Buying
a used piano privately can be dangerous and costly.
What appears to be a rare bargain may prove to be a real
liability. Unless you are a piano expert, your best assurance
is to rely on the judgment of the most experienced dealer
in your area with a proven record of integrity and fair
dealing.
It is unwise
to pick up an old piano privately "to get started
with". A poor piano offers discouragement to the
child and is at best, a questionable investment for the
parent.
Here
are just a few of the many danger areas encountered when
a non-expert piano buyer buys a piano privately:
Plate
- may be cracked or broken which cripples the piano musically
and renders it useless.
Strings
- bass strings may be "tired and tubby", totally
devoid of tone.
Sounding
board - may be cracked or worse yet, may have lost
crown to become tonally deficient.
Ribs
- may be broken or pulled away from soundboard.
Bridges
- may have lost proper bearing, be broken, split or cracked,
necessitating a major expense.
Tuning
Pins - may be loose, may have been previously
"doped", may require oversized pins, may require
new pin block. Avoid like the plague
any piano with pins showing evidence of having been bounded.
Pin Plank - may be split
and is very costly to repair. Since this is concealed, experienced
judgment is required.
Actions
- may be literally worn out rendering piano useless. If
rebushing is required, this is very costly. A
complete regulation requires much time of an expert and
is expensive if properly done.
Hammers
- may be worn out or improperly filed so as to require replacement
- another costly repair.
Trap
Work - the internal leverage controls of the
expression pedals may need complete overhauling.
Refinishing - many people
learn to their sorrow that refinishing a piano is not a
home do-it-yourself project; that it requires
much hard work and know how best left to a skilled craftsman.
Good refinishing work is expensive.
Piano
teachers have always preferred that students have
a good practice instrument in the home. A student needs
to practice at least 30-minutes a day. The piano at grandma's
house or at a friend's is not suitable since it will not
be available every day. A good piano teacher will personally
own a great piano as their practice and teaching instrument.
If you are looking for a piano teacher, I can find one for
you in your local area.
The
best book to reference to when purchasing a piano is
the "The Piano Book" by Larry Fine. I myself
have used this book to help clients when purchasing
a piano. It explains the process YAMAHA uses to create
their pianos and how other brands compare. I highly
recommend using this book as a guide. I can provide
you with the same information found in the book and
would love the opportunity to visit with you.
