Advice re first piano purchase

[goldenmum]

Hi,
I am looking to buy a piano for my daughter who wants to move onto piano from keyboard .
We have a budget of £1500 - £1800 and would preferably like a modern black piano that she will enjoy playing and get her through her grades.
I know nothing about pianos and would like some advice about where to start .
I have phoned dealers locally ( Derbyshire ) who don't seem to have anything in our price range and are keen to sell us a more expensive (around £2000) new piano . Will we get better value for money secondhand or be better with a new piano ?
Any advice would be appreciated
Thank you

[Gill the Piano]

A decent secondhand piano of about £1500 - 1800 would certainly get her to grade 6 or so, by which time you'd know whether she were serious or not. And get the colur out of your head if you can - it's like looking for a good secondhand RED car... Go by make, model or sound that you like. If it's black, then that's a bonus!

[joe]

The budget is sufficient to get a decent piano new in the colour you want new Geogre Steck 109 model in that price bracket,better to buy new than taking a chance on a used piano,if looking for genuine, impartial advice give Peter Smith & Sons a ring on 0141 887 6160 they offer 5 year warranties and a nationwide delivery service or visit www.petersmithpianos.co.uk.

[mdw]

That was subtle

[PianoGuy]

That was subtle

Subtle as a falling Bösendorfer.

And a splendid idea for a dealer up in Scotland to supply to Derbyshire. Just a short nip down the M6 to sort out that sticking key.

Service?
A pleasure Madam.

[Bob Pierce]

Mmmmmmm, I thought Smith's sold discounted Yamahas. I would check the local Yellow pages and support a local dealer, as PG suggests no dealer on the internet will provide the same service as a local one. As for a piano, you can get a good s/h one within your budget but if you buy from a private seller employ a tuner to inspect it. Good luck.

[Descombes]

Hi,
I am looking to buy a piano for my daughter who wants to move onto piano from keyboard .
We have a budget of £1500 - £1800 and would preferably like a modern black piano that she will enjoy playing and get her through her grades.

I agree with Gill: the colour is the least important aspect of the purchase.

Having said that, I've always done anything to avoid having a black piano. A nice shiny black Steinway looks great on the stage of the Wigmore Hall, but I think that black looks out of place in most homes. Perhaps it fits in with goldenmum's décor, though.

Personally, nothing beats my lovely Rosewood piano!

[PianoGuy]

Black is at least neutral, modern and does not attempt to match other furniture, so I always think it's a good option.

[joe]

Black shiny pianos sell,the trick is to match the colour,quality and price,at a budget the customer can afford.Sticky notes comes with the territory but fully prepped before dispatch and selling the right quality at the proper price never a problem.Discounted Yamaha only part of piano trade widen your horizons and come and join the club of having a customer 100% satisfaction factor.Are we not here to promote piano sales/wholesales or just to bitch cos the trade not as busy as before.

[Gill the Piano]

Black is at least neutral, modern and does not attempt to match other furniture, so I always think it's a good option.

Bugger for attracting dust, though! The upside being at least you know where to put the ornaments back when you've finished tuning it...

Goldenmum, I think you'll get a very good secondhand piano for the price of an indifferent new one. But DO get the advice of an independent tuner/tech when buying new.

[Openwood]

Yeah, I think I would definitely go for rosewood or another wood shade next time. It's not that I don't like black, but the polyester finish used on just about every piano these days is rubbish. It scratches easily and even if you polish it lovingly with proper piano polish you still get whirl marks all over the bloody thing. But the worst thing is the fingerprints - every last one shows up. For that reason alone I'm never buying another black piano.

And then there's the dust. Oh God, the dust. When you polish dust off black polyester every grain leaves behind its own little scratch on the polyester. I've resorted to covering my C3 with a light coloured sofa throw. It looks crap but at least you can't see the dust. I tell you, you have NO idea how had my life is.

AND ANOTHER THING: why can't manufacturers lacquer their fallboard decals so they don't discolour into stale-urine brown over time?

Everything is rubbish.

[PianoGuy]

Discounted Yamaha only part of piano trade widen your horizons and come and join the club of having a customer 100% satisfaction factor.Are we not here to promote piano sales/wholesales or just to bitch cos the trade not as busy as before.

I don't sell Yamaha, nor anything else and am just as busy as before, thanks. Yes, we're here in part to promote the piano trade, but also to inform forum members with the best advice.

That advice is where possible to advise on makes and models, and get the client to try a few pianos for him or herself, not buy blind over the net from a dealer three quarters the length of the British Isles away, no matter what their reputation.

[goldenmum]

Black is at least neutral, modern and does not attempt to match other furniture, so I always think it's a good option.

Sorry I know the look shouldn't be important bought my lounge is contemporary

[PianoGuy]

Black is at least neutral, modern and does not attempt to match other furniture, so I always think it's a good option.

Sorry I know the look shouldn't be important bought my lounge is contemporary

It's going to be your piano, you have to live with it, so it's important!

[goldenmum]

Don't mind the dust I'll be able to leave messages for my daughter

[Gill the Piano]

Don't mind the dust I'll be able to leave messages for my daughter

Yes; 'DO YOUR PRACTICE: I PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THIS PIANO!'

[goldenmum]

Don't mind the dust I'll be able to leave messages for my daughter

Yes; 'DO YOUR PRACTICE: I PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THIS PIANO!'

I like that

[mdw]

For polyester use a Nenette duster. Got mine years ago from Dyas. The dirtier it gets the better it works and it picks up the dust rather than swirls it about to drop back on the piano as soon as youve left the room.

One good point for black polyester is it about the only finish where a totaly invisible repair is easy to do. Any damage to a clear finish veneer and its a bugger to sort properly.

[goldenmum]

Many thanks , does anyone know of a good dust harbouring piano with a nice tone not a million miles from Derbyshire

[joe]

Pay your train fare if you got the time superb little joanna for the money,free delivery etc or if too far to travel can bring the instrument to your home to try?.The art of selling is to please the customer where every they may live,everybody wants black pianos its the modern way.

[goldenmum]

That was subtle

And a splendid idea for a dealer up in Scotland to supply to Derbyshire. Just a short nip down the M6 to sort out that sticking key.

I would really like to buy secondhand and as local as possible so could get a tuner to have a look it
Many Thanks
Goldenmum

[chrisvenables]

the polyester finish used on just about every piano these days is rubbish. It scratches easily and even if you polish it lovingly with proper piano polish you still get whirl marks all over the bloody thing. But the worst thing is the fingerprints - every last one shows up. For that reason alone I'm never buying another black piano.

And then there's the dust. Oh God, the dust. When you polish dust off black polyester every grain leaves behind its own little scratch on the polyester. I've resorted to covering my C3 with a light coloured sofa throw. It looks crap but at least you can't see the dust. I tell you, you have NO idea how had my life is.

AND ANOTHER THING: why can't manufacturers lacquer their fallboard decals so they don't discolour into stale-urine brown over time?

Life's not that bad Openwood.

Neither is the polyester finish - it's as good (or bad) as it's always been.

Polyester is rock hard, waterproof, only scratches when there is grit on a cloth, or a sharp object such as the 'open' side of sheet music staples. It only chips (maybe) if it is hit by a hard object, or cracks if the wood is unstable under the polish or it is brought from a sub zero temperature (say when being delivered in winter on a lorry) into a roasting hot house.

Cleaning/dusting: Use a brand new lint free glass cleaning cloth and a spray bottle of Windolene. Spray a mist into the air and waft the cloth through the mist - that's all the moisture you need on the cloth, otherwise it leaves streaks on the surface. The moisture lifts up the dust and lubricates the surface. NEVER use any wax, or polish, such as Mr Sheen as it just sits on the surface and over time developes a streaky film which is difficult to remove.
Use the cloth for nothing but the piano and always check it for grit before use.

Tarnished name on fallboard: Some manufacturers polyester over the top - the problem with that (eg if you've seen a 70's Zimmermann you'll know the result) is that if the brass reacts with the polyester and tarnishes, you'd have to cut back the poly to the brass name and repoly. With the brass name level with the poly, yes it will tarnish, but if it's polished once a month it will stay 'as new' You can use a spot of Brasso if it's badly tarnished.

[goldenmum]

Oh dear folks I'm still none the wiser at what I'm looking for
It's piano lessons tonight and "Miss" is going to be picking up on my daughters keyboard fingers

[Gill the Piano]

'Miss' will probably be deeply grateful that you're going to buy a proper instrument and will definitely understand that it isn't something you rush into! She may even know of a pupil who's selling a piano - don't forget the power of word of mouth!

[jackg]

I would go through the piano tuners in your local yellow pages to see what they know.
If a customer wants to sell a piano, they often mention it to their tuner.
The tuner will have contacts in the trade as well.

Get all the details of any piano offered (make, serial, age, height and any work done) and get a second tuner to inspect and value anything you have a look at, cost £50.
If you tell the 2nd tuner the details of the piano prior to inspection s/he will tell you if its likely to be any good.

Put a post card in shop windows.

The summer is a poor time to sell pianos, winter is better, so prices may be better now.
Small ads sometimes come good, but you need to know your brands, as do auctions.

Pianos wear with use.

Just to add, Phil Taylor is in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, can't spell for toffee but a good tech: http://www.pianos4me.co.uk/