Buying used piano - Help and Info needed

[maui_bandeira_]

Hi everybody,

I'm a brazilian piano student and I'm going to buy my very first piano.

Well, within the limitations of my budget, and after two months of looking and trying instruments, I found a upright Kreutzer 40 y/o: the piano has a very nice sound, and the keyboard is still uniform and firm.

The problem is that I don't plan to throw my piano into the garbage after a while

The far I will stay with this piano is 3 or 4 years, by this time I logically plan to sell it, but I doubt if what the dealer said is really true: I'll be able to sell by this time with very little depreciation (something near US$250 - piano cost US$1500). He said that will buy it himself for this price, to resell, and that's ok I know he's good tuner/dealer. I also know that if the piano completely crashes, too bad... 

The mechanism is REALLY old and the harmonic table have three cracks on it, two slight and one deeper.

What do u think? Anybody had experiences on that matter? Are Kreutzer good pianos?

!!!

Thanks for the attention,
Best wishes,
Maui.

PS: anyone knows how can I find the true age of a piano? thx

[marco_from_brazil]

hi man, I'm brazilian too, I'll write in english though, so everyone can understand.

I myself own a 48 year old studio Bentley, and what I can tell you about old mechanisms is that they... well, suck. when you are starting out at the piano they really don't bother you, but once you get more advanced it will be a pain, maybe even set back your progress.

The cracks on the piano's soundboard you mentioned may be a problem or not, do you hear a buzz or rattle when you play the piano? if so, then you might be better off looking for another piano, even this one being relatively cheap, for 1500 dollars ( you mean some 3000 reais , right? ).

maybe the best thing would be asking your piano teacher to accompany you in trying used pianos, she might be a better judge because of experience.

sincerely,
Marco

ps: if you can find some info about this piano brand on the internet you might be able to determine its age by its serial number, that's how I found about my piano rough manufacture year

[bench warmer]

... I'll be able to sell by this time with very little depreciation (something near US$250 - piano cost US$1500). He said that will buy it himself for this price, to resell, and that's ok I know he's good tuner/dealer.

First, Get that in writing!  If tha soundboard has deep visible cracks in it I think you will have a difficult time re-selling the piano. The soundboard could fail along the cracks from the string tension. You could still get sound but not anything you could keep in tune.

 Or First, Spend $50 on a good technician to look at it for a fair appraisal.

Second (or 3rd) for $500 bucks (us$), see if you can't pick up a good used digital that someone is trading up for a newer piano.

good luck

 

[maui_bandeira_]

Thanks for your help guys, I apreciate

I'll probably wait a little while until I find a piano that really fits my needs and budget. As for the digital piano, it's an idea to think about.

Thanks again,
Maui.