The importance of a good working piano

First and foremost, for me the most important aspect of what makes a good piano is consistency. A piano is unique as a musical instrument in its sheer complexity and it is, therefore, easier (at the risk of using a simplistic analogy) to compare it to a car than say, a guitar or violin. Unlike the latter, what is important to note (second of many more puns) is that pianos do not improve or appreciate with age in the same way as other musical instruments. I don’t want to imply here that pianos are necessarily troublesome money pits. A decent, well maintained acoustic piano can very easily last generations and is therefore by no means a bad investment, but a common mistake is choosing an older piano on the belief that it has value or longevity. I cannot stress enough the importance of choosing a serviceable, fit for purpose instrument, particularly for a young beginner. Unfortunately, in my experience and those of many other piano teachers; the main reason that children (and adults) give up or lose interest is they cannot replicate what they have played on their teacher’s instrument and get more and more frustrated.

Unfortunately 90% of pianos found on auction websites and for private sale online, despite their beauty in many cases, are of an age where they are simply unfit for purpose. Not only will you end up with something detrimental to you and/or your child’s musical progression but it will almost certainly be impossible to maintain. We as a company receive over five calls a day from people offering to give away their instruments to understandably avoid the high transport costs involved in disposing of these types of pianos.

Pianos with wooden frames (not cast iron), older straight strung and overdamped actions or anything with candle holders should frankly be avoided like the plague. Even a more modern piano can potentially house a host of problems that only a technician, at close inspection, would be able to spot. It is for this reason, and the costs involved, that most piano buyers choose a reputable piano dealer offering a guarantee and the confidence that your chosen instrument will be in perfect playing order.

We as a company are unique in London in that we have a workshop with an in-house team of highly experienced piano tuners and technicians. This means that we can give you absolute assurance that if you choose a pre-owned piano from us, it will be in optimum playing condition and trouble-free. It is because of this that we offer the same level of guarantees on our pre-owned as we do our new instruments.

We always have an exhaustive selection of upright and grand pianos from every price point which brings me neatly to the next point – what makes one piano better than another?