Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Need help please, buying piano Wednesday.

Very good reply, which makes this decision harder for me,lol. You are absoultely right, even though the bill is split 4 ways, it still is easier financially to get the cheaper one.

**How do you do mulitple quotes here? I cannot figure it.**

Both pianos I am considering are already assembled, this I am sure of 100%. In fact, they would be the same ones displayed at the Costco. So I'm quite sure they were all put together properly by the piano dealer and not Costco employees.

Thanks Mike!

Thanks JF for the research you did! The only drawback from me buying used is that I have no idea what condition the piano truly is in. Grant it, most of the seller are pretty honest I'm sure. But I don't want to run the risk in buying one that will only bring me problems. I will check on those other Grands in my area just to see.

I know the baby grand is only 4' 11". But isn't it still considered a grand? If I were to get the 5 footer, people would tell me to get the bigger one and so on. I know that a very good (and expensive) upright will probably sound better than the baby, but personally, I'd rather still have a grand.

Boy, is this more difficult than ever. Everyone has such good opinions and ideas that it is actually making piano shopping even harder. I'm still pretty adement about going through Costco though for the 100% Guarantee. Even if I find a great deal somewhere else, I would ony have the manufactuer warranty if any. And if I go used....it's a gamble. For all those who do not believe me about Costcos 100% refund anytime, please call their 1800# and verify for yourself. You will be surprised.

**Can anyone please tell me how to multi-quote? Already checked the FAQ section**

Going used is not a gamble if you spend an extra $100.00 or so to have a qualified piano technician inspect the piano for you. He/she will tell you all you need to know to determine the quality and expected lifespan of the instrument in question. It is well worth the investment and, as JF has said, you can get a MUCH better instrument than you are considering now for a lot less money.

J&J,

Costco is great. I will only shop there and Target. The 100% return policy is legendary. I would feel comfortable buying a piano from them if one of my big concerns was the ability to return it.

The 4'11" is still considered a grand. It will not sound as good as a 5'6" or larger piano, but it will sound better than the upright, unless something is wrong.

As for buying a used piano, I have no problem with it.

Reasons: 1. I use an Registered Piano Technician (RPT), or a highly-recommended piano technician to check out any piano I am interested in. They are very good judges of what is right and wrong with a piano, and I have never gotten a bum steer from one. Everyone in the know on this site will recommend the same, and believes it. 2. Pianos are generally durable instruments, and are built to last 50 or more years. Some are better than others; Kawais and Yamahas have a 50 year musical life, maybe more. 3. If you find a well-made used piano of size 5'6" or bigger, and spend $1,500 in having it tuned, serviced, cleaned, and fully regulated, you have a far better instrument, musically speaking, than the new 4'11" at a significant savings to you.

And by the way, the $1500 is a very high estimate, more than double what I am about to pay for all service except the regulation, and I am going to have all the dampers on the piano tightened and corrected. Any technician you hire should give you an estimate as to how much $$ to fix any problems found with the piano; that way, you will know how much the piano will cost you before you buy.

Ultimately, $8,300 is a fortune to spend on a 4'11" grand in this economic environment, in which piano deals can be had all over the country, both new and used.

The closest RPT to you is in Chaparral, NM.

SCHAIBLE, MARVIN RPT

Address: CHAPARRAL, NM 88081 USA
Chapter: El Paso, TX
Phone: 915-474-3964
Email: marvina440@juno.com

There may be other, highly-regarded, non-RPT technicians in El Paso; you might want to ask around.

JF
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At home I have my 1956 45" Baldwin Hamilton upright sitting next to my mom's 1998 4'11" Young Chang PG-150 grand. To my ear, the upright sounds noticeably better than the grand, including in the low bass.

I didn't realize you also were a tuner/tech. That really is good advice. It would be very wise to pay the fee to have an older piano inspected prior to buying one. That brings me to one more question/choice.
The store (Washburn pianos) here in town does also have about 7 pianos given back to them on a trade in from the local University (UTEP). They are Mason & Hamlin uprights 52" age ranging from 1979-1983. Cosmetically, they have wear due to the number of students they went through but they do sound good. The bass is deep and they look well built. What are the chances, if I get an tuner/tech to look at them, to really get a good one without much mechanical issues? It probably depends on the particular piano but wont they eventually need alot of work? Buying new, I'll be getting a piano with zero miles and wont need more than a good tune for years,right or wrong?
I will call the tech you found in my area to go look at these Mason & Hamlins to see if he prefers a particular one from the bunch. As for the price, any of them regardless of condition are $1,500 each. I'll have to go to the store tomorrow to get some serial numbers and better info on the models. I'll let you know.

J&J,

I love M&H pianos; I almost bought a new 50" M&H upright myself. The 70's and 80's M&H's were made by a company named Aeolian, and while not the very top of the line at that time, they were very good pianos. I have played a couple of M&H 50's of this vintage and liked them just fine.

At $1,500 (or maybe less with some negotiating) it seems like they could be a good buy if they are not worn out.

Institutional pianos do get worn out, so it could be that those pianos are pretty well played out. The RPT I found on ptg.org should be able to tell you the condition of these, and may look at all 7 pianos for a small fee. There may be one that still have some good life in it!

I think it's definitely something to look into.

JF
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Interesting thread...I'm not sure if I agree with those who posit that getting a baby grand over an upright is unwise. I find the feel to be much better and expressive on a grand piano. I have played the Cable Nelson and it stands out to me as better than the usual grand in that price range. I like a consistent feel, though, so I'm just speaking for myself.

RE
"The store (Washburn pianos) here in town does also have about 7 pianos given back to them on a trade in from the local University (UTEP). They are Mason & Hamlin uprights 52" age ranging from 1979-1983. Cosmetically, they have wear due to the number of students they went through but they do sound good."


Not just cosmetically...., but these have gotta be just about worn out inside too!

A privately owned one would more than likely have a LOT LESS wear than a 25-30 yr old institutional piano.

I don't know anything about Costco because they don't they have stores in Namhattan. Are you saying you can return anything for a full refund at any time for any reason(valid or not)? Can't people just in effect rent pianos, vacuum cleaners, furniture or whatever else they sell for free if this is the case?

Interesting thread...

After all is said and done....

Costco is extraordinary - and you may very well have some added protections as a result.

OTH, I agree that most everyone would say that a 5'3 inch piano is about as short as you should go.

With the market being what it is, there will be piano from people and dealers making "great deals" over the next few months.

***UPDATE**
Well, in case anyone is wondering, we decided to wait and keep searching. We are in no hurry and do not want to make an unwise choice and regret it later. I think it was way too early to jump on the 1st deal that sounded good, especially when making a big investment. We are in no rush at this moment and feel the right piano and deal will eventually come our way. I will continue to look around and let you guys know what happens. Thanks for all the advice given from each and everyone one of you!

Smart move.

Best of luck to you, and please, let us know how your search progresses. Everyone here loves a good piano search story.

JF
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