by Stephen N. Reed
The used Steinway market is a huge one, with a quite broad array of instruments: some good, some bad. Anyone going into the used Steinway market needs to come armed with solid information in order to ensure that their choice is a sound one.
After all, what could be worse than to pay a large sum of money for a used Steinway that looked good on the surface but disappoints once it is installed in your home?
At M. Steinert & Sons, we have sold tens of thousands of new and used Steinways for over 150 years. Our credo is that we want each customer to purchase the best piano for them. It can’t be the best used Steinway piano for you unless you obtain a solid instrument with many years of musical quality left in it.
In this article, we will examine the different types of used Steinways and the best ways to guarantee that you will be buying a genuinely good one, not just one that looks good. You’ll learn how obtaining the services of a seasoned Steinway piano technician can be critical to know that you’re getting a solid used Steinway, rather than one with some parts that are not genuine Steinway.
Such a technician can be on the lookout for a quality used Steinway for you, working to inspect potential pianos for problems.
Shells: At the low end are shells of used Steinways that have not been serviced nor restored. These pianos have significant signs of damage and are not usually in playing condition. They are called shells inside the piano industry because only the ‘shell’ (the rim/cabinet) has value as a candidate for rebuilding.
Repaired: Next is a repaired used Steinway, one that is in playable condition. Some parts have been repaired, with or without Steinway parts, and the major, original components are still in place. More repairs may be needed.
Rebuilt: This kind of Steinway is rebuilt to its original condition. The bridges, action, and soundboard may have all been replaced. The better rebuilt Steinways are those using genuine Steinway parts.
Original: An original used Steinway has all of its original parts. The piano has only been serviced and original parts repaired. Used Steinways of this quality typically are 20 years of age or less.
Factory-restored: A factory-restored Steinway was serviced by the Steinway Restoration Center in Iowa. Only genuine Steinway parts have been used for repairs and restoration.
Heirloom Collection: These pianos are completely refurbished with genuine Steinway parts and labor, usually at the Steinway facilities. These pianos have a certificate of authenticity and the same 5-year warranty as a new Steinway & Sons piano.
The used Steinway market has pianos of a broad array of different ages. For purposes of this article, it will help to think of them in three basic age ranges:
“Like new” instruments, 1-25 years old, are in great condition and need only regular tuning and action adjustments. With good care, this kind of used Steinway may even remain “like new” for more than 25 years.
Reconditioned Steinways, 25-50 years old, typically required new strings, tuning pins, damper felts, hammer reshaping, and action regulation. The amount of work depends on how the instrument was maintained and stored over the years.
Fully restored Steinways, 50-130+ years old, usually required extensive work to get them back to “like new” condition. Many such pianos get entirely new parts. Their overall condition is based largely on how they have been cared for by one or more owners.
Having the guidance of a seasoned Steinway piano technician is key to navigating one’s way through the used Steinway world. Such a technician is your guide to buying a quality used Steinway. For example, a seasoned Steinway piano consultant knows can determine if a used Steinway has been repaired with only authentic Steinway parts.
Steinway pianos are designed to use only genuine Steinway parts. As a result, Steinways that have been repaired or restored with non-Steinway parts has thus been called “Steinwas,” meaning that the different kind of parts in the instrument makes it less of a Steinway.
Non-Steinway parts alter the piano’s sound, performance, and most assuredly its investment value. If you want maximum quality and pieces that are designed specifically for Steinway pianos, you’ll want to make sure that the piano repairer or rebuilder has used authentic Steinway parts.
Buying a Certified Pre-owned Steinway from an Authorized Steinway Dealer like M. Steinert & Sons is the only way to guarantee this, as only such authorized dealers have access to Steinway parts.
M. Steinert piano consultant Patrick Elisha notes that buying a Certified Pre-owned Steinway gives the buyer peace of mind that a certain quality benchmark has been reached. “Certified Pre-owned used Steinways have made the grade, the quality one expects from Steinway & Sons,” says Elisha.
Non-Steinway replacement parts are less expensive and can be made differently. This can negatively impact the used Steinway’s sound and, sometimes, its overall performance.
Many resellers will not say whether a used Steinway they’re selling has all genuine parts or not. To be safe, you should request to see available repair logs.
We often tell people in these articles to “come in and try some of our pianos.” But when it comes to the used Steinway market, it’s just as important for you to get acquainted with a true expert on used Steinways: an Authorized Steinway Dealer piano technician.
Such technicians have typically helped many different piano buyers find the right piano for them. In the case of a used Steinway buyer, a whole other layer of expertise comes into play, depending on whether one wants a true Steinway, with all Steinway parts, or whether a model with some non-Steinway parts is sufficient for your needs.
If you see your used Steinway purchase from the angles of musical quality and making a sound investment, we think you’ll want to purchase a used Steinway with all-Steinway parts.
Of course, if you have the financial ability to purchase a new Steinway model, that is your best bet for musical quality and making a lasting investment in what could easily be a family heirloom, passed down generation to generation. A new Steinway is always the best alternative, as compared to a used Steinway.
But for those who want a Steinway but are unable to buy a new one, carefully navigating your way through the underbrush of the used Steinway market, can yield positive results. Just have your Authorized Steinway Dealer’s piano technician handy to help you understand the subtle nuances between an excellent used Steinway and one whose musical quality is evaporating.
So as you prepare for your meeting with a Steinway piano consultant and technician, learn more about the kind of easy self-assessment you can do before your time together. Understanding your desire to own a piano on the front end of your used Steinway piano journey can only help you as you move towards your ultimate purchase.
While you await your visit with a Steinway consultant and technician, read more about whether certain years of used Steinway need to be avoided. You may have heard this from others, and this article will help give clarity to this issue.
by Stephen N. Reed
The used Steinway market is a maze of options and opinions. With each passing decade, new myths evolve and fade. After more than 160 years as the world’s leading piano brand – this was bound to happen!
In addition, Steinway, like other piano manufacturers, make changes to their various models for various reasons. These are worth investigating, as well. Some changes may impact the overall performance of the instrument, while others may not.
In Steinway & Sons pianos, changes are made to improve the performance of the instrument, rather than for purely economic and cost-saving measures.
One issue related to how Steinways were made in the period of 1961-82 involve the Teflon bushings the company used in their pianos. At M. Steinert & Sons, we strive to be transparent regarding the bushings issue, having examined it carefully for customers for several years.
It bears noting that pianos of this vintage may have other significant issues due to their overall age. It is almost universally agreed that pianos over 30 years old will need significant work.
By the end of this article, you will understand what went on during the years that bushings were made and whether they are years to avoid in selecting a used Steinway. Additionally, you’ll learn how to safeguard against older Steinway issues by using programs like the M. Steinert CPP program for certified used pianos.
It all began with a legitimate interest in lessening the servicing needed from one season (or climate) to another. In 1962, the Permafree action was introduced by Steinway. This new action replaced the wool cloth that had lined (i.e. “bushed”) the tiny holes in the wooden flanges into which the center pins were inserted and upon which the action’s moving parts pivot.
Because the wool bushings can swell in damp weather and shrink in drier conditions, the action’s moving parts they are attached to can start to slow or loosen. Steinway has always emphasized improving every aspect of their pianos, so the new Permafree action had new bushings, with Teflon replacing the traditional wool cloth.
This seemed like a good fix, as Dupont had made Teflon tough plastic that would not change during temperature and humidity variations. In addition to changing out the bushing material, a new center pin was created, which required new tools and additional training for Steinway piano technicians.
The new Teflon bushings had a mixed review. Sometimes the wood around the bushings still swelled and shrunk, even though the Teflon did not. This caused some of the Teflon bushings to loosen in more humid seasons, causing a clicking noise when affected keys were played.
Action parts could also put additional pressure on the bushings during drier weather, causing those parts to move a little slower.
Fortunately, a Teflon bushing could be replaced without difficulty. However, with over 900 bushings in a single piano’s action, the engineers eventually went back to wool bushings in 1981.
Obviously, prospective used Steinway buyers want to know if it is wise to buy a used Steinway during the “Teflon bushing years” from 1962 to 1981.
The good news is that, for average piano use in the home, the used Steinways from this era have shown themselves to work well. Piano technicians with long experience in these instruments note that, after any Teflon bushings are replaced during the piano’s first few seasonal changes, generally few problems occur.
As long as the piano technician takes special note of the humidity conditions during the servicing, a used Steinway from this era should work fine for home use.
A piano that must endure heavy use, like those in schools or concert halls, should consider returning to cloth bushings. This would require replacing not only the bushings but the entire action, as well.
As the world’s oldest Steinway dealer, M. Steinert developed solid experience with the Teflon bushing years, starting in 1961.
“Our conclusion was that once the ‘clicks’ were discovered and remedied, the pianos worked very well,” says Paul Murphy, President emeritus of M. Steinert & Sons. “The main problem seems to have been a prior generation’s limited ability to service them, which is not an issue now. Today those pianos probably have more age-related reasons to avoid them, like cracked soundboards, loose tuning pins, and worn actions.”
One way to ensure that the piano you are buying has good quality is to buy through programs like M. Steinert’s Certified Pre-owned Piano (CPP) program. A used piano that passes M. Steinert’s 88-point inspection is going to be in solid musical condition. We delve deeper into the CPP program in a prior article.
Steinert gets trade-ins frequently and understands that not everyone is in a position to buy a new Steinway. That is why the company created this CPP program.
“It comes down to this,” says company president Brendan Murphy. “You know what you’re getting with a Certified Pre-owned Piano from M. Steinert & Sons.”
While almost any piano can be serviced, as a piano ages beyond 30 years it becomes harder to keep it musical without significant work. For this reason, we suggest the following guidelines for Steinway piano selection:
To learn more about M. Steinert’s Certified Pre-owned pianos view the current ones in stock in our Used Piano section. Select the “Certified” option in the Status filter.
Also, learn more about used Steinways by reading the following articles:
by Stephen N. Reed
There is a common tendency to romanticize certain old pianos, particularly old Steinways. This has led many piano buyers down a path of subsequent disappointment, regret, and buyer’s remorse.
Perhaps the best example of this is the so-called “Golden Age of Steinway,” which purports that the best Steinways were built decades in the past.
This has become a serious education problem as some used piano dealers, old piano rebuilders, and private technicians compete with Authorized Steinway Dealers and the new Steinways only they can sell.
Throughout Steinway’s history, such used Steinway sellers have spread the myth of a previous, mythical “Golden Age” of old Steinway years that cover the period of time when Steinways typically become worn out–any age exceeding 75 years. In other words, when a used Steinway needs restoration.
After all, these are the kind of Steinway pianos they can sell. And it can be big business at times. During the first third of the 20th century, Steinway produced a large number of pianos per year, and thus, a large number remains on the used market.
So as you hear about this distant “Golden Age of Steinway,” you need to know if there is any truth to it.
M. Steinert & Sons has been an Authorized Steinway Dealer for over 150 years and has helped tens of thousands of customers determine the right piano for them.
This sometimes includes disabusing some customers of notions like a past “Golden Age of Steinway” so that they can know the truth of a used Steinway’s value.
By the time you have read this article, you will understand some facts about the evolutionary development of the Steinway piano. You will understand that, while some good used Steinways are out there, the most recently produced, new Steinway will always be the best one.
The piano is now 322 years old (c.1700), and over 12,000 brand names have come and gone. Many piano historians and musicians agree that Steinway & Sons pianos have long been the pianos by which all others are judged.
Throughout its 169-year history, Steinway & Sons has consistently included piano engineering and improvement as a key part of its ethos. They have experimented with countless piano ideas, theories, designs, styles, types, and sizes of pianos–some of them abject failures–others quite successful, even to the point of shaping the modern piano across various brands.
Many of these evolving models, through years of experimentation and testing, were rejected as the company’s steadily accumulating knowledge of acoustical, mathematical, chemical, engineering, physical, and musical science consistently increased.
Other designs were retained due to their proven excellence over time, methodically being improved and refined into today’s ultimate Steinway–the historical apex of Steinway technology and musicality.
On average a new engineering patent has been granted to Steinway & Sons every 14 months throughout its history. Today’s 2022 newest designs incorporate a remarkable 139 improvements–13 in the last 10 years alone.
The Steinway ethos is demonstrably one of pursuit–ever-changing, ever-evolving, never content with yesteryear. This constant improvement may be one of the reasons why upwards of 95% of piano performers worldwide prefer Steinway.
To illustrate this Steinway evolutionary process in greater detail, there has been one particular size and design of Steinway home grand–apart from the large Model D concert grand (9′).
This is a Steinway model that has become the favorite of professionals and accomplished amateurs alike in every generation of its continuous development: the Model B.
The “B” has evolved over a period of 149 years with a redesign occurring on average every 15 years–a total of 10 Model B “evolutionary eras.”
The changes to the Model B listed in the following chart are only a few in each generation of Model B, but this chart should prove the steady evolution of this as a representative Steinway model throughout Steinway’s design innovation history:
| Years | Keys | Size | Model B Design Changes |
| 1872 – 1878 | 85 | 6’ 8” | Agraffes throughout entire scale. Sectional case, curved tail square rear corner. The case had round arms, wide double mouldings around the bottom. |
| 1878 – 1884 | 85 | 6’ 8” | Substituting capo d’astro bar in place of agraffes for notes 52-85. Duplex agraffe. Keyframe leveling screw. Action w/Support Spring. |
| 1884 – 1892 | 85 | 6’10.5″ | Substituting double cupola plate for single cupola; adjustable front duplexes for notes 52-85 in place of front-duplex clipped agraffes. Treble Bell. |
| 1891 – 1914 | 88 | 6’10.5″ | Expansion of 85 notes to 88 notes. Capo d’astro bar (notes 52-88) |
| 1914 – 1917 | 88 | 6’11.5″ | 1” increase change in overall scale design. Grand underlever Top Flange w/Flexible Tab. |
| 1917 – 1967 | 88 | 6’11” | ½” reduction change in overall scale design. 1936 Diaphragmatic Soundboard and Accelerated Action patents. 1923 all-maple rims. |
| 1967 – 2005 | 88 | 6’10.5″ | ½’ reduction change in overall scale design. 1963 Hexagrip Pinblock patent. Permafree II bushing cloth w/emrilon. |
| 2005 – 2015 | 88 | 6’11” | ½” increase change in overall scale design. Damper adjustment device. |
| 2015 – 2019 | 88 | 6’11” | Spirio ultra high-resolution re-performance system.
1020 dynamic levels and 256 levels of proportional pedaling of live recordings. |
| 2019 + | 88 | 6’11” | Spirio/r ultra high-resolution re-performance system.
1020 dynamic levels and 256 levels of proportional pedaling of live recordings. Plus capture and playback and editing. |
Only 60 Steinway piano dealerships are in the United States. These are the only piano retail locations officially authorized to sell new Steinways which incorporate all of Steinway’s 139 patents and most recent technological breakthroughs such as the Spirio capturing and re-performance systems.
These new Steinways are also the only pianos that are honored with a new five-year Steinway factory warranty covering major structural components that can only be replaced at the factory with proprietary factory equipment and labor.
A new Steinway with all of the latest innovations, paired with a five-year Steinway factory warranty, has the best claim on any “Golden Age” Steinway.
One reason for this is that, as in the past, Steinway continues to use the best materials and latest technologies in each year’s run of new pianos.
Piano retailers whose survival relies on the restoration of outdated Steinway engineering designs may do an acceptable job restoring old Steinway designs.
However, they overstep and mislead when they falsely claim that the older Steinway designs, materials, and workmanship are superior to today’s models or that their restoration workmanship is “unparalleled.” Such statements are simply a case of exaggeration.
The truth is that the used piano designs these firms are restoring are now in many respects technologically and musically obsolete. In some cases, the technologies, equipment, materials, and expertise necessary to the construction of current Steinway designs are not available to them.
The accuracy, precision, material excellence, manufacturing methodologies, equipment, and advanced designs of the newest Steinways far exceed those of previous generations.
Today’s leading music conservatories and symphonies categorically invest only in new Steinways for their performance halls and faculty studios. Few would disagree that such institutions want only the best Steinways for their uses.
Some good, used Steinways certainly are out there. However, the best Steinways have always been and still are new. The only genuine Steinway Golden Age is today.
To learn more about New and Used Steinways, read the following articles:
Choosing between a new and used Steinway
New vs. Used Steinway: Which is the better value for me?
Pros and Cons of new and rebuilt Steinway
by Stephen N. Reed
Is there ever an occasion where buying a used Steinway is preferable to a new one, other than for a lower price? While many used Steinways are in good condition, the simple truth is that every piano has a slow but steady process of deterioration.
So if two Steinways have the same model style, but one is younger than the other, the younger one will most often be the smart purchase–and brand new is the best. The only exceptions to this would be if a younger piano had considerably greater usage and/or a less conducive environment.
These issues could make a younger piano have poor quality than a well-maintained, somewhat older piano
A piano company like Steinway is constantly innovating and improving its models. In fact, Steinway applies for a new piano patent once every 14 months on average. The truth is that only the latest Steinway is outfitted with the latest innovations and improvements, along with the security of Steinway’s five-year manufacturer warranty.
By the end of this article, you will understand more about why a brand new Steinway is consistently better than a used one.
Concert pianists know something many don’t, namely that even a well-made, handcrafted piano starts the gradual process of deterioration as soon as they leave the factory. That’s why they prefer to play as close to a new Steinway piano as possible.
Indeed, upwards of 95% of today’s piano performers prefer to play Steinways. Performance halls usually rotate new Steinways in after a few years. Why is this? Because older Steinways–even restored ones–cannot compete with the new Steinway.
Since 1853, consistent with their mission to build the best piano possible, Steinway has been making constant advancements to their instruments — as mentioned previously, every 14 months, on average.
Only the newest Steinways contain all 139 patents as well as the multitude of factory improvements brought about by modern engineering, process control, and computer technology.
As superstar classical pianist and Steinway Artist Lang Lang puts it, “If I am to play my best, there is no way but Steinway.” When Lang Lang wanted to partner with a piano company to design his own “Black Diamond” piano model, he turned to Steinway.
Among other reasons, classical and contemporary piano greats choose Steinway for its famed “Steinway sound,” a warm, rich, bell-like tone with a wide range of colors not found elsewhere. This wider palette of color allows the pianist to express their emotions more subtly and powerfully.
Classical musicians everywhere are familiar with America’s most elite music schools: Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, Juilliard School of Music in New York, Oberlin College Conservatory in Ohio, Yale School of Music in Connecticut, to name a few.
These top schools are renowned for producing the best pianists, the best string players, the best woodwind and brass players, the best percussionists, the best vocalists, and the best conductors.
Significantly, each of these schools has chosen Steinway pianos, almost exclusively, for their students’ use. Curtis owns 95. Juilliard owns 260. Oberlin owns 240. And Yale owns 150.
Worldwide, the list of “All-Steinway” Schools now exceeds two hundred. Why do the vast majority of leading conservatories and schools of music and symphony orchestras invest only in new Steinways, rotating them out every few years?
Their answer is simple: because of the unparalleled educational experience these pianos provide to their students and the enduring long-term value they provide to institutions. Such top institutions want to be known as having state-of-the-art pianos, i.e. the latest Steinways.
Used Steinway pianos are described in a multitude of ways by technicians and piano dealers: repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, restored.
The best restorations can be done at the new Steinway Restoration Factory in Walker, Iowa factory. The cost of rebuilding an old Steinway can easily approach that of a brand new Steinway.
Sometimes, the theory is floated that a past “Golden Age of Steinway” produced superior instruments which, in good condition, are somehow better than a new Steinway. We debunked this myth in a previous article.
No used Steinway, even one in great condition, has the musical quality and longevity of a brand new Steinway.
Major music schools and over 95% of piano performers worldwide point to the new Steinway as the best choice possible–if an individual or institution can make the investment in one of these well-crafted pianos.
From Steinway & Sons’ latest innovations to the fact that their long life is entirely ahead of them, a new Steinway offers the best musical quality over any used Steinway, no matter how well-restored it may be. A new Steinway has all of its life ahead of it and has the benefit of including any new innovations developed by Steinway engineers.
Plus, only a new Steinway affords the buyer a five-year manufacturer warranty. Steinway factory warranty.
Finally, only a new Steinway and used Steinways back to 2016 offer the Spirio option, making one’s Steinway grand into a high-resolution, 21st century player piano.
Learn more about the difference between new and used Steinways by reading the following articles:
New vs. used Steinway: Which is the better value for me?
Pros and cons of new Steinway vs. rebuilt Steinway
by Stephen N. Reed
In 2022, you may well be told that the premier piano model you want to buy is not available at the moment. Why? Because piano companies like Steinway & Sons have an interesting problem on their hands.
Sales of their new grands and uprights have been so strong in the past year that those seeking those same models this year may have to wait for their piano to be produced.
In the case of Steinway, their American factory in Astoria, New York –which services the entire Western hemisphere–simply can’t keep up with demand.
Yes, Steinway is on it, and production is being gradually increased, as the company trains skilled workers. However, this increase in production is never at the expense of the quality that is Steinway’s trademark.
This kind of limited supply is rare in the piano industry, and typically such supply catches up with demand in a relatively short amount of time.
Nevertheless, a piano brand of choice having limited supply could pose a problem to the individual or institution who needs their new piano by a certain date.
In these times, what course of action should a piano buyer take to have the best chance of securing their preferred model when they need it? We’ll explore this course of action below.
At M. Steinert & Sons, we have helped customers with limited supply issues during five wars and one Great Depression. For over 160 years, we have learned how to secure quality new and used pianos for a wide range of customers. Our Premier Dealer status gives us a unique advantage in securing pianos in these remarkable times.
By the end of this article, you’ll know what you can do, in tandem with a Steinway Authorized Dealer, to obtain your preferred premium model of piano by your deadline.
2021 was an outstanding year for Steinway piano sales, better than expected. As a result, the company is making the necessary adjustments to increase production.
“Demand has simply outstripped supply right now,” says M. Steinert & Sons President Brendan Murphy. “So each Authorized Steinway Dealer has been allocated a finite number of new Steinways this year. Because M. Steinert has represented Steinway & Sons pianos for well over a century, our allocation is greater than many dealers and has a greater number of larger Steinways, like the popular Model B.”
Brendan notes that those needing a piano by a certain date will want to place an order sooner than later.
“Though we have been allocated a certain number of Steinways, they aren’t made yet but will get here throughout the year as they are finished,” says Brendan.
Placing your deposit puts you at the top of the waitlist. Upon receipt of the piano at our Service Center, the piano will be fully prepped by our factory-trained technicians and you will be invited in for a private showing. Our technicians are dedicated and talented and will work with you to make sure you are happy.
If you prefer to wait for the next piano to arrive from the factory, you may do so. No piano will be delivered until you are fully satisfied.
Here are the steps to go through while waiting for a new Steinway this year:
With a little bit of advanced planning, a new Steinway or another premium piano can still be purchased, despite the current limited supply. Check in with your Authorized Steinway Dealer like M. Steinert & Sons to determine what we have allocated and when you can expect your desired model to be available.
If you can wait, purchasing the new Steinway you really want will be worth it. After all, these popular models have a limited supply for a reason.
But if you need your piano sooner, we’ve got you covered with new models from Boston and Essex, the two Steinway-designed brands, as well as a range of top used models.
Learn more about new and used pianos in the article below:
New vs. Used Steinway: Which is the better value for me?
By Stephen N. Reed
Entering the used piano market as a first-time seller can be intimidating. You want to get a decent price for your piano while not taking too long to sell it.
At M. Steinert & Sons, we have been buying used pianos at a fair price for over 160 years. While we’re one of your options for selling your piano, we’re not your only option.
By the end of this article, you will have learned about some options for those who want to sell their used pianos in the Boston area. You will also understand what stores like M. Steinert’s look for when they buy a used piano.
If you have a used piano that you are wanting to sell but have little knowledge of brands and the musical value, you will want to find a piano technician or piano consultant to give you an estimated value. They can give you a decent estimate of your piano’s value.
You need to know that before you sell. After all, what could be worse than selling a used piano, only to find after the sale that it was worth much more?
Formal written appraisals are a worthwhile investment (usually $300-600) if you think you have a piano of significant worth. You can find an independent technician at ptg.org.
The internet has allowed people to sell anything online, including their pianos. You can list your piano on sites like e-Bay, Craigslist, or even in local newspaper classifieds. You and a buyer agree on a price. We recommend including a $300-$600 moving fee to be paid by the buyer if you’re selling in the private market or online.
Another online option is Pianomart. Pianomart is an online, national piano store that buys and sells a wide range of used upright and grand pianos.
Selling a piano online has its pros and cons.
One advantage to selling a used piano on sites Pianomart or Craigslist is the sheer number of viewers who will see your ad or listing.
However, there is a downside. Despite the number of eyeballs viewing your listing, online sales in the private market can take longer than selling to a local piano store, depending on the quality of your used piano.
Plus, if you use a site like Pianomart, they receive a 3% commission off the selling price. Additionally, a local piano store will know its full value more than many online viewers.
The pros and cons are exactly reversed when selling your piano to a local piano store. The piano store wants to make a profit on the future sale of your used piano. So you might make less from a sale to a local piano store.
However, on the positive side, working with a local piano store provides you with the safe and secure removal offered by the professional piano store movers. Another plus when working with a piano store is that the sale can be immediate, and the cost of moving the piano is typically assumed by the piano store.
In the Greater Boston area, East Cambridge Piano seeks good, used pianos. Their online inventory page suggests that they take a wide range of brands and models including Bechstein, Sojin, Yamaha, and Samick.
M. Steinert & Sons is a good example of a piano store that is always looking for top-of-the-line used pianos. A store like M. Steinert’s has a customer base that wants assurance that a used piano still has strong musical value and longevity for many years to come.
Their customers are typically willing to pay a little extra for the peace of mind that comes from dealing with an established store. For this reason, M. Steinert’s can usually make a competitive offer for your piano.
“As a longtime Authorized Steinway Dealer, M. Steinert is always looking for good, used Steinways, whether grands or uprights,” says Brendan Murphy, President of M. Steinert & Sons. “Occasionally we’ll even buy an old Steinway just for the style and design of its case so that we can have it rebuilt.”
Brendan notes that M. Steinert will also buy used pianos from the Steinway-designed lines Boston and Essex. M. Steinert also purchases some Yamaha and Kawai models that are under 30 years of age.
Given a temporary shortage of new pianos, M. Steinert & Sons is actively purchasing quality used pianos.
An interesting detail of such piano company purchases is the finish on the pianos.
“A natural finish on a used piano shows wear and tear,” Brendan notes. “It can fade over time. Plus many of these finishes, like cherry, are no longer in fashion. So we prefer ebony finish, which goes with everything and doesn’t go out of style.”
To understand better what an authorized brand dealer offers both piano buyers and sellers, check out the following article:
What does it mean to be an Authorized Steinway Dealer?
by Stephen N. Reed
The used piano market in the United States is understandably huge, as there are some large groups of buyers each year that are looking for a used upright or grand piano:
The common denominator for all three of these groups is a keen desire to avoid getting a “lemon” of a used piano.
To have gone to the trouble of spending thousands of dollars on a used piano, only to find out after the sale is final that its soundboard or pin block is damaged would crush the enthusiasm for you.
For over 160 years, M. Steinert & Sons has strived to educate customers on how to find the right piano for them. We constantly talk with customers about what to look for in a used piano and how to find one that has plenty of good life left in it and is in good condition.
For example, you’ll hear our piano consultants talk about Steinway’s Certified Pre-owned pianos and M. Steinert’s own program to certify quality used pianos.
By the end of this article, you’ll learn which parts of a used piano are easily repaired–and which aren’t. You’ll have a better feel for a range of piano brands, assessing their respective value.
You’ll also learn the advantage of buying a new piano, rather than a used one, if you can. Some people find that a new piano has such advantages that they are worth the added cost.
The best gauge of a used piano’s value is if it still possesses musical quality. As you can see in this chart (each curve represents a piano example), even a handcrafted Steinway piano diminishes in musical quality over time. Much depends on the maintenance and environment of a given piano. Was it kept in a place with the proper amount of humidity? Was it tuned regularly? These factors add up over time.
What every piano buyer needs to know is that each piano has its own curve of quality over time as explained in our New vs Used Steinway article. In the chart below, each curve represents a piano example.
A higher-quality brand means its design, parts, and craftsmanship will last longer. Quality brands for mass-produced pianos include Kawai, Boston, Essex, and Yamaha. Quality handcrafted pianos include Bosendorfer and Steinway.
By definition, a used piano is, well, used. So some mild buzzing or rattling may be minor and not a huge problem.
However, you’ll want a piano technician to give you the “all clear” as sometimes such noises can be a sign that a repair–large or small–is needed.
A person with a bad cough may only have a cold or they may have pneumonia. Checking such noises out in a used piano is necessary before a purchase to avoid a lemon.
In addition, one other noise to pick up on is a key or keys that are significantly out of tune. You can avoid such problems by buying from a trusted authorized dealer, which should have already fixed these issues.
Thankfully, many repairs to used pianos are minor. A key or string replacement can be a relatively simple repair. However, a new string can have a different tone than the rest of the strings until they are all replaced.
Also, marks on the exterior cabinet can be refinished, for example. Still, a piano’s case can be a very misleading indicator of musical condition. you could have a poor quality, never-tuned piano with a beautiful cabinet that is musically inferior to a roughed up, well-maintained quality piano.
As a result, case condition is not an indicator of musical quality. However, as a general rule, a case that appears beaten up is indicative of older instruments.
Tuning pins can be a challenge if they are loose. A key will sound out of tune or even play two notes simultaneously.
A cracked soundboard can create a hum due to the piano’s ribs becoming loose. A piano technician will be needed to make the right fix.
Hammer felt can be problematic, as felt is hard to replace. Hammers are even more difficult to replace.
A grand piano can have over 12,000 parts. Issues like these are common due to an instrument’s natural wear and tear. Having said that, good, used pianos exist on the market. The trick is to find a good one with the help of a good piano consultant and piano technician.
Phil Schoonmaker has 37 years of experience as a piano consultant and has sold both Yamaha and now the Steinway family of pianos at M. Steinert & Sons.
Phil says that one of the first questions buyers on the used piano market should ask themselves is, “Am I willing to give up a factory warranty?”
A factory warranty from the piano manufacturer would cover all of the aforementioned problems. That’s more comprehensive than a partial warranty given by the seller.
Phil notes that, though a Steinway has a broader palette of color not found in its sister brand, the Boston, a new Boston could still be preferable to some older used Steinways. “The question is often, “Which piano has more good years left in it?” notes Phil.
Searching for a quality used piano is a bit like an adult Easter Egg Hunt. You’ve been told some good eggs are to be found out there but also some rotten ones, too.
Again, if ever you needed a helpful guide before a big purchase, this is it. Bring along a knowledgeable piano consultant or piano technician who will give you confidence and peace of mind.
Then try out a number of different brands and ages of pianos to determine which you like. Try some new pianos in your price range, too, to get a feel for the difference between new and used pianos.
Learn more about new and used pianos by reading the following articles:
by Stephen N. Reed (updated for 2023 pricing and pianos on 1/30/23)
Since John Isaac Hawkins built the first upright (i.e., vertical) piano in 1800, these pianos have been quite popular. Their smaller size has made them perfect for use in the home.
Uprights have often been seen as a good first piano, especially for beginners. Culturally speaking, they have helped introduce piano playing to millions of people, especially in America, where they became a fixture in many families’ parlors.
Like all musical instruments over the years, the cost of upright pianos has steadily increased, especially in the 2021-2023 period. You may wonder if they are still the most cost-effective way to enjoy an acoustic piano. The answer is yes unless an upright is at the end of its life cycle.
However, uprights come in many brands and models, new and used, and the savvy buyer will investigate the range of upright options in the current market.
Here at M. Steinert & Sons, we have listened well to our customers for over 160 years, allowing us to help them find the right piano for each of them. Uprights can be an excellent first piano for many in terms of price, size, and learning to play the piano.
By the end of this article, you will become familiar with several upright models across a range of prices. As a result, you’ll be better positioned to choose the upright piano that is best for you.
At the low end of the upright spectrum, one can expect to find many free pianos, which are generally worth what you pay for them. We examined this before in a previous column.
Occasionally, a used upright piano from a reputable brand may be found if the owner wants to expedite the sale of their piano. Craigslist and other sites like it might have the occasional deal in this range – but keep in mind moving costs and the potential for unknown issues.
Within this range, a recent and more lightly-used upright is possible in fair to good condition if from a reputable brand. The difference between these uprights and those in the $0-$1,000 range is the quality of the brands of the used pianos available.
Examples in this range, as advertised online*, include:
*Please note that used piano prices posted here and online are ballpark figures, not actual values. Those can only be estimated after review by a trained independent technician. Age and musical quality are critical factors in determining value.
We see better quality used uprights and even the beginning of some brands’ economy uprights in this price range.
However, for many buyers, the relatively low cost does not make up for the instability and poor tone quality frequently found in used pianos within this range. Stencil and economy pianos are manufactured to a single design.
Stencil and economy pianos tend to use lower-quality materials and easier-to-build designs. They are built to meet a price point rather than a quality standard.
Examples include:
Within this range, one’s options greatly expand when buying a good, production upright, whether new or used. The quality of new and used uprights in this price range is higher.
Buying new in this range allows for some significant benefits, including multi-year warranties and, for Steinway-designed models, a Trade-Up policy that allows all of one’s investment in a new upright to be applied later to a new Steinway if desired.
This range begins to allow for some used handcrafted pianos, like Steinway and Bosendorfer.
Examples include:
This range covers most quality new production brands and top-quality used models. For example, the Boston, Steinway’s top brand next to Steinway itself, has some new upright models within this range. Also, better quality used handcrafted pianos are available.
This is the range in which one’s quality options for a new upright piano really kick into high gear. The selection includes a wide variety of excellent new production pianos and a growing number of new handcrafted pianos.
Examples include:
Hopefully, the examples of used and new uprights above give you a better idea of what you can get within each price range. We want to offer one thought for your consideration on your buyer’s journey.
A poor or mediocre grand is not better than a fine-quality upright. Indeed, fine uprights are several times more costly than lower-quality grands. It is not merely the design that establishes the overall quality of a piano but the materials and workmanship. Only the best grands are better than the best uprights.
But if a grand piano isn’t an option right now, then getting the best possible quality upright is a fine choice, especially in terms of fitting the space available in one’s home and the space within your checkbook.
Ultimately, a good quality vertical piano will outperform and outlast a poorly made, inexpensive grand piano.
The best way to get a feel for the differences between upright models is to try some models yourself. We encourage you to go to other stores first to try their models. Then come to M. Steinert & Sons to look into the uprights in the Steinway family of pianos; Steinway, Boston, and Essex.
The upright models in all three brands possess the Steinway tone and many of the same materials. Boston and Essex are production uprights, while Steinway’s K-52 is handcrafted. Any payments on a new Boston and Essex can be applied to a later Steinway purchase, per Steinway’s lifetime Trade-Up policy.
For more information on New vs. Used pianos and how pianos age, click here.
By Stephen N. Reed
How does the word “vintage” strike you? In the familiar context of a “vintage automobile” or a fine “vintage for wine,” it seems to be an adjective with a favorable connotation. But in the world of used Steinway pianos, “vintage” can be either a positive or a negative, even deceptive term.
Unless buyers do their homework before purchase, they can bring home a so-called “vintage” Steinway that has half (or less) the value and a reduced lifespan compared to what they were told by the seller.
How sad one would feel to realize later that a seller convinced you that their kind of “vintage” used Steinway, built in a supposed “Golden Age” year for Steinway pianos, was really just an old Steinway with a superficial facelift.
At M. Steinert & Sons, we are determined to not let that happen to you, whether you are a prospective buyer or just browsing. Since 1860, we’ve helped thousands of satisfied customers negotiate their way through the world of high-quality pianos. Our goal is to help you find the right piano for you–and to avoid being hoodwinked by low-end piano sellers.
By the end of this article, you’ll know better how to discern a good vintage used Steinway from a hybrid used Steinway with non-Steinway parts. Let’s first take a look at the good vintage Steinways in the company’s Heirloom Collection.
You can tell that Steinway & Sons wants to distinguish their Heirloom Collection of rebuilt vintage Steinways from poseurs who simply call any used Steinway from the past “vintage.”
For starters, Steinway markets their Heirloom collection as not only vintage but also “Certified,” to alert the prospective buyer that these are high-quality instruments. Indeed, Steinway notes on their website that the Heirloom Collection was created “to distinguish the finest, rebuilt vintage Steinways in the world.”
Some customers, for sentimental reasons or even ‘style’ preference, may want to restore a unique older piano with a unique cabinet design to a modern, playable instrument.
Heirloom Collection vintage Steinways are rebuilt by highly-skilled artisans at the Steinway Restoration Center in Walker, Iowa. In addition to refurbishing Heirloom Collection pianos, The Center takes in Steinways from institutions, piano technicians, private individuals as well as Authorized Steinway Dealers like M. Steinert & Sons.
Importantly, pianos restored by the Center always use genuine Steinway replacement parts. A complete, new Steinway action is used to completely replace the old.
The Center’s artisans have as their rebuilding standard to make an Heirloom Collection piano to play like new. As proof of Steinway’s confidence in their rebuilding work, all restoration work is backed by an all-inclusive, 5-year warranty, which is the same as for a new Steinway.
A dated certification record comes with the purchase of an Heirloom Collection piano to show that your piano has been restored by Steinway. In a sea of used Steinways today, this certification has real value.
The Steinway Restoration Center receives pianos shipped from all over the world. Once the Center’s work is completed, the rebuilt piano is returned to its owner completely restored.
The Steinway Diaphragmatic Soundboard plays a key role in producing the “Steinway Sound.” This patented soundboard is only available to Steinway, which does not sell its soundboards.
Thus, anytime a Steinway’s soundboard is replaced, only the Steinway Restoration Center can provide you with a genuine Steinway soundboard. Steinways are built to last, but their soundboards can have cracks that naturally occur with age.
As a result, any Steinways over 50 years old often receive a new Steinway soundboard at the Center.
In the end, the main advantage of buying a used Steinway from the Heirloom Collection is simple. You are tapping into Steinway knowledge, experience, facilities, and materials. No one else can give you that, which, in turn, means that no one else can give you a restored Steinway that bears two official Steinway imprints on your instrument.
First, it was handcrafted and birthed as a brand new piano by Steinway. Second, it has been restored by Steinway, which alone has the same kind of parts and skilled workers to render it worthy of a new 5-year warranty.
Still, all of this Steinway expertise costs money, leaving many to seek their options in the used Steinway market beyond those restored by Steinway.
A good used Steinway–with authentic Steinway parts and labor–can be found on the market for between $30,000-$90,000. Yes, such used Steinways do exist, but the problem is in finding them.
Without a skilled piano technician or a seasoned piano consultant as we have at M. Steinert & Son, many used Steinways can be passed off as being better and worth more than they really are.
But some used piano buyers go one step further, making an audacious claim, namely that a certain “Golden Age” of used Steinways are even better than new Steinways. Used Steinways built in the era of the 1920s and 30s are among the many older, “vintage “ Steinways which can be dressed up and made out to be rare jewels that deserve to fetch a higher price.
We rebutted that “Golden Age” of Steinways myth in a previous article, which debunks the claim that such “vintage” used Steinways can ever be better than a new Steinway of the same model.
Given the sheer number and wide variety of used Steinways on the market today, the careful buyer needs to understand the value of a Certified Pre-owned Steinway. Such a piano is the only way to make sure that authentic Steinway parts and skilled labor were used for any repairs.
A Certified Pre-owned Steinway has two advantages. First, such a piano is usually less expensive, at least at the beginning. Also, if it’s under ten years old, it has substantial playing life left in it.
But a non-Certified, used Steinway can be part of a murky market, where a “lemon” of a piano is always a possibility. Questions abound. Who did the maintenance work? Where did they get their parts? (If the seller is not an Authorized Steinway Dealer, they can’t get authentic Steinway parts.) How many people have owned the piano?
Non-Authorized Steinway Dealers know that they are up against a high standard with a Certified Pre-owned or Heirloom Collection Steinway. How to compete with Steinway or its authorized dealers, who alone have access to genuine Steinway parts and labor?
But if their non-Steinway parts and labor don’t work well, or if the soundboard is not certified, what a headache for the buyer who was so proud to bring a “vintage” Steinway home.
We’ve seen the difference between good vintage and bad vintage used Steinways in this article. The good vintage Steinways are those older models that have been completely restored with authentic Steinway parts and labor at the new Steinway Restoration Center in Walker, Iowa.
The restoration staff there does such finely-tuned work that Steinway is willing to stake its reputation by giving each of the Center’s restored pianos a five-year warranty–the same as a brand new Steinway.
But such a masterpiece in the Heirloom Collection can be pricey, as many of the pianos that are sent there are rare models. Add in the high-quality restoration process, and you can be looking at a six-figure piano.
The Certified Pre-owned Steinway piano is more affordable for many while providing peace of mind in knowing that it has passed through the certification process we have created at M. Steinert and Sons
The Certified Steinway is a sound compromise between the exceptional Heirloom Collection models and the so-called vintage used Steinways which often leave many questions unanswered as to any repairs or materials used to restore them.
The proof is in the pudding. Come into M. Steinert & Sons to play some Certified Pre-owned Steinways. One of our seasoned piano consultants can give you the background on any such pianos that we have in stock.
Yes, you can find an affordable used Steinway. Just make sure that you find it as a Certified Pre-owned Steinway to give yourself the security of knowing that your Steinway has plenty of life still in it and has passed our rigorous 88-point test.
To read more on buying used pianos, click here.
by Stephen N. Reed
You’re ready to do some serious shopping for a piano, but you’d like to save some money by going with a quality used model. You’ve already begun to learn how huge the used piano market is–and the wide range of conditions in the pianos out there.
So you’re trying to get a solid piano with great life left in it. What could be worse than bringing home an instrument that disappoints you later? That’s some serious money you can never get back. Choosing poorly might well dampen the interest your interest in playing the piano.
How can you safeguard against a poor choice for a used piano, while still experiencing some of the assurances of a new piano purchase?
By the time you’ve read this article, you’ll know about one sure-fire way to select a good, used piano, one that is playable for many years to come and is from the Steinway family of pianos.
In short, you’ll understand how the M. Steinert & Sons Certified Piano Program works to designate those used pianos that we are willing to certify with a three-year warranty. We devised this program to help give our customers the peace of mind they deserve when buying a purchase that costs several thousands of dollars.
After 160 years in the piano business, we are confident we can help you find the right piano for you.
First, M. Steinert’s certification program has an 88 quality point inspection compared to Steinway’s 77 points. Both companies have established this evaluation to ensure authenticity, exceptional condition, and performance. Certified piano categories evaluated include:
All M. Steinert Certified Pianos come with a signed inspection report, and an M. Steinert Certified Pre-owned Piano three-year limited warranty certificate.
One other difference in M. Steinert’s Certified Piano Program is that it certifies other Steinway-designed pianos, namely used Boston and Essex models, up to 10 years old.
Moreover, qualifying used Boston and Essex models are included in M. Steinert’s Steinway Lifetime and Full Value Trade-Up Promise.
When you purchase any Pre-owned Steinway, Boston, or Essex piano, you will receive 100% of the original purchase price in trade toward a new Steinway or Steinway-designed piano of greater value for the lifetime of the instrument.
“We get trade-ins all the time,” says Brendan Murphy. “Our Certified Piano Program distinguishes the great used pianos we receive from the good ones. We’re putting our 160-year reputation behind the ones we certify.”
However, a piano that passes M. Steinert’s 88-point inspection is going to be in solid musical condition. Indeed, it is an instrument of the highest quality for a used piano.
“You know what you’re getting with a Certified Pre-owned piano from M. Steinert & Sons,” says Brendan. “That gives our customers seeking a quality used Steinway, Boston, or Essex great peace of mind.”
To learn more about M. Steinert’s Certified Pre-owned pianos, view the current ones in stock in our Used Piano section. Select the “Certified” option in the Status filter.
