Difference between first hand and second hand piano

[eliza99]

I am new to buying a piano.

Just want to know, should I get a first hand or second hand piano?

[mikebechstein]

Without wanting to put you off buying altogether, buying a piano is a little like buying a car; A new one, in theory, should last longer but you can often get a better quality second hand piano for the same money or even a lot less. The trouble is that you never know how someone has maintained (or not) their piano and if you buy privately you don’t get any form of warranty. Also, how much you have to spend may totally rule out the possibility of getting a “good” new piano.

In my opinion (and it is just and opinion) you should get the best quality piano you can afford and that means second hand. To do that successfully, (and judging by the question you are not a piano expert), you should either find a retailer that has been recommended to you by a previous customer or find a piano you like privately but get an independent technician (not just a piano tuner) to check it out for you. (This is an option even when buying from a shop, and if the salesman does not like the idea then that should tell you what you need to know about the shop and/or the instrument, i.e. walk away.) Also, it is almost impossible to tell what a piano will sound like if it is out of tune so don’t try.

Another thing to consider is how long are you planning to keep the piano for; is it
A first piano just to see if you like it (and which you might upgrade from)
A first acoustic piano after playing on digital pianos for a while
A piano to keep for possibly several decades and maybe the rest of your life
A piece of furniture that rarely gets played and rarely tuned.

Another thing could affect your decision is where you live, and I don’t just mean which country, although that has some bearing on prices.

However, all things considered, a musical instrument is often an incredibly personal thing and you may just come across one that you fall in love with, (just get it checked first!) Also, you can't assume a piano is good by the name as each one is so different, and some average quality manufacturors produce the odd gem so the name often means nothing. Happy hunting.

[andric_s]

I bought a new piano.  If I'd bought a used one instead, I'd have a nicer piano, probably.  I was impatient to get a piano, and I was a bit dazzled by the "trade up" offer at Steinway Hall.  That is:  I can trade my Boston in and put the full price that I paid for it towards another new piano when I'm ready to upgrade.  So at some theoretical and unlikely point in my life "when I have the money" I can trade it in towards a Steinway.  I wish I was playing one now, though.

[thalberg]

Second hand pianos are great.  I once saw a Steinway B on pianoworld for 47,000 dollars.  It had been played a total of less than 100 hours, so basically it was brand new.  I asked the owner why he was selling such a new piano, and his answer was that he had bought the piano for his girlfriend to play, and now they were broken up.  So it was just sitting in his climate-controlled art gallery not getting used. 

Someone who is so rich cares nothing for money, so I bet I could have gotten him down well below 47,000.  The piano had been on sale for a year and he had no buyers (people with that much money want something new).  If I were the only offer he had had in 12 months, I bet I could have gotten it for 40K......at a time when the retail was 65K.

Just a random story.

Good answer by the way, Mike.