A customer walked in the other day and asked if she could have a look at a used Knabe piano
and without hesitating, I showed her my collection of quality Knabe pianos. She was impressed, but I could see that she was not all too sure if she should buy a new or a used piano. Before she made the wrong choice, I told her that she needed to take a number of significant things into consideration first in order to determine if a used piano is better for her, compared to a new piano. Since that particular incident, I thought it would be a great idea to write a blog post about how one should choose a good quality used piano.
Size Does Matter
As with buying any furnishing for your home, you need to determine if the love-couch or the L-shape couch fits your room better before you spend any money. You would not go out and buy the first dining set you see, would you? It is the same with buying a used Knabe piano. I have come across a huge number of customers who came in to buy a piano, but when I asked for their space measurement, they could not provide it, because they did not think it was important. Let me tell you that it is probably the most important part of the buying process.
First, you need to determine which type of piano you are going to buy. If you want to buy a used grand piano, you need a huge area. The measurements of a used Knabe grand piano are typically between 4’8” and 6’10”. Just looking at these figures, I am sure that you will agree that a small apartment would not be able to accommodate a grand piano. However, an upright piano can generally fit any limited space, just make sure that there is enough space for you to sit and play the piano!
Additionally, do not forget that the bigger the space, the better reverberation you will obtain. Once you have established the type of piano you want, you need to allocate space and measure it before you begin your piano shopping.
What to Look Out for When Buying a Used Piano
When you browse the collection of used pianos, you need to learn as much as you can about them first. A used Knabe piano has to be in a very good condition, because if you opt for one that needs a lot of repairing and tuning, then it would not be worth it. Why, do you ask? Well, although the used piano is a lot more affordable, you will end up spending more money to fix it to perfection. 
That’s why, before you purchase it, make sure that the interior and exterior of the used Knabe piano are in good condition. There should not be any cracks in the piano and you should look out for warped wood. Do not be shy to ask the sales representative to open the lid of the piano, so that you are able to check what the interior looks like. The strings and felt should be in place and not be worn out.
Play, play and play Again!
Are you able to distinguish between a piano that sounds brilliant and one that sounds off-key? If you do, then play a few different used pianos. Even if you do not know how to distinguish between the differences, you can still ask a Registered Piano Technician to help you out during your purchase. All piano dealers allow their customers to test all the pianos, so do not think that it is not possible to play a few of your favorite pieces on these pianos. A used Knabe piano usually emits an extremely powerful sound, even if it is more than 10 years old!
Would you consider buying a Knabe piano?