How to Buy the Perfect Piano
by Kim Luker
A piano is an investment that will be part of your home for many years. If you’re willing to take your time and discover what you like, buying a piano can be a fun and educational experience.
Start at Home
Start the piano shopping process at home. Take a good look at the room where your piano will live. What do you envision? What style of piano will fit in your space—a small spinet, a gleaming baby grand, or a modern digital? Perhaps an antique with an intricately carved cabinet would be perfect. What pianos have you admired in other peoples’ homes?
A piano is meant to be played. Keep that in mind as you choose where to place the instrument in your home. Is the main living area the best choice for all your family members? Would an office or den, with a door that closes, be a better choice, even if that means a different style of piano?
Once you decide what style of piano you’re shopping for and what room to put it in, take detailed measurements of the area. Even console pianos vary in height, width, and depth. It’s also a good idea to measure your doorways and staircases, so that you are sure the movers can put that wonderful piano right where you want it.
The Treasure Hunt
I always recommend shopping locally for a piano. Find the nearest piano shop, hopefully one that carries both new and used pianos. Ask to meet with the owner or manager to discuss exactly what kind of piano you would like. Many shop owners are pianists themselves, and branch out into tuning, repairing, and rebuilding. If you’re a beginner, it can also be wonderful to hear an accomplished pianist play a few of the pianos for you.
Plan to spend an hour or two in the shop, and enlist the support of a friend or family member to encourage you and lend another pair of ears. Also, offer to pay your piano teacher for an extra “lesson” and ask if he or she could join you!
Your task is to sit down at as many pianos as you can and play, play, play. If you’re a beginner and all you know is “Chopsticks,” that’s fine. Play it on the most expensive grand piano, and on the humblest used upright. Play up and down the keyboard, listening to the instrument’s sound and noticing how the keys feel under your fingers.
Play loudly—and don’t worry what anyone thinks! This is your chance to really discover what qualities you love in a piano. Do you prefer a mellower, muted sound, or are you drawn to pianos with a bright tone? How does the weight of the keys feel to you? Every piano is unique, and so are you. Take your time and approach this process like a treasure hunt!
It can be tempting to look at pianos online, or on eBay, and try to find a deal. The Internet is terrific for research, but resist the temptation to buy online. Buying from a local piano dealer will begin a long-term relationship that will help keep your instrument in excellent condition, and will be beneficial should you ever decide to sell your piano.
New or Used?
The short answer: either can be a good investment. Unlike a car, your piano won’t depreciate with time. A well-maintained piano can be worth as much, or more, than you paid for it, depending on the manufacturer and demand.
Obviously, a new piano will cost more than a used piano of the same type and quality. For most people, a quality used piano is a wise choice that may allow you to invest in a higher-quality instrument for less money. Your budget—and your ears and hands—will be your guide. How much do you have to spend? What piano sounds breathtakingly lovely to you? Which one feels good under your fingers? What finish and cabinetry looks beautiful to your eyes?
If you fall in love with a used piano, play every key and test the pedals. Take note of any issues you find and ask if basic repairs are included in the selling price. Does the shop inspect and repair pianos before putting them out for sale? Take a detailed look at the cabinetry for dents or nicks, water stains, or bowing wood.
How Much Should I Spend?
In discussions with students, parents, and friends about buying pianos, I often hear, “I don’t want to spend much, since I’m just a beginner. I just need a starter piano.”
Let me challenge this reasoning. A poor quality instrument, whether new or used, will cost you: in repairs, frequent tuning, and heartache. If you sit down to practice and are always unhappy with the sound of your piano, it wasn’t a bargain—it was a loss. If it goes out of tune every three months, you will be continually frustrated.
Digital pianos are more affordable, but have a slightly different sound. They do offer the advantages of being lighter, never going out of tune, and having other features like the ability to play silently with headphones.
Invest in the best instrument you can afford. If that means saving for a few more months, it will be worth it. Realistically, you can find a good used piano in the $1,500 range. Be wary of lower prices, especially the $500 pianos you see for sale in your local classifieds. They are almost never the great deal they seem.
If you were my student, I would implore you to save until you had a budget of at least $2,500 for an acoustic. In that price range, you will be able to find a quality piano—one that will hold value and become a family heirloom.
Decide on your budget, consult a local expert, and play a lot of pianos. The last step? Follow your heart. A quality piano that is beautiful to look at and makes your heart sing every time you play it will be a joy to practice on. Your perfect piano will inspire and motivate you to be the best pianist you can possibly be.
Kim Luker’s passion is to encourage and inspire amateur musicians at her website, www.you-can-play-piano.com.
