Buying a Used Piano and the Prices You Should Expect to Pay

The aboriginal footfall in affairs a acclimated piano is free your budget. Here is a abundant account what you can apprehend at the altered amount points. 1. Under $500.00: You will accept to do your own research. You will charge some luck to acquisition annihilation usable. Do yourself a huge favor and accept the piano arrested by a able piano artisan afore you pay for it, or accept it confused to your house. If you do not you may acquisition yourself in the unenviable bearings of accepting to pay to accept the piano junked. 2. Under $1,000.00: Aforementioned as above, but demography alert the banking risk. 3. Under $1,500.00: For this amount you can, with luck, acquisition a reconditioned spinet or animate from a dealer. The banker is acceptable to accept taken the piano in on trade. A piano like this will be reconditioned. This agency the piano has been bankrupt central and out, and the activity has been accustomed a already over to accomplish abiding the piano will play reliably. The case will be polished. Some affectionate of assurance will be given. At this amount point you should apprehend that the piano plays appropriately and holds a tuning. However, it would be unrealistic to apprehend a abundant sounding, musically alarming piano. The piano will about absolutely be at atomic forty years old 4. Under $2,000.00: Aforementioned as above, but with a added adorable cabinet. At this amount point you would apprehend the piano to be at atomic thirty years old. 5. Under $3,000.00: Now you are accepting to the point area you can apprehend to get a appropriate agreeable instrument. At this amount point you should be able to acquisition a animate or flat cocked that has a acceptable agreeable sound, and a solid blow to the action. The best examples of pianos in this amount ambit are Yamaha, Kawai, Young Chang, Sammick, and Sohmer. Yamaha would be the best in this category. You should be searching at pianos no earlier than the mid-1970s for Yamaha, and no earlier than the mid-1980s for the others. 6. $3,500.00- $4,500.00: This is a astute amount ambit at which you can acquisition a piano that an avant-garde apprentice can use to abound his pianistic abilities. The best pianos to get in this amount ambit are Yamaha and Kawai 48 in. to 52 in. cocked pianos. These are the instruments that you acquisition in the convenance apartment of universities and music schools. At the low end of the amount ambit you acquisition earlier pianos. I can't acclaim any piano earlier than 1975. There is aswell a nice subcategory in this amount range. Charles Walter and Sons accomplish a actual top above console. This is the best fabricated American cocked added than Steinway. The case of these pianos is beautifully made. The articulation of the piano can be fabricated satisfactory by an able technician. 7. $4,500.00- $5,500.00: The aforementioned as above, but the pianos should be from the 90's. There are models of Yamaha that accept posts in the aback in the appearance of an X instead of vertical alongside posts. These pianos accept a above design. I accept included them in this class because they accept a abeyant for a warmer, richer sound. In my assessment this is as abundant as anyone would charge to absorb for a acclimated cocked piano. 8. Rule #1: If your account is lower than $7,500.00 do not even attending at admirable pianos. Unless you are actual advantageous you are acceptable to wind up with a piano that would crave unrealistically big-ticket repairs. Here is a accepted example. John Doe purchases a Knabe admirable piano for $500.00. He is all aflame because his adolescent will activate acquaint and needs a piano on which to practice. He spends a added $300.00 to get the piano confused to his house. Even admitting John does not apperceive abundant about pianos he knows that it is out of tune. He calls a tuner and finds out that the piano will not authority a tune because the pin block is too loose. He finds that the pin block cannot be replaced unless the piano is rebuilt. The adjustment bill is $6,000.00 to alter the pin block, alter the strings, the dampers, and tune the piano up to angle and get the activity to plan properly. John has just ashen $800.00 on a piano that is abstract unless he spends an added $6,000.00. John will acceptable be spending addition $300.00 to accept the piano removed. 9. $7,500- $10,000.00: You are in a acceptable abode with lots of possibilities. In this amount ambit you should be able to acquirement a baby Korean or Japanese piano from a dealer. Accepted brands in this amount and admeasurement ambit are Yamaha, Young Chang, Kawai, Boston, and Sammick. You can go as old as 1975 for a Yamaha admirable in this amount range, and for the added brands you should go no earlier than 1985. 10. $10,000.00 -$15,000.00: In this amount ambit you should apprehend to acquisition actual acceptable above Yamaha and Kawai admirable pianos up to 6 ft. 5 in. Acceptable models are Yamaha G2, G3, C1, C2, C3, C5, and Kawai KG2, KG3, KG5, RX2, RX3. Also in this class you will acquisition rebuilt and refinished admirable pianos from acclaimed piano rebuilders. These pianos will aswell accept rebuilt actions. Typical brands are Chickering, Knabe, Baldwin, Broadwood, Sohmer, and abounding bottom known, but appropriately acceptable brands. At this amount ambit you should apprehend five-year warranties to be included in the amount of the piano. 11. $15,000.00 -$20,000.00: You are now in reconditioned Steinway and Mason and Hamlin country. This is "no country for old men". You will be paying a lot of money for a piano THAT WILL EVENTUALLY NEED TO BE RESTORED. The amount of apology for a Steinway M (5 ft. 7 in.) is $20,000.00. The amount of apology for a Steinway D (concert grand) is $30,000.00. In my opinion, which is accurate by thirty years of experience, it is added economical and acceptable to yield the next footfall and get a absolutely refinished, rebuilt or adequate piano. 12. $20,000.00 and up. Here are astute prices for the altered models of rebuilt and refinished or adequate Steinway and Mason and Hamlin pianos: Steinway S about rebuilt and refinished with new activity $23,000-$25,000 Mason T about rebuilt and refinished with new activity $19,000.00 -$23,000 Steinway M rebuilt and refinished with new activity $25,000- $30,000 Mason A with new adequate with new complete lath and new activity $25,000.00-$30,000.00 Steinway O adequate $32,000.00-$38,000.00 Steinway A adequate $35,000.00-$50,000.00 Mason AA adequate $35,000.00 Steinway B adequate $45,000.00- $70,000.00 Mason BB adequate $45,000.00- $50,000.00 Steinway C adequate $55,000-$85,000.00 Steinway D adequate $65,000.00-$150,000.00 Mason CC $55,000.00- $65,000.00 Rule #2: Unless you are affairs a piano from a able-bodied apperceive piano apology abode that is giving you a five-year assurance you charge a piano able to attending at the piano for you. Rule #3: A GOOD UPRIGHT IS A MUCH BETTER PIANO THAN A CRUMMY GRAND PIANO... AND MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE.Biyang Adapter Do not advance "analysis paralysis" or you will be searching for the absolute piano forever. Stick to your budget, buy from a acclaimed banker who gives a warranty, and accept a piano able validate your choice. I accept been accomplishing this for thirty years. How harder can it be? Good luck award a piano!