Piano advice schimmell

General discussion about piano makes, problems with pianos, or just seeking advice.

Moderators: Feg, Gill the Piano, Melodytune

Post Reply
midge1512
New Member
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: 09 Aug 2008, 22:32

Piano advice schimmell

Post by midge1512 »

Hi, everyone i'm new on here and looking for advice on a piano that i own. All i know is that it's about 20 years old and is a schimmel braunschweij but there is no model on it just a serial number. I have hardly ever played it and it is now in storage me and my partner have come to the decision to sell it so i am trying to find out as much as i can.

So please if anyone can give me some advice on where to get information i would be very grateful.
joseph
Senior Poster
Senior Poster
Posts: 740
Joined: 08 Apr 2008, 23:34
Location: Norwich

Post by joseph »

schimmell are a very well made german piano that command high prices when new. They're not so easy to sell 2nd hand because it is a bit of an unkown name when compared to yamaha and steinway etc.

I think you need to get the piano evaluated by an independent tuner/technician because without seeing the piano its impossible to say what you'd get for it. Bear in mind that from a shop you can buy a reconditioned yamaha u1 for about 2800, so you'll probably get less than that in a private sale. Could be wrong though, good luck!
midge1512
New Member
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: 09 Aug 2008, 22:32

Post by midge1512 »

Thanks for the advice i am just finding thigs very difficult as I am in Southampton and my piano is in Wales as that is where my parents lived before they moved to Spain with it being in storage it's difficult for me to let anyone view it so i was thinking of selling it to a piano shop not far from the storage place they have said with out seeing it they think it's worth approx £1500-£2000.
genaa
Persistent Poster
Persistent Poster
Posts: 155
Joined: 23 Nov 2006, 01:12
Location: Winchester

Post by genaa »

the schimmel website has details of piano age by serial number I believe - you can probably contact them to get further details on exactly what you have as well - that should help you with valuations etc.

Good luck - sounds like a very nice piano :)
midge1512
New Member
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: 09 Aug 2008, 22:32

Post by midge1512 »

I have been on their site and phoned a schimmel dealer in the UK they weren't very helpful at all. I am today email schimmel direct so hopefully they will be able to tell me a bit more. I was very lucky with this piano as the lady who taught me brought it then got artheritis in her hands and was unable to play, and when she died she left it to me in her will i feel awful selling it but i just don't have room for it and we will probably be in our house for at least another 10 years so it seems a waste to have it in storage all that time.
PianoGuy
Executive Poster
Executive Poster
Posts: 1689
Joined: 21 May 2005, 18:29

Post by PianoGuy »

midge1512 wrote: i was thinking of selling it to a piano shop not far from the storage place they have said with out seeing it they think it's worth approx £1500-£2000.
In my experience. Schimmel dealers all seem a bit unhelpful if you want to sell one back, but are keen to sell you one in the first place. Schimmel are decent pianos and worth considering if you're in the market, but residual values are well dodgy.

Sounds like a brave offer if it's 2K cash up front and not a commission sale. I'd take it.
midge1512
New Member
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: 09 Aug 2008, 22:32

Post by midge1512 »

I may be a bit slow or thick not sure which :lol: but what does residual values mean?? I think 2k is quite good would have like 2.5k though i'm hoping he is going to phone me back this week! I also have a stool that goes with it so it's all set for someone to play! I loved playing it espically when you take the bottom off and have the lid up it sounded great just a shame i don't have the room for it anymore!
genaa
Persistent Poster
Persistent Poster
Posts: 155
Joined: 23 Nov 2006, 01:12
Location: Winchester

Post by genaa »

what height instrument is it Midge?
midge1512
New Member
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: 09 Aug 2008, 22:32

Post by midge1512 »

I think it is 124cm but I would have to contact the Storage place and get them to measure it for me, it's so frustrating being so far away from it and like I have said my piano teacher left it to me and never really told me much about it beofre she died. What difference does the height make I know one of the questions that Shergold's in Manchester asked me was the height and also did it have legs supporting the keyboard which it does but I really don't know much about pianos apart from how to play them. After we got it I had (or my parents had) a piano valuation done on it and he said it hadn't even been broken in properly and was a lovely instrument and it's insurace value was 6.5k but I know that is different to resale value and it was about 15 years ago :lol:
genaa
Persistent Poster
Persistent Poster
Posts: 155
Joined: 23 Nov 2006, 01:12
Location: Winchester

Post by genaa »

whilst not universally true, the bigger the instrument, the better the quality and generally the more expensive - this is due to taller instruments typically having larger soundboards and longer strings. Studio legs supporting the keyboard are also typically found on better quality instruments.

Sounds like a very nice piano indeed :)
tuna
Regular Poster
Regular Poster
Posts: 88
Joined: 24 Jun 2005, 00:16

Post by tuna »

The serial number should be around the back of the piano, at the treble end, usually on a gold sticker towards the bottom of the piano. Hope this helps?
PianoGuy
Executive Poster
Executive Poster
Posts: 1689
Joined: 21 May 2005, 18:29

Post by PianoGuy »

tuna wrote:The serial number should be around the back of the piano, at the treble end, usually on a gold sticker towards the bottom of the piano. Hope this helps?
Schimmel numbers are indeed on a gold paper sticker but are on the overstringing casting on the frame (the V-shaped bit between the banks of strings) and are arranged in groups of three digits separated by a point, eg: 123.123
Post Reply