Tips and Advice on Buying PianosAcoustic Upright and Grand PianosHere are some tips and advice on buying pianos; acoustic upright and grand pianos. What kind of models and brands should you look at, and what type of piano would suit your needs?
When deciding to buy a piano the acoustic instruments usually come first to mind. The acoustic pianos consist of two main groups of instruments: the Upright Pianos and the Grand Pianos. The Upright Piano:
The upright acoustic piano is available in many sizes, models, brands and prices. You can decide between a new or a used second hand instrument when buying piano, since even an old upright can be of very high quality if well maintained and cared for. An upright piano is great for smaller rooms, as it doesn’t take up so much space as a grand.
Acoustic Piano Models:Spinet:35" - 37" (height)Spinets are the smallest of the upright pianos. It is good for small rooms, but also has a lower sound due to its size and how it is built.Console:40" - 43"It is larger than the spinet, and has a larger sound. It comes in many choices of styles and finishes. This is a popular instrument for the home. Studio:44" - 47"Since it has a larger soundboard and longer strings it also produces a bigger sound. Better in larger rooms, it is a popular choice for example music schools. Full Size / Professional: 48" - 60"This is the typical upright piano with rich tone and lasting quality, if maintained and cared for properly. The Grand Piano
The Grand Piano is The Ultimate Instrument! The grand is beautiful and often of very high quality. Also here you should definitely consider looking into second hand instruments, as there are some really good older ones for great prices that can be found (Sometimes even better than new!) Grand pianos come in different sizes, from the small Baby Grand to the “limousine” like Concert Grand. When you are buying piano, consider the space of the room where it will be put, not just for the space the piano needs, but for the sound it produces! A Grand Piano that is made for a concert hall, even a smaller one, is usually too loud for a regular room in your home. And you don’t want to play with the lid down all the time… Famous Grand Piano Brands:There are too many grand piano brands to mention, and the choice of an acoustic piano is very personal, depending on what tone quality and touch you prefer.The pianos are also very different individually depending on many factors, so the best advice when buying pianos is to try it out preferably together with a piano specialist. If you are not buying a second hand instrument from a reputable store, it is advisable to hire a professional piano technician to judge if the instrument is in a good shape inside as well.
If you need help in evaluating a piano, you can use this resource.
Grand piano sizes: What room size and kind of playing do they fit?Baby Grand: 5' 0 - 5' 6"This is the most popular grand for home use. It has a great sound but still fits in a regular room at home, and is of course very beautiful!Living Room / Classic / Parlor / Medium Grand: 5' 7" - 6' 4"As the name implies this is an instrument suitable for a larger space at home, like a larger living room. Fantastic sound, but it is not meant for small rooms. Professional / Semi-Concert Grand: 6' 5" - 7' 5"Unless you have your own very large music room, this is a grand piano suitable for smaller concert halls and in music schools, and was not made for home use. The sound is too powerful. Concert Grand: 7' 6" - 9' +The largest of all the grand pianos, this is for the concert halls only. The "limousine"! Maintenance and Care of an Acoustic Piano:There are some more things to consider when buying pianos: Acoustic pianos in general are very heavy, and needs professional piano movers when moving.UK Piano Movers South London based business offering upright and baby grand piano removals, locally and throughout the UK. It needs to be tuned once or twice a year, depending on how much you use it. A new instrument needs to be tuned twice a year until the wood has matured enough to hold the tuning. An older well maintained piano can be tuned once a year to keep it in a good shape. All acoustic pianos are also sensitive to humidity, dryness and temperature changes. So, if you live in a very humid or dry location you need to ask your piano technician what is the best way to make sure your piano manages well. You also should keep a steady temperature in the room where it is kept, as well as avoid too much draft.
He weighted the keys to my liking with lead to get the right “feel” as I desired, and made the tuning get exactly the kind of “brilliance of tone” I wanted. I made sure it was tuned twice a year the first years, and then once a year as recommended. The piano then lived with me through my very bohemian student years- having to be moved around everywhere, once even up side down- Eeek! Finally being transported in a crate to another country, and then moved again! Poor piano. And still- after all that, it hardly needed any tuning! It is still my best instrument and used daily in my studio.
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