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Looking for a Piano (Or Zen and the Art of Piano Buying)
by Larry Fine

“Looking for a piano” is a process of developing a “piano awareness,” and this begins by doing your homework—asking yourself some basic questions about your needs and resources and learning all you can about pianos before you start to look for one. The process continues as you shop for a piano and find out what's available, become more aware of the differences between pianos, and discover what it is that you like. It's been my experience that the attitude with which you approach the piano market may be just as important as any technical information or expertise you possess.

Two common pitfalls tend to trap prospective piano buyers. Those who have had some previous experience with pianos have often accumulated notions about them that may not be accurate—notions based on misconceptions, incomplete information, and isolated experiences with particular brands and models. “Brand X pianos are always too loud,” they say, or “Grand pianos always have a hard touch,” or “No used piano would ever look good in my living room.” It's helpful to have some idea of what you want before starting to look, but unless your needs are very specific—say, you're a concert artist looking for a concert grand—it's best to remain as flexible and open as possible at the beginning of your search. Then if you discover that some of your original ideas were faulty, it will be easier to change your course of action.

Buyers with little or no experience with pianos, particularly people who tend to feel intimidated by mechanical devices, fall into the opposite category: they often feel swamped by the sea of options available to them, feel bewildered about how to begin looking, and resign themselves to getting less than they deserve. These people often settle for one of the first pianos to come along.

Know that it is possible to make a successful purchase without being a piano expert yourself. Actually, shopping for a piano is an important part of the process of learning about pianos. I would suggest that you begin your search by setting aside a certain amount of time (for instance, an hour or two a week for two months)—during which you forbid yourself to buy a piano—for examining the entire new and used piano markets. Bring along a trusted friend (preferably one who plays the piano, if you don't) and try out as many pianos as you can in the allotted time. Visit piano dealers and rebuilders; look in the want ads and make some inquiries; even try out pianos that aren't for sale, as in friends' homes or community buildings. Include in your sampling a few pianos you know you could never buy, such as a concert grand (or a spinet!). This approach will take the pressure off while you're developing piano awareness and discovering where your pianistic needs fit into the scheme of things. It will also be a lot of fun. Later, when you feel more confident, you can narrow your field with an intent to buy.

Trust your feelings about the pianos you meet—don't be intimidated by other people's opinions—but analyze your reactions. “I don't like the tone of this piano” is not a very useful statement. However, “The bass notes don't sound clear, and the treble is brilliant but lacks depth” gives you a basis for comparison with other pianos by turning a blanket judgment into a useful observation. The ability to analyze the tone, touch, and looks of a piano this way will come to you gradually as you meet more of them and learn to be specific about your feelings. Pianos that before had all seemed alike will then begin to assume personalities of their own, and you in turn will discover that you prefer some over others.

At some point you'll want to stop looking. Some people don't stop until they find a piano that is obviously the one they've been looking for, one that practically shouts “Take ME!” Others set a time limit, after which they make a choice from the pianos they've seen. Caution: Beware of the “buy of a lifetime”—the offer that can't be refused—when the major attraction is the price tag. Be sure you are completely satisfied with the instrument in all respects. After the money has been spent, the price will no longer be of interest to you and you'll have to live with what you bought.

How much time you spend looking for a piano will depend on your priorities, but be sure to allow enough time for things to happen in your life—for the feelers you've put out to produce some results—and for your piano awareness to develop. And again, when you find a piano you like, don't forget to have a professional piano technician inspect it before you buy it. The small fee you pay for this service (usually fifty to one hundred dollars)* may save you much grief later, for pianos can have expensive problems that are not obvious.

*When inspecting a piano, some technicians prefer to tune it as well, at an additional charge, because some piano problems that might not otherwise be apparent may show up during a tuning, and because it is impossible to accurately judge the tone of a piano unless it is in tune.