Piano appraisals

[rasteen]

I am constantly asked by people, some pianists, some piano owners, about estimating the value of their instruments. Other than having them pay a technician to come do a professional appraisal, I have not known what to do.

I heard there was a website that listed current selling prices of many older instruments by make and type, but I cannot find such a site.

If anyone has any info or advice on this subject, I would be grateful.

Ron

[lhorwinkle]

Larry Fine's "The Piano Book" provides three methods for estimating the value of a piano.

[richard black]

Like anything else, a secondhand piano has a value entirely defined by what people expect to pay. Unless you are regularly in touch with the piano-selling world, you won't have any idea what this is. I suppose in this day and age the best way of keeping roughly in touch is to watch every piano that sells on Ebay and making a note of what each one goes for.