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You've signed your child up for piano lessons in Woodbury, MN, and now you need to find them a piano to practice on. The problem is, buying a new piano can be very expensive, and even used pianos can come with a 4-digit price tag. So if you see a piano listed at a good price, you may be tempted to jump on it immediately. However, doing this can still end up costing you thousands of dollars if the instrument needs major internal repairs. This article will provide you with some tips and tell you what to look for when buying a used piano, so you can ensure that you don't buy a lemon. What to Ignore The first thing to know about buying a used piano is what the non-issues are. It's easy to be turned off by cosmetic damage to the piano's casing and keys, but if this doesn't affect how the instrument plays, you can simply ignore it. Sure, it may not look pretty, but what truly matters is the piano's sound. Another thing that you can ignore when examining the piano is the piano's tuning. Many old pianos that haven't been played in a while will be out of tune, but this can be corrected for less than $200, and in some areas, for less than $100. This is a cheap fix to make on your own, especially if the piano is listed for a good price. What to Be Wary Of Now it's time to discuss the issues that you should be wary of. Be sure to open up the piano so you can see the strings and hammers, and look out for these problems as you test the instrument: - Uneven Keys: Get down at eye level and look down the length of the piano's keys. Are they all even, or do they rise and fall? If they're not flush, the piano may not be worth purchasing.
- Silent Keys: Play every key on the piano from bottom to top to see if there are any that don't play. If there's just one or two, this could be an easy and relatively inexpensive fix, so if the piano is listed for a good price, it may still be worth the purchase. However, if there are many silent keys, the piano probably isn't worth purchasing.
- Buzzing: Play the keys both loudly and softly and listen for any buzzing after you've played the keys. This can indicate a problem with the piano's soundboard, which is not cheap to repair.
- Tubby Bass: When you play the lower keys on the piano, pay attention to the sound. Do they sound "tubby" or do they ring clearly? A tubby sound can also indicate soundboard problems.
- Pedal Problems: Test all of the pedals on the piano. Do they all seem to be working? You should be able to see the movements the pedals cause inside the piano, and also be able to hear their effects. The sustain pedal should keep the note ringing after you've struck the key, and the sound should stop the moment you release the pedal again. If any of these parts seem to be broken, they can be expensive to fix.
If you don't notice any of the problems listed above, then the odds are high that you are making a good purchase in buying that piano. Of course, other issues may arise depending on the piano's age and brand, but these points are a good place to start. Once you have your own piano at home, your child will be able to get in plenty of practice time for their piano lessons in Woodbury, MN.
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