| So, you want to buy a new piano or upgrade your old | | | | this is usually done about 1 week after delivery with a |
| piano. There are so many options when it comes to | | | | new piano and should also be done with a piano that is |
| purchasing one of the oldest musical instruments, the | | | | second-hand . |
| piano. You have the choice of purchasing a new piano, | | | | Why maintain a piano? |
| a 2nd hand piano, or even a digital piano. There are so | | | | The piano is a highly developed and complicated piece |
| many choices and so many brands to choose from. | | | | of equipment. It contains about 240 different lengths of |
| But, be careful... there are also many traps along the | | | | high tensioned wire. These lengths of wire make up to |
| way. | | | | 85 to 88 notes spread across the music tonal range. |
| The piano has been around for about 300 years and | | | | For each note there exists a mechanism which in the |
| over that time the essence of the piano has not really | | | | upright piano contains up to 14 different moving parts |
| changed. The cabinets have changed over the years | | | | and in a grand piano up to 22 moving parts per note. |
| and have improved but the internal workings have not | | | | This means that there is around 2000 moving parts in |
| really changed from the first models produced in the | | | | a piano!! Since the piano must be maintained at a |
| 1700's. The basic workings are that you play a key | | | | specific tension to achieve a good musical sound the |
| then a hammer hits a string and it vibrates and the | | | | matter of maintenance becomes an ongoing process. |
| sound is reflected off the soundboard to produce the | | | | If you play the piano several hours a day and work to |
| musical tone (sound). There are approx. 10,000 parts in | | | | a performance standard you may need to have your |
| a piano and many of these are very finely tuned. The | | | | piano tuned frequently. This could be mean that your |
| moving parts within the piano are called the 'action'. | | | | piano would need to be tuned 5-6 times a year, or |
| Just like a car the 'action' is the engine of the piano. If | | | | more!! A finely tuned and functioning instrument will |
| the action has problems or is not maintained then the | | | | make practice and performance much easier and |
| piano will not perform as it should. A piano is generally | | | | encourage students to practice more because their |
| considered to be one of the hi-end purchases or | | | | instrument is performing at its best. It will also give you |
| investments that we make in our lifetime. It is very | | | | peace of mind that your investment in the piano will |
| important to spend time researching various options | | | | last. Having the piano maintained will ensure that it will |
| like new, 2nd hand, brands, warranty, etc. before | | | | always be performing at its best and will stand the test |
| jumping in on an impulse and purchasing a lemon. | | | | of time. You should realize that a piano will never stay |
| Does size matter? | | | | in tune, no matter what brand it is or if it is an upright or |
| The answer to this question is... Yes and No. Size | | | | a grand. However, a piano that is manufactured to a |
| height of an upright piano does not really matter. The | | | | high standard and using better materials will stay in |
| difference in pianos in relation to size, means that in an | | | | tune for longer periods. Also keep in mind that a new |
| upright piano the soundboard and also string length are | | | | piano will require several tunings throughout the first 2 |
| greater therefore give the piano a richer tone and an | | | | years. This is usually every 3-4 months until the strings |
| increased resonant sound. For instance... in an upright | | | | and pin block have time to 'wear in' and settle down. |
| piano with a height of 108cm compared to a larger | | | | Does the brand name make a difference? |
| upright of 121cm there is a height difference of 13cm. | | | | The answer has changed a great deal over the years. |
| Therefore there is approx. 13cm more in the height of | | | | Brand names do not really make a great deal of |
| the soundboard and also greater length of the strings. | | | | difference when it comes to buying a new piano. |
| The soundboard of a piano is like the speakers in a | | | | When it comes to buying a 2nd hand piano which has |
| stereo system, the bigger the speakers the greater | | | | had many birthdays (30+), the brand name will make a |
| the bass response and deeper the tone. This is | | | | HUGE difference in the quality of the instrument and |
| exactly what happens in a piano. You must also keep | | | | also the purchase price. In regard to new pianos most |
| in mind the size of the room in which the piano is going | | | | brands have a model (usually the height is the model |
| to live. In some rooms that have deep pile carpet and | | | | number, 121cm 108cm, 115cm, etc.), and you will find that |
| heavy curtains the smaller pianos will loose their | | | | all brand names have a model in the same height. The |
| volume because of the 'soft furnishings' absorbing the | | | | price is usually around the same or maybe |
| sound. If the player is just a beginner or has only been | | | | $500.00-1000.00 difference. The difference in price |
| learning for a short amount of time then a smaller size | | | | does not mean that the more expensive one is any |
| piano like the 108cm or 112cm will be fine. If the player | | | | better or is going to last any longer or not less tunings |
| is a serious student, teacher or a person that has been | | | | each year. Warranty varies on new pianos from 3-5 |
| playing for sometime, then a 121cm or larger would be | | | | years, to 10 years to a Lifetime Warranty. The longer |
| required, maybe a grand piano. The reason for this is | | | | the warranty the better off you will be because the |
| that the player has experience and performance ability | | | | manufacture is willing to provide a warranty like this to |
| and would be looking for a better tone and resonance | | | | their instrument, which means they are certain that the |
| in the piano which they are playing or practicing on. | | | | piano will be fault free for the warranty period. The |
| New or 2nd hand? | | | | only advice really when it comes to buying a new |
| I guess the short answer to the question of 2nd hand | | | | piano is to shop around and be sure you purchase a |
| is... | | | | well known brand name from an authorised piano |
| PROCEED WITH CAUTION! | | | | dealer. If in doubt talk to your piano tuner or call the |
| This is for several reasons. There are a lot of people | | | | importers of the product and talk to them. The best |
| selling 2nd hand pianos who are making a lot of money | | | | advice is to... get advice!! |
| playing upon the ignorance of the piano buying public. | | | | Acoustic or Digital? |
| They have found that they can take an old piano and | | | | This is really a matter of preference. With today's |
| clean up the instrument, make the metal parts shine, | | | | digital pianos becoming better and better it is very hard |
| polish the wood and in general tidy up the appearance | | | | to make judgment between digital and acoustic. I |
| of an otherwise useless piano and then place a high | | | | guess the best way to work out which is best for you |
| price on the instrument. There has always been a | | | | is to think like this...An acoustic piano is essentially the |
| sense of 'the higher the price the better quality', this is | | | | same instrument that has been around for about 300 |
| not the case. When it comes to second-hand pianos | | | | years. Music was and is still composed for the piano |
| you need to "do your homework". Its like buying a | | | | and for piano performance with orchestras, concert |
| second-hand car!! You need to get the advise of | | | | halls, etc. It is a pure instrument and always will be. The |
| someone in the industry like a Qualified Piano Tuner, or | | | | digital piano however has a multitude of instruments |
| a Piano Teacher who knows what to look out for. | | | | and drum samples with disk drives, etc. It is more like a |
| One of the pianos to try and avoid is the | | | | computer with a keyboard!! It is an excellent |
| "over-damper" pianos. These usually have problems | | | | composition tool with various voices like, piano, strings, |
| with the damper mechanism and have been found to | | | | brass & woodwind sounds and of course the |
| be a lot of hassle to repair by tuners and technicians. | | | | rhythm unit and disk drive to save your work. You can |
| Be aware that there are a lot of second-hand pianos | | | | then transfer your work to a computer and using MIDI |
| being imported from Asia and you really need to | | | | software printout your composition as a musical score. |
| "proceed with caution" on these. You will probably be | | | | The digital piano is also great for the younger student |
| told that they are great pianos, excellent condition, etc. | | | | providing all these features to help keep their interest in |
| But, consider if they are all that they are made out to | | | | learning the piano. So, as you can see either acoustic |
| be, why did the Music School, University, etc. in Asia | | | | or digital, you need to work out which is best for you |
| decide to replace these pianos??? Also, the comment | | | | and what you see to be long-term value for yourself |
| by the salesperson, "they have not had much use!!" is | | | | and your family. Although acoustic pianos have been |
| something you need to think about. Remember that | | | | around for 300 years, the digital models change with |
| about 75% of these pianos have come from a Music | | | | technology about 12-18 months. So, the digital piano you |
| School, University, etc. and are from 5 years to 20 | | | | buy today will be out dated usually within 1-2 years. |
| years old and have countless students practicing on | | | | Conclusion... |
| them for maybe up to 14 hours a day over every day | | | | A piano purchased today will always be a piano. Unlike |
| of the year for 5-20 years. That's a lot of work that | | | | the digital piano where the features are increasing and |
| these pianos have been receiving and it makes you | | | | becoming more impressive each year as technology |
| wonder if over this time if they have been properly | | | | gets better and better. You will not see on an Acoustic |
| maintained and serviced. | | | | Piano a rhythm unit (drum machine), auto chords, |
| There are some good models coming in to Australia | | | | display screens like the star ship enterprise, or a |
| as second-hand Imported Pianos and these are from | | | | blender or even a milkshake maker!! The piano is a |
| homes and have been used as private pianos. When | | | | "true" instrument that requires dedication and |
| purchasing any of these instruments from a store or a | | | | determination to master. It takes years of lessons, |
| private piano tuner selling these types of pianos is to | | | | practice and a belief in oneself of achieving an ability to |
| make sure that they have some type of warranty | | | | be able to perform on such a majestic instrument. |
| which include the pin block, frame, soundboard. The | | | | Before purchasing any piano keep the following points |
| person selling these instruments should be able to | | | | in mind and your purchase should then be a happy |
| place a 5 year warranty on the above. Also make | | | | one!! |
| sure that the piano is tuned in your home after delivery, | | | | Best advice is to... Get Advice! |