Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum 1982 Acrosonic Console? Is this a decent buy?

Came across an Acrosonic that is 42.5" tall... I thought all acrosonics were spinets? Anyhow, its been well maintained, tuned every couple of years, played very little. A few nicks in the cabinetry from moving around from grandma's house to current residence. Offer is $650. Can I do better or should I jump on it?

Thanks so much!

Hi, RobinA. Welcome to the forum.

While the experts ruminate over this, I'll get the preliminaries out of the way.

Have you played it? What did you think of the tone and touch? Always, before buying a used piano, have a piano technician look at it. The experts will tell you condition is everything in a used piano.

On the forums, the Acrosonic has a reputation of being a good console/spinet piano. It would probably do you very well as a first piano.

Thank you for your reply, Gary. I have played it a little, as best as I can. HAven't played in years. The touch seems a little bit stiffer than the very old piano I was raised on but it sounds nice and I've had someone look at it who said it was in excellent condition. One key sorta "clicks" when you play it, but I assume I can get that fixed easily enough. I've been quoted by three technicians a retail (in the store) value of $1500-$2000), and one of them said out of the home he wouldn't take less than $1000, and said I should be very happy with it. I think it's a go!

Thanks for your input. This is a first piano for my daughter who is actually a violinist and needs it for heading off to college taking music courses including keyboarding. I think we could do a lot worse for our money.

Thanks again!

Well, have a tech check out that click. And good luck. If you buy it, post some pictures.

So the piano is going to be in her dorm? Or is she sharing a house? Keep in mind the college probably has practice rooms with a piano for non-piano majors. Another option is a weighted key digital piano - the advantage there is quiet playing. The Casio PX 330 is a good choice there.

Yes, Baldwin made consoles with the Acrosonic designation, but it was on the right side of the piano, usually, not in the center. The strings and back seemed to be the same as lessor models, but more time was spent on action regulation and voicing, usually.

Hi RobinA,

I bought one of these, 1996 model a few years ago when I started playing again. Same price, private seller too. It had a little click too in a few of the keys when it got too dry. With the humidification I started using when I got my new piano, no more click on the Acrosonic.

I do remember hearing/reading on here about a problem with a part of the action where a synthetic material was used for some years. Example :

https://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubb...3/topic/003975/Number/0/site_id/1#import

Corfam is the material. I worked in a shoe store in high school and remember that name from shoes then too. Didn't work out too well for shoes either if memory serves me right.

If it's going to be in a dorm or even an apartment or shared house, I might consider a digital. You can certainly get one of those for $650. Korg etc.

Either way good luck to the student.

Thanks so much for the replies. I'm sorry I wasn't clear about the college issue. My daughter will be commuting from home to college, so the piano will stay in our nice little study. She hopes to start offering violin lessons after this summer and wants to accompany her beginners on the piano, because she felt that experience (learning how to play with an accompanist from the start) gave her an early and lasting advantage. I hope the clicking is repairable... a couple of techs seem to think so. Thank you for the information about the suspect material. Compared to the hundred year old Story and Clark that my mother took apart, antiqued white, and put back together herself (gasp!), this piano feels like it will take stronger hands to play... don't know if that's to be expected or a good thing or what. I am very grateful for these boards. Gave me just the info I need to go ahead with the buy. I think we'll be happy with it until my daughter decides to trade up (i.e. when she can afford it herself!). I've tried to load a picture but apparently can't figure it out. I'll get my daughter to help me later,as I am not as tech savvy as she is :). Thanks again, all.

We never could figure out how to upload a picture, but I found the exact same piano online:

http://www.pianomart.com/buy-a-piano/ad.php?ad_id=10041

The one I purchased is beautiful, just like in the picture. Seems like I got a fair deal, not a steal by any means although I've had two technicans tell me that if I didn't buy it they would!

Thanks again, all