Marshall Music takes used pianos on trade as well as purchasing used pianos. Our used piano selection varies greatly from year to year. All used piano inventory is professionally evaluated, tuned and serviced prior to our free delivery service. Marshall Music guarantees your used piano purchase with full trade-in value for a period of one year from the date of purchase toward the purchase of a new acoustic piano.

Facts to Consider When Buying a Used Piano

QUALIFIED MERCHANTS OFFER BETTER VALUES

It is an interesting fact that although many people play the piano, very few know anything about its mechanism or even how to properly care for this complicated and sensitive instrument.

It is not unusual for musicians who play trumpets, clarinets, flutes, etc., to be able to completely dismantle, reassemble, and adjust them. Mechanically these are very simple instruments as compared to pianos, which have between 8000 and 12,000 parts!

Pianos are made of thousands of pieces of wood glued together to form various parts of the playing mechanism as well as the cabinet. Felt, buckskin, paper, steel, iron, copper and other materials are also used.

BRAND NAMES ARE CONFUSING

During the past 200 years tens of millions of pianos have been manufactured worldwide, with thousands of names. In the United States alone, approximately 8000 brands of pianos have been placed on the market many are still in use or on display in homes or elsewhere.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW PIANOS,........

KNOW YOUR PIANO MAN

BUYING A USED PIANO PRIVATELY CAN BE DANGEROUS AND COSTLY. WHAT APPEARS TO BE A RARE BARGAIN MAY PROVE TO BE A REAL LIABILITY. UNLESS YOU ARE A PIANO EXPERT, YOUR BEST ASSURANCE IS TO RELY ON THE JUDGEMENT OF THE MOST EXPERIENCED DEALER IN YOUR AREA WITH A PROVEN RECORD OF INTEGRITY AND FAIR DEALING.

IT IS UNWISE TO PICK UP AN OLD PIANO PRIVATELY “TO GET STARTED WITH”. A POOR PIANO OFFERS DISCOURAGEMENT TO THE CHILD AND IS AT BEST, A QUESTIONABLE INVESTMENT FOR THE PARENT.

HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE MANY DANGER AREAS ENCOUNTERED WHEN A NONEXPERT PIANO BUYER BUYS A PIANO FROM A PRIVATE PARTY:

1. BROKEN WHICH CRIPPLES THE PIANO MUSICAPLATE- MAY BE CRACKED OR BLLY AND RENDERS IT USELESS.

2. STRINGS- BASS STRINGS MAY BE “TIRED AND TUBBY” TOTALLY DEVOID OF TONE.

3. SOUNDING BOARD- MAY BE CRACKED OR WORSE YET, MAY HAVE LOST ITS CROWN TO BECOME TONALLY DEFICIENT.

4. RIBS- MAY BE BROKEN OR PULLED AWAY FROM SOUNDBOARD.

5. BRIDGES- MAY HAVE LOST PROPER BEARING, BE BROKEN SPLIT OR CRACKED, NECESSITATING A MAJOR EXPENSE.

6. TUNING PINS- MAY BE LOOSE, MAY HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY “DOPED”, MAY REQUIRE OVERSIZED PINS, MAY REQUIRE NEW PIN BLOCK. AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE ANY PIANO WITH PINS SHOWING EVIDENCE OF HAVING BEEN POUNDED.

7. PIN BLOCK- MAY BE SPLIT AND IS VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR. SINCE THIS IS CONCEALED, EXPERIENCED JUDGEMENT IS REQUIRED.

8. ACTIONS- MAY BE LITERALLY WORN OUT RENDERING PIANO USELESS. IF REBUSHING IS REQUIRED, THIS IS VERY COSTLY. A COMPLETE REGULATION REQUIRES MUCH TIME OF AN EXPERT AND IS EXPENSIVE IF PROPERLY DONE.

9. HAMMERS- MAY BE WORN OUT OR IMPROPERLY FILED SO AS TO REQUIRE REPLACEMENT - ANOTHER COSTLY REPAIR.

10. TRAP WORK- THE INTERNAL LEVERAGE CONTROLS OF THE EXPRESSION PEDALS MAY NEED COMPLETE OVERHAULING.

11. REFINISHING- MANY PEOPLE LEARN TO THEIR SORROW THAT REFINISHING A PIANO IS NOT A HOME DO-ITYOURSELF PROJECT; THAT IT REQUIRES MUCH HARD WORK AND KNOW HOW BEST LEFT TO A SKILLED CRAFTSMAN. GOOD REFINISHING WORK IS EXPENSIVE.