i'm looking for an inexpensive piano for my kids to learn on. I found a 1967 Kimball Player piano that looks like it's in excellent condition- one owner, always kept in formal living room, rarely played, never moved, no scratches or marks on wood, all keys work, player works too, back/inside look really good (to my totally untrained eye). It comes with a bench, music rolls etc and they asked 250. also comes with the original old warranty, catalog, etc that came with it when it was delivered. The only issue is the ukulele option for the player piano seems to not move up for some of the keys when the player is off (it looks like a few of the felt pieces from the uke option have gotten lodged in the strings) I feel like i can dislodge them fairly easily and maybe just remove the uke option all together for the time being. any advice or concerns i should think of before purchasing? I like the sound and look of this piano, and this really is the top of our budget so we are hoping to just find that one old piano that is in good condition that we can use for our kids to learn. Thanks for any advice or info on this piano!

Pianos have thousands of moving parts. Player pianos have even more parts, and typically show much more wear because they have more use. It's as hard to find a piano in good condition for $250 as it is a car for $250, and it might cost you just as much to have it hauled away if it's untunable or not repairable.

As much as I love acoustic pianos, in your budget range I would recommend a new electronic keyboard. You'll have fewer problems over the next five years, you'll save money on tuning, and most importantly, the keys will move consistently and evenly, allowing your kids to learn.

It's as hard to learn to play on a 50-year-old worn out piano as it is to learn to drive on a 50-year-old worn out car, with play in the steering wheel, and brakes that need to be pumped. The warranty has long expired on this piano.

Please take a look at alternatives. Many kids give up in a few weeks when trying to play an instrument in bad condition.

--Cy--

The piano is 44 years old, but the condition doesn't seem severely bad. In fact I grew up playing on a similar piano (an early '70s Kimball console with an electric-pneumatic player system installed).

That said, it would cost more than $250 "out the door" to buy this piano. It should be inspected by a piano tech (~$100), moving adds about $200 more, and then tuning about 4 weeks after the move about $150 more (assuming it likely will need a pitch raise if it has sat unused for years). It will then need tuning at least 4X/year the first year. So it would be $450 of up-front expenses at a minimum, in addition to the $250 selling price, total of about $700.

For $700 total there are good digital piano options (Casio Privia, Yamaha, etc.) But if the Kimball has really been kept pristine I don't think it's necessarily a bad option ... if it checks out after inspection.

The thing about acoustic pianos is that they need to be tuned, serviced and regulated. A good regulation may last a while, but a precision tuning will not. Some pianos are more stable than others, but even the most stable will need tuning at least twice a year.

If you can't afford a piano technician/tuner to keep it tuned, (or you are not willing to play it in an "out-of-tune" condition or learn to tune it yourself) get a digital.

Good luck!

Rick