duty piece of furniture meaning if you are sitting on it and choose to scoot/slide it around it will not hold up, but if you treat it right I'm sure it will last a very long time.

The Griffin Ebony Black Leather Piano Bench is great my wife likes the classic style and it is well made and easily assembled. My wife always wanted to upgrade to a better piano bench and this is the model. As others have mentioned, the legs are wrapped in paper in the box and occasionally you get a little finish problem or ding. Better packing would be helpful, but the issue is minor for us. Recommend!

Product came in on the first day of the estimated date range, which wasn't bad since I'm hooked on prime, and this product didn't offer 2 day prime shipping. Product came in, wife was home and built it and texted me a pic before I even knew it arrived. I couldn't pass on this price for a duel person seat and the only reviews that got me nervous was some reporting a toxic smell. Not sure what the other reviews were talking about and maybe it was years back, but this seat is awesome. Great value, No weird smell. Plenty of room for books. Looks great in my music room. I had to give it five stars for it covered all of my needs. We have the Yamaha P-105 Digital Piano with the L-85 stand. Although my piano stand is a flat black and the seat has a glossy black finish, the seat still makes a great addition to my set. Now my kids can double on the piano, and that makes this seat an even better buy for us.

This is a really nice bench for the money. It was much easier for two people to assemble as you really can use a third hand to hold the lid open. Hopefully you have a socket set, because I think it would be very hard to assemble this with the 'tool' provided. However, it went together fine and is very solid. I would buy this one again. It gets five stars for actually exceeding my expectations and being very affordable.

I am not sure why there are some comments on needing an instructions to assemble it. The only assembly required is putting 4 legs to the base by using 4 nuts with washers. Super simple!Everything was nicely packed and arrived safe. Even though the leather is imitation, but it is really nice and I was kind of worried about the strong smell as it was also stated by some other reviewers. However, I didn't really feel any strong smell from it.One thing that I added myself that I felt wasn't working too well on the hardwood floor is additional fleece scratch protectors to the bottom of the legs. Legs have rubber protectors already on them, but it was really hard to move around. But that was my preference, and really cheap customization to it.

can't actually put books in it with the normal orientation (so don't expect to stacks of books in here, just one). Also very little room (depth). Otherwise it seems ok. Certainly not as stable as the bench that came with it and part of that is probably it's size. But I can't detract a star for the size since that is listed and accurate

So far, so good. The bench adjusts easily and so far seems sturdy. However, its width seems a little small, although it is adequate. I am considering ordering a duet bench for where I teach.

Great value for the cost . Shipped quickly and exceeded our expatGreat valve more than reasonable cost expert quick customer service . Pastor Chet

Easy assembly.........attach the 4 legs with supplied allen wrench...........I used my own set because I didn't find theirs until I was all done.Infinite adjustment from all the way down to fully extended.ComfortableSturdyGood purchaseAll that's needed now is for me to learn to play my keyboard

It is great ~ Easy to assemble and great value for the price. It did however, out-gas a chemical/plastic smell for about a week, but that is gone now, thankfully. Otherwise, I would have rated it 5 stars. Just took a break from composing on the piano and checked my email to find this survey. How serendipitous is that? ;)

I like this nice looking bench and can recommend it especially for smaller/young piano & keyboard players.It has a small storage bench which is nice. (small, but good enough.)It is comfortable to sit on.It has grips on the bottom of the legs so it feels stable.It is the right weight - not too light that someone could knock it over, and not too heavy at all.It is exactly what I was looking for.

I was pleasantly surprised at how nice this piano bench is at this price point. It's a good height for our 10 year old granddaughter's keyboard or for an adult. Perfect match plus she is happy to have the storage. Easily assembled.

Nice color and look. I like that that seat stays up on its own when open. We have had to tighten the leg screws a few times already since purchasing it, this is the only downside. It's definitely not a solid oak bench that will last a lifetime, but I'm certain we'll get a good few years out of it.

Legs had several chips upon arrival. Easy assembly and appears to be sturdy. My former piano bench didn't have padding so I'm looking forward to using this one. It's comfortable to sit on but I'll reserve final judgement until after a few hours of playing. I may end up swapping the legs from my former bench and attach them to this one since the flared feet match my piano.Overall, I'm happy with the purchase so far.

The buttons on the seat stick out and get really uncomfortable after 10 minutes! The seat padding isn't very firm, so you tend to sit directly on the buttons. Placing a blanket or another seat pad on top took care of it, but what's the point of a padded bench if the padding makes it worse?Reviewers have stated that the bench isn't sturdy, but it's totally fine. Just make sure you put the locking spring washer between the flat washer and nut, and tighten down snug. You may need to re-tighten after the bench settles, but after that, it's all good.

I bought this bench because I wanted a reasonably priced storage bench for my Casio Privia. I adore it! There's plenty of room for your larger books. The cushion is adorable, comfortable, and just the look I was going for. Super simple to assemble, even without instructions. The only minor downfall was it smelled manufactured at first, but that's to be expected - it fades. Overall, exactly what I expected & wanted!

My Yamaha digital piano came with a bench that is smaller than the standard benches that pianos "used to" come with. It was fine for one person (or one and a half people!), but not for playing with two. So, I ordered this bench.I'm happy with the bench. The padding is comfortable and I appreciate that the seat lifts, providing space for storage. My bench has a shiny black lacquer finish. However, there were no assembly instructions. The bench was mostly assembled when it arrived--it just needed the legs to be attached. Not a big deal. Each leg had the main screw installed, so it was just a matter of putting on two washers and a nut for each leg, but I wasn't sure how to order the washers. A phone call to my father solved the problem (regular washer, "locking" washer, nut!). However, the three out of four screws were also too short to accommodate both washers. The washers and nuts were accompanied by a little wrench, which was nice--saved me the trouble of digging out a wrench to do the job.Moral of story: This is nice-looking, comfortable, and sturdy piano bench in a traditional size, which is both wider and longer and more nicely padded than the bench provided by Yamaha with my Arius digital piano. The glossy black finish is nice, but I would love it if the manufacturer would provide more finishing options (they only offered glossy black and mahogany, and pianos come in a wide variety of finishes) Finally, it would be nice if the bench manufacturer provided installation instructions (as well as screws long enough to accommodate the washers provided!)

I would have given this a 4 or 5 star had I not discovered the gouges that it created on the hardwood floor. The base of bench legs came with round floor protectors; these were thin and did not extend to the corners. On my bench, the corners had globs of excess material on bottom, which damaged the floor. I've since tried to smooth the base and stuck on larger felt floor protectors.The bench was delivered ahead of the estimated date. It was easy to assemble, and is comfortable. There is a little bit of squeaking.

I've been using this bench for six months and it's relatively comfortable, although it does have a tendency to squeak now and then as I shift positions. A little lubricant and retightening of the bolts generally solves that problem. The interior storage compartment is about average for this type of bench. Had they made it just 1/2" larger from front to back, it could accommodate a wider range of music books; as it is, it holds only shorter books, but you do have enough room for two stacks. My only major complaint is that the bench does not remain in position and tends to slowly sink to the lowest setting over time. Now it only rises about half way to the highest setting. I'm still debating whether to go through the hassle of returning it for repair or replacement. Since I purchased this as an interim solution until I purchase a new piano, I'll probably keep it. I would not recommend it for long-term use.

This bench looks nice, and seemed like a great price.. but the buttons have come off a few times. For that reason I don't recommend.

Uncomfortable for me. There are better benches imo

A decent bench for the price if you need adjustable height. Feels hefty, stable and comfortable. Outer material and finishing is nice but when you turn it over and look at the adjustable mechanism, the poor quality of the metal rails, fittings and workmanship shows, There is a slight amount on play on the height adjustment mechanism on my bench. if the seat height is raised significantly (say an inch or more), it squeaks when you lean to the edges. You won't notice it if you play light classical, jazz or pop songs seated in the center. However, when you play say, a four octave scale and need shift your body weight to the edge of the seat quite often, it will squeak on mine and listeners can also hear it. For reference, I weight approx 150 lbs. So, for its price, this bench is fair value if you need adjustable height for a low cost, otherwise it is nowhere near the quality of a Jansen artist bench and won't be able to replace one.

The bench is well made and solid, the height adjustment works well, comfortable to sit on.The only complaint is a limited storage space.

Big storage and easy to put together directions. Looks like It is cheaply made, smelly materials, pokes and catches clothes on buttons. Uncomfortable to seat on and some students have commented on it. I am still keeping the item because of affordable price.

Overall good quality. The buttons had a few stray strands and and bolts were very rusty, but it works perfectly.

Very pretty bench that seems quite sturdy. But the cushion is not very thick and my bum can easily tell when I am sitting on a button because the pad is thinner there and its uncomfortable. I just have to shift around on the chair sometimes to avoid the annoying spots.

looks good and kind of comfortable. but my kids feel like pain about bench's buttons. when my kids play piano, the buttons bother them.

It is a nice bench but there was a big scratch on one of the legs and one corner was not in place like it should have been. Other than that I like the bench and it was not worth the effort and expense of sending it back. I made it work.

From looking at the picture, this bench looks like it is well padded. The actual item has very little padding on the seat to where it is uncomfortable to sit there for an extended period of time.

I have two pianos and wanted to upgrade my benches, so bought this bench for one of the pianos. I won't be buying it again for the other one. Although it looks distinguished and professional, it is much smaller than it appears in the picture. However it is large enough--there's no risk of falling off the bench. Just don't expect to share this bench with anyone else. The real problem is that the bench squeaks. It's not suitable for use in performances or recordings. I'm embarrassed to use it with my students in lessons. I also think it's a little silly that shipping cost 17% of the price of the bunch itself.

Two problems:It just smells. I have to leave it in the garage for 2 weeks before it becomes tolerable. Suggestion to all (Chinese) furniture makers: why not air it out before putting in the package? Between a pre-aired vs. a smelly brand-new, I'd pick the former without a doubt.Bigger problem: at its highest, it's still quite low to sit on. Not high enough for my daughter. (21 inches) I guess I will wait for my daughter to grow faster then :)Too bad it's so heavy. I'd hate to pay shipping cost again. Oh well.

Overall, this product should be sturdy enough, but certainly something special. Of greater concern is the quality of finish (the black paint/stain), which on our particular unit was somewhat uneven and just poorly executed. As with many of these items, I'm sure the manufacturer simply went the the cheapest bidder out of China, and it shows because they managed to botch/cut corners on an absolute no-brainer/standard finish. Funny that they should follow up the purchase with an e-mail expressing their concern about their customers satisfaction; including, of course, a request for a favorable review on Amazon. Bottom line: this bench has quite a poor finish and is overpriced. Had they spent an extra $2 on their end, the product could have been acceptable.

If you like sitting with a rat-tail file or a Dremel tool widening holes punched under-sized in the metal plate into which the bolts in the legs insert (but cannot because the holes are so horribly under-bored), then you will love this bench. I have been sitting from time to time over a few days now with my power Dremel tool widening these holes and I am now halfway done. Give me a few more days and I should actually be able to use this bench finally. Sigh.

Bench looks okay but I am unable to complete assembly with a nut missing any threads and once built will not be very durable with screws that already are stripped out. Look for a different item,I do not recommend this product.

Really strong odor, unable to use for days. For the price I expected better construction quality. Made in China. Would not buy again.

Likes - I like the size and look. When it's put together it is really nice. I like the compartment which holds music although some what small.Dislikes - STINKS BAD!!! I hope we don't get lung cancer or something. Made in china. One joint brace had a screw hole which was stripped. I fixed it. Most would send it back. When I raise the seat to put music in the seat doesn't hold in place well.Update: I have to tighten the bolts every few weeks. I can't tighten all the way as the screws holding the metal the wood may strip out. I don't like this thing. The smell has gone away.

Bought this to go with a PX-850 Casio. The bench looks good and I wanted something that looked better than our cheap adjustable bench. But after only a few minutes my 10 year old wanted her old bench back. It still looks good and will most likely end up in front of our old piano that is set up for our 3 year old to play.

A little over a year after purchase and a light use by someone who weighs less than 100 lbs, 2 tufted button seams are undone. Very cheaply made. I should have bought a better one. :(

This bench is very comfortable, sleek and stylish. It has it's own sheet music cabinet under the cushion however there is one problem that outweighs all its other good qualities. It's stability.This bench creeks, squeaks and bangs as much as stepping on an aged wooden plank. It's very irritating, leaning to the left while squeak leaning to the right will creak, the sound at times is louder than my playing. If you plan on recording DO NOT buy this. If you're a player for fun and are on a budget, I recommend this bench.Edit: After a couple of days. I can NOT STAND THIS BENCH. Stay away! Although it's cheap, you don't want to waste your money here. As a pianist who plays things like Rachmaninoff and Chopin I move around quite a bit. I bought this bench 2 months ago and was satisfied at first but WOW has my opinion changed. I mentioned the squeaking before but it's gotten to the point where even leaning in any direction to press a higher/lower key will squeak louder than the piano itself. It's very annoying and the height of this bench is lower than usual. You will need to adjust it to your height when you buy it. Comfort is below average as my back hurts after a couple of hours. This bench looks amazing but works terribly. I now use my older cheap bench that came with my digital piano for playing. Buyer beware!

Unimpressed. Would give this one no stars if possible. I was sent a unit with an overt manufacturing flaw, whereby one of the legs would not fit because the mending brace was attached incorrectly. Apparently, Inspector 13 went to sleep! Faux leather (vinyl) looks cheap and felt uncomfortable.Maybe regarding the flaw, I was the exception, but nonetheless for the $130+ I paid, it didn't seem at all worth the money.

The product is of low quality (definitely NOT premium), poorly built and contains mismatching parts (i.e., the screws and bolts don't match the washers etc'). Mine came with a crack in the storage space and a painted over a defect in the wood (as if I wouldn't notice the thing is broken). Returning the product is a hassle as well as a hustle (as in, as in, I'm being hustled).

Don't get me started. I had a bad experience with the vendor and product.Save yourself a nightmare............

In all fairness, the bench itself was fine. It is NOT, however, what I would consider a "double duet" bench at all. I should have read the dimensions more closely instead of just the label. My 9-yr old and 3-yr old could sit together comfortably on it, but they took up the entire bench. Don't expect to be able to have 2 adults sit for a duet or even a student and teacher. The inside liner for the lid is a very cheap fabric and arrived damaged. I opted to send this back and will look for something that is a true "duet" bench.

The hinge is SUPER cheesy. Over all quality bad.Don't buy this one.

The bench arrived quickly BUT the lid had only one hinge attached. How does company (made in China) not see such an obvious defect. I returned it. Look for a bench made in the USA or Canada. I do not mind spending more.

Bench arrived with multiple manufacturing defects... screws that secure the hinge to the wood were screwed into grooves so corners were wobbly, a stripped out screw was used, some screws were drilled into the wood at an angle, a corner of the frame was chipped. On a positive note, the legs had a nice polished ebony finish. Not happy with vendor response that they would send the replacement parts for this and would refund the purchase price minus a 23% processing fee if I return the item. Also, I would pay for shipping back. All this for a defective item?? Think twice before buying from this vendor.