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Are old grand pianos worth anything?
Like antique books, antique pianos are not worth a lot of money just because they are old. In actuality these old instruments may be worth very little at all. Most antique, upright pianos are worth $500 or less in very good condition. This is because a piano is actually a machine.
How can I find out how much my piano is worth?
Appraisers of used pianos and other consumer goods typically use three different methods to determine fair market value: comparable sales, depreciation, and idealized value minus the cost of restoration.
What is a cabinet grand piano?
“Upright Grand” and “Cabinet Grand” were terms used referring to very tall upright pianos, usually 52″ or more in height. These pianos often had string lengths, tone and technical capabilities equal to, and indeed sometimes better than, petite baby grands.
How much is a grand piano worth?
Safe to say that depending on the size concert grand you want, you’ll spend between $120,000 and $200,000 for a new piano.
What are the worst piano brands?
The Worst Pianos To Avoid
- Wurlitzer. These pianos are not made “professional” friendly.
- Daewoo. Daewoo is a brand from Korean manufacturers which produced and exported pianos since 1976.
- Kranich & Bach. On this list, this name brand is the oldest.
- Samick.
- Marantz.
- Lindner.
- Williams.
- Artesia.
Why are old pianos worthless?
Many of these old pianos have sat neglected for years, have sticky keys, cracked soundboards, all sorts of problems that make them next to useless for a serious musician. You’re very unlikely to be able to sell a really old piano, especially if it’s between 80 – 100 years old and hasn’t been played in a while.
Do pianos depreciate in value?
From a financial perspective (excluding instruments with special historical or artistic value), pianos are a depreciating asset. They depreciate quickly for the first few years and then slowly thereafter. They may eventually appear to appreciate in value, but the appreciation is entirely due to inflation.
How much does it cost to appraise a piano?
These types of reports can generally range on average >$150 to >$250 per report. provided by qualified piano technicians in North America.
How can you tell how old a piano is?
You will need 2 things to determine the age of your piano:
- The brand name of the piano. Note: Some pianos will have more than one name for the manufacturer.
- The serial number (NOT the model number) of the piano. To locate the serial number on a vertical piano, open the top and look inside.
What is the best brand of grand piano?
These best piano brands are lauded as Top Tier performance brands, infinitely higher quality than the mass-manufactured pianos with perhaps the more familiar sounding names.
- Bösendorfer.
- FAZIOLI.
- Grotrian.
- Sauter.
- Shigeru Kawai.
- Steinway & Sons (Hamburg)
- Steingraeber & Söhne.
- YAMAHA.
What is the most expensive grand piano?
Steinway Alma Tadema
The world’s most expensive grand piano sold at auction is a specially designed D-274 named Steinway Alma Tadema; it sold for $1.2 million in 1997 at Christie’s in London, breaking Steinway’s own 1997 price record of $390,000. The D-274 was built in 1883–87 and designed by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema.
Do all old pianos have ivory keys?
The earliest pianos built 300 years ago had keys that were made entirely of wood. But then ivory became a preferred material due to its polished appearance, durability and texture. Ivory from elephant tusks is no longer used to make piano keys and there is a global ban on trade of ivory.
What kind of fretwork did an 1880’s Piano have?
The domineering design factors of the 1880’s pianos were turned legs dripping with ostentatious ornamentation and fabric-backed front panels of open jigsaw fretwork. The cases of the 1890’s still have the lavish carvings made of exotic woods. The cabinet veneers were mainly walnut-burl and figured, and rosewood.
How much does a full size upright piano cost?
This budget should get you a refinished cabinet, repaired (not replaced) soundboard and bridge, new strings and tuning pins, new action components, and key bushings. It may be a very cool piece after all is said and done, but the $15,000 – $20,000 full-size upright piano buyer is extremely rare.
Which is the best brand of grand piano?
Overwhelmingly, these are not sought after pianos for the general piano player / buyer, but there are a few brands to keep an eye out for that might have at least some value. Steinway & Sons, Mason & Hamlin, Baldwin and Knabe pianos are known to have produced some of the best built full-size uprights of the era.
Are there any antique upright pianos still in use?
Even though these massive antique upright pianos had been phased out by manufacturers and the design was now outdated, many of the original owners opted to keep these pianos vs upgrading them.