Need advice on piano I'm considering! :)

[texskiss]

Hello friends~~
I'm new here. I have an 11 yr old little girl who LOVES to play piano. It's time to get her a piano but I've learned they are very expensive. We want a grand as it will go in our front formal living room.  I've found a neighbor that has a 1989 Weber WG-60 Grand 6'1" black lacquer ebony for sale.  They're asking $5000 which sounds fair.  It's a great size but there is slight tarnishing (rusting) of the strings. Is that really bad?  3-4 keys have a slighly hiss when you hit them but I assume that can be fixed.  It's gorgeous in person...looks practically brand new. What do you think?? It's 22 years old but for the size and good price I may need to get it...I'd love your thoughts. I called a tech to go look at it.  Do you know what a tech inspection should cost and are there any questions I should ask him?
Thank you!

[jimbo320]

Tarnished and brittle strings probably need to be replaced. As with all string instruments, if you replace some, you replace them all. So that should play in on your decision. The keys should all be checked and make sure the sound board is in good shape.
I'm not sure what the price of a tech would cost cause I always buy new. Grands have their great points but consider a good digital piano. If that's out of the question and the restoration of the one your considering is within reason, by all means go for it. 
Good luck.

Musically, Jimbo

[countrymath]

1 - Where are you from?

2 - Don't buy used acoustic.

3 - Go for action, if you decide to buy digital. Sound can be replaced with MIDI.

4 - If you go for a digital, pay atention for the weight. I bought a Privia PX410 (20kgs, 700oz) and its a trouble to transport it. I always need a friend, cause i dont have a car.

[jimbo320]

Used acoustics can be okay if you do a good referb job on them. But a good digital is well worth the money and a lot less expensive....

[silverwoodpianos]

Piano wire is carbon steel, as is the core of the bass string set. This steel has no protection from the elements and begins to deteriorate as soon as it is installed in the instrument. The copper wrappings on the bass string set will discolour for the same reasons; emollients in the air contaminate the surface….

Usually instruments like this get restrung when the wire begins to break; that will be some time from now in a 20 yr old instrument. Restringing is not cheap; in Vancouver Canada I charge$5000.00 for a 6 footer as an example.

As far as the hissing keys go, never heard of that one… perhaps they are squeaking? In that case regulation with lubrication at friction points should suffice.

With any grand piano choosing to have a technician of your choice inspect the instrument for current condition and then local market value is prudent. The fee should be a couple of hundred dollars…..

[ingunite]

Slightly off the topic, but why knock a used acoustic piano only because it has been played and owned by someone else? Often you can get a very good instrument at a bargain price. Of course, it would need an inspection and approval by a qualified professional, but chances are you could find a true gem.
Also, look at Larry Page's "Piano Buyer's Guide" in your nearest bookstore or library.
If I may offer an uncouth comparison to buying a used car (new car loses a quarter of its value as soon as you drive it around a block, and magically transforms into a used vehicle, but it still is the same car as five minutes ago).
And, even more off the topic, why support the economies and exporting tsunami of certain countries as opposed to supporting home country's economy...

[jimbo320]

All good arguments. I'm not knocking the purchase of used. I was just giving my opinion. Your points are valid and with all the proper restoring, a used purchase would be the way to go. Just as with cars, you really can't tell the true history of care. That's the biggest reason for new as opposed to used. If this isn't  a factor then just ignore me. lol
I wish there was a acoustic piano made here that would meet my criteria but Yamaha has everything I like. For digital a very close second choice that's made here is Roland. Except for monitors Roland is my choice in amps. My monitors are Behringers.
The point I am making is the obvious one. Your choice must be yours'. I just like talking. lol
The deal you first mentioned sounds very good. But I don't understand why you loose having it to play while waiting for the tech folks to begin restoring.

Musically, Jimbo

[ingunite]

Jimbo,
My reply was aimed mostly at #2.
I must confess, it really was based on limited personal experiences and, yes, prejudices against digital pianos.
I had a few very unsatisfactory acquaintances with several digital pianos several years ago. For all I know they can be the creme de la creme of the piano world nowadays.
On the other hand, several of my friends got their mitts on some older pianos, both grand and full size uprights, (Mason&Hamlin and Chickering among others) that I habitually drool about. They are about twenty+ years old, and are just lovely without any refurbishing or restoration.
I am not sure, but natural life of a well-made and well-maintained piano is 50+ years, isn't it?

[jimbo320]

At least.  It's all about how they're cared for. I've heard great sounds from 100 year old ones...

[keys60]

Tex.

 Twenty years old is not old at all for most pianos but it really depends on its environment and care throughout its life. Weber IMHO is a good piano. Not sure about ones from 1989, but I've played some 60-80 year old Webers that really perform nicely. They are not the best of the best US built pianos, but they are well built work horses of good quality and craftsmanship.

 I restrung a 1988 Steinway S (5'1") with a registered tech that had rusty strings and pins. The piano was hardly used at all, however, the owners lived across the street from the beach. The salt air really took its toll. We also changed all of the flange pins too as well as the bushings.
Got it for a steal, sold it for a great profit. When we were done, it was as good as new.

Salt, smoke, airborne kitchen schmutz can all have an affect on pianos and their action. It all gets to the metal and felt parts, making the strings rust, actions stick, permeating the felt bushings and getting to the flange pins.
Some pianos live in a very clean environment and look virtually new after 20-30 years. Stable temps and humidity, lightly played in its parlor away from the kitchen, a/c and big windows and radiators.  Even the hammers are still white. A preowned buyers dream.

Light surface rust on the strings and pins do not necessarily mean the piano needs strings or are brittle. I've played pianos with strings way older than that that still sound good and don't snap from tunings. Most of the pianos I tune are much older with original strings. If they were that brittle, I'd either quit or spend my life splicing broken strings. Its just oxidation on the surface. Touch a new bass string with an ungloved finger and the salt from your hand will stain the copper. Its really not a big deal. Of course, no one here can tell what the extent of rust you're talking about without seeing the piano, but of the tone is really nice, the action is smooth and pleasant to the touch, the hammers don't have excessive/uneven wear and
and a lot of green stains on the strike point from oxidization, the piano might be a good buy.

Does any one else out there know if a Weber from that year is a US built or a Young Chang reproduction like the new Sohmers, Kohler and Campbell, etc. etc.? I'm not sure of Webers history and what year they sold out.
If it is a Young Chang, you may have at least a little room to negotiate if you still want it at all. Personally, I'm not a big Young Chang fan, especially compared to a US Weber.
I found a 2004 for a lot less.

If you like the piano and it performs well, buy it. If you have serious doubts, keep looking.
Search Webers on www.pianomart.com and compare prices. Again, you can't see the piano. Just a fraction of extra knowledge.

Good luck.

[toner22]

calling a tech out shouldn't cost to much. The rust on the strings though, that could cost ya. But assuming the tech dude knows what he'd doing. He'll be able to ballpark a figure for you any anything that might be repaired. And he'd also be able to tell ya if something might need repairing in the near future as he does all his checks.

Then he'll prolly hand over his card for upcoming future visits lol.

[silverwoodpianos]

 All good posts.....Weber has been made in Seoul since 1986.

[cmrva]

I play both digital and acoustic grand and this poster wants a piano for his 11 year old. Assuming she will take lessons, I would still recommend acoustic used. Last poster correct- Webers have been made in Korea (Was Young Chang not sure about that year) as I work for a Korean company (Not music) and used to get a discount on Webers as my company had a portion of ownership of Young Chang. Young Changs today are a lot better than say 20-30 years ago so I am leery of this Weber, it may have issues staying in tune. The noise- could it be described as "buzzing"? Could be loose strings or pins slipping couldn't it? My question is aimed at the techs on this thread. I'm a player who won't go "under the hood" so I know symptoms but not solutions.

Almost every piano teacher has a prejudice against digital pianos, the action is different and the teachers feel like kids should learn first on acoustic. An upright may not be as pretty, but you could get a lot more for small dollars there, maybe even new. I'm partial to grands for the reasons listed of look, feel and sound. If you are just looking for an instrument that will let your child take lessons and play on it- the Weber (With some work so factor that cost in) may be fine. If she gets to becoming really good, you will be pressured by teachers, spouses and your child to upgrade anyway but that is 5-7 years away so start saving now!