Piano Leg Sturdiness: Wobbly legs are a safety hazard for the piano and anyone around it. If youre unfamiliar with the interior parts, consider having them checked out if the exterior looks rough.

Pedals: First, make sure you understand each piano pedal, then you can inspect them further.Īre they rusted Do they stick, go limp, or feel like they hit a bump when you depress them Age does not excuse these issues upkeep is lacking if these problems are not addressed.ĭamage to the Wood Finish: Are there cracks or scratches on the piano finish Has any of the wood warped or been sun-damaged Even if a buyer is willing to refinish the piano, damage to the surface is often caused by elements that also harm the inside. Of course, broken, yellowed, stained, or chipped keys will diminish value significantly so if they cannot be justified by the age of the instrument. Look for this horizontally at keyboard-level as well as from above. You should also check the alignment of the keyboard and note any crookedness along the edges and in between keys. If your piano is fairly in tune, keep an ear out for singular keys that are disproportionately off, or produce strange harmonics. If you want to figure out its worth yourself, youll need to do some legwork before you can move forward.Įxterior damage will lower the pianos desirability, but it can also indicate deeper issues. The tuning pitch is often one-half or whole−tone too low.A qualified piano technician can take an in-depth look at your instrument and give you a fairly accurate dollar amount and sometimes proof of appraisal. Tonal as well as in terms of technical requirements (repetition, precision of the regulation) these instruments do not meet present standards. In this cases, the focus does not lie on the current value but on a sentimental value. Exceptions are a special age (historical value) or antiquarianism (special inheritances). In most instances, service or repair works do not make any sense with those grand pianos. For this reason, these grand pianos should not be used for beginners and piano students. Such musical instruments are not suitable for a serious piano education. That means, instruments containing a Viennese−style action are older than 90 years by now. Why should you refrain from instruments with a Viennese−style action? The last instruments constructed like this were built in Austria around 1920. You can see a picture of the cross−section of a Viennese−style action under the menu item “Technical Information”. The arrows show you the damping and the fulcrum of the hammer handles which mark this difference. The pictures above show how you can detect a Viennese-action. This old grand piano often works with a Viennese−style action. Continually old instruments show at antiques dealers or inheritances.

Milton Piano Serial Numbers