Charles Walter and Sons make a very high quality console. There is also a nice subcategory in this price range. I can’t recommend any piano older than 1975.
At the low end of the price range you find older pianos. These are the instruments that you find in the practice rooms of universities and music schools. The best pianos to get in this price range are Yamaha and Kawai 48 in. $3,500.00- $4,500.00: This is a realistic price range at which you can find a piano that an advanced student can use to grow his pianistic abilities. You should be looking at pianos no older than the mid-1970s for Yamaha, and no older than the mid-1980s for the others.Ħ. Yamaha would be the best in this category. The best examples of pianos in this price range are Yamaha, Kawai, Young Chang, Sammick, and Sohmer. At this price point you should be able to find a console or studio upright that has a good musical sound, and a solid touch to the action. Under $3,000.00: Now you are getting to the point where you can expect to get a decent musical instrument. At this price point you would expect the piano to be at least thirty years old.ĥ. Under $2,000.00: Same as above, but with a more attractive cabinet. Rule #1: If your budget is lower than $7,500.00 do not even look at grand pianos.Ĥ. The piano will almost certainly be at least forty years old. However, it would be unrealistic to expect a great sounding, musically inspiring piano. At this price point you should expect that the piano plays properly and holds a tuning.
This means the piano has been cleaned inside and out, and the action has been given a once over to make sure the piano will play reliably. The dealer is likely to have taken the piano in on trade. Under $1,500.00: For this price you can, with luck, find a reconditioned spinet or console from a dealer. Under $1,000.00: Same as above, but taking twice the financial risk.ģ. If you do not you may find yourself in the unenviable situation of having to pay to have the piano junked.Ģ. Do yourself a huge favor and have the piano checked by a qualified piano technician before you pay for it, or have it moved to your house. You will need some luck to find anything usable. Under $500.00: You will have to do your own research. Here is a detailed explanation what you can expect at the different price points.ġ. Still, the rule of thumb is to buy the best that you can afford since quite often a piano purchase is once in a lifetime purchase.The first step in buying a used piano is determining your budget. If you can afford it a fine European or American made piano is a great choice and is prestigious to own but isn't necessary for most people to enjoy the piano. This is not because the quality has improved (the quality is already high) but because of the euro has gained so much strength against the dollar. On the other hand, the prices of European pianos have gone up significantly in just last few years. The quality usually does not compare to the best pianos made in America or Europe, but they have improved a lot in the last few years. The least expensive come from Asia and usually from China specifically. It is usually best to get the largest piano that you can afford and can accommodate in the room in which it will be placed.Ī word about the baby grand piano prices is appropriate here. However, many times a baby grand is appropriate due to budget constraints or space limitations. If you want better sound you should purchase a piano larger than the baby grand. With craftsmanship being equal, a larger piano will sound better than a smaller one. The reason being that a larger piano will have a longer strings and a bigger soundboard. In the world of pianos bigger is usually considered better. One model is over $90,000 depending on the value of the euro versus the dollar. An example of a high end baby grand made in Europe is the 5’ 3” Sauter piano. Baby grand piano prices can vary from under $10,000 for a less expensive Asian made piano to close to $100,000 for a baby grand piano made in Europe. You can see that there can be as much as a 9” difference in what is considered a baby grand. However, some Asian made pianos are as short as 4’7”.
Baby grand pianos are usually considered to be about 5’ to 5’4” in length. Baby grand is not a technical term describing a specific length of a piano. The price range is very much determined by the size and quality of the piano. Baby grand piano prices can have a large range.