How to Buy a Used Piano: The Only Guide You Need

Finding the right piano is tough nowadays, because countless brands claim to make the best pianos.

In your searches for a piano, you’ll come across lots of cheap and expensive ones. Are the cheap ones too good to be true? And, do the expensive ones really live up to the hype?

It’s important to have a working knowledge of pianos and know what you want before you settle and start learning. In this article, I’ll go through all the things you need to know to buy the right piano (including how to buy a used piano).

Quick NavigationThings To Know About The Piano Before Buying Piano Brand The Keys Where You Plan To Put The Piano Warranty Inspecting a For-Sale Piano If Something is Broken, Can it Be Repaired?How Much Should One Pay for a Piano Based on its Condition and Brand?What to Look for When Buying a Used Piano Conclusion

Things To Know About The Piano Before Buying

Out of all the factors, the sound is one of the most significant. Try to pick a piano that matches your preferred sound. Since you’re going to hear it a lot, you definitely need to like it.

Pianos have different types of tones, ranging from bright to dark. Some piano brands are known for making distinctively bright or dark-toned pianos.

Yamaha tends to make brighter pianos, which are ideal for certain genres. To name a few: rock, funk, blues, and pop work well with a bright tone. On the other side of the tone spectrum is Bosendorfer. They tend to make darker-toned pianos, which is excellent for highly emotional music. But, if you aren’t planning on buying pianos from either company, you’ll have to find one with your desired tone manually.

On top of tone, you should also pay attention to consistency. Play each key to see if they create an equal amount of sound. If there are several keys quieter or louder, that’s an indication that the piano isn’t well-kept. If you buy a piano with inconsistent sound, you’ll have to hire a piano technician to “voice” it. Also, listen for consistency in sound quality. Regardless of the piano’s tone, you want it to have a crisp sound.

Piano Brand

There are countless piano brands on the market. Some are excellent, and others aren’t as high-quality. Here are some of the most popular piano brands on the market:

Yamaha
Steinway & Sons
Kawai
Baldwin
Bosendorfer
Mason & Hamlit
Bechstein

These brands are popular for a reason. Many of them have been delivering quality instruments for hundreds of years. I won’t go through the features of each individual type and their characteristics, but I will say that all of these pianos are reputable. Each company has unique piano-building techniques.

These different techniques are what give them distinct tones.

If you are looking into a piano that isn’t on this list, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad choice. It just means that the piano brand might be newer.

The Keys

There’s a lot to talk about when it comes to keys. Some positive things to look for are smoothness, evenness, and the absence of cracks and damages. It might be tempting to buy a cheap piano that has a few key issues. However, if there are several cracked or broken keys, the piano might not be worth it. You’ll have to get it repaired, which costs some money.

Another important thing to check is the key action. Many piano stores rate the actions on a scale from 1-10, with 1 being the lightest and 10 being the heaviest. You will benefit a lot from playing on lots of pianos to determine which action best suits you. If you’ve played primarily on a keyboard, you might naturally prefer a lighter action. But, if you haven’t played much, you’re still in the phase where you can adapt easily.

A smaller aspect to look at is key cushioning. A good piano has a little key cushioning to protect your joints from overuse injury. Strike the keys to see if they have some support or not. It’s essential to do this because a piano that doesn’t have to cushion can lead to long-term arthritis and other joint issues. You might think that the key material is important, but, in reality, it’s not as important as you think.

Most modern pianos use wooden keys with plastic coating. In the past, many piano keys were made of ivory. However, it’s illegal to make keys from ivory now.

Where You Plan To Put The Piano

Make sure to figure out the exact dimensions of the piano as well as the space you plan to put it in. Different types of pianos work better for different spaces. If you have a smaller area, you’ll likely be better off with an upright piano. If you have a little more space, you could possible get a baby grand. Most baby brands are between 4 and 6-feet long. On the other hand, uprights are a couple of feet long.

If you live somewhere with vast seasonal differences, pay extra attention to the piano placement. The changing humidity affects a piano’s ability to stay in tune. Don’t place it near the radiator or in a direct path with sunlight. On top of going out-of-tune, the internal mechanisms of a piano can be damaged if you put it in a poor spot. It’s ideal to keep the room between 45% and 70% humidity.

Warranty

It’s essential to have a warranty if you buy an expensive piano. Fortunately, most pianos have a several-year warranty. However, it largely depends on where you get it. If a warranty isn’t mentioned upfront, make sure to ask about it.

Inspecting a For-Sale Piano

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Besides playing the piano, there a few things to look at you might consider. For grand pianos, the most significant thing is the soundboard. The soundboard is what amplifies the sound from the strings. Without a soundboard, the piano’s volume would be closer to a guitar’s.

For upright pianos, inspection involves opening the lid. Upright pianos are more compact than grands, so it’s more challenging to see the internal parts. However, you can still check the health of the strings, dampers, and tuning pins. If the strings look and sound great, the piano has passed the test. Piano dampers are made from a felt-like material, and they rest against the strings. If the dampers look old and worn, that’s a sign that you’ll be having to hire a piano technician pretty quickly.

On grand pianos, another thing you can check is the rim. The rim is the base and foundation of the body. A thick rim usually indicates a structurally sound instrument. It also means that the piano is more durable and less susceptible to internal damages. In general, the thicker the rim, the more expensive the piano will be. However, you might find an affordable piano with a high-quality rim. That’s what you should be looking for.

If Something is Broken, Can it Be Repaired?

Repairing a piano can either be done by you or a technician. But, if you choose to do it yourself, it’s good to handle everything with extreme care. Though the piano is a highly-impressive instrument, it can still be fragile. One mistake can damage things even more and rack up the repair price. No matter what’s wrong with the piano, it can be fixed. Piano technicians can fix nearly any damage, internal or external.

Here’s a list of some of the most common issues that arise in pianos:

Sticking keys
Broken pedals
Chipped keys
Buzzing noises
Poor sound in general

The only repair that can be slightly difficult on this list is the poor sound. A poor sound might be as simple as being out of tune. However, the problem could be a bit deeper, too. If a technician determines that your piano is going out-of-tune quickly, you might need to get a humidity control system. These systems go directly on the piano, and they relegate the humidity levels.

Problems like sticking keys, broken pedals, and buzzing noises are easy fixes. Lots of times, buzzing noises are attributed to something stuck in the strings. It could be a pencil or a piece of paper. Before calling a piano technician the fix the problem, check the strings to see if anything is leaning against them.

Chipped keys can’t be repaired. Instead, they are replaced. Since this process isn’t difficult, you might be able to do it on your own. First, you’ll need to buy a matching replacement key top. Replacing a key takes some work, but you can do it without having to hire someone.

How Much Should One Pay for a Piano Based on its Condition and Brand?

Let’s say you want a moderately priced piano to last a long time. Upright pianos can range from $1,000 to $10,000. This price depends on the brand, quality, and age. You might be able to find an excellent piano under the $1,000 range, but it will be significantly more difficult to find. Baby grand pianos and uprights can both be found under $10,000. In fact, many high-quality uprights are more expensive than baby grands.

If you’re looking in the price range of $0-$1,000, pianos might get a little less trustworthy. However, the low price doesn’t mean you can’t still find a fantastic deal. If you come across a low-priced piano, do a bit of inspection. On top of the things I’ve already mentioned, check how out-of-tune it is. If you find an out-of-tune piano, that’s a sign that it has been used a lot and received improper care. It could also mean that weather changes are affecting the piano. Pianos that haven’t been tuned in a long time have more trouble staying in tune for the normal amount of time. Also, keep in mind that all pianos are at their highest potential if they get tuned twice a year. These two tunings average a total of around $200.

Brands play a significant role in how much a piano costs. Yamaha, Steinway & Sons, and Bosendorfer are the big 3 names in the grand piano world. If you have a higher budget, you should definitely go for a grand piano. Grand pianos are sleeker, louder, and easier to maintain than uprights. Brand new baby grands can be anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000.

However, you might be able to find used grand pianos in the $5,000 to $10,000 range.

The brands I mentioned have been around for the longest time and tend to be the most expensive. A brand’s success through the centuries justifies this extra price. As pianos get more expensive, the rims and soundboards start becoming of an even higher-quality. But, you might run into some overpriced pianos. They can be near the cost of an entire house and still sound no better than a cheaper piano.

Out of those three brands, Bosendorfer is undoubtedly the most expensive. The baby grands often exceed $100,000. On them, you’ll experience a richer tone that’s more suitable for classical and emotional music. Many great concert pianists in history performed only on Bosendorfers, which says a lot about the brand.

Sticking keys
Broken pedals
Chipped keys
Buzzing noises
Poor sound in general

What to Look for When Buying a Used Piano

Conclusion

Since there are countless piano companies, it’s not the easiest to figure out which one is best for you. Some companies will pop up to you, while others sit back and enjoy their successful history.

Without a doubt, it’s important to know what you’re looking for before you walk into a piano store. Even if you have an idea of which piano you’ll get, you might find another one you like better. “Do I like the sound?” “Is it a well-known company?” “Is the action good for me?” “Is the soundboard made with a resonant wood?” “Where will I put the piano?”

These are some of the questions that can help you find your ideal piano. If you can’t decide on which one to buy, it might be best to clear your head for a bit.

The right piano for you is out there. Now, you just need to find it!