LEARN WHAT AND WHAT NOT TO BUY
~ free piano price guide at bottom ~
First you need to know a little about what's available out there in order to set a budget and buy with confidence, knowing you're getting the best value for your money invested.� I'll try to outline it in a way you can understand: (I will supply a piano buying price guide at the bottom of this web page)
Let's begin with new pianos and then we'll cover used pianos:�
New grand pianos range in price from very inexpensive to very expensive just like cars or anything else and you get what you pay for.� The least expensive pianos are made in China and Korea (Samick/Young Chang and many other brands).� Some of these Chinese/Korean pianos put American and German names on their key covers in an attempt to fool you into believing that they are in fact American or German.� If you do not see the name of the City or State in the cast iron plate that the strings are attached to, it's most likely one of these knock off/imitation pianos.� Next up the ladder in quality and price are Japanese pianos (Yamaha/Kawai).� I feel these pianos are good in quality and serviceability although in my opinion they tend to have a sharp and brittle tone.� There are glut of used Japanese pianos around which serves to create poor resale values and makes them harder to unload if your child doesn't take to lessons.� They will not last as long as American or German grand pianos and will not warrant rebuilding when needed, as they will not appreciate in value.� The best pianos are hand-built.� They are American and German pianos.� Japanese/Korean/Chinese pianos are mass-produced pianos.� American and German grand pianos are very expensive when purchased new or even up to 20 years old and therefore are not good candidates for children.� They range in price from $30K up, to over $100K.�� So now we have to talk about used pianos as these are going to be better for your pocket book and better for your beginning to intermediate student.�
Now that you know the range of quality and price in a new grand piano, it will be easy to carry this knowledge forward into the used realm.� Being aware that Korean/Chinese and Japanese are mass-produced and may not last as long, or be as good of an investment as hand-built pianos that will appreciate in value, you can assume that an older piano, either American or German, may be just what you're looking for.� But be careful!� These pianos are in many states of condition.� You'll see ads for old used baby grands that say things like "just tuned, fully renovated, awesome, etc. etc. etc. and what do these things mean?� Most are just dealer come on ads.� Some could be individuals selling a grand piano that needs substantial and costly work.� For example: " just tuned" doesn't mean anything in that you could tune a piano and it will only hold tune for a short while and if a piano does not hold tune it can not be used.� "Fully renovated" could mean it was restored years ago and they will tell you it was restored a few years back when in all actuality it may have been restored 30 years ago and needs $7,000 in work now.� You can buy an older hand-built American/German grand piano but it must be restored with new strings and a new pin block so that it will hold tune. If it is not rebuilt it will not hold tune and the strings will be dead so you won't be able to use it for even occasional use. They require new cabinet finishes and hardware polishing so that they will look nice in your home.� These should be purchased from piano rebuilders with a good reputation that will warrant their work for atleast 5 years and preferably 10 years.� Concert pianists buy older hand-bult pianos because their wood quality is better than what is available today and they were constructed by piano builders from the turn of the 20th century with very high integrity.� Parts are readily available, they cost a fraction of the price of a new hand-built piano, and some good name brands are superior pianos than most hand-made pianos presently built.�� A few names to look for are Steinway, Baldwin, Chickering, Knabe, and Sohmer.� There are many others. Purchasing an older piano from an individual can be very risky.� Rebuilding a grand piano or baby grand piano can take up to 3 months to complete properly.� Be wary of a piano rebuilder who sells his work cheap as he most likely skips the necessary work to complete a quality restoration.� There are a few jackleg piano sellers that advertise their old worn out pianos and tell you they will work fine, just like bad used car lots, or advertise a nearly new piano cheap, and you come to find out it's a toy like electronic baby grand or a new low quality Chinese piano that they will add all kinds of charges to in order to increse the price when you see it. They may even have a couple of rebuilt pianos but who knows where they've gotten them from. Avoid this type of dealer at all costs. You should look for piano sellers who only sell all their pianos in completely restored condition. You may call me if you wish for more information at 770-998-9944.� I'll be glad to answer any of your questions and if you need piano lessons, I have a few openings left for intermediate players.� I've played professionally since I was 13 and am a known composer in Atlanta Jazz circles.� See http://atlantajazz.net for my jazz trio "The Atlanta Suburban Knights". I hope this information has been a great benefit to you and your family!
Sincerely,
Bill D. 770-998-9944
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Grand Piano Price Guide: (Approximations Based on Prices in Classified Ads)
Unrestored or Restored in Past Years - $800 - $15,000 Lesser known and smaller pianos are less. Name brand grand pianos are more. Expect to pay $7k or more to restore any of these pianos. People will exagerate when a piano was restored, if it was, and what was done to restore it.
Japanese/Korean/Chinese - $2,000 to $15,000 Lower priced pianos will need complete restoration. Expect to spend $6K or more on a Yamaha grand piano or baby grand advertised for $5,000 or less. $8 -$15,000 Yamahas and Kawais will need no restoration but I feel they are poor investments as they will not be easy to resell due to the glut of used ones on the market and will rapidly depreciate in value. I do not like their brittle tone either. There are a few low-end models that are made about the same as Korean pianos which will be lower priced, obviously. Koren and Chinese pianos are more like used Hyundai cars.
Newly Restored American/ German - $7,000 - $15,000 (Steinways $20,000 & On Up) - Lesser known and smaller pianos are less. Name brands are more. Choose a 5'2' baby grand piano or larger grand piano for best tone. These pianos are good investments and generally have a sweet warm tone. Do not buy pianos prior to 1900 as parts are no longer available. If you can't afford anything in this price range, buy a good vertical!