Assuming that the basic structure such as pinblock, soundboard, and bridges are sound, you could spend perhaps about $2500 to $2800 for partial rebuilding and have the piano restrung, have new hammers, damper felt, and bridle tapes put on the action, and have the keys rebushed. As it stands the piano is probably worth between $0 and $500 and all components have considerable wear. I bought it at the Salvation Army for fifty dollars.Should I spend more and get it restored? Thanks! The following is from a discussion on our Piano Forums …įrom reading other posts I take it that it is not worth the money or time to restore an old upright. And even this is sometimes not possible due to the lack of available replacement parts. Restoring these many parts to their original condition is a major undertaking for a skilled piano technician, requiring many, many hours of labor. The piano is a complicated mechanical marvel involving thousands of moving parts, all of which are subject to wear and deterioration. While restoring a fine piece of furniture usually involves a craftsman restoring the finish, this would only be the starting point with a piano. Unlike say, a Chippendale writing desk or Tiffany lamp, an old piano is usually just that, an old piano.
Piano World is often asked if a piano is valuable because it is an “antique”.
HOW MUCH DOES AN AEOLIAN PLAYER PIANO WEIGH HOW TO
The latest supplement to the pianist’s must-have reference The Piano Book, this comprehensive guide provides list prices for more than 4,000 currently manufactured acoustic and digital piano brands and models, as well as advice on how to estimate actual street prices to help negotiate the lowest possible price. This list was compiled in 1986 for the first edition and has not been updated, however it should still be a good general guide.įor a more comprehensive up-to-date list of prices of current pianos, check out Product Description
The pianos were said to be in salable condition, and, unless otherwise noted, were for sale by a private owner, were not rebuilt, and were not Steinways. Twenty-five technicians returned a questionnaire in which they listed the average low and average high selling prices (not asking prices) in their area for the pianos described here. Fine from his contacts around the country. The list on the next page shows the approximate selling prices of various ages, makes, and types of piano, gathered by Mr. Even where the seller knows the informed value of the instrument, the asking price is usually set high in the expectation of bargaining, and you can generally expect to agree at a price of from 10 to 30 percent less. If the piano needs considerable repair, encourage the technician to tell you this in front of the seller, as it will better your bargaining position. In most private transactions, the seller hasn’t the foggiest notion of what the piano is worth, and the asking price is vastly over-inflated, often based on such considerations as that “Uncle Joe liked this piano, and he played all his life, so it must be a fine instrument.” In these cases, there’s plenty of room for negotiating. Unfortunately, the ignorant value is more often than not what the piano actually sells for. For every piano, there is what I would call an “informed value” and an “ignorant value.” The informed value takes into account the technical quality and condition of the piano, whereas the ignorant value does not, being based primarily on how the piano case looks (if even that). Piano prices vary greatly depending on the locale and the particular situation.The value of a piano also depends very much on how knowledgeable the seller and potential buyers are. Ultimately, something is worth only as much as someone will pay for it. Much of the information here is from The Piano Book by Larry Fineįor a great source of additional information check out our Piano Forums today! To help you determine the value of your piano. While the main points are still valid some of the prices will have changed.
Please note, this article was written back in 2009. Helping You Determine the Value of A Piano
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