The piano is quite possibly one of the most fun-to-play, beautiful sounding, and popular instruments out there. Many lucky children are taught to play the piano at a young age and continue to play throughout their lives. In cases where they’re not taught as children, at some point or another many people decide that they will learn to play the piano on their own–maybe later in life–and they begin either to take lessons or to teach themselves to play.
If you’ve been playing for a while and are ready to take the next step toward becoming a piano player, you may be ready to–yes, that’s right–buy a piano. This helpful guide to buying a piano will, of course, give you a few things to consider before you do. So read and play on, my friends, and consider the following before making the big purchase:
Cost & Type
Before purchasing a piano, the most obvious thing you need to decide is how much you’re willing to spend. Pianos typically range in price from around $1,000 to over $50,000. There are, of course, different kinds of pianos that come at different prices. For $1,000 you can get a decent digital piano; for a bit more, you can get an upright piano. For even more (starting at around $6,000) you can get a used grand piano. If you’re one of the lucky few who can afford to spend $50,000 then sure, spring for the brand-new grand piano. Otherwise, used pianos are most definitely the way to go. Look through the newspaper, ask friends…yard sales, even, will sometimes have pianos for sale. Make sure you do your research or bring a friend who knows about pianos with you, so that you can make sure the piano is in quality condition before you buy it.
One last thing: Consider also the cost of learning to play. If you’re planning on taking lessons, for instance, factor this into your budget before overspending on that $50,000 grand piano.
Brand
The next thing you want to consider is the brand of the piano you’re going to buy. Here are some of the more popular ones:
Steinway – Steinways are probably some of the most popular pianos: elegant, classy, and…well, expensive. Of course if you do happen to have the opportunity to buy a Steinway piano, don’t hesitate.
Baldwin – Beautiful, high-quality pianos. My personal favorite.
Schimmel – A German company which makes wonderful, high-quality pianos. Plus, their slogan is “Your keys to happiness,” which is sort of hard not to love.
Boesendorfer – Known for their grand pianos and uprights, Bosendorfer is well-known for making some of the best Viennese pianos out there.
Mason and Hamlin – A well-respected company founded in 1854 and known for their detailed, quality pianos.
Their are other brands, of course, but going with any of the above would not be a mistake.
Questions
Lastly, make sure you ask a ton of questions to whomever you’re buying the piano from – they also might know a good piano teacher. Ask about warranties and repair. Ask how much it would cost to have it delivered and whether that is included in the piano price. Ask how long they’ve had the piano, about its durability, and its sound.
If you already own a piano or a keyboard, you may want to consider some online piano lessons.
You’ll need to be familiar with the different parts of the piano to be able to ask some of these questions, so make sure you stay tuned for our guide to the parts of the piano. Happy playing and enjoy your hobbies!
