Buying a Second Hand Piano

Buying a Second Hand Piano: Courtney Pianos, the Restoration Experts.

Buying a second hand piano can be a daunting experience. Where do you start?

How do you know what to look for?
How do you assess the condition of the piano?
What make or brand should you buy?

Courtney Piano’s is here to help take the pain of buying a second-hand piano away from the customer. We buy second-hand pianos and give them a full health check, taking care of any problems, before we offer them for resale or rent. This means anyone purchasing a second-hand instrument from us can do so with confidence.

If you are looking independently then here’s a really quick guide to help you with your purchase.

Second hand Pianos have history

Does the seller know where the piano came from? How old is it? When was it last tuned? Does it have a serial number (this will allow you to at least establish its age)?

The answers to those questions may help you work out how well it has been looked after; excessive wear and tear on a relatively new instrument could indicate that it has been poorly maintained.

Piano Keyboard

Look at the colour of the keys – are they grimey and discoloured? If so it could be a sign that the piano is old and/or has seen a lot of use.

Are the keys well bedded and level or do some look uneven?

Try playing the instrument; how does it sound? Do all the keys depress and return smoothly? Do any stick? Does one, or more, section of keys sound out of tune compared to the rest?

If you spot any issues it could be a sign of major problems – do you really want to take a risk that you may need to spend a lot of money in repairs/restoration further down the road?

The Casing and Interior

Check for signs of wear and tear on the casing and interior; of course, you would expect to see signs of usage, but does it seem excessive? Are there signs of damage, cracks, splits etc?

What about the interior? Does everything appear to be present and correct?

This may sound odd – but is there a smell…musty, damp, or just generally smelly…this could mean the piano hasn’t been kept in a particularly good environment.

Can you see the soundboard? (You’ll need a torch!) for upright pianos. Can you see any damage on the iron frame or cracks/damage to the wooden soundboard?

Buy a used piano with confidence..

Following these simple steps should hopefully ensure you end up with a piano that will give you years of pleasure…wherever you buy it from.

But, if you buy from Courtney you can be absolutely sure that we have already done all of those checks for you! So whether you are in the market for a second hand Bechstein Grand Piano or a Marshall and Rose upright, be sure to check with us before trawling the internet.