Piano Buying Guide

Buy from a Private Seller or a Dealer?
One option is risky, while the other is safe.

Buy Old, New, or Nearly New?
There are no guarantees with private purchases.

Should You Take a Free Piano?
It’s almost never a good idea.

Buying Privately
Purchasing a piano from a private seller comes with significant risks. There are numerous potential issues with used pianos, even those that are relatively new.

Buying from a Dealer
Buying from a dealer involves very little risk, especially if they offer a good warranty with the purchase.

Private Risks
Pianos have up to 12,000 moving parts and are primarily made of wood, which makes them susceptible to various problems. Previous owners may have exposed the piano to direct sunlight, heating sources, or underfloor heating without protection. Such mistakes can cause the wood to shrink, create splits, and render the piano unusable. In some cases, this can happen in as little as three months. We once encountered a piano that reached 46°C in the shade due to direct sunlight! It could no longer hold its tuning and was unplayable.

Often, we hear sellers say, “The piano just needs a tuning.” In our experience, this usually means the piano requires much more than just one tuning and needs extensive repairs, which can easily cost around £1,500. At that point, you could buy one of our most affordable pianos, which includes delivery and a warranty!

Even with a more expensive used piano, there’s no guarantee of safety.

Old, New, or Nearly New
Both old and nearly new pianos can have the same faults mentioned earlier. However, buying from a dealer provides the assurance of completed repairs and a warranty. New pianos may offer peace of mind, but they often lack value for money.

Purchasing a nearly new or restored piano represents the best value. You can buy an upright piano with a good height that provides better sound quality due to a larger soundboard, which creates a better crown shape.

Upright or Grand Piano?
If you have the space, always choose a grand piano! The upright piano was designed after the grand piano and is essentially a compromise in touch and sound, primarily intended as a space saver. Uprights have sound enclosed in a full case and are often placed against a wall, which impedes sound waves from fully reverberating into the room. Additionally, the touch on uprights is not as refined as that of a grand piano, which relies on springs for its vertical design.

Grand pianos have their action placed horizontally, benefiting from gravity as well as springs, resulting in a far superior playing experience. The sound quality is also much better, as the grand piano soundboard is exposed underneath the piano, allowing sound waves to freely resonate in the room. The sound waves will also be released form above when playing a grand piano, as to use the music desk the front half top needs to be folded back, partially exposing the strings and further enhancing sound release.

Free Pianos
Generally, it’s best to avoid taking free pianos. You’ll incur moving fees of around £400, plus a potential £100 call-out fee for a failed tuning visit, and another £300 to £450 for the disposal of a piano that cannot be tuned. This adds up to a total of up to £1,000 for a disappointing experience. Many dealers, including us, offer pianos with warranties for not much more than £1,000, making the choice between private and dealer a clear decision.