such as:
• Reasons for Selling the Piano
There are many reasons why people sell their pianos. Whatever the reason is, it should not be one that will cost you money. If sellers claim that the used pianos are taking up space or they could use the money, chances are that they have not been taking care of the pianos. You might end up spending more money to check the condition of the piano and on additional maintenance. If the sellers are considering buying another piano, ask why they prefer the new piano to the other. Ask as many questions as you like.
• Consistency of Piano Tuning
How often do they tune the piano? It is advisable for a piano to be tuned at least, twice yearly. If the piano is tuned less than twice a year, then you are likely to spend additional money for special piano tuning, and other related services. Purchase at your own risk if you find the piano is out of tune. There is no knowing if a piano is out of tune due to severe internal issues, thus you might have to spend more than you like to find a professional to tune the piano to perfection. In fact, some pianos are not even tunable especially if it has never been tuned before.
• Person in Charge of Maintenance
Ask the seller if his or her piano is tuned by a professional technician or by someone who has no experience at all. You should not hire a person that has no experience in piano tuning because it can lead to a great amount of internal damage. A registered piano technician should do repairs and tuning of the piano.
• Space or Storage for Piano
It is essential to find out where the seller has kept the piano. If it has been stored or placed in a basement, especially in flood prone regions, chances are the health of the piano has been exposed to various serious threats. Basements or public storage facilities often lack climate-control, thus it could lead to damage.
• Usage of the Piano
Do not hesitate to ask the seller if the piano was played often or not. For some people, pianos are just for display purposes, thus, there is no knowing if the piano is tuned accordingly.
• Previous Owners
If applicable and possible, find out how many owners have bought and used the piano. Ask if the piano was well taken care of. Get to know your potential investment as thoroughly as possible.
Once you purchase your secondhand piano, it should be treated like any other furniture in the house. You can dust the piano every other day to ensure it is clean. If you own an upright piano, you need to learn the proper way of cleaning it. Dust the piano regularly to keep foreign remnants off the surface of the piano. In addition, frequent dusting protects the finish of your used piano.
Use a soft and lint-free cloth to wipe the dust particles from the surface. This helps to remove fingerprints on the piano. You can use dampened cheesecloth, but make sure the cloth is completely wrung because any water residue may cause damage to the piano.
As previously mentioned, you should hire a professional to tune your used piano. Used pianos need to be looked at or checked regularly, just like your vehicle, to ensure they work perfectly. Since a piano has over 200 strings that are stretched at a high volume to produce soothing, beautiful sounds, it is highly recommended that you tune it, at least, two times a year. Ask for recommendations concerning a piano technician from your family or friends.
Is buying secondhand or used pianos something that you would consider for your home?