Buying a Piano

"Courtesy of the National Piano Manufacturers Association"

The Piano traces its ancestors back to the earliest stringed instruments; the keyboard was added in the 12th century. Since the development of the true "pianoforte" in Italy in the 18th century, the piano has made itself
right at home anywhere music is played. It blends well with other instruments, and it is the ideal solo instrument. 

Learning to play the piano puts you in touch with melody, harmony and rhythm--and with the whole range of human emotions, from Beethoven's Appassionato Sonata to rollicking ragtime. 

Maybe you know all this. Maybe you're ready to buy a piano. How do you go about deciding which is the best one for you? 
First, keep in mind that you will be listening to, and looking at, your piano for a long time. The average lifetime of a piano is about 40 years, and you will probably have it long after you have sold your present furniture, house and car. Pianos depreciate very little. A used piano built 10 years ago and maintained well will cost almost as
much as a comparable new piano. So buy the best piano you can afford. Especially, don't try to economize on a piano for a child who's starting lessons. Making good music on a quality instrument is the best way to keep a young pianist interested. 


Which type Of Piano Is For You?

Almost since the first piano was built, manufacturers have been trying to make it smaller. This has been no easy task, because good tone in a piano requires certain minimums in length of string and size of soundboard. 
First, the size of the original grand piano was cut by the use of stronger frames and an innovative system of cross-stringing, Then, in the late 1800's, the upright or vertical piano was developed, sending the space-consuming bulk of the instrument up along the wall, rather than out across the floor. 

This was so successful that today some larger professional-quality uprights can have equal or better tone quality than many small grands. 

Eventually, even the upright was shortened, and in some cases ingenious scale design compensates in tone for the loss of size. Still, this rule of thumb generally applies: the larger the piano, the better the tone. 

The grand piano ranges in size from five to nine feet (concert grand). It tends to be more responsive and powerful than a vertical piano; a top-quality grand is the best investment if the pianist is aiming for concert performance, or if space and money are unlimited. But if the choice is between a so-so grand and a good vertical, choose the vertical.  These range in size from 36 to 51 inches in height; all of them require the same amount of floor space, about 5 feet by 2 feet. The largest of the verticals is the studio piano -- 44 inches or taller -- a type that is becoming quite popular. Verticals 39 to 42 inches tall are called consoles.  The smallest of the verticals is the spinet, a popular choice because of its small size, from 36 to 39 inches
high. 

Once you've chosen the size piano that's right for your space, aspirations and pocketbook, decide what style piano you want. Verticals have elegant cabinets and are particularly adaptable to styling, but remember that piano styles are slightly more conservative than other kinds of furniture. Look at the music rack and leg design
to determine whether the style will be compatible with your furnishings. A piano cabinet whose design contrasts with your other furniture can be as attractive as one that blends with it. 

While finances surely will figure in deciding what kind of piano you will buy, at least consider a top quality new piano. If you do decide on a rebuilt or used one, exercise all the caution you'd take if you were looking for a used car. Don't buy a used piano for any reason unless you check with a qualified tuner-technician. 
A 250-year-old violin, well made and well maintained, is often a magnificent and valuable musical instrument. A
100-year-old piano, however, may not be so magnificent although if you are willing to pay the price most old piano's can be refurbished. 


Shop Wisely: It's An Investment 

A piano is an extremely complicated mechanism that depends on the proper distribution of tremendous weight, top-quality materials, impeccable craftsmanship, and unflagging care to produce good music. Unlike some musical instruments, the piano has profited greatly in tone and performance as a result of recent
technological improvements, and modern pianos are far superior in many ways to their predecessors. 

In the past, the lumber used in constructing pianos was dried and cured in manually controlled kilns. Sometimes the temperature was ideal, and the lumber was cured properly; sometimes it was not. Today, electronic controls keep the temperature and relative humidity of the lumber kilns at the optimum level at all times, assuring properly cured wood for your piano. 

You should approach buying a new piano with the same care you'd bring to any important investment, especially if you're not familiar with the various manufacturers (there are more than 50 different brand names of new pianos on the market). 
Go to the showrooms of the dealers you've selected Keep in mind that a piano will sound brighter in a large bare showroom, mellower in a small carpeted and draped room. Particularly if you don't play the piano (and even if you do), go armed with a good idea of what goes into making a top-quality piano. Try not to let a salesman's fancy playing distract you from the nuts and bolts you came to inspect. Reputable dealers can be expected to help you select the right piano for your needs, and then stand behind it, but you're best off if you can make an informed choice.

Questions To Ask

When you begin your inspection of a piano, look at the back. there will be five or six vertical posts that serve as stays against the frame, giving added strength to resist the tremendous pull of the strings inside. The posts should be heavy and strong enough to provide adequate support in proportion to the rest of the piano. 

Next, ask about the soundboard, a wooden board at the back that translates the vibrations of the strings into the "tone" of the piano. The soundboard is one of the vital parts of the piano, and is is made of spruce in many top-quality instruments. The fine, straight grain in spruce is ideal for conducting sound. 
The ribs on the back of the soundboard should run from one edge of the soundboard to the other for support.  The plate is an irregularly-shaped piece of cast iron bolted to the back of the frame. It holds one end of the piano strings, and anchors most of the 18 to 20 tons of pull exerted by the taut piano strings. 
The treble and bass bridges are another of the piano's vital organs. These long pieces of hard maple are attached to the soundboard, transferring the vibrations of the string to it.  The treble and bass bridges are another of the piano's vital organs. These long pieces of hard maple are attached to the soundboard, transferring the vibrations of the string to the soundboard. 

When piano dealers refer to the "strung back," they mean the parts just discussed plus the strings, which are made of high-grade steel drawn to exact sizes. The bass strings are wound with wire to add weight and reduce the frequency at which the string vibrates. This allows the use of relatively shorter string to produce deeper
notes.  At the top of the plate, the strings are wound through and around tuning pins. These are set into the pin block, constructed of layers of carefully seasoned hard wood which grips the pins in place for tuning stability. 

The working section of the piano is called the action. There are inbetween 7,500 and 9,000 parts here, all playing a role in sending the hammers against the strings when keys are struck. 
Grand pianos all have horizontal action, and upright pianos have vertical action. There are two kinds of vertical action--"direct-blow," which pushes the mechanism that controls the hammer, found in taller pianos; and "indirect-blow" or "drop" action, which pulls the mechanism in lower silhouette instruments. 

Piano hammers are formed of one or two layers of felt forged onto the wooden hammer molding under tremendous pressure. If a dealer talks to you about a 9-pound hammer as opposed to a 12-pound hammer, he
means the weight of the sheets of felt that were used to make the hammers. 

By the time you see the piano in the showroom, it has been tuned at the factory several times, starting with the "chip" or rough tuning before the mechanism is even locked into the cabinet. The last fine adjustment, called
"voicing," includes the regulation of the hammer felts for individual notes. 

Now, you can take your head out of the inside of the piano, and consider the externals again. 

The piano keys rest in the key bed, a perfectly flat well in the front of the cabinet that keeps the keys level.
Each key is balanced by a center pin, and "bushed" with fine wool for silence and proper clearance. The "ivories" are rarely ivory anymore, but a fine molded plastic that won't crack or turn yellow. The black keys are made of a similar material. 
Most pianos have three pedals, but most pianists need only two. The sustaining, or damper pedal on the right lifts the dampers (which in a resting position prevent the strings from vibrating) away from the strings so that the tone is sustained after the keys are released. 

The pedal on the left, called una corda, mutes the tone by shortening the distance the hammers travel or by shifting the action slightly so fewer strings are hit. Many pianos have a third pedal for sustaining bass tones only, On most grand pianos and some uprights, the third pedal is a sostenuto, which sustains selected tones
at the pianist's discretion. 

Finally, there's the cabinet, that handsome piece of furniture that will take a prominent place in your decor.
Modern cabinets are made of core stock overlaid with thin veneers of fine furniture wood. Many grains and finishes are available and modern finishing techniques assure excellent appearance and easy care for years. 

Dealing With A Dealer

Once you've decided on your piano, inspect the warranty. A reasonable warranty comers a five-to-ten-year period under one owner only. 
It does not cover tuning or action regulation, and may not extend to the finish. Find out if the purchase price includes the bench and delivery. Beware of "special deals;" a real bargain in a new piano is rare. If the dealer offers his own monthly purchase plan, you might want to check with your own bank to see what they can offer.
Make sure the dealer offers the same price to either cash or installment buyers. Also make sure the dealer has  trained technicians on hand for continuing maintenance. 

If you decide you want a piano in the showroom that may not have been tuned, don't hesitate to ask the dealer to do so. Besides tuning, final make-ready before delivery should include thorough cleaning, and regulation of
the action, if necessary. 

Buying A Used Piano

If you decide to buy a used piano from a private party, enlist the aid of a qualified tuner-technician. ie: (The Piano Doctor) There's often a fine line between a "real find" in a used piano and a piece of junk. And that fine line may take the form of
a hairline crack in a vital part of the piano or in some other technical flaw. The tuner-technician is really the only person qualified to tell you whether a used piano is worth buying. 

Some dealers, rebuilders and technicians have good buys in used pianos, but for the most part you'll be looking at pianos in private homes. 

Inspect a used piano at least as rigorously as you would a new one. Try every key with the right-hand pedal depressed to check the tone, and make sure the keyboard, pedals and hammers don't stick or squeak. Bring a flashlight and open the top. Look to see that all the hammers and strings are there and in good condition. Make
sure the hammers aren't moth-eaten and check for rust and dirt. 
Ask who has had the piano; if it was a serious pianist, the instrument probably got care. Write down the brand name and serial number and ask your technician to find out how old it is. 

When you find a likely piano have The Piano Doctor inspect it. If he approves, arrange to have it delivered by a moving firm that specializes in pianos. 

Caring For Your Piano

Once your new piano is in your home, find a place for it where its mechanism won't be exposed to abrupt changes in temperature. Don't put it next to a frequently opened outside door or in front of a picture window, and don't put it near heating ducts or radiators.  A temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit and a 40 percent humidity is ideal for a piano. Talk to a technician about controlling these factors. Climate control devices can be purchased to help the piano with the correct humidity. 

After you move a piano from store to house, or to any new environment, wait a few weeks for it to become acclimated before having it tuned. The first year, tune it four times, with the change of seasons, and have it tuned at least twice a year after that. A piano's continued good performance depends on regular maintenance. 
Ask your dealer for a book of care instructions for your piano. Dust the outside of the piano about once a week with a soft cloth, following the grain of the wood, and clean the keys with a sponge dampened with water or a very mild soap. 

Don't tinker with the inside of the piano; don't use bug sprays or mothballs inside, and don't try to oil it yourself.
Also, don't set drinks or flowers on top of the piano. If liquids spill inside, they can cause metal parts to rust and wood parts to stick. Have the inside cleaned professionally once every three years. 
One of the best things you can do for your piano is play it often. Frequent use will prevent dust from accumulating, and retard rust. And anyway, isn't that why you bought it?