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#1837636 - 02/03/12 01:13 AM
Best way to move a piano
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Full Member
Registered: 01/15/12
Posts: 34
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I am noticing some pianos being given away on Craigslist in my area. Granted I find on that is not destroyed, is better to hire a piano moving company or try and move it myself.
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#1837647 - 02/03/12 01:26 AM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: plns]
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Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Registered: 06/07/03
Posts: 16559
Loc: Oakland
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Destroying the piano is minor compared to destroying a house, or even worse, yourself. Hire a mover.
_________________________
Semipro Tech
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#1837664 - 02/03/12 02:08 AM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: plns]
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500 Post Club Member
Registered: 07/28/09
Posts: 842
Loc: Nashville, TN
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It depends on what your abilities are, how much of a can do attitude you have, if you have some basic moving equipment, what kind of piano you are moving, your ability to follow common sense safety procedures, your willingness to research how to properly move a piano, etc. There are a lot of variables, but moving a piano is something that can be done by yourself and a small crew.
If you're clueless about things like tie down straps, furniture dollies, pick up trucks, and other things such as safety, hire a piano mover.
_________________________
Knabe 5'2" Louis XV Walnut circa 1927
Very part time piano broker.
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#1837685 - 02/03/12 03:47 AM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: plns]
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1000 Post Club Member
Registered: 01/20/09
Posts: 1767
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I don't mean to be rude, but moving a piano by yourself is, frankly, as stupid as it is dangerous. 1. If you damage someone's property or injure them, you will probably be sued. 2. If you hurt (or kill) yourself, you'll have expensive medical bills. 3. If you damage the piano, it will still need to be removed. 4. You will likely spend more money buying proper moving equipment than you will hiring a mover. Even professional piano movers get it wrong: http://www.conradaskland.com/blog/2007/04/movers-drop-88000-bosendorfer-piano/And this is why any credible moving company is bonded and insured!
_________________________
B.Mus. Piano Performance 2009
M.Mus. Piano Performance & Literature 2011
PTG Associate Member (Just joined 5-5-2012!)
Current projects: Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Handel, op. 24
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#1837735 - 02/03/12 06:48 AM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: plns]
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500 Post Club Member
Registered: 02/28/09
Posts: 874
Loc: London UK
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I once got an upright piano into a VW van by myself. I was much younger then, and the odd dent to the piano (and its surroundings) disn't matter!
Two people and a piano trolley can do it. How much will it matter if things go wrong? Will the owner go ballistic if there's a slight mark to a wall or door-frame?
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#1837749 - 02/03/12 07:18 AM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: plns]
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3000 Post Club Member
Registered: 11/13/08
Posts: 3936
Loc: Bradford County, PA
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If the piano is a modern upright, I don't see a big deal in renting a set of piano dollies, a ramp, and some straps. Borrow a pick-up truck (or better yet, find someone with a low trailer) and some old blankets and go for it. Just take your time and be cautious. Many more pianos are moved by owners and friends than by professional movers. These are like the dollies that rent for $20.00 a day in my area:  Ha! I just remembered the last piano I tuned. The couple had just moved from one place to another in the same town. They wanted to make sure the piano was moved correctly so they hired the dealer to move it. Sure enough a leg was broken off. It was glued back together, but not refinished.
_________________________
Jeff Deutschle
Part-Time Tuner
Who taught the first chicken how to peck?
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#1837815 - 02/03/12 09:29 AM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: plns]
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Junior Member
Registered: 01/16/12
Posts: 18
Loc: South Jersey
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There's a big difference between moving a spinet and moving a grand. There's also a big difference between moving it into a wide open first-floor room and moving into a tight third-floor apartment (both of which I've had to do). For the former, I did it myself. For the latter, I paid a mover.
Hiring a professional is a case-by-case decision as far as I'm concerned. Many of the variables have already been mentioned.
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#1838161 - 02/03/12 07:24 PM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: UnrightTooner]
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Full Member
Registered: 08/29/08
Posts: 470
Loc: Windsor,Nova Scotia Canada
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If the piano is a modern upright, I don't see a big deal in renting a set of piano dollies, a ramp, and some straps. Borrow a pick-up truck (or better yet, find someone with a low trailer) and some old blankets and go for it. Just take your time and be cautious. Many more pianos are moved by owners and friends than by professional movers. These are like the dollies that rent for $20.00 a day in my area: Ha! I just remembered the last piano I tuned. The couple had just moved from one place to another in the same town. They wanted to make sure the piano was moved correctly so they hired the dealer to move it. Sure enough a leg was broken off. It was glued back together, but not refinished. These are the worst devices for moving pianos.We always moved a piano strap on a 4 wheel dolly
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#1838177 - 02/03/12 07:47 PM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: wayne walker]
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500 Post Club Member
Registered: 06/23/06
Posts: 564
Loc: Québec, Canada
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These are the worst devices for moving pianos.We always moved a piano strap on a 4 wheel dolly
[/quote]
I agree, asking for trouble with one of those.
Edited by accordeur (02/03/12 07:49 PM)
_________________________
Jean Poulin
Musicien, accordeur et technicien
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#1838178 - 02/03/12 07:51 PM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: plns]
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Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Registered: 06/07/03
Posts: 16559
Loc: Oakland
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All of which goes to show that unless you are experienced, you should not be moving pianos.
_________________________
Semipro Tech
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#1838202 - 02/03/12 08:53 PM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: Pianolance]
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2000 Post Club Member
Registered: 09/11/06
Posts: 2702
Loc: Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
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If you're clueless about things like tie down straps, furniture dollies, pick up trucks, and other things such as safety, hire a piano mover.
Pick up truck??? That is the absolute worst vehicle for piano moving.
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#1838263 - 02/03/12 11:34 PM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: plns]
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500 Post Club Member
Registered: 08/01/11
Posts: 780
Loc: Philadelphia area
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Hire a mover!!!! A piano can break your bones.
But first, have the piano checked out by a technician.
One of the main reasons people are giving away the piano is that nobody will buy it. They then put it on Craigs list hoping someone will remove it for free.
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#1838264 - 02/03/12 11:37 PM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: plns]
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Full Member
Registered: 01/15/12
Posts: 34
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Thanks for the info guys. I was thinking about getting one to practice on.. Maybe bringing it to a storage unit, tuning it and possibly selling it but really for practicing.
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#1839400 - 02/06/12 07:56 AM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: plns]
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3000 Post Club Member
Registered: 11/13/08
Posts: 3936
Loc: Bradford County, PA
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I like the pictured piano moving dollies because the folding handles are just right when going over thresholds. And a pickup truck is great when there is a front porch to negotiate. They are very common here.
_________________________
Jeff Deutschle
Part-Time Tuner
Who taught the first chicken how to peck?
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#1839670 - 02/06/12 04:53 PM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: UnrightTooner]
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Full Member
Registered: 08/29/08
Posts: 470
Loc: Windsor,Nova Scotia Canada
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I like the pictured piano moving dollies because the folding handles are just right when going over thresholds. And a pickup truck is great when there is a front porch to negotiate. They are very common here. but they add length to the piano, most times in hallways you have to take them off to make a turn. Try moving pianos on a good 4 wheel dolly with the piano strap to the dolly and you never want to use the other device again
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#1840027 - 02/07/12 07:45 AM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: plns]
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3000 Post Club Member
Registered: 11/13/08
Posts: 3936
Loc: Bradford County, PA
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Wayne:
You may very well be right, but how do you get it up on the dolly without having to lift from an awkward position? That is another thing I like about the ones I use. There is a foot lever that lifts the piano.
_________________________
Jeff Deutschle
Part-Time Tuner
Who taught the first chicken how to peck?
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#1840258 - 02/07/12 03:25 PM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: UnrightTooner]
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Full Member
Registered: 08/29/08
Posts: 470
Loc: Windsor,Nova Scotia Canada
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Wayne:
You may very well be right, but how do you get it up on the dolly without having to lift from an awkward position? That is another thing I like about the ones I use. There is a foot lever that lifts the piano. two people lift the piano on the dolly, real simple. When I was moving pianos, most times there was only two people on the moves. When I started I used the device that is in the picture. I found it made the job harder.
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#1840337 - 02/07/12 05:47 PM
Re: Best way to move a piano
[Re: plns]
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Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Registered: 06/07/03
Posts: 16559
Loc: Oakland
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You can do it solo. The important thing to remember is that the higher you lift one end, the more weight ends up on the other. So it is much harder if you do not lift enough.
_________________________
Semipro Tech
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