Whether you want to buy a brand new piano, upgrading your current one or you’re looking for a decent piano to start your musical journey, please read on. A free piano is rarely free in the long run and may translate to ‘Please remove my unwanted, unused and neglected piano for nothing.’
Have you factored in moving costs, the likely servicing and tuning costs too? It is often a good idea to spend a little bit on the piano and find a reputable dealer. I sometimes have pianos for sale, and they are always good quality and have had a thorough inspection, regulation and tuning.
Types of Upright Piano Construction
I’ll start with things you should avoid as this is the most important part of buying a piano. Of course, it is always advisable to send me photos/video or, even better, have me accompany you to the piano which you are thinking of buying. The main things to avoid is a piano over 100 years old (or even 50 years old), unless it has been restored, recondition or refurbished (some old pianos can be beautiful if well maintained). Generally a piano older than 100 years is worth buying if it is a well known make, but some lesser known brands can be great too. The problem with an older piano is the strings and soundboard may be tired, have lost their resonance and the sound is dull, ‘tubby’ or harsh. This could also mean there are issues with the action (basically the engine of the piano). You should never buy a piano unless it has been refurbished, or you intend to pay for some work. Don’t trust a seller who says ‘perfect for beginners’, ‘regularly tuned’ lovlley piece of furniture’ or has a long description of the maker instead of the piano in question.
For upright pianos, I advise you to avoid overdamper actions (OD) and ones which are straight strung (SS). The overdamper action is one where the dampers (the felt pads which mute the strings) are above (or over) the hammers. These actions don’t play well and are noisy compared to an under damper action (dampers under the hammers), even when they are restored and well set up. If you look in the top of the piano you should be able to clearly see all the hammers. If there is a wooden beam above the hammers and a metal cage (sometimes called a birdcage action) walk away. You will never learn to play piano well on such an instrument. See the photos below.
Straight stringing is when the bass strings go straight along the length of the piano instead of crossing over the treble strings. All strings run parallel to each other in straight strung pianos. This can be seen in the image below, left. Most over dampers are straight strung.
Over stringing (sometimes called cross stringing) means the bass strings go at an angle and cross over the tenor strings. The bass strings in over strung pianos are longer and, because they are closer to the tenor and treble strings, they assists in the treble strings vibrating in sympathy, giving a richer tone. More importantly, the bass strings are longer and thus sound richer in themselves. You can see on the image below right, the bass and tenor strings crossing each other in a very pronounced V shape. This can be less clear on a smaller piano, but should still be quite obvious. All pianos now manufactured are over strung.
A Note on Grand Pianos
Grand pianos don’t generally come in over or under damper – the dampers almost always rest on the top of the strings. They do, however come in over strung, and straight strung varieties. A long (at least 6 foot/182cm) straight strung grand piano can sound quite pleasing. The longer the better. However, all manufacturers now make overstrung grand pianos.
A very important thing to consider with a grand piano is the condition of the soundboard and the frame. Certain models of Bechstein can have issues with the frame. Often this is benign, but can be the end of a piano. Steinway (especially older ones) can have design flaws which can increase the cost of maintenance.
There are 2 main types of grand piano action – the roller action and the simplex/D-type action. The former is now standard and will feel better, and have greater repetition. The latter is now not made and was used on cheaper models of piano. Blüthners may have a different type of ‘patent’ action, which can feel really smooth to play, and have just as good repetition as a roller action, but will feel different to other pianos. This is something best left to me to check out, as it requires taking the piano apart and removing the action to check.
Upkeep and Environment
‘Not been tuned in many years’ is something I hear a lot and it makes me worry. This means that it hasn’t been serviced and has been neglected and inevitably needs a lot of work. Ask the seller about the piano’s service history. If they don’t know anything about it, proceed with caution. It also worries me when I on a listing ‘…Ideal for beginners’. This may be translated as ‘not very good’. Paradoxically, a beginner needs the best instrument they can get, as it will give better control, sound better, and help improve good technique – especially when playing quickly and quietly. Such an instrument should never be bought for an intermediate or improving player. A neglected and poorly maintained piano will do nobody any good. If the piano is rubbish it will be uninspiring to play and what’s worse will limit the ability of the pianist to improve. It is always worth spending a bit extra and it will then at least likely keep some resale value.
Check the environment the piano is in. Is the room damp, is it a conservatory (proceed with extreme caution if so), is it next to a radiator? Also ask why the person is selling it. ‘Not played’ may translate to ‘neglected’.
In Conclusion
Find out as much as you can about a piano’s history. Only consider over strung, under dampered upright pianos. Grand pianos may be OK if straight strung and no shorter than 6 foot. Get me to have a look over it. I don’t charge to look at photos, and paying for my time to inspect it in person will ensure you will get a piano to suit your means, and you won’t get a junk piano. I will also be happy to create and send a condition report on the piano for your records. On that, the best advice is to get the biggest, most expensive piano you can afford. The footprint of a small piano is not usually that much smaller than a tall piano.
