by: Mantius Cazaubon
It is true that used pianos are sometimes better than new ones. The 1920 were marked by pianos of the highest quality. But a word of caution must be sounded. Before buying a used piano, seek the advice of a professional technician, or buy from a reputable piano dealer. There's often a fine line between a good deal and a piece of junk. Only a tuner-technician is suitably qualified to tell you whether a used piano is worth buying.
Inspect a used piano rigorously. Perhaps much more thoroughly than you would if it were a new piano. Play every key with the right hand pedal depressed so as to get a true impression of the tone. The keyboard, hammers, and pedals shouldn't squeak. Are the hammers and strings in good condition? Is there rust and dirt?
Check the keys for looseness. place your finger on the front of a key and move it from left to right and vice versa. It shouldn't move more than 1/16" in either direction. Pay particular attention to the middle keys since they are played most often.
You can even ask who the previous owner was. A serious pianist would usually take better care of his instrument.
Find out how old the piano is. The brand name and serial can be used to trace the piano's age. Be wary of pianos that are more than 20 years old.
Pianos age far more quickly than other strung instruments like violins and guitars. Their strings create a lot of stress on soundboards, bridges, and pin-blocks. Pianos have lots of mechanical parts unlike violins and guitars, and mechanical parts wear out as they are used.
But while age is important, your primary focus should be its condition. Compare the used piano with similar pianos. Make a new price comparison based on resale market value.
If the piano appears not to have been abused and is of a good price you can probably leave a deposit subject to approval by a technician. If you're working with your tuner find out whether he or she is also a technician. Some tuners are not technical and have no real knowledge of the mechanical system of pianos.
The technician may be able to tell you the approximate value of the piano in its current condition, as well as the estimated cost of repairs, if any. Based on your knowledge, you may then choose to offer the seller a price.
You can check out a used piano online today.