Piano Purchase Tips 101 or “What Should I Buy?”

 

  As the K-12 music supervisor for a school system in Michigan for several decades, I purchased, kept the inventory and maintained (with our tuner) all of the pianos for the district. They ranged from grands, to uprights to electronic pianos for our high school piano labs. In total, I would guess that I have purchased/inventoried over 200 pianos.

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I tell you all of this my readers, so you understand that I have some background in piano purchases and also an understanding of most of the brands and types of pianos and keyboards. I hope I do not give you “too much information” as my husband is fond of saying when I go on and on about a subject. However, I have been asked numerous times to recommend a type of piano for my students. So here are my Piano Tips 101.

Tip #1 – A piano keyboard has 88 keys. No matter what you purchase, you should always go with 88 keys. (61 or 76 keys are not appropriate for a pianist.) Composers can use the smaller keyboards as controllers. Not pianists.

Tip #2 – The instrument needs to be “touch sensitive.” “Are the keys ticklish?” you ask. Well, you can tickle the ivories, but new pianos do not have ivory keys like pianos made before 1940.  They are made of plastic (which a good thing for the elephants.) Touch sensitive means there should be weight to the key and it should have depth. You should be able to play soft, medium and loud. Light keys will not build the strength in the hands needed to be a good pianist

Tip #3 Please do not purchase a used piano from a private party without having a tuner accompany you to check it out. If the sound board is cracked, the piano will never stay in tune. It will drive you crazy and me crazier and you will end up tossing the piano. It is worth the $100-120 to check out the piano. Remember you will also have to pay to move the piano unless you purchase from a reputable dealer. Then moving it is included in the price.

Tip #4  Never put a piano in a damp basement. Again, it will not stay in tune or it will rust out.

Tip #5 Acoustic (real) pianos are the way to go if you have the space and can afford a really nice instrument. The action (for building hand strength) and sound are worth the expense.

Tip #5 Acoustic (real) pianos are heavy to move and you usually need a mover to move them. (Unless you know two or three burly guys with large muscles, a dolly, a ramp and a van. They should also be insured so you might as well hire a piano moving company.) Acoustic pianos also need to be tuned once to twice per year. (Tunings range approximately  from $100-140. If you have the instrument “voiced” add a little more. However, there is no other action like a beautiful grand piano or new console/upright if you can afford it.

Tip #6 Some electronic pianos like my Kawai have nice actions and are a good electronic keyboard. They are pricey when purchased new and you will spend as much as you would on a new acoustic piano. However, they are lighter to move and never need tuning. You can also hook a computer to them and use software to compose. They have tons of bells and whistles such as changing keys. (Great for vocalists.) Built in metronome, headphones capability and varied instruments sounds are also included. Many can also record. They have come a long, long way from my Ainsley Dinatone. The touch of higher end electronic pianos is very much like an acoustic spinet piano. (I actually used my new Kawai CA79 to record/video the “Maple Leaf Rag” on my Youtube channel – Laurie Beth Frick)

Tip #7 For student beginners, either an electronic piano with 88 keys that is touch sensitive or an acoustic piano that stays in tune are both great options. Someone that is serious about playing well or professionally always needs the action of a good quality acoustic piano to build hand strength.

I have not mentioned brands other than the ones that I owned.

• There are low end used acoustic and electronic pianos (a few hundred dollars) to high end new pianos. ($200,000+) and everything in between.
• Most new acoustic console pianos run $4000-9000.   “Good used” console pianos are always much less expensive ($1000 +) but again be very careful to check out the piano. Pianos that are listed for free should usually be avoided.
• Inexpensive keyboards ($200-400) are usually not appropriate for a beginning pianist, but can be used for the first year to see if they wish to continue. They are also great for college dorm rooms.
• Good new electronic pianos with cases, pedals, benches run $2500-4,000 new.  Sometimes you can find a great price (under $1000) on a good used electronic that is not very old. (An option is to place this electronic piano in a bedroom with headphones as it is compact and great for quiet practice.)
• New grands can run $20,000 and up. (The lower end is for the “baby grand” around 5 feet.)  Higher end grand pianos are in the $75,000-200,000 range. (They range from 5’7”to the 9’concert grand)  You can purchase many of these pianos used for a third of the price of a new piano, but make certain they are in great shape or reconditioned with new hammers, strings etc. Remember, you get what you pay for.
• Acoustic Pianos will usually hold their value. New pianos do depreciate at first but sometimes you can sell for more than you paid for new and used if held long enough.
• Electronic pianos lose value. The inner workings are always changing and everyone wants the “latest and greatest” just like a cell phone or computer.

A great acoustic piano is an investment. If you maintain it, it will last 80 or more years. Electronic pianos last about 10 years on average. The cases peel and the actions lose their spring. (I did have a couple of Yamaha Clavinova electronic keyboards in my lab that lasted over 20 years.)

My recommendation is to go with a good piano/keyboard that is within your budget, appropriate for your playing level and fits your space. It is also a piece of furniture so if looks are important to you, then many different finishes, styles and colors are available.

Final Note: Playing a piano is important as the strings and action needs to be exercised.  A piano that is not played and left in a corner totally unloved will stiffen and corrode. (Just as our bodies do if we do not move and take care of ourselves.) Taking lessons at any age is great for the soul and helps to keep your brain young. Love your piano and play it often. It will reward you with the enjoyment of making music for a lifetime.

Laurie Beth Frick