Things to consider when buying an used or second hand piano

Whether you are looking for an used or secondhand upright or a grand piano the basic rules remain the same when choosing the right instrument. One must consider, both the size and the cost of the instrument to fit ones budget and the room where you wish to house the piano.

Generally, a larger piano with longer strings will create a much better depth of sound. Smaller instruments upright and baby grand Pianos will produce a lesser quality of sound, due to the speaking length of the strings.

An older instrument may not have this stringing arrangement, and are generally known as straightstrung Bass section, which means that the strings run parallel to each other which lesser the length of the Bass strings offering a far less quality and depth of sound. Modern upright pianos are underdamped which means that the dampers are located beneath the hammer head, this setup is much more effective than overdamped Pianos.

If you find an instrument that you like, we suggest that you look over the piano externally, play it and then look inside. The following points should help you decide whether an instrument is worth buying.

• Check the casework and appearance of the piano for damage, dose the colour of the piano suits your home.
• Check each key to see if they are level and evenly spaced.
• Play each key rapidly, to see if they are responding well and not sticking.
• Check to see if the sound of the piano is Similar across the whole keyboard. Did any notes stand out louder/softer than others.
• Check the piano for any buzzing, squeaks, of knocking sounds.
• Check each peddle to see if they are working, without making unwanted noises
• Always make sure to look inside the piano.
• Check to see if the action looks intact without missing parts.
• Check for any damage to both the action and strings, look along the line of strings to see if there are any missing or broken.

At Shackleford  Pianos we have a big offer of used and second had restored pianos to choose...