Piano Buying Advice
Get in touch with the specialists today!
Having Moved Pianos for Decades, We Know a Thing or Two About Them!
A piano is a fantastic, fulfilling instrument to learn, with broad appeal. Whether you enjoy classical pieces or something more modern, the piano fits into a number of genres and styles. But what is the right piano for you?
In our years of moving pianos across Bournemouth and throughout the UK, Astra Piano Removals has handled a wide range of styles, vintages and designs, and can offer expert advice on what type is the right one for you.
What Should I Consider?
- Size – One of the big factors (no pun intended) is how big the piano is. As nice as it might be, there’s no point if it takes up far too much space.
- A guide to Piano weights and sizes- A small piano can weigh more than a large one, some have two iron frames. when measuring alcoves always allow for overhangs on the piano and skirting etc on walls.
- Budget – There are pianos to suit all budgets, and fancier styles can run into the thousands. You may also want to consider used examples.
- Your time investment – Will this piano form the basis of a teaching career? Will it be an occasional hobby? Consider how often you will be using it, and what for, as this can affect your choice.
- How easy is it to play? – How it looks is just one factor. If you are a beginner, you need a piano that’s easy to get used to.
- Straight-strung vs over-strung – This is just a description of the configuration of a piano and many people use them without actually knowing what they mean and how the configuration affects the playing and sound of a second-hand piano. The modern configuration of an upright piano is overstrung (the strings form an X shape when you look at them) and underdamped (you can see the hammers when you look in the top of the piano and the dampers touch the strings below where the hammers strike) This configuration has two advantages – by crossing the bass strings over the treble strings you get longer bass strings and therefore a purer tone (short bass strings sound ‘tubby’ or dull), and by having the dampers under the hammers you get a more efficient cut-off of the sound when they fall back onto the strings.Older pianos can also have this configuration, or they can be overstrung and overdamped. If you are buying your first piano for a learner then don’t let the configuration put you off an instrument that you like – remember that the older pianos were state-of-the-art when they were built and in some cases cost more than the house they were put into!
- Ease of tuning and maintenance – How easy will your purchase be to look after?
- Make and model – Much like a car or electric goods, some names are more popular due to their quality or reliability. Research your chosen brand to see what others have to say.
We always recommend trying before you buy where possible, so you can get a feel for the piano.