In part 2 of this article, we will discuss evaluating the piano’s sound and go through some of the inspection points that your piano technician will focus on during a pre-purchase visit. Just like having a medical history, this gives you and the technician (piano doctor) and good starting point. Find out from the owner when the piano was last tuned, and if there are records of past tunings as well as any repairs. Good quality pictures will help to identify any major aesthetic issues (large scratches, chips in the finish), and how the keys appear. Next, see if the owner will provide you with some good quality pictures – they should be taken in good lighting when it’s daytime, and should show all the outer cabinet and the keys. All of this can be researched online – consider it your homework, and ask a piano technician for help along the way.
The brand and model will help get a general feel for the expected quality and general value of the piano, and the serial number will provide the year it was made. The brand is usually on the fall board – the model and serial number can be found stamped on the inside metal plate visible when you lift the lid of an upright piano or the lid and music stand on a grand. Heintzman, Yamaha), model, and serial number. Most pianos will have a visible brand (e.g. Choose the brand name and type in the serial number of your.
Other upright serial numbers are located on the cast iron plate but placed above the treble string section. The owner should be able to provide most of this easily as it’s in their best interest when selling. You can easily find the year of construction for your piano by using the pianos serial number. Where is the serial number on an upright piano Piano serial number of uprights are many times located on the inside of the piano stamped onto the plate between the bass string section and the treble string section. This can be done remotely via email or through phone calls, and can really help you save some time upfront. Start off by getting hold of some information on the piano that’s for sale.
To help avoid this possible situation I’ve detailed a few things that you may want to consider doing before you look at enlisting the services of a professional piano technician, and definitely before you buy.
What seemed like a great deal at the time of the purchase now becomes a series of tough decisions – do I spend the money fixing up this piano, or just cut my losses and get something in better condition? Unfortunately, this scenario happens often to many buyers of privately sold used pianos. The piano technician arrives and gives you some bad news – this piano is in need of some major repairs, or even worse, they find that this piano will not be able to hold a tuning. You hired a piano mover and now it sits in your home awaiting it’s first tuning. You’ve been looking for a used piano for some time now and finally you’ve found one that fits your budget. A thorough examination is required to locate each pianos individual serial number.(This is part one in a two part article on purchasing a private sale used piano) We have also seen serial numbers of grand pianos stamped into the lyre assembly and nowhere else. Some serial numbers are printed on the back board of vertical pianos and require you to move the piano out from the wall. Do not rely on the name that is printed on the fall board as this does not guarantee the name of the manufacturer. There are seven examples but your serial number placement could be in yet a different location and may require some searching.īe sure to find the manufacturer’s name stamped on the cast iron plate or in the wood. Grand piano serial numbers are placed in many areas as the photos show. Other upright serial numbers are located on the cast iron plate but placed above the treble string section.ģ. Piano serial number of uprights are many times located on the inside of the piano stamped onto the plate between the bass string section and the treble string section.Ģ. The piano is serial number 9957, and has a compass of AAA-c5, tape-check upright action (probably not original), felt hammers, single-, double-, and triple-strings, cross-strung, 2 pedals: soft and dampers, a double iron frame, and an ebonized case with inlaid designs and gilded banding. The areas to look for these numbers vary from each company but here are some common places to look along with some photos.ġ. Using this number, along with the manufacturer, the age of the piano can sometimes be determined. Many pianos will have a 4, 5 or 6 digit serial number to identify the age of the piano. Pianos also have other numbers printed on them such as part numbers and many other pianos do not have a serial number at all. Many piano manufacturers placed serial numbers in a variety of places.