Choosing a Piano

It is worth taking your time and carrying out lots of research before you choose a piano as you may have to live with your purchase for many years.

All pianos are different, even two examples of the same make may not necessarily sound or feel the same so, if you choose a new instrument, try to play the actual piano that you are purchasing rather than a demonstration model. If you are not happy with a piano, leave it as, if it is not to your satisfaction before purchase, you are unlikely to like it later.

I cannot, therefore, recommend particular makes of piano but the following will hopefully help you in making your choice.

Larger pianos produce a more resonant sound as they are not so compromised by short string lengths.
Many small grands (under 5 foot) can be beaten in sound quality by a larger upright.
Over strung pianos will have a richer bass than a straight strung of similar size.


Over strung Piano	Straight strung Piano

New or Used?

Generally, it is possible to get more piano for your money by choosing a used instrument. However, a new piano will often come with a 5 year guarantee which is worth consideration. A well reconditioned piano will last many years but, beware, there are lots of poorly renovated pianos out there just waiting for a mug to come along.

Before you buy

If you choose a new piano, check what guarantees are available and, important make sure that the seller has technicians with the know how to correct any faults that may occur.

Private Purchasing

It is possible to find a bargain if you are prepared to do lots of travelling and homework. For every one good piano we get asked to look at, there are 10 that should have been "Guy Forks" pianos. If you do decide to go looking, take note of the following:

Avoid adverts such as "suit beginner, needs tuning" this translates to "piano is rubbish and tuner says he can't tune it".
If you play, take some music with you and give the piano a good test or take someone who can play and judge the piano from this aspect.

Now carry out the following tests

Play each note several times and make sure that it repeats and not jams or blocks.
Make sure that the note stops ringing when it is released.
Listen carefully for squeak, rattles or any buzzing sounds.

If all still seems good...

Call your tuner/technician to carry out an inspection. There is likely to be a small charge but this could save you a fortune later.

Avoid buying an instrument that needs a lot of work. This can be expensive and you may not like the result at the end.

click for our list of used pianos

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