Buying a used piano in Houston

Posted on May 18, 2012 in Piano Blog | 0 comments

So, you have a child that is just started learning to play piano and are in need of a ‘good, inexpensive used piano’.  You begin by perusing the Greensheet and various websites like Craigslist looking in earnest for a great deal.  It is very important that you consider some vital points before you purchase something that may end up biting you back and discouraging your child from playing instead of encouraging them to excel in their lessons… And isn’t the end goal supposed to be your child playing the piano?

Used pianos in Houston, including ever-popular used Steinway pianos, are plentiful and easy to locate. How do you spot the ‘good, inexpensive used piano’ from all the junk out there? That is more difficult than you might imagine. Sometimes the most expensive piano you will ever buy is the free or ‘cheap, good one. Only a qualified piano professional can differentiate the good deals from the bad.

Most used pianos out there for sale are quite old and worn out well beyond their playable years. There are over 6,000 moving parts in the keyboard action alone. These are traditionally made from wood which can degrade over time from climatic changes. Wood swells in the summer during periods of high humidity and then contracts during the more dry seasons of fall, winter and spring. This wreaks havoc where the parts are pieced together with small nickel plated pins. Parts will either get extremely loose or just the opposite – so tight that the action will hardly move. Can you imagine how discouraging this would be for any pianist, especially a budding beginner? Older pianos will often require major action repairs with many part replacements. The cost for doing such repairs can run into the hundreds, yea, even as much as a couple thousand dollars.

Hammer heads and damper felts will most likely need to be replaced. As the felt ages it degrades. If played a lot, deep string cuts occur. Hammers also get very hard resulting in the piano sounding as bright as an old saloon piano from the old T.V. westerns.  You simply cannot play with any expression on such a piano. No matter how softly you attempt to play, the hammers are so hard the tone will be ridiculously bright. On a good piano, there will be tremendous variations of tone controlled by the will and fingers of the pianist. When played softly, the piano should sing sweetly with a mellow tone and when played forcefully the piano should leap to life with power and brilliance.

Tuning stability may be a thing of the past in an older piano. As they age, most will begin to have loose tuning pins which cannot grip and hold the pitch. Why? Because a very important part of the piano that you cannot even see has outlived its usefulness. This vital part is called the pin block, which is laminates of hardwood glued together. Holes are drilled for the size of the tuning pins which are supposed to bite into the wood and not slip. Over time, the holes begin to widen and there is nothing for the pin to grip. A piano that can’t hold tune is useless as an instrument, a waste of money, and worse… it is no fun to play which discourages your child to play.

Something else to consider: There are many pianos for sell in Houston that have been damaged by hurricane Ike, and other floods that have occurred over the last three decades. These are to be avoided at all cost. Incredible amounts of force from string tension (about 40,000 lbs.) are exerted. When water soaks into a piano, the wood warps, glue joints break apart, the sound board loses its crown… You get the picture – it isn’t pretty. You can’t unwarp wood. There is also the dangerous mold, which is potentially hazardous to your health.

Though this article may be somewhat more on the technical side, if you are buying a used piano for kids or yourself the key message is this: Sometimes the most expensive piano you will ever buy is the free or ‘cheap good’ one. At Houston Piano Company, we are very picky about our used pianos. We offer certified pre-owned pianos that include 10 year parts warranties, something unheard of in the industry. All pianos we sell include a full trade-up option, which allows you to upgrade to a grand piano later down the road. Because of this policy, we don’t sell pianos that we don’t want back. In other words, you are very safe with your investment at the Houston Piano Company. For more information, please call me on my direct line at (832) 277-3755.

Dave Smith
Piano Consultant
(832) 277-3755

Pre-Owned STEINWAY Sale

Posted on Mar 27, 2012 in News & Events, Special Offers | 0 comments

March 28 through April 3 at Houston Piano Co. the lowest prices on fine pre-owned Steinway pianos get even lower.

HPC is renowned for acquiring and professionally maintaining high-end pre-owned pianos, and helping Houstonians live their dreams of owning one. We are ready to cut deals EVEN LOWER than our already low everyday prices on our choice selection of lightly-used, fully restored and refurbished Steinway pianos.

But you have to come by our store to get a chance at one of these special deals on a used Steinway piano.

We call it Steinway Prestige without Chandelier Prices

WE BUY USED PIANOS!

Posted on Feb 2, 2012 in Piano Blog | 10 comments

Do you have a used piano to sell?

We have been getting a lot of inquiries from people asking whether or not we buy used pianos, and we want everyone to know…

Hear ye, hear ye!

YES, we absolutely buy used pianos.

We are always interested in taking a look at what shape your piano for sale is looking like to see if we can make you an offer. Don’t be shy to contact us either by phone, or using one of our contact forms.

Shining Recommendation – New or High Quality Used Pianos

Posted on Dec 29, 2011 in Testimonials | 0 comments

I was very pleased with my purchasing experience at Houston Piano Company!! On our first visit to look at the inventory, we met with Dave. Dave was extremely thorough with introducing the different pianos to us. Her listened to our need and showed us an amazing piano that has inspired all of us to play! He made the perfect recommendation for our daughters who are 8 and 10 and learning beginner Concerto. This piano will certainly grow with them and inspire their practice for many years to come.

 

Our piano was priced competitively and was delivered in 2 days! Dave also went over basic care with me and is super quick in returning emails if I have any questions. I would certainly recommend Houston Piano Company to anyone who is in the market for a new or high quality used piano. You will feel confident and satisfies that you have purchased the right piano for a great price! We love our Brodmann 187!!!!

 

Sincerely,
L. Wensel
 
Sent from my iPad