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 | Low: Half-size Electronic Keyboards Average $200-$250; Full-Size run $550-$2,000 |
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 | Medium: Upright Pianos $900-$1,800; Console Models $2,000-$8,000 |
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 | High: Grand Pianos $4,000-$24,000+ |
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| | | A piano is a major purchase. Research before buying can help you find the best piano for your needs and your budget. | | |
| Typical costs: | - A half-size keyboard with training software averages $200 -$250. Expect to pay $550 -$2,000 or more for a full (88 keys) digital piano keyboard with touch-sensitive keys and a damper pedal. Digital pianos can be played silently (using headphones), don't need tuning, can make non-piano sounds and are easy to move -- but they don't have the depth and finger action of a traditional acoustic piano. ConcertPitchPiano.com lists digital pros and cons.
- Beat-up traditional pianos are often available for $250 -$500. These may have problems such as rusty strings or cracked pin blocks, but if an old piano is in reasonably good playing shape and still tunable, it can be a "starter" instrument.
- Upright pianos with a vertical sounding board start with the spinet at about 36 inches tall for $900 -$1,800 and up; console and studio models are taller (40-60 inches) and sell for $2,000 -$8,000 or more.
- Grand pianos, which have a horizontal sounding board, come in three basic sizes. A baby grand (less than 6 feet long) starts around $4,000 -$8,000 from little-known manufacturers but can run $10,000 -$24,000 or more for a high-end brand like Steinway; a grand piano (6-9 feet) is $10,000 -$40,000 or more; and a concert grand (9 feet or longer) costs $30,000 -$80,000 and up.
- A piano does wear out eventually (if not rebuilt or restored), so the age of a used instrument is important. Find the manufacturer's name and the piano's serial number (inside the piano), then check BlueBookOfPianos.com. Get more detailed searches done for $5-$15 at PianoAtlas.com.
- Many experts recommend The Piano Book: Buying & Owning a New or Used Piano at $24.95 (it might be in your local library).
What should be included: | - A piano's distinctive sound is made by small hammers striking the strings. Traditional acoustic pianos have 5,000-10,000 or more moving parts. These include the back, the sounding board, the plate and bridges, strings, hammers, keys, pedals and more; PianoWorld.com provides an overview of the basic parts of a piano.
- If buying from a dealer, ask if the piano will be tuned and thoroughly cleaned before delivery. A typical warranty on a new piano covers 5-10 years under one owner, and does not include tuning or action regulation.
Additional costs: | - A piano bench may be included, or might add $50 -$500; some grand-piano benches can be $2,000 or more.
- If you've narrowed your search to a specific used piano, having it evaluated by a qualified piano tuner-technician costs about $70 -$150.
- Don't buy a piano that won't stay tuned; restoring it can cost $5,000 -$10,000.
- A piano should be tuned a minimum of once a year; twice a year is better. Tuning a piano takes about two hours and costs $75 -$125. Most pianos need action regulation (leveling the keyboard, filing the hammers and more) every 5-10 years, at a cost of $1,000 -$3,000.
- Check if delivery is included. Plus, owning a piano can increase your moving expenses if you hire a professional piano mover.
Discounts: | - Some dealers offer 100 percent trade-up; if you buy a piano and later purchase a more expensive model, they'll take the old one back and apply its price to the cost of the next piano.
Shopping for a piano: | |
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Article updated August 2008 |
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