Important Things You Must Know
BEFORE
You Buy, Rent, Tune or Repair a Piano

Hi, my name is Bill Vine and I am the proud owner of Piano Services Australia. Our business is built on giving people sound advice regarding pianos. It is my hope that by spending a few minutes reading this report, that you will be able to make better decisions when it comes to pianos. If after reading this report you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to call.

1. Advice - Qualified piano tuners are usually the best source of advice when it comes to selecting a new piano. These people see and work on hundreds of pianos each year and can offer sound advice.

2. Realize that tuning a piano is a skill and that there are good and bad tuners. Choosing a Piano Tuners and Technicians Guild member is one way of assuring that a high standard of work will be maintained.

3. Any member of the public who is unhappy with the work of a Guild member has recourse via the Guild executive.

4. Most people have their pianos tuned once a year, with many music teachers and higher level pianists preferring twice a year. A performance piano will be tuned prior to each performance. Even if a piano is not being played, it will drop in pitch due to temperature and humidity changes. Allowing years to pass without tuning the piano is false economy, as it is often difficult and expensive to return a neglected piano to good condition.

5. Pianos are designed to be tuned to the international standard pitch of A-440Hz (cycles per second). Your piano will sound its best when tuned regularly and maintained in good playing condition.

6. The complex system of levers inside the piano is called the ‘action’. It connects the front of the key with the hammer, which strikes the string. When a piano leaves the factory, each of it’s action parts are adjusted to a tolerance of a fraction of a millimeter. This adjustment process is called regulation. Good regulation allows the piano to respond uniformly to the pianist’s touch. Because the wood and felt components of the action change due to humidity and wear, the action should be serviced occasionally to maintain its responsive qualities.

7. Extreme swings in temperature and humidity are harmful to a piano. Avoid placing your piano in direct sunlight, near a heater or close to an air conditioner. Try to position it away from draughts.

8. The cost of having a piano tuned can vary, however the Piano Tuners Guild has a recommended price. A good piano that is well maintained, is a wonderful investment not only for its dollar value, but for the years of enjoyment which can be derived from its use.

9. Most tuners will be happy to inspect pianos at a moderate cost. Have this done BEFORE you purchase a piano, not after it has arrived in your home!

10. Where possible, use only professional piano carriers to move your piano. You will avoid injury to yourself, your piano and your home.

11. When purchasing a piano keep in mind that a piano is like a car, the old ones often end up costing more to maintain in the long run.

12. Some of the most beautiful looking pianos are often too old to maintain economically. Antique pianos do not appreciate in value unless they are on of a very few sought after brands, ie. Steinway.

13. Baby Grand pianos usually don’t sound better than large upright pianos. This is because in a baby grand, the strings are much shorter, and therefore thicker (particularly in the bass), and the sound board is generally smaller. On the other hand, a grand piano action is usually superior to play on with a greater dynamic range being achievable.

14. Grand pianos usually look better than uprights and will often add an impressive touch of class to any room.

15. Size of Pianos - Modern uprights generally range in height from 105 cm to 132 cm. Modern grands are usually from 140 cm to 275 cm deep. Width does not vary much and is usually between 145 cm and 152. Weights are usually between 210 and 250 kg for uprights and 220 to 420 for grands. Upright piano depth is around 60 cm and a grand piano height around 100 cm (lid closed).

16. New pianos generally come with a warranty of some description. The warranty is from as little as 5 years through to a ‘Lifetime Warranty’ depending on the brand. Used pianos bought privately usually have no warranty, and used pianos bought from a dealer vary from no warranty to a few years.

17. Not all pianists require the same standard of piano. A beginner will survive on a cheaper instrument for a while, but remember, the lower the quality of the instrument, the less rewarding the experience of playing which can become frustrating and discouraging to the pianist.

18. Brand names on the front of a piano can be very misleading. For example, Beale pianos were once an Australian icon. Over the last thirty years however, they have been made in various locations around Asia. Likewise, Victors have recently been made in China. Yamaha and Kawai, once exclusively Japanese, are assembling some of their cheaper instruments in China.

19. When looking for a piano, the model of the piano is as important as the brand, because of the fact that companies are splitting up their production into lower and higher quality assembly plants.

20. When buying a piano, cash is still ‘king’. But remember that if the price on a new piano is too low, the follow up service will often be underfunded and difficult to obtain.

21. Having lots of pianos on display in an expensive showroom does not always mean that the staff know much about pianos. Large shops will often have ‘salespeople’ who are just that - people paid only to sell, as opposed to piano tuners who can advise towards wise choices.

22. Electric pianos offer an alternative to the traditional acoustic piano, with attention now being given to key weight, action feel, as well as tonal qualities.

23. Electric pianos usually depreciate at a much faster rate than acoustic pianos.

24. Electric pianos are moved cheaper and require no regular tuning.

25. Life expectancy of an electric piano is approximately 10-20 years, compared with 60-100 years with an acoustic. Even then, an acoustic can be rebuilt because the parts are made of wood, felt and leather, etc.

26. If you wish to rent an instrument, ensure the contract includes a rent to buy option, where part or all of the rent will be deducted from the purchase price.

27. The gift of music is a priceless treasure, one that lasts a lifetime. Having a high quality piano in your home is an investment for the future.

At Piano Services Australia, we can offer you the best service when it comes to buying, renting, tuning, or repairing electric and acoustic pianos. So give us a call, or arrange a time to drop in for some free advice!

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