Are old pianos worth anything?

Are old pianos worth anything?

Antique pianos and organs can be valued anywhere from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. It is important that sellers realize the real value difference between a restored instrument and an unrestored instrument. Pianos are so large, that to dispose of them you have to get specialist movers to take them away (for a price). This is the reason you see Upright and Grand pianos so cheap on eBay. The seller can sell the piano for next to nothing, just so they don’t have to spend any money on the removal companies. The reality is, however, going for a “free” piano runs a very high risk of ending up with a subpar instrument that requires costly repairs and maintenance work to get it up to an acceptable playing standard. Even worse, you could end up with an unrepairable, untunable piano that you will need to dispose of. However, often a giveaway piano is given away because it hasn’t been played in years or the owner knows that it is need of some repairs and is not interested in putting any money into it. Pianos do not improve with age and use. Pianos that are 10 – 20 years old and well maintained are generally in very good condition. Pianos that are 30 – 50 usually require many repairs and adjustments to the existing parts. The average price to tune a piano ranges from $65 to $225, and the cost can increase by several hundred dollars if the piano requires multiple tuning sessions or repairs. Piano tuning is a skill that only experienced professionals should do.

What to do with an old piano no one wants?

You may want to go to the local classified boards, or classified ad sites such as craigslist or Gumtree. More often than not, someone will be willing to take your piano off your hands for you. Offer it to them as sold as seen with local pickup only. First come, first serve. One of the most popular ways to sell a piano is to use an online marketplace. The most popular places to sell a piano online are eBay, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. A simple search on any of these platforms yields tons of pianos of all shapes, sizes, and price ranges. If you are selling your piano with the intention of upgrading to a better one, most piano dealers offer trade-ins. However, you will almost always get a higher price by selling it privately on your own. We offer both part exchange and purchasing of second hand pianos. The most likely organisations are local school music departments, youth clubs, nursing homes, charities and churches (which often run music groups). If none of these organisations have the need or capacity for a piano then you can look to donate the piano to individuals in your area. To determine if your piano can be sold, there are some basic things to ponder: overall appearance, brand, and age/condition. Overall Appearance: People who buy decent-quality pianos of higher value usually have well-decorated environments for them to be placed. * Please note: Donors may deduct the full market value of their pianos (up to $5000) at tax time by submitting Form 8283 to IRS.

Is it hard to sell a used piano?

There are plenty of buyers looking to save a bit of money on the resale market, yet used pianos can be difficult to sell. Pianos are difficult to move from one place to another, making it challenging to arrange a sale. A piano’s value comes almost solely from its function as a musical instrument. (The exception usually being very ornate art case pianos.) A one-hundred-year-old upright’s musical and mechanical value is quite low, especially when compared to the fine golden age grand pianos produced around the same period. Who refers piano donations to us? Other not-for-profit organizations such as Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity, veteran groups, universities, and schools rely on our ability to provide the specialized moving, technical, tuning, and other services required for pianos. The average mass produced piano lasts 30 years. Hand-crafted pianos last substantially longer, often exceeding 50 years. Over time, the piano will need regular tuning, regulation, rebuilding, and other maintenance. A well-maintained piano can last in excess of 100 years.

Are old pianos worthless?

The fact is, you are unlikely to sell an old upright piano for more than a couple hundred dollars – and that is if the piano is in good condition. That said, old pianos are not worthless. They are not worth much to a serious musician, but to beginners they may be worthwhile. Since the Recession, used pianos at all price levels have plummeted in value. Used pianos for sale far outnumber shoppers to buy them, making it a buyer’s market. Threshold of reliably playable used uprights: $1,001–$3,000 Within this range, a recent and more lightly-used upright is possible in a 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. Pianos typically depreciate to 78% of their value in the first year alone. After this, you can see it slowly continues to decline for 20 years, reaching its final number of 40% of its original value. As you can see, after the first couple of years, pianos will depreciate by about 5% per year. How Much Does A Grand Piano Cost? A brand new grand piano would cost you around $10,000 to $200,000. The producer, the retailer, the type, and the model are highly important for the price. While entry-level grand pianos cost around $10,000, mid-range ones cost about $30,000, and high-end ones cost over $30,000. Can a piano be tuned after 20 years? Yes, any piano can be tuned after years of no use, as long as it is working condition.

How do you value a piano?

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. Antique pianos and organs can be valued anywhere from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. It is important that sellers realize the real value difference between a restored instrument and an unrestored instrument. There are plenty of buyers looking to save a bit of money on the resale market, yet used pianos can be difficult to sell. Pianos are difficult to move from one place to another, making it challenging to arrange a sale. Used pianos will never sell for the original price, but they are still worth quite a bit. Another thing you can do is search for your piano or similar models and see what others are selling it for. If someone is selling a Yamaha C7 for $29,999 then you could undercut them and sell it for $25,999. Generally speaking, upright pianos depreciate very quickly. Really old uprights are worth close to nothing, however, it’s possible to get a few hundred dollars from them. Quality uprights by Yamaha, Steinway, and Kawai generally sell for more.

Is a 40 year old piano still good?

As a note, “useful musical life” refers to the time a piano can be considered adequate for quality practice and general playing purposes. High-level performance quality is a much stricter standard that can be maintained for about 40-60 years on a high-quality instrument. 10-20 years: Depending on use and environment, sometimes pianos feel brand new while at other times, they might feel subtly broken in. At 30 years: the difference between the new, tight and succinct feel of a piano can change depending on use. With light use, pianos will feel like the 20-year version. Age- Piano age is different from car age. A car becomes an antique when it’s 25 years old. However, most 50-year-old pianos are considered modern. In order for a piano to be considered antique, it needs to be closer to 100 years old, and age alone does not make it valuable. Pianos need regular tuning at least once a year to keep them up to pitch and playing the correct notes. In particular, piano strings stretch a great deal during the first year after purchase, and the piano should be tuned twice during this one-year period. People can start piano at 60, at 70, at 80, even later. Your brain can still form new connections at any age. You can always learn new skills. For those who begin piano later in life, learning the piano may take a little more patience. Learning to play the piano as an adult can be intimidating. Many people limit themselves because they think they are too old or that it’s too late to start something new. The good news is, it’s never too late to start.

Which pianos hold their value?

With proper care, a piano will depreciate only slightly; in some cases, notable brands have even appreciated over time. Acoustic pianos from quality brands (think Yamaha, Steinway & Sons, Bechstein, and Bösendorfer, among others) hold their value best. 20 – 40 Years Old Higher quality instruments seeing moderate use (less than 2 hours a day) will feel lightly “broken in” around this age. Not worn by any means, but less concisely ‘tight’ as new pianos but still highly expressive. An acoustic piano needs regular care if it is going to work well. If a piano has gone five or ten years without being tuned, then tuning it once won’t be enough. Pianos get set in their ways as they age. A piano that hasn’t been tuned in a long time will go out of tune again very quickly. The average mass produced piano lasts 30 years. Hand-crafted pianos last substantially longer, often exceeding 50 years. Over time, the piano will need regular tuning, regulation, rebuilding, and other maintenance. A well-maintained piano can last in excess of 100 years.