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I have a 3yo girl and 5yo boy starting to learn the piano. (The piano teacher says the girl is more proficient :001_smile: .) On Craigslist some people offer to give away old pianos to someone who will move it. I know nothing about the piano. What should I look for in these ads?

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Great book. Should answer your questions!

 

FWIW, We used a keyboard that had fully weighted keys for 4 years before buying our piano (could not afford one until then.) That worked great. Keyboard allowed us to record them playing and play back so they could hear what they were doing wrong...great feature for a beginnner! For a keyboard, you really want fully weighted keys so it approximates the feel of a piano.

 

We are in our 6th year of piano now and my boys play beautifully. Fun to hear it in my house!

 

HTH

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I have a 3yo girl and 5yo boy starting to learn the piano. (The piano teacher says the girl is more proficient :001_smile: .) On Craigslist some people offer to give away old pianos to someone who will move it. I know nothing about the piano. What should I look for in these ads?

 

 

I'm assuming you're talking about a standard piano and not an electronic keyboard. When you go to look at it, check the keys and make sure that none of them are stuck (if they are out of tune, you can get that fixed, and if you move the piano, you'll need to get it re-tuned). Also, check that the pedals work properly, and that the legs of the piano are sturdy. There may be some cosmetic damage on the wood somewhere, but it won't affect the playability of the piano, it just adds character :) Good luck in your search!

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I have a 3yo girl and 5yo boy starting to learn the piano. (The piano teacher says the girl is more proficient :001_smile: .) On Craigslist some people offer to give away old pianos to someone who will move it. I know nothing about the piano. What should I look for in these ads?

 

because if it does it cannot be tuned to concert pitch. DO your homework about the brands available. There is a book, I think, called The Piano Book which can help you to know what to look for. Also do an online search. A few years ago I found a great site that ranked pianos according to how they are built and how long they will last. I wish I had bookmarked it.

 

Back when I was looking I knew all there is to know about pianos, but now I can't remember much. I do remember though that many piano makers that used to be considered quality pianos were bought out by foreign companies (mostly Japanese). The pianos they produce are no longer a quality product, but the general public thinks they are because of the name. Baldwin is one that comes to mind.

 

We ended up with a mid range (in terms of quality) piano that is made in the US by a small family company. I found it second hand and we would never have been able to afford it new. If you decide to buy a piano know that at a piano retailer you can haggle (even on used pianos, which many will carry)--just like when you buy a car.

 

If you decide to try to get one free on Craig's list try to find a friend or relative who knows a little bit about pianos to take with you. Maybe the piano teacher would be willing to do it? If you can't take someone with you, then do all the researching you can before you agree to take someone piano--just to be sure you don't take on someone's problem. Even if you don't know how to play, be sure to try all the keys to make sure none stick and also to give you an idea of the sound. Pianos vary in quality of sound.

 

One last thing. A piano can be damaged if it is not moved correctly. If you can afford it hire someone to move it. My neighbor paid about $100 to have hers moved.

 

Hope this helps. Happy piano hunting.

 

Shannon

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It will cost more, but check used pianos through stores. Like cars, musical instruments are often traded in for a more advanced model. They'll have a technician and tuner on staff, and be able to move the piano without harm to it. You might pay $500 vs $100 through craigslist for an old, not very attractive piece of furniture, but you're assured a good instrument.

 

And if you want to pay more, if you're in a college town, watch the ads. Most colleges/universities get pianos on a low-cost lease for a set period (I think it may even only be 1 year), and the music store then sells them at a pretty heavy discount over new at the end of the year. Since they were used only in the college environment, and in practice rooms/studios which are locked when not in use, they still look new, have been regularly tuned, and are well maintained.

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I hate to say it - but I would only go through Craigslist as a last resort for a piano....

There are some great used pianos out there that were traded in to music stores. They will sell them for a very reasonable price, gaurantee that they can be tuned, and will even deliver them to your house. Many times, they have already had them re-strung.

We love our Kawai baby grand, but they also have excellent uprights (from Japan and not the other factories...). Good pianos that last for generations with proper care. Kawai makes an upright called Boston - these are great as well.

Baldwins are a solid choice, and play well. I had a spinet that sounded lovely.

Yamaha - wonderful. My aunt's favorite.

Walters - wonderful. These are the ones my high school used - Solid choice.

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I agree that I would avoid most of the Craigslist piano ads. If you do find one that you are very interested in, I would highly suggest paying a piano tech. to take a look at it before you decide on it. A little bit of money upfront can save you a lot of money and headaches in the long run.

 

We went through the used piano purchase decision a year ago. The Piano Book is an excellent resource that will help you better understand the piano market. I also spent some time on the piano world forums leading up to our purchase. We ended up purchasing a used and refurbished gray market Kawai from a local piano tech who also runs a small used piano business. We ended up with a remarkable piano for a very reasonable price.

 

Good luck with your decision, and may your house be filled with joyous music for years to come!

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I guess we lucked out. We bought a Lindeman upright piano, sight unseen, for $50. Lindeman stopped making pianos in 1950, so it's at least 60 years old. My dad saw it at a house that was about to auctioned, asked if it was for sale, since he knew I was looking, and called me. He had no idea what to look for, nor do I, but I asked if it "looked OK?":001_smile:. He just told me it was painted dark green and it looked OK to him. "Buy it."

 

It has served us very well. Our piano tuner told us we got a steal. I would LOVE to strip it and get rid of the dark green (it could be worse) paint, but I'm afraid!

 

The site I linked above may help with piano names you find on Craig's List. Our piano tuner said there are very few pianos priced under $100 that she would walk away from. MOST can be tuned and used for children that may/may not develop an interest in the instrument.

Edited by sparrow
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