I'm in the market for a piano for my daughter, who just started learning piano. I came cross a used Baldwin 248AHPE (serial # 474063, about 10 year old?). The owner asked for $4500. Is this a fair price? I had a professional technician checked the piano and he said the condition of the piano was good.

Hi, and welcome to the Piano World Forums!

The Baldwin 248 is a nice piano, and was probably expensive when purchased new; but that price seems way too high to me.

Of course, that is just my opinion... lots of those on Piano World!

Good luck!

Rick

The price is probably fair. This an upright that has a HUGE soundboard and VERY long bass strings. It also has their patent accujust hitch pins which helps adjust the downbearing of the strings when needed. This is a very nice piano. Compared to the prices of a Yamaha U-3 today this piano is a good buy.

You are probably right, Ric...

I was thinking about the Baldwin 245. However, I think the 248 may be more comparable to the U1 and the Baldwin 6000 more comparable to the U3. But you are the expert and not me...

Rick

Because of the state of the Baldwin company, it is difficult to know a good price. However, comparing this model with comparable models, this is a very fair price. You are free to haggle, though.

I called Baldwin and found out that the piano was made in 1999. So it is 12 year old. Should I use Yamaha U1 of the same age and condition as the reference for pricing?

Thank you all for replying!

Go check out Pianoworks and maybe Sam can hook you up a new Hailun for less than that.

The U1 and 248 are similar. They both have 88 keys 36 black and 52 white. U1 is not handmade in the U.S., does not have a soundboard nearly as large as the 248, the longest bass string is significantly shorter, the case is NOT solid wood, it does not have accu-just hitch pins, and a few other things. At least three or four people have given this piano a fair price. If you want a U1 then the 248 should not be a consideration. If you do want the 248 then, negotiate the price you want to pay for it, buy it and be happy.

I probably would regret this, but I am not ready to take risk of buying a relatively untested brand.

Thank you for pointing out the advantages of 248. Personally I have no preference. Well, I prefer digital piano but the option was ruled out by my wife. My job is to buy whatever she likes at a reasonable price.

Even if you won't consider a Hailun, do go to Pianoworks. It's an excellent piano dealership. Hailun is just one of the new brands they carry and they often have really nice used pianos.

Today, their website shows a 2002 Charles R. Walter 1500 and a 1996 Kawai BS-3C in the $4-5K range. Either would be a great choice. I'd load up the wife and go.

Good luck!

Charles

I prefer the Baldwin to any of the other pianos mentioned here.

Hailun is not "untested".
And what exactly do you mean by "untested" anyways?

The 248, in my opinion (piano technician, rebuilder and former Baldwin dealer) is the best vertical they made. The model 6000 is just weird -- pleasing a few people and leaving everyone else in consternation. The 245 is a warhorse studio that was perhaps the best of the old school studios from Everett, Wurlitzer and Kimball. I even prefer it to the Yamaha P2 series.

The 248, though is a highly refined instrument from Baldwin which represents learnings from the 6000 without its eccentricities. I'd get it in a heartbeat.

I consider a piano brand of at least 15 year good-reputation as tested, while only six year ago did Huilun start to manufacture pianos in China. None of my friends has a Huilun piano and I am willing to pay more for a more established brand. Maybe my concerns are unnecessary, but I have decided not to take the risk.

By the way, while I was doing research about Huilun pianos, I found that the company attempted IPO in China's stock market last year, but was shot down by the SEC of China, due to highly suspicious financial activities revealed. If you can read Chinese, just google "Hunlun piano" in Chinese, and you will find many related news reports. Things like this give me very negative impression of the company and make me wonder how long the company would exist and what would happen to the warranty it promised.